Free Keeping the Beat: An Adrenaline Novel by Morgan O'Hara Page A

in my chest. I felt my fists clench at my sides and made a conscious effort to relax them. I started going through some breathing techniques I had learned in my Coping with Stress class, trying desperately to temper my bubbling panic.
                  “The plan Kenzie has to get over Jace,” Jared answered like it was no big deal.
                  A rush of anger washed over me as I listened to him speak. I felt like there was steam coming out of my ears and almost raised my hand to check.
                  Pinching the bridge of my nose between my fingers, I continued to concentrate on my breathing as tears burned behind my eyes. If Jared knew then there was no telling how long it would be before everyone else found out about my plan. That was what I got for expanding my circle of trust.
                  “Uh oh,” Emma commented as she looked me over. “You just stressed her the fuck out.” Rearing back she landed a punch on his shoulder making him wince. Like my soon to be sister in law, Emma was often prone to violent outbursts. “I don't think that’s public knowledge, you dolt.”
                  Jared frowned and looked at me uneasily as I tried to get control of myself. “Which one of them told you?” I spoke quietly meeting Jared’s eye. It either had to be Reece, Lane or Garret. My money was on the boyfriend.
                  He tried to look anywhere but at me as he bit his lip, crossing his arms over his chest. “Can I plead the fifth?”
                  I let out a low growl and pulled my hair away from my face, my anxiety level rising when it only continued to flop into my eyes. I wished like hell I hadn't given Jace my last hairband even though the smile it had put on his face had almost been worth my current level of aggravation.
                  Emma looked at her friend as though she wanted to hit him again. “Keep the pillow talk to yourself next time, Jared.” The man had the decency to look ashamed, casting his gaze to the floor. Emma’s lips twitched at his response before she firmed her expression. “Kenzie is old enough to make her own mistakes, which is exactly what Conner would be.” She turned back to me with a shake of her head. “While I don't agree with how he went about it, Jared is right about that. He’s a player. Not good enough for you.” Jared picked up his head looking justified as he started nodding in agreement with Emma’s words.
         “However,” she continued, her smile showcasing her dimpled cheeks, “If you want to fill me in on the plan, I can certainly help you identify some prime candidates to make you forget about a certain egotistical knuckle walker. I have some prior experience in that area incase you forgot. You can be my wing woman and we’ll have the men in this town falling at our feet.”
                  I felt my looming headache recede as Emma gave me a sassy wink. Jared scrubbed a hand over his jaw and looked at me with a grin tugging at his lips. “Looks like you got yourself a pimp, Kenzie.”
     
    Jace
                  Since Garret and I had patched things up I found sleeping easier. Over the past few months I had started to hate my cousin, which left me with a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. When I had thought there was something going on between him and Kenzie, I had felt powerless to stop it. Logically I knew Kenzie was going to end up with someone someday, I just didn't think it was going to be my best friend. Seeing how close he and Kenzie were drove me insane.
                  The amount of relief I had felt when Garret came out was immeasurable.
                  I heard a knock on my front door and called for whoever it was to come in. Glancing up from where I was mindlessly channel surfing and munching on potato chips, I saw Declan stride into my living room. He gave me a short look