The Damaged (The Insiders Trilogy #2) - Tijan by Tijan

He laughed lightly, evading my mouth. “Because Matt likes your friend and he’s going to want to control who’s in her space. He knows I’d rather take you home after the game, have our own after-game party.” He moved more into my space. “And he knows Liam doesn’t want Melissa around him, because what Liam’s friends will notice, too, is that Liam is interested in your friend Melissa.”

“He is? Wait…”

Kash’s eyes sobered. “Matt wants to sleep with her. That’s all.”

I tensed up.

He smoothed a hand down my side, massaging at my waist. It helped loosen some of the tension. “So he wants to sleep with her,” he continued, “but he won’t, because he knows if he does he’s basically just a predator. And that’s what he wants to save her from with Liam’s friends, because some of them are predators.”

Air caught in my throat. “Does Liam know?”

Kash looked over my shoulder, observing a moment. “I don’t think so. Some guys know. Some guys don’t. He seems clueless.”

I frowned.

He eased away, tilting his head, his eyes back on me. His thumb rubbed at my lip again. “But no one needs to worry, because your friend has eyes only for Fitz, when it’s really Scott who’s more interested in her. And both Fitz and Scott know this. Fitz is respecting him by staying away, and Scott isn’t worried about anyone else because he knows he’s the one who’ll reel her in.”

The air escaped me in a sudden rush. I glanced over my shoulder and saw it all in one look.

Scott was next to Melissa, the same grin he always wore on his face, as he watched her talking to Liam. She was nodding, smiling, but kept sending furtive looks down our aisle. I turned. Fitz pointedly had his eyes elsewhere, and Matt was still talking to a bunch of the other guys, but he was seeing it all, too.

I turned back to Kash. “You noticed all of this on the ride over?”

“No. I noticed this the second I met your friend.”

Kash said I was smart, but so was he. Just in different ways.

“Well, I can say one thing for sure.” I cocked my head back so I could really look into Kash’s face. “My friend’s gonna get a boyfriend soon.”

Kash smiled down at me, I smiled back at him, and we continued to have our own moment. It was nice. Spending time at a game with my boyfriend and being able to just be with him. The end of the world wasn’t coming. We didn’t have an entire slew of bodyguards around us. There were regular people behind us. By the time the game started, I already knew it was worth it.

Matt made his rounds by the time halftime rolled around.

He moved from his seat, which was made easy because the guys kept leaving for the concession stands. Everyone remained standing the whole time, which also made it easier for Matt to socialize. So, by halftime, Matt was friends with all of the guys—and with some of the girls that were sitting in front of the guys. There were so many people, but I felt it was safe to say that if Matt walked on the Hawking University campus tomorrow, he’d be greeted as if he’d gone there full time for the past four years.

Liam and two of his friends mostly talked with Melissa the whole time. I joined in every now and then, but I was content to watch the game with Kash’s arm around me.

Fitz and Scott watched everyone. They were still there to do their jobs, and only once were they relieved, when Erik showed. He took Fitz’s spot and Fitz disappeared for a moment. He returned and Erik took Scott’s place. When Scott returned, Erik conversed with Kash a moment before leaving again.

If anyone noticed this, no one said a word.

It wasn’t until the fourth quarter started that a buzz began in the stands.

Kash’s head was tilted down to mine. His temple was resting against my head. We were both watching the game, but his head had been half bent over mine most the time. It was how he watched the game, and I loved it.

Matt came back to us, his smile frozen. “Busted.”

Kash’s head immediately lifted.

Matt’s eyes darted upward.

Kash looked and swore.

Right there, on the Jumbotron, was an image of Kash and me. I looked frozen in place. Kash looked ready to commit murder.

“We gotta go.”

At his command, Fitz and Scott both stood, leaving for the aisle.

“What’s going on?” Melissa asked.

Kash’s hand was firm on my thigh. He was guiding me from behind to the aisle. He said in my ear, “We’ll go up. We can finish the game in a box. She can come with us if she’d like.”

“What about Liam?”

“Him, too. Five of his friends. No more.”

Scott was craning over us, waiting.

Kash motioned. “Go up.”

Scott nodded, and we began the climb upward.

I relayed what he said to Melissa and Liam. Immediately, both stood. Liam was turning toward his friends, but Kash wasn’t waiting. His hand moved to the small of my back. He was right behind me. “Keep your head down. Don’t make eye contact.”

I did as he said, glad his hand didn’t leave me. A few people called to us. A guy asked for money to save his house. Another guy cursed at us. There were others, but we ignored them all the way up to the main floor.

Once there, Hawking security was waiting for us. One of the guys broke forward to talk with Kash. In that time, Melissa had followed us up. Liam, too. Three of his friends were trailing, and their whole demeanor from before was wiped clean. They were wide-eyed and looking at Kash and me with new interest. Matt seemed more reserved, and he moved next to me. “Since word is out, I’m making different plans now.”