Wild Card by Ashley Munoz

Chapter Fourteen

I studiedthe blue ink for signs of deception. It gave me no indication whatsoever on the true intent behind being given to me. Decker had said to use it if I had questions about the article, but I’d have been lying if I said I hadn’t considered texting to ask about the rumors I’d heard. In fact, that first night after I heard about his nickname, I’d wanted to text and ask him about the whole thing. Surely there was another side to the story that I wasn’t getting.

Then I realized how weird that would have come across and decided it was better if I just ignored him and let this crazy idea of the story and of him and Taylor go, especially if he wanted more revenge on poor Elias. Hadn’t that guy gone through enough?

Then again…that was a rumor, and I didn’t even know Decker.

The more I thought about it, the more I considered Decker’s face when he realized I wasn’t Taylor that first night. He had an axe to grind with Elias, and that had to come from somewhere…unless Decker was truly mentally unhinged. But, I’d been around him, and I hadn’t caught any signs that he was on medication or struggling with his mental health. I wanted to give him a chance; he deserved to explain himself, and if he was telling the truth then I’d just feel like a bitch if I didn’t at least give him that.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I turned over and pulled the pillow over my face. I’d been running through the little meeting I’d had with Decker all morning and was no closer to gleaning anything new whatsoever about the man. Sure, he had made it clear that he wanted a shot with Taylor, but he just didn’t seem like her type. No, in fact, the other guy who’d walked in, Elias—he looked like the kind of guy she’d go for: tousled blond hair, creamy and freckled complexion, and well over the average height. That and the expensive-as-hell brands he was wearing—yeah, Taylor would definitely go for him.

With that on my mind, I crawled out of bed and headed for the living room. Taylor was thankfully already out there, and was she doing homework? I’d never seen her actually work on homework before, and I was tempted to pull out my phone and snap a picture.

“Hey.” I walked to the sofa and sat down. The television pinged on after I grabbed for the remote. I flicked through channels as I waited for Taylor to reply. She never did, so I just kept going. “Are you going to be around for a little bit?” I asked, biting down on my nail. I was about as subtle as an elephant.

Taylor’s head finally rose, her gaze finding mine. “I guess. Why?”

“No reason. I have this friend who was going to come over, but I wanted to be sure it was okay with you first.” I clicked up a few more channels despite the fact that we only actually got about five.

I needed to turn on Netflix before she noticed I was acting weird.

“I can leave if you want,” she offered in a cautious tone. She was always worried that I wouldn’t want her there when my friends came over. The other day when Juan and Hillary had come over, it was only Juan who’d been able to convince her to watch a few episodes with us before she finally went to her room. It was progress.

“No, actually he asked if you’d be here. I think he might hate you or something.” If I said he was into her, she’d run for the hills, but saying someone hated her always piqued her interest.

“Seriously?” Her laugh came out more like a snort, and I knew I’d won.

The first official playdate was on.

“Yeah, no idea why,” I said, not looking her direction.

“Tell him to come over.” She propped her elbows on either side of the chair, lifting her chin.

I pulled out my phone and ignored the tremble in my fingers as I pulled up his number.

Me: Hey, this is Mallory. Want to come over for your first official playdate?

I set the phone down, waiting, and thankfully only a few seconds went by before he responded.

Decker: Thought you were done talking to me.

Me: Why would you think that?

I felt guilty, and I hated feeling guilty. I owed him the chance to explain his side of the story…about a rumor I’d heard that might not even be close to true.

Decker: I never heard from you…I drove by your place a few times just to make sure you didn’t move away.

Me, not Taylor. My heart did this little fluttery thing.

Me: I’m sorry about that, it was just a crazy week. But if you’re available right now, I have her tame and in a good mood. By the way, she thinks you hate her, just roll with that.

My stomach was all nerves and knots waiting for him to finally text back.

But he didn’t, and I made it through almost two episodes of Schitt’s Creek before a knock sounded at the door.

I crawled out of the little nest of blankets I’d gathered and headed for the entrance. Taylor glanced at me cautiously, like a nervous animal.

Swinging open the door, I smiled at my guest and shoved down the part of me that appreciated how good Decker looked in a tight, navy blue tee, or how he looked with that matching Devils baseball hat on his dark, mussed hair. I definitely pushed down how badly I wanted him to show me his hand so I could run my finger down the length of his scar…or explain the rumors he didn’t know I’d learned.

His eyes roamed, taking a slow route from my hair down to my toes. I hated when he looked at me like that because it made me feel like an electric current was running between us, like he was ready to eat me alive, all while his desired conquest was just feet from us.

“Hey, you made it,” I chirped, shutting us in.

“Yeah…figured I would bring some chips.” He stepped closer, handing me a bag of my favorite lime-flavored chips, and I almost launched myself at him. Taylor, however, scrunched her nose. How did he know they’re my favorite?

“Boo. No alcohol?” Her pink, recently glossed lips pouted as she moved out of the chair.

“Decker, this is my stepsister, Taylor. Taylor, this is Decker, my friend.” I watched him carefully, for some reason hoping he’d refute the friend thing and tell her I had somehow become the love of his life. Yeah, I knew I had a problem, and that thought just totally confirmed that I needed help.

“Nice to meet you, Taylor.” Decker’s lips quirked to the side like he had a secret. Her eyes lit up like she was already in on it. Was this flirting? It had been so long since anyone had done this with me, it was hard to actually recognize when it was happening.

“You’re a pitcher for the Devils, right?” she asked, quirking a brow.

Decker’s jaw twitched, his nostrils flaring before he gave her the slightest nod.

Taylor’s cold demeanor snapped back into place as her gaze went to her phone, effectively ignoring us.

Decker watched her with his eyebrows caving, like he’d never gotten the brushoff once in his gorgeous life.

I cleared my throat.

“Decker and I were going to watch a movie…do you want to join us, Taylor?”

Her blue eyes flicked once to me, then to Decker. They weighed him, seeming to take in every detail: the corded muscle along his forearms, the dark swirls peeking out from the sleeves of his t-shirt, and probably the way his eyes seemed to glitter under the expensive recessed lighting my dad had put in. Was she seeing how beautiful he was? Did she catch the small wince that clouded his features when he flexed his left hand? My mind raced, panicked at the idea that she’d fall for Decker right here, right now…and then game over. I’d be out of a story source and well…no more Decker.

“I have homework, but I can watch whatever you decide. It won’t bother me if you turn it on in here.”

Then her gaze was back on her phone. I withheld a sigh. I had internally bet myself money on Taylor declining the movie and going back to her room, which would have totally messed this entire thing up for us.

Grabbing the bag of chips, I headed to the kitchen in search of a bowl. Decker followed on my heels, whispering under his breath as we both crouched down to dig through the lower cabinets.

“Is she always this closed off and cold?”

I nearly laughed. “Yes…unless of course you’re famous or have a large bank account—then she’s as warm as asphalt on a sunny day.” I shouldn’t have said that. What was wrong with me?

I looked up in time to see a line form between his eyebrows.

“I’m sorry, that was really rude of me. She does take some getting used to, but Taylor is used to hookups. As long as I have known her, she’s never had a relationship. Maybe she wants you to work for it or something?”

“She probably knows about me.” Those eyebrows stayed caved in, his lips thin and his jaw locked.

I wanted to prod, ask what she knew…what it was that everyone seemed to know that I didn’t.

“Just be yourself. You’re a good-looking guy who has a lot to offer. Your story will be so cute once you thaw through her icy exterior.”

I stood, slamming the cupboard shut. I hated how weak the idea of him having a story with Taylor made me, how I didn’t even know him, but because we’d had one stupid moment together, my damn mind and body had decided we had dibs, regardless of the fact that on the night in question of said dibs, he was busy trying to seduce someone he thought was Taylor. It was stupid—all of this was stupid.

Decker trailed after me, clearing his throat. I dumped the bag of chips in the bowl and headed for the couch. At least I’d get my favorite snack out of this ordeal.

“Uh…” Decker glanced at the spot next to me and at where Taylor sat in the chair.

Right, he’d want to sit next to her because he was trying to seduce her.

With my eyes I told him to just sit down and work his way up to sitting next to her. With his eyes he told me to make it happen. But I’d already made this night happen—he was in my living room, mere feet from my stepsister. This was as good as it was going to get.

I cleared my throat, narrowing my eyes, pressing my point without actually using words.

He finally gave in, letting out a sigh and throwing his back into the seat on the cushion farthest from me.

Fuck you too, buddy.

“What are you guys watching?” Taylor asked, sipping from her plastic tumbler. Lemon water from the looks of it—sometimes that was an entire meal for her.

“I don’t know…what are you in the mood for?” I asked Decker.

His knee bounced while I began clicking through options on Netflix.

“How about that new horror movie…the one with the house and those kids?” Taylor asked, taking a loud sip. Suddenly she was invested in a movie that literally sounded like every horror movie I had ever seen.

“Do you know the name?”

“I know what she’s talking about. It’s…” Decker’s body was suddenly next to mine, his hand grabbing for the remote. He smelled so good I wanted to groan.

One time I’d gone to some fancy cologne store with Juan, helping him look for something new. We sprayed all these little cards, trying to find the right scent for him. I ended up inhaling so much my nose hurt, but now, here smelling Decker, it felt like I’d finally found that perfect aroma, and I wanted to plaster my face to his neck and breathe him in.

Instead I pulled away from him, yelling, “No grabbing!”

“It’s just easier to find it than to try to tell you…you’re going to get irritated.” His strong, very defined arm was nearly across my folded legs, his eyes set in a stern manor, like I was being ridiculous.

I held the remote higher because pride is a fickle beast, one that kept me company more often than I cared to admit, but at least it was consistent and loyal.

“Seriously?”

“It’s my house—you can’t have the remote!” I shrieked as he reached up, but my resistance only made him more determined. Suddenly he launched himself toward me, covering my legs and half my body with his as his long arm reached up and snagged the prize.

“Ha!” He settled back into the couch, but this time he was in the space right next to me.

My heart was thundering in my chest like an eighth grader who’d just been touched by her crush. His body heat was so close it warmed up my feet, which were basically touching his hip now from how they were curled behind me.

He clicked over a few titles until he found what he was looking for, Taylor confirming the choice and setting her laptop aside as soon as he pressed play. I personally wasn’t a fan of horror movies as they usually made me want to pee my pants, but I was here as the awkward chaperone to these two, so…

I tugged my phone out, trying to ignore the music in the movie, the scary images, and the dreary overall vibe in the room. The lights had been dimmed at some point, probably by Taylor, who was sitting next to the switch on the wall. She was huddled under the covers in her chair, but knowing her, she would likely find a way to crawl into Decker’s lap at any moment.

Movement by my feet had me looking over my shoulder. Decker’s hand was in the bowl of chips, the glow of the television highlighting his corded arm. My eyes wandered up his body, taking in the way his jaw moved as he chewed, his eyes on the movie. A flutter erupted in my stomach as I watched him, taking in how good he looked sitting next to me with the lights out and the television on. I briefly considered what this would feel like if I were turned, my body curled into his, my hand in that bowl with his because lime chips were the best thing ever invented. Suddenly, I realized he was essentially eating them all. I gave my head a brief shake to clear away the images I should never have allowed to take root and went after him.

“Hey! Don’t eat them all!” I dove over his lap toward them, not caring at all that I was being awkward, or that it would likely look like we were flirting with each other. Then again, I acted this way with Juan whenever he was over. Taylor probably thought Decker was just another one of my buddies.

“Share!” Decker’s mouth was full as he pulled the bowl away from his chest, trying to block me.

“How can you eat that garbage?” Taylor glared from her spot in the recliner, eyeing us like we were deranged.

Decker froze, his face popping up, those eyebrows arched high on his forehead. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but instead he released the bowl and handed it over to me.

For some reason, the victory felt more like defeat. I liked flirting with Decker, having fun with him, fighting over something stupid like chips. I didn’t like the rogue emotions he kept stirring in me, and all because we’d had some chemistry when his face was between my legs. It was bullshit, just my desperate need to get laid.

So, I switched things up.

“Tay, can you swap me places? The light from the television is giving me a headache.”

“You should just go to bed—I know you hate horror movies. I can see your friend out when it’s over,” she offered sweetly, adjusting the blanket on her lap.

That was exactly what Decker wanted, so I stood and smiled at her, and when I looked at Decker, the expression on his face was odd. I couldn’t decipher it. This would let him get closer to her; this was his plan, and I knew my stepsister would be moving closer to him. Even if she didn’t like him, she’d probably try to sleep with him. I didn’t judge; she had a healthy and vibrant sex life, so I would just let them get to it. Still, something in me shriveled up and died just thinking about it.

“Night, Decker…I’ll see you around.”

His jaw tensed, those viridescent eyes locked on mine. He looked angry, like he’d just lost an all-in bet at a poker table or something…whatever. He was probably hoping I would stay and talk him up or try to get the two of them to hang out. He could do all that on his own.

I didn’t wait for him to respond as I walked down the hall, and just before I opened my door, I looked over my shoulder to see Taylor move from the chair and claim my spot on the couch.