Safe With You Read Free

saunters over from the counter with an eyebrow raised.
    “Oh, well, it was a pleasure … ” He hands me the carton of food.
    “Olivia, and thank you … ” Damnit. How does he pull the truth out of me?
    “Kyle.” He nods as Helena opens the door. “I’ll see you around.” His eyes soften and his crazy hair ruffles in the wind. The latch clicks as he closes the door, and I let go of my breath.
    “Kyle, wait!” I knock on the windowpane. “Stop by one day this week around lunch so I can pay you back.”
    “You’re not paying me back, but I’ll still come to see you again.” He winks, nodding at me.
    I walked right into that.
    “Everything all right?” Helena smiles, crossing her arms. “And who was the man candy?”
    “Long story. Can I eat here really quick?” I drop my container on the bench. The sunflowers roll onto the floor and I wonder if they’re dusted with some kind of truth serum.
    “Anything you need, dear.” She drops the shade on the front door and locks the bolt.

Chapter Two
     
    Because, I Don’t Know.
     
    Kyle
     
     
    A murderous stream of Portuguese cuts through the night air as I turn onto the block where I left my best friend, Cam, at the restaurant on Bourbon Street. The burning vision of Olivia and her beautiful smile dissipates as a giant crowd forms an arc, cameras blazing. Two guys scuffle on the pavement before one of them lands on his back in an epic body slam.
    Shit.
    I pick up my pace, shoving through the tourists filming the brawl. Son of a bitch. “Cam, break it—”
    You have got to be fucking kidding me.
    “Kyle-fucking-Avery. Spider-Man.” Aaron Miller spits a wad of blood, saliva, and probably a few teeth onto the sidewalk. Two years ago he was solely responsible for terminating my baseball career in less than a second. “Looks like you’re good as new.”
    “Get the hell out of here.” I ball my fist, ready to slam his head against the curb. Looks like Cam did enough carnage to take him out already. Now I have to rein in my fury to not start another World War between one of LSU’s top wrestlers of all time and half of Vanderbilt’s baseball team.
    “Yo, Avery. You hear Miller got drafted by the Braves?” Aaron’s friend pipes up. “How’d you pan out? Oh that’s right, you did—”
    “Shut your fucking mouth. You wanna end up like your friend?” Cam shoves him back, almost sending him to the ground.
    I’m the sane one. The peacekeeper. I don’t start shit with anyone because Cam is a short fuse. He has enough fury coursing through his veins to power Louisiana into the next millennium.
    If I don’t stop this, it’s not going to end well. Cam has hands the size of waffle irons that feel like steel reinforced with platinum. He also has a black belt in almost every kind of martial art this side of Asia. But if I let him unleash the Tavares wrath, he will snap Aaron’s limbs off and beat him to death with them.
    Because he was there when it happened.
    He flew up to UNC just to watch me play the game that would seal the deal for me playing in the majors. Thank God my dad and some random guy could tackle him before he finished what the rest of my team tried to start.
    “Just leave!” I grab Cam by the shirt and attempt to restrain him. He only has three inches on me, but about fifty pounds of carnage.
    Cam damn near snarls as he paces, all six-feet-five inches ready to blow. “That dirty fucking hit should have put you in jail.”
    “Stop.” I drive Cam back again. A few more guys decked out in Vandy baseball hats jog over, pulling the Doublemint douchebag twins away.
    “By the way, Avery … ” Aaron pauses, a cocky smile hitting his face. “I wouldn’t count on seeing that redhead with the stellar ass again. You know, the one you were trying to get lucky with a few minutes ago? I’m going to scoop her up too, just like your spotlight.”
    Before anyone can stop me, I launch a monstrous punch across his face. I love the pleasure of