Free Three Hearts One Soul (The Soul Series #1) by Bec Botefuhr Page A

can’t tonight. I’m hangin’ with Nev.”
    Sarah. The girl that’s mad about him. The girl he’s ‘screwed’ a few times. I can’t deny that it bothers me. Of course it does. I hate that Whiskey has eyes for another. I know I shouldn’t feel like that about either of the boys, but I do. I don’t act on it though, why would I? I can’t have them both and I certainly can’t choose, so I just have to deal with it.
    “Too bad,” he grumbles.
    He listens for a moment longer.
    “Well, I’m hangin’ with her. Deal with it. I’ll call you later.”
    He slams the phone closed and I give him a pointed look when he turns and sets his brown eyes on me.
    “What?” he asks.
    “Are you always so mean to her?”
    He gives me a confused expression, then throws his hands in the air.
    “ You fuckin’ women. You all hate each other and yet you all defend each other. Fine Nev, if you wanna go home and let her come and fuck me, by all means!”
    I get off the bed and walk over, then I drive a punch into his shoulder. “Stop being a jerk Whiskey, you might get away with being a jackass to her but it won’t work with me!”
    He narrows his eyes and then a half grin creeps up onto his face and he reaches out, wrapping his arms around my waist and hurling me down onto the couch. I squeal and shove at his chest as he lands on me and begins tickling me.
    “You’re the only girl who gets to tell me how it is, you know that don’t you sugar?”
    “That’s because you know I won’t take any of your shit!”
    He huffs and leans on his elbow, still not moving off me. I can feel every hard inch of him pressing against my body.
    “No, you don’t take my shit. You’re the only one though. Anyone else spoke to me like that and…”
    “What tough guy?” I tease, tracing the dragons tail that goes over his shoulder to his chest.
    “I’d knock them out.”
    “Well, I guess I’m just special then.”
    “Heaven, you have no idea.”
    I’m crying again. I remember the good parts to Whiskey. I remember his gentle side. I remember the man underneath the cover. Has that man gone? The man on the phone is someone I didn’t know. What do I tell Jase?
    “Nev?”
    I hear the voice calling through my door and I get to my feet so quickly I stumble a few times. I know that voice. Oh god. I swing the front door open and see my father standing with a big smile on his handsome face. With a cry, I leap into his arms. He wraps me up in his grip, giving me an instant feeling of comfort. I cry into his shirt, gripping so tightly my fingers burn.
    “Nev, baby, what’s wrong?”
    “He’s dying daddy, he’s dying.”
    “Who baby? Hey, shhh.”
    “Jase…Jase is dying.”
    “Jase Levanox?”
    “Yes!” I wail, clinging to him.
    “Hey now, come on, come on.”
    He leads me inside and gently sits us down onto the couch. I wail and cling to him, feeling extremely childish. He strokes my hair and soothes me until I’m able to tell him what’s happening. When I’m done, his face pales. He liked Jase and Whiskey, he always invited them into his home when I used to visit him. They all got along, they were like his sons. I know the news will crush him.
    “Jase…is dying?” he whispers, as if trying to make himself believe it.
    “Yes, and there’s nothing I can do daddy. I can’t help him.”
    He grips my face, swiping my tears away. “You are helping him, you are helping him by doing this for him. You are being the best help you can be.”
    “He’s going to die, daddy, I can’t lose him.”
    “Oh baby.”
    My father holds me until I stop crying. It takes a while. Every now and then I’ll stop long enough for him to think I’m not going to start again, then I think of Jase and reality hits and the tears start again. Eventually though, my chest is aching, my eyes are burning and I can’t get another tear out. I pull back and stare at my father through bleary eyes. He smiles at me and strokes my cheek. He looks well. He’s been