Free Vicious Circles by J. L. Paul Page B

that got my heart al worked up again.
    As soon as we stepped onto the porch, Tori nearly knocked us out of the way as she hurried past us toward the kitchen. Reaching out, I snagged her arm to stop her. Her face was pale and drawn and her lips a tight, frightened line. My heart jumped for a moment, remembering the night Irelyn fel down the stairs and I wondered if something bad had happened again.
    “Um, Tori, are you al right?” I asked.
    “Yeah, sure,” she said, her eyes darting from my face to the back door. “I just need to see Col in about something.” Figures. Maybe she'd just realized she was in love with him. Maybe she'd had an epiphany like I’d had. Maybe she wanted to declare her feelings. Maybe I wanted to puke.
    “He doesn’t want anyone in there right now,” Irelyn said rol ing her eyes. “He’s working on his secret marinade.” Tori brushed my hand off her arm, her face flushed, her tone haughty. “He won’t care if it’s me. It’s fine.” Pushing past me, she darted up the few steps and disappeared into the house.
    Her words sliced my heart like it was a hunk of deli meat on a meat slicer. I chanced a quick glance to gauge how Morgan was doing but she appeared off in space as was usual for her lately.
    I shrugged at Irelyn, adjusting the mask on my face to make sure it was perfect, and made my way to the drink coolers. Grabbing a beer, I glanced around at the new faces. I recognized a couple guys that did the sound board for the band at Rusty’s but the guy talking to Spencer was someone I'd never before met -
    although he did look a little familiar.
    A tight blue t-shirt stretched across his wel -defined chest while his blond, spiky hair reflected the sun. When he turned my way, his green eyes sparkled as they darted up and down my body.
    I had to meet this guy. Maybe he’d take my mind off Col in.
    I stepped toward Spencer but Irelyn snatched my arm. “What are you doing?” she hissed.
    “Going to talk to Spencer and meet his friend,” I said. I raised a brow at her. What –
    did she want to hog al the gorgeous guys?
    “That’s Owen and he’s not very nice,” she said.
    Owen - right. I'd heard Spencer talk about him several times and, if I remembered correctly, he'd attended the little party Spencer had thrown at his place last year. I might have met him that night but I couldn't be sure. The thing I remembered most about that party was Irelyn fal ing down the stairs and having to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.
    Snorting, I glanced at her. “Is that what you’re worried about? I can handle him.” Shaking her hand off, I approached the guys peeking at the charcoal in the gril .
    “Hey, Spence. Who’s your friend? I don’t think I've met him.”
    “This is Owen,” Spencer said, peering at me curiously. “Haven’t I ever introduced you to him before?”
    “Yes, I think so,” Owen said as his eyes traveled very deliberately up and down my body. “Briefly, at Spencer's birthday party last year. How I could I ever forget someone like you?”
    I rol ed my eyes as I clutched Spencer’s upper arm. “Like you’d know what to do with me if you ever had the chance.” Laughing, Spencer pecked my cheek. “She’l tear you up, dude.”
    “Great. I love a chal enge,” Owen leered.
    I knew his type at once. I’d seen it plenty of times with the pretty boys from high school – the ones that were good looking and knew it. They’d play around with a girl
    – get what they wanted out of her and throw her away when they grew bored. And they thought they were it – that everyone wanted to be like them and that no one would ever tel them no.
    “I eat worms like you for breakfast,” I said, narrowing my eyes.
    “Oh,” he said as his lips curled into a lecherous grin. “I like how that sounds. Maybe you can get your little friend, Irelyn, to join us.” I laughed as Lucas glared and took a step toward him. “I told you to stay away from her,” he growled.
    Owen held