The Summer Before

Chapter Eight

Levi

I was irritated when I saw Tessa dancing with that douchebag at the club. I didn't expect to see her there, let alone with some random guy. As soon as I saw that, I knew my plan for a good time was ruined.

All I wanted to do was get out of the house and drown my frustration in whiskey and women. The trouble was, even before I saw Tessa, I could only feel the whiskey.

None of the women who came up to me at the club did anything for me. They were all fake and way too desperate to please. Normally, that wouldn't have been a turnoff, but since this morning's run-in with Tessa, I feel off balance. She really has me rattled, and I don't know why I'm letting it get to me.

When Landon returned to our table with a tray full of drinks, I thought my night was getting better. Then he told me he ran into Tessa. Not only that, he invited her to come hang out with us.

I swear he can be so dense sometimes. Everyone in our little group seems to understand that Tessa and I don't get along anymore. Everyone except Landon, apparently. He must have been too distracted last summer with Leah to realize something had gone down with Tessa and me.

As soon as he told me he'd seen her, I made it my mission to avoid her. I slammed a couple of shots and made a beeline to the first available woman I saw, making sure she had no similarities to Tessa.

The blonde I found with obviously fake tits didn't seem to mind that I was frustrated and only half interested in what we were doing. She kept grinding on me while I tried to get my mind to calm down. I needed to get Tessa out of my head and keep her far away until she left two weeks from now.

As fate would have it, none of that would come to fruition. Someone in hell must have had it out for me because the second I started to feel myself again, I saw her dancing with some roid-riddled ex-frat boy who didn't know how to keep his hands to himself.

It pissed me off.

Clearly, a lot has changed since last summer.

When she opened her eyes and saw me watching, she had the audacity to shoot me a nasty look. Real rich for someone who broke my heart last summer for apparently no real fucking reason.

I scoffed as my anger started to build. Then the asshole pulled her to the bar. I told myself not to follow, that it was none of my business, but my gut told me I had to.

I left the blonde on the dancefloor and tailed Tessa and Roid Man, making sure to stay a few feet away. The worst that would happen was she'd see me and get pissed, but I didn't care.

After he ordered their drinks, she saw me. I could see the venom in her glare, and I wanted to push her- to make her feel as empty and angry on the inside as I was.

It worked. Two seconds after she saw me, she left Douche Boy and came stalking over. I planned on riling her up and giving her shit about her chosen companion for the night, but that all changed the second I saw him slip something into her drink.

When I saw that powder dissolve, my vision went red. My instincts kicked in, and I knew I had to stop her from going back to him. I tried to tell her at the bar, but she blew me off, walking right back into the prick's arms.

I got the bartender's attention, who served them, and told him what I saw. He said he'd get security immediately, but I couldn't wait for something to happen. I had to get to Tessa.

She was livid when I knocked her drink out of her hand, but I didn't care. My only objective was to get her safe, even if that meant poking the lioness and getting my head bit off. I saw security close in on the guy as I dragged Tessa out the back. They had him from there, and I had her.