Free The Original Crowd by Tijan Page B

future so desperately. When it doesn’t work out, you’ll be grateful that I didn’t give up on us.”
    “I’m not your girlfriend, I’m not your accomplice, and I’m not your fuck buddy anymore. I’m out—get that in your head—before I do something to keep you away from me permanently,” I growled. I was beyond pissed now. “And I’m not your property. I have never been your property or anyone else’s. Got it?!”
    “That’s what this was about? You gave Jace the codes because I said you were my property?” Brian asked incredulously, straightening slightly.
    I didn’t respond, but glared frostily.
    “You’re so damn gorgeous when you’re furious.” He grinned, still in pain.
    Oh I hated him. I especially hated the melting that started in my heart at that grin. It always worked on me, always, and he knew it. The bastard.
    “I hate you,” I seethed, my hands balled into fists.
    And the bastard laughed. “No, you don’t, baby. You could never hate me because you’d be hating the one person that’s been there for you through everything. Thick and thin, Tar.”
    Fully straightening, he grabbed my hand and tugged me closer. I dug my feet in and ended up being dragged awkwardly across the space, my arms acting as a barrier since I had them crossed over my chest, as he tried to hug me. I was stiff in his embrace. I felt him nuzzle my ear, which made the melting intensify and spread.
    “You still love me, Tar, and no matter how much you push me away, I always know you’re pushing yourself just as much,” he whispered, kissing my ear. “You want this new life so much and you’re willing to cut us all out in order to do it, but it’s not going to work. I’m a part of you, you can’t push yourself away.”
    Hearing a few car doors slam, I looked up and saw Ben watching from a few feet away. I recognized the rest of Jace’s guys, one must’ve been new because I didn’t recognize him.
    Brian shouted across the street, “We’re good. You don’t need to come and protect little ‘ Terry .’ You can report back to big brother that no cops need to be called.”
    “Taryn?” Ben questioned, intent.
    “Taryn?” Oh God, that was Mandy. Turning around my eyes widened in horror, seeing Mandy standing with the rest just outside the front door of my house. I saw Tray, Grant, and another guy slowly walk down the driveway.
    My house.
    Shoving Brian away, I said quietly, “Get out of here. Now.”
    “Tar?”
    “Get lost.”
    “You don’t mean that,” he soothed, self-assured.
    I snapped. It was the only thing that could explain the sudden change inside of me, but I’d had it being placated by him.
    I slapped him and then yelled, “I don’t mean that? I don’t mean that? I’m sick and goddamn tired of being told, by you, what I do and do not mean! I’m not a child whose parent’s know what’s best for her. I’m not anything to you, Brian! Not anymore. Not to you!”
    Brian frowned, and I saw his resolve set in.
    “You want to know why Jace looks out for me so much?” I was such a bitch. A cold, heartless bitch. So I said, “Because I fucked him on your birthday. Your birthday last year when I walked in on you and Liza. You couldn’t find me that night, because I was with your brother. And holy hell, did he make me scream that night.”
    “You’re lying,” Brian seethed, white around his mouth, his jaw firm. “You’d never do that. Jace would—”
    “We did,” I said smoothly, “And the next morning, we did it all over again.” Gesturing to Ben, I suggested, “Ask Ben. He was there. He saw me leave the next morning, hell—he probably heard us the whole night.”
    Brian looked over at Ben stiffly, not saying a word.
    Studying me, Ben nodded, tightly.
    It was enough because Brian started yelling, “You fucking bitch. You’re nothing but a slut. A whore who gets her rush stealing crap. How pathetic is that? I wasn’t only with Liza, baby, you want to know all the other girls I