BAD BOY SAVED (male pov)

Bad Decisions

The seafront diner was unusually quiet today and I was thankful for that. I took a seat at my usual table and watched Reece read from the menu. I'm in here enough to already know what I want but she was mildly irritating taking a long time to pick.

I pulled my phone out and read through my text messages, secretly hoping Olivia had reached out to me again. I don't know why because I would of ignored it like I did the rest. But that wouldn't stop me from reading the words over and over and over again.

R: Hey Liam! Lets meet up. Xx

My eyes rolled. I really started something when I drunk dialed Ruby.

"Am I annoying you?" Reece asked, obviously she noticed the eye roll and assumed it was aimed at her.

"Yes." I told her coldly.

"Sorry, I don't know what to order." She glanced at her menu again, hiding her face behind the big yacht on the front of the book.

"I'll order for you." I beckoned Amber over with my hand and Reece looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"Oh hey Liam I didn't know you were h-"

"Burger and fries, coke. Catch of the day, coke." I interrupted. Amber's brow furrowed at my abrasiveness but I kept my face impassive, not interested in pointless small talk.

"God Liam, you are so rude." Reece pointed out after Amber scurried off. " and I don't like fish." She told me.

"Well, that's not my issue is it?" She huffed loudly and sat back in her seat.

I turned my gaze back to my phone, re-reading all of the messages that Olivia has sent me over the past two weeks. In most of them she sounds worried, probably because of the sate I was in when we last spoke.

I've since accepted that I failed at a relationship. It's just not something achievable for me and I was stupid to think it was something within my reach.

My mood has been on a rapid decline since she kissed Luke. Finding ways to distract myself from the emotional absence of Olivia. Mostly resulting in a nightly beating to top off the physical pain but also numbing myself with alcohol. The only distraction I can't bring myself to do is the girls. Not when Olivia was my last.

"So your friends lake house... what can I expect?" Reece asked me. I looked up from my phone and tugged my bottom lip between my teeth.

"Uh, something... lavish." I offered.

"What are your friends like, who will be there?" She inquired, so hungry for information.

"My friends are dicks." I shrugged.

"Liam, you're not giving much away. You ask me to come on this trip with you but I know nothing about it and you expect me to stay in some strangers house for two weeks." I sighed, slipping my phone back away in my pocket. She's so annoying sometimes.

"Jordan and Zak, I've been friends with them since I was seven. Bonded over soccer in our local park then attended the same middle school and high school. We were all on the soccer team, that's when we met Ben. I don't really like him but he lingers like a shit that won't flush and for some reason we allow him to stick around."

She nodded along.

"Then there's Tia, she's kind of got a thing going with Jordan but I think it's on the down low. They go the same college."

Amber brought over our cokes, she placed Reece's down gently but slammed mine on the table in front of me. Her face was like thunder but I ignored her long enough for her to get the hint and disappear back into the kitchen.

"Uh, Tia is also Liv's best friend." I spoke quickly, hoping she wouldn't catch that but her eyes widened. "... and Liv is coming too with her roommate Lola." A look of clarity washed over her face as she put together the jigsaw puzzle.

"And that's why you asked me to come?" She questioned.

I placed my mouth over the straw and took a long drink, her hazel eyes never left mine. I couldn't work out if she was mad at that or if she was on board with it. I stopped drinking and pulled away from my glass.

"Is that an issue?" I asked skeptically.

"You want to use me to make Olivia jealous?" A padded 'V' appeared between her eyebrows as she thought over my actions.

I told myself it wasn't about wanting to make her jealous, it was about wanting her to be jealous. If she got jealous it meant she still cared. It meant there was still a chance for us. But she hurt me and part of me wanted to hurt her back.

"Yes." I admitted.

"How far are you willing to go?" Reece asked.

Her question caught me off guard and automatically like I had rehearsed many times before I threw a cocky smile on my face, the one they all fell for. The suggestive look in my eyes told her I was willing to go all the way. She melted in front of me, blushing the brightest shade of pink, putty at my finger tips.

"How far are you willing to go?" I asked suggestively.

Why are you doing this Liam, you're setting yourself up to fail. You're acting like your old self, wearing the mask you once threw away.

"I... uh... uh... I... okay... I'll come." Reece stuttered out.

I smirked slyly and pulled out my phone.

L: Bringing Reece to the lake house don't pick me up, will come on my bike.

Z: Reece? Your roommate? Whatttt?

J: Liam that's a bad idea.

***

The sun was sweltering today and inside my chest the nerves rolled riot. In a couple of hours I would be with her, confined in the romantic location of Jordan's lake house for two weeks. I was scared but for once it was a good kind of scared. The kind of scared that makes your heart pound with excitement letting you know you're still alive.

I sat on the dorm steps at Stanford looking at my bike, regretting every decision I made twenty four hours ago. I wish I didn't invite Reece, I don't know what I was thinking. She caused this problem between Olivia and I to begin with. Then I made an unspoken promise to go all the way with her, when in reality I'm freaking out about having to drive two hours with her clinging onto my back.

"I'm ready." Her voice sounded from behind me and I stood up quickly, eager to get on the road and make my way towards Olivia.

I pulled out the helmet from inside the seat compartment and handed it to her, watching to make sure she strapped it on properly.

"I've never been on a motorbike before." She told me, she looked a little nervous. That made two of us, I was a nervous wreck. I pulled the zip up on my leather jacket, ignoring the blistering heat of the spring sun. I needed the extra layer of protection.

"I'm a careful driver." I pointed out with a deep, emotionless voice. I helped her climb onto the back before taking my seat at the front.

Prepare to be touched Liam.

"Don't be all over me when we get there. We'll act on my que, I don't need you touching me unless I initiate it. Understood?"

"You're in charge, got it." Reece said sadly.

I knew she was into me, I could tell by the way she acted flustered around me. Strangely these past couple of weeks I've acted like a right dick to her, to everyone really. But her attraction to me only seems to have grown. What is is with girls liking the bad boy persona?

Maybe bringing her to the lake house was a mistake, leading her on, giving her the wrong impression. But right now I didn't care, I was on my way to Olivia and that's the only thing that mattered to me.