The Pact: Rebels of Ridgecrest High (Book 1)

It takes almost thirty minutes to get home. I drive like an old lady. I don’t want to jostle Mila or make her vomit again before we get home.

I carry her up the stairs to my room, lay her gently on my bed, and look at her small form…in my bed. There’s vomit on her jeans and her tee. I can’t leave her like that. But I also don’t want her to think I’m a fucking creep either.

“Mila? Mila, I need you to get undressed. So I can get you some clean clothes.”

“Mmm…Jace, huh?” she whispers as she tries to sit up. She grabs her stomach, flopping back onto the bed with a groan. “My tummy hurts.” She curls into herself, and my chest pangs with guilt. I need to stop blaming myself right now. I need to take care of her.

“Do you want me to help you? If you give me permission, I promise not to look while I help take your clothes off.”

“Mmm…okay.”

I take that as all the permission I need. This isn’t anything other than me helping her. I unbutton her jeans and slide them down her long legs. For someone so short and petite, she has legs for days. But, as soon as the thought enters my mind, I look away, as promised. I chuck her jeans on the floor and focus on her top.

She has rolled over. I catch a glimpse of her pink thong and the smooth skin of her ass. Fuck. I stare at my ceiling as I reach for the hem of her tee and lift it off. She isn’t much help, and I have to wrangle her arms out. But once the tee is off, she curls into herself.

I quickly turn. I’m worried she’ll fall off the bed if I leave her, so I look around my floor for something to put her in. I snap up one of my jerseys. It has my number and name on the back. It’s dirty, and a deep part of me wants her in it, wearing my name and smelling like me.

I slip it over her head and get her arms in. She rolls, sprawling out like a starfish, and mumbles my name. I look down at her, her blonde hair a mess over my pillows. Her breathing is even, and she makes this cute snoring sound.

Seeing her in my shirt, on my bed like that, has my cock hard.

Yeah, I’m a sick fuck. But at least I admit it.

I ignore my cock and pull off my vomit-soaked sweats before slipping into bed beside her. I cover her up with the sheet and watch as she sleeps. She looks so peaceful. Her eyelashes are dark and long, something that has always fascinated me with her almost-white-blonde hair. Her cheeks are tinted pink and her lips parted as she sleeps.

I can’t stop thinking about what could have happened to her tonight if those girls hadn’t stopped the fucker who did this. I’m going to find him, and I’m going to kill him.

I hear my alarm, but I put it on snooze, hoping it won’t wake Mila. I can’t leave her here alone. She needs me. Coach will understand. I slip back to sleep, but it doesn’t take long for Grady to open my door without knocking, looking for me.

“Fucker, what the hell, you’re still in bed… What the?” He looks to the pile of blonde hair beside me and takes a step toward my side of the bed. He peers over, and I hold my hand up and shake my head.

“Don’t wake her,” I whisper.

I watch his facial expression change when he realizes who is in bed with me. His jaw ticks with irritation. I know what’s going through his mind, because I would have the same thoughts if I found her in one of the guys’ beds. He is angry, confused, and concerned.

“What’s she doing here? In your bed, of all places,” he spits out through gritted teeth.

I shake my head and run my hand through my hair. “I’ll tell you the full story later, but I picked her up at a Kings’ party. Someone drugged her. They tried to…” I can’t even say the words out loud.

But Grady is filling in the blanks as all the color drains from his face. “What the fuck? Who?” he growls, and Mila shifts, groaning as she moves closer to me.

I reach out to hold her hand, and she settles again. Grady is still as he stares down at Mila. He storms out of my room without closing the door. I watch Mila’s face. She is sleeping again. I don’t want her waking up and feeling like shit. I want her to sleep it all off before she wakes up.

Grady returns with a glass of water and two aspirin. He places them on my side table before looking over at her sleeping form. His face softens as she makes a small sigh, and he looks at me.

He shakes his head and throws his hands up. “You should have called me. I would have come. The whole team would have come and smashed the fuck out of the asshole who did this.” He doesn’t wait for me to answer. He runs his hands over his face then points at Mila. “I will tell coach there’s an emergency,” he states, before leaving the room and closing the door softly behind him.

Mila mumbles something, and I move closer to comfort her. She starts tossing and turning in my arms, and she sounds frightened. “No, please. No.”

“Mila, Mila? You’re having a bad dream. Wake up.” I hold her close to me, and she stops. Her body slowly relaxes, melting in my arms as I hold her close to my chest.

“Jace?” she asks, and I freeze. She’s awake.

Is she going to be upset with me when she discovers that she’s in my bed, wearing my top and just her underwear?

I hum back to her in response, hoping she’ll fall back asleep. I’m not ready for her to leave my bed yet. I want to keep her here forever.

Where did that thought come from? Fuck. But it’s true. I don’t want to let go of her. Not now. Not ever.

“You’re warm,” she mumbles as she presses her body against mine. Her thigh slides over mine, and she fits perfectly beside me.

My cock is now awake and very aware of how close she is. But she doesn’t seem to notice my reaction. I look down and see that she’s fallen back asleep.

Fuck. Mila Hart is going to be the end of me.