"You motherfucker," I grunted into the phone that was pressed firmly against my ear. I gripped it tightly, my fingers curling against the metal as I roughly ran a hand through my black hair.

"That's no way to talk to your father," my father roared on the other end as I heard him slam his fist against a hard surface. It was probably his desk.

I grit my teeth as I paced around my room. It was the next day, after Jace called me about what happened with Jason and Dakota. I was beyond furious with my uncle and how he treated Dakota. She didn't deserve any of his shit. She didn't deserve any of the pain she's been put through. Just thinking about what she's been through makes my blood boil.

"I'm not going to sit here while you talk shit about your own daughter," I seethed through my gritted teeth.

"Whatever. I'm done talking with you. I'll see you next weekend," he grunted, ending the call before I could get any more words out. I fucking hate him.

I took a deep breath as I roughly threw my phone against my bed. I turned on my heel and stalked towards my bedroom door. I had so much pent-up anger inside of me, and I needed to release it somehow.

I trudged down the stairs, skipping every step as my feet pounded against the floor beneath me. When I turned the corner, I almost ran into my best friend. His back was facing me as I narrowed my eyes at the back of his head.

"Move," I grunted, trying to walk around him.

"Karson!" Braxton smiled, immediately turning around as he puckered his lips. I scrunched my nose in disgust as I easily slipped past him. "That was homophobic."

I barked a laugh, not able to keep it from slipping out as I shook my head. I didn't glance back as I headed straight for our front door. I reached my hand out, grabbing the door knob, before I abruptly turned around to meet his pale green eyes. "Go touch some fucking grass while I'm gone."

"Once again, homophobic," he sarcastically snarled as he narrowed his eyes at me. "Just because I'm bisexual doesn't mean-"

I cut him off as I quickly opened the door and welcomed the wind that whipped past my face. I slightly chuckled to myself as I walked to my car.

Braxton came out as bisexual a few years ago. He was in the closet for most of his life, scared of what other people would think of him. I was the first person he ever told, and I reassured him that I loved him and supported him no matter what. I made sure he knew that if anyone ever made fun of him because of his sexuality, they would be dead.

He's only ever told Colton and I, but to this day, we still keep his secret. I wasn't going to go around telling people his sexuality because it wasn't my place. When he's ready to tell other people, then he'll tell them, and we'll be by his side every step of the way.

I lightly shook my head to clear my thoughts as easily slid into my Audi. I inhaled a sharp breath as I felt anger course through my veins, my thoughts focusing back on my father. That man ruined my life. I will forever hate him for what he put me through.

I gripped the steering wheel tightly as I gently rested my head against it. I felt my knuckles tense as my grip tightened around the wheel. I briefly released one of my hands and hit the wheel with the side of my fist. "Goddamnit!"

I grunted, jerking my head up as I quickly put my car in reverse and pulled out of the driveway. I didn't know where I was going, but all I knew was that I needed to go somewhere. I needed to escape my thoughts.

I subconsciously turned on the one street I knew too well. I drove down the familiar street, watching the bland houses disappear in a blur as I drove further down the road. I let one hand steer as my other hand rested against the gear shift.

It took a total of five minutes to reach the house I was at yesterday, my car having a mind of its own. I sighed as I parked my car in the driveway in front of their house. I hesitantly unbuckled my seatbelt as I used my foot to help push the door open.

I smoothly got out, locking my car as I slowly made my way towards the front door. I felt my heart pound in my chest from nerves and all my pent-up anger. I could hear my pulse pound in my ears as I brought my hand against the wood and lightly pounded against the hard surface.

I heard shuffling behind the door before someone unlocked the door. I almost felt the breath get knocked out of me when my eyes were met with a familiar set of electric blue eyes. Staring into those intoxicating eyes made my knees feel weak.

The emotions in her eyes held so much emotion, yet they carried so much warmth. If you stared into them for so long, they could tell a story of the life-time struggles that she was never able to put into words. Her eyes held so much emotion that even if her words couldn't say what she wanted, her eyes would make up for it.

I watched as her eyebrows pinched together, confusion swimming in her features as she crossed her arms. I discreetly took in her appearance. She wore an oversized t-shirt that easily covered her 5'8 frame. I figured she was wearing shorts underneath, but they were hidden by the shirt so I couldn't see.

My eyes lingered on her jaw for a bit longer, not able to notice the bruise that once covered her jaw. If I stared long enough, I was able to make out the faint purple color, but I knew she had makeup covering it so the bruise wasn't as noticeable.

"Ryder," she briefly stated, her eyes lingering on my lips for a brief second before she met my eyes. A small smirk tugged at my lips to try and hide how much of an effect she really had on me. On the outside, I looked put together. On the inside, my insides were on fire and I was a nervous wreck. My heart almost beat out of my chest as I stared into her blue eyes. She was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She was more than beautiful.

"Anderson," I fired back, her last name easily slipping off my tongue as she motioned for me to come in. I gave her a brief nod as I watched her playfully roll her eyes. All the anger I once felt only moments ago, disappeared. The anger was replaced with nerves when I was around her. No one has ever made me feel like this before. It was fucking weird.

I watched as she slowly made her way to the living room, plopping down on the couch as she waited for me to follow. I huffed, giving in as I trudged my way towards the couch. I sat down next to her, the couch engulfing my broad body as we sat merely inches apart. We were both sitting side by side, not facing each other as our legs briefly brushed against each other.

"Want to tell me why you're here, Ryder?" She asked as her head turned to face me. I raised one of my eyebrows at her as my eyes briefly scanned her face. Every time my eyes landed on that bruise on her jawline, it made me want to go where her mother was staying and give her a piece of my mind. My princess has been through so much shit and it made me absolutely furious that she had to go through it alone.

"Why can't I hang out with my favorite girl?" I playfully asked as a small chuckle slipped past my lips when I saw her reaction. Her lips slightly parted as her eyes widened for a brief second before covering it with a glint of amusement.

"You have such a way with words," she deadpanned, shaking her head to herself as a faint blush stained her cheeks. Fucking beautiful.

Stop.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, changing the subject as I quickly glanced around the house.

"Olivia is in her room with Jace. Jace gave her the rundown with everything that happened yesterday and she's been scared ever since," Dakota sighed, a frown crawling onto her face as it made my gut clench in sorrow. I hated seeing her sad. "Jason has only really fucked with me, so seeing her scared, makes me horrified."

I frowned as my eyes flickered to the stitches I gave her. She gently traced over them, an anxious habit I picked up on as she kept doing it when she was nervous or scared. The stitches were almost completely dissolved, only a few left as the result of a scar stretched across her palm.

"What if he does something to her?" She whispered, her voice small and vulnerable as she concentrated on her palm in front of her.

"Don't say that, princess. If he goes near her, he'll be a dead man," I bellowed as the thought of Jason touching either of them crossed my mind. I felt my hand curl into itself, my nails digging into my palm as I tried not to think about that. "I beat him up once and I'm not afraid to do it again."

"No, no" she shook her head as her hands fell into her lap. "You're not hurting him again."

"It was fun," I sarcastically pouted as she gave me a knowing look.

"Just because he's hurt me before, doesn't mean we have to be like him and hurt him back. It's more rewarding to be the bigger person even if you have to try so fucking hard to keep yourself from lashing out," she responded quietly as a reassuring smile pulled at the corner of her lips. It didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Yes it does," I deadpanned, my voice sharp as I kept my eyes on her. "I'm not letting that fucker go down without a fight. He fucks with you, he fucks with me. You're lucky I'm holding back right now, because if you weren't so fucking sweet, he'd be dead already. I held back the night I beat him up."

She glared at me even though I could see a glint of amusement flash by. "If I wasn't so fucking sweet my ass. I don't want to see you hurt! How many times do I have to fucking tell you that?"

"I'd rather me get hurt than you. And that's final," I grunted as our legs brushed against each other once again.

"But-"

"Enough," I cut her off, my voice sharp, yet gentle enough to not sound harsh. "Let's just forget about this right now."

"Forget?" She repeated, her voice hesitant as she raised one of her eyebrows at me.

"Let's go one night without talking about this shit. How about I take you out for ice cream?" I offered, my voice light as I bit back a small smile. "Let's just say that this will make up for the one time we all went to get ice cream together and we had a very fun argument in the parking lot."

"Holy shit," she breathed as a breathy laugh slipped past her lips. "I forgot about that."

"It's a date," I grinned as I felt my heart hammer inside of my ribcage.

She narrowed her eyes at me as she tried to fight the smile that threatened to break out. "Fine. It's a date."

I almost felt the breath get knocked out of me when I heard those words. She actually agreed. I quickly covered my initial shock by quickly getting off the couch and holding out my hand for her to take. Her bright eyes shined with a glint of amusement as she playfully rolled her eyes.

"Madam," I bowed, my head tilting downwards as I slightly bent my knees. I heard a small grunt as she roughly put her hand in mine. The warmth of her touch sent jolts of electricity up my arm and traveled to every inch of my body.

"Get up, you bastard," she hissed, her tone playful as a genuine laugh easily slipped off my tongue. I felt the warmth of her touch disappear as she pulled her hand back. My eyebrows pinched together, confused, until I felt her hands push against my chest. She gently pushed me, causing me to stand up straight as I barked a laugh.

She just shook her head before waving her hand in the air and flipping me off. She began to walk in front of me with a slight sway to her walk. I bit my tongue from screaming out how bad I wanted her. Jesus. When did this happen?

The first moment I saw her.

I huffed, annoyed at myself with how much she affected me. "What are you doing?!"

She abruptly turned around, facing me as she placed her hands on her hips. I sucked in a sharp breath as I watched her hair gently fall in front of her shoulders. Goddamn. "I'm walking to my front door. Then, I'm going to open it and step outside so we can get in the car. Then, get ready for this one, we are going to get ice cream."

I narrowed my eyes at her as I listened to the sarcasm that dripped from every letter. "Bitch."

"Were you not here five seconds ago?" She asked, her voice in a playful tone, to let me know that she was joking.

"Fuck off," I grunted as I trudged towards the girl that stood still with her hands on her hips. "You're a bitch."

"And you're an asshole," she deadpanned as she looked me up and down. I couldn't help but smirk at her playful tone. I love when she's sarcastic. "We don't have all day, Ryder. Do you need help walking to the front door? Is that what's taking you so long? If so, you should've told me. I would've held your hand and-"

"You're hilarious," I blinked at her, my voice blunt.

"I know," she innocently smiled at me before grabbing my hand and pulling me along. I almost tripped over my own feet as her hand gently held mine. She briefly called out to her siblings, letting them know we were getting ice cream before we finally made it out of the door.

~•~•~

I heard the bell ring above my head when I opened the door, letting Dakota walk inside as I trailed behind her. I grimaced, my eyes trying to adjust to the bright lights that were making the ice cream parlor so bright. The blank, white walls didn't help either.

My eyes briefly flickered to the girl that was standing in front of me, stopping a little in front of the counter as she glanced up to look at the menu. A small smile tugged at my lips as I watched her eyebrows furrow together in concentration.

She quickly turned around to face me, her beautiful blue eyes meeting mine. "What are you going to get?"

"Whatever you're getting," I shrugged, not really caring what flavor I got.

She huffed, rolling her eyes before she walked a few steps closer to the front counter to let the girl take her order. I watched as the girl's eyes flickered from Dakota then to me. I stared at her with confusion as she let out a small laugh.

"You know," the girl behind the counter began as she kept her eyes on Dakota. The fuck? "I have to admit, the last time I saw you two, I thought you were going to rip each other's head off."

"Excuse me?" Dakota asked, curiosity evident in her tone as I stood next to her. "Wait."

The young girl slightly laughed as she readjusted her apron. Her eyes were swimming with amusement as she gingerly placed her hands in the pockets hidden under her apron.

"Recognize me?"

"You're the girl who was yelling at us to stop, and after everything settled down, you laughed at me through the window!" Dakota blurted as she clasped her hands together.

"Ding, ding, ding!" The girl cheered as they both laughed together. I was still confused.

"I'm surprised you two weren't arguing in the parking lot before you came inside," the worker snorted as I felt a muscle tick in my jaw. There was something about this girl that made me mad.

"What can I say?" Dakota shrugged. "People change."

"I guess so," she mumbled in response as a permanent smile stained her lips. "Anyways, what would you guys like to order?"

Dakota ordered for the two of us as I kept quiet by her side. She ordered birthday cake ice cream, the same one she ordered the last time we were here. When it was time to pay, we had a little argument over who should pay, but I ended up slipping my card into the machine when she wasn't looking. I wasn't going to let her pay.

Now, we were sitting in one of the booths near the back of the parlor, trying to stay away from the crowded areas. I held my ice cream cone as I watched her devour hers. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying not to burst out into laughter as I watched ice cream smear around her lips.

She was sitting across from me, and stopped mid-lick, to narrow her eyes at me. "Eating ice cream isn't supposed to look pretty, Ryder."

I snorted as I continued to gingerly eat my ice cream. "Yet somehow, you make it look pretty."

A faint blush stained her already rosy cheeks, but she tried covering what my words did to her with the roll of her eyes. "You flatter me."

"Other than the fact that it looks like cum around your lips, you are definitely the prettiest girl I've ever watched eat ice cream," I stated, my voice flat as I bit part of my cone.

My head whipped up when I heard her violently coughing as she used the palm of her hand to repeatedly hit her chest. Her face was beat red as her eyes shot daggers towards my face. Her face went back to her normal skin tone when she was able to breathe properly. I raised an eyebrow at her as I held out my ice cream a few inches away from my lips.

"Cum, really?" She deadpanned. I gave her a sweet smile in return as I continued stuffing my face with my ice cream. She held her ice cream with one hand as she took a napkin that was placed on the table and used it to quickly wipe the ice cream around her lips. "Also, how many other girls have you seen eating ice cream?"

"Is princess jealous?" I teased, my voice light as I grabbed a napkin for myself.

"No comment," she smiled as her crystal blue eyes widened in surprise. "I'm just shocked if you've actually taken girls out before, instead of just dry humping them against a locker."

I felt my grip tighten around my ice cream cone as my nostrils flared. She was right. I just hated how she saw all of that shit. I hated that I only did that to get my mind off the girl in front of me. "I regret doing all that shit okay? I just tried getting my mind off a certain blonde but it didn't quite work. So I stopped."

"Oh, that's right," she hummed as she continued to work on the ice cream she held in her palm. She knew I was talking about her because I literally told her yesterday. "Just to make sure. You aren't just fucking with me like those other girls, right?"

I clenched my jaw at the thought of her thinking I would do that to her. I knew my old reputation, but I would never do that to her. "Fuck no, Dakota. You are so much more."

"Actions speak louder than words, Ryder. How am I supposed to believe that?" She pushed as her eyes challenged me.

"Fine," I grunted as I began to stand up. "Watch this."

"Oh no, you don't!" She hissed as she reached over the table and grabbed my arm to pull me back down into the booth. I grunted, the sudden movement making me fall back into the booth with a startling thud. "You are not going to try and suck my dick again."

I laughed loudly as my mind went back to the day I stood in front of the cafeteria, making a fucking fool out of myself, just for Dakota. She told me to suck her dick, so I tried. I shook my head at the memory as a faint smile remained on my lips.

"I was going to tell everyone here how much you meant to me," I shrugged as a portion of my ice cream melted and trailed down the cone. I quickly used my tongue to lick the cone before the ice cream fell onto my fingers. I heard Dakota clear her throat as she briefly looked away with her cheeks red.

"And what exactly would you say?" She recovered as she ate the last bit of her cone. She wiped her hands together, getting rid of any residue as she placed her hands in her lap.