20 Days In His Bedroom

Chapter Thirty seven

Jack's POV:

I don't know what it is, but I can feel it—she doesn't want to talk. Not to me, at least. And don't give me that "we're just friends" crap. Kyle doesn't have female friends. He sleeps with every girl he knows. So what's different about her?

She barely ever goes into his room. And when she does, it's for a few minutes, tops. Still, this girl has been stuck in my head since the moment I saw her. I don't get why, but she just is.

One of the good things about hanging around Kyle was getting into places I wouldn't normally have access to. The connections, the parties, the people—it helped with my business. He supported me, and I'll give him credit for that. But the guy has everything handed to him. Women fall into his lap without him lifting a finger. It's hard not to envy that.

I'm not saying I'm ugly—I know I'm hot. Some girls chase me too. But it's always the clingy, annoying type. The ones chasing Kyle, though? Damn. Every one of them hotter than the last. And now this one—the one he claims is just a friend—is hot as hell. How could I not be jealous?

And the worst part? She doesn't even know how hot she is. Or maybe she does, and she's just waiting for someone special. Either way, I want her. I want her to choose me. I want to take her away from him—and if I pull that off, it'll be a win bigger than anything else.

She's different. Not like the others. There's something real about her. And yeah, she's naive—like a nerdy girl from high school who still believes in fairy tales—but damn, she makes it look good. Small frame, young face... she barely looks eighteen. But she's got it.

Would she actually leave Kyle for someone like me?

I'm not a bad guy. I didn't ruin things with Selena on purpose... but I can't lie, I was glad when it all went to hell. Kyle's life is perfect—except for that one time. That one time when he actually struggled. And yeah, I liked that.

Selena was like every other girl—obsessed with Kyle. He ignored her at first, but she kept coming back. Two weeks later, she claimed she was pregnant. Kyle lost it. He knew he hadn't forgotten protection, but she was a good actress. Her belly started growing, and people started talking. Some of Kyle's haters helped her make the accusation stick.

He denied it. I knew the baby wasn't his. I found out early on. But I didn't say anything. Not because I'm evil or anything... I just wanted payback. He'd slept with Dedra—and he knew damn well she was mine.

Okay, she was a mess. She chased Kyle everywhere, but still—he shouldn't have touched her.

Anyway, Selena gave up after Kyle ignored her long enough. He even offered her money to disappear. He pretended he didn't care about the baby, but I knew he did. She eventually admitted the baby wasn't his—two months before giving birth. She was scared of what he might do if she kept the lie going. Smart move. Kyle's not the kind of guy you want to piss off.

I rub the back of my neck, looking at her sitting across from me.

"Okay... so you don't wanna talk about it?" I ask.

"It's not that I don't want to," she says. "I just don't think there's anything to talk about."

I watch the way her eyes roll—light brown, pretty as hell. "I think there's a lot to talk about. I just wanna know... are you and Kyle really just friends? Or is it more?"

"Just friends," she cuts in.

Relief hits me. My excitement spikes—and then dips. If they're really just friends, she's not taken, which means I've got a chance. But it also means taking her away from Kyle won't be that satisfying. Unless he wants her and hasn't realized it yet.

Either way, give it a few weeks, and she'll be wrapped around my finger. I like her. I really do. She's hot, beautiful—too naive for me, maybe, but I can work with that.

"Great," I say, trying to keep my voice casual.

"Great?" she repeats, glancing away.

"I mean great that Kyle's finally got a real female friend," I say quickly, trying to cover.

"Real ones? So he had fake ones before?" she squints at me.

"No, no—just... Kyle used to sleep with every girl he called a 'friend.' And if friends sleep together, that's not really friendship, right?"

She sighs. "God. That's awful."

Does she love him? Maybe she does, and he doesn't love her back. But then why is she here? Why bring her into his world at all if she doesn't mean something?

"Well, I'm glad we're getting to know each other," I say. "I'd be happy if we became friends. Real friends. Don't worry—I'm not like Kyle."

She answers quickly. "I'd be happy too."

Before I can say anything else, there's a knock.

"Twy."
Kyle's voice. Her whole face changes. She flushes.

"Come in," she says, a little too soft.

He walks in, hair slightly messy, looking like a damn model. Figures. His eyes find mine—and the hand I've got resting over hers. His smile vanishes. He frowns.

She pulls her hand away quickly.

"What are you doing here?" he snaps, eyes hard on me.

"What's up, man?" I grin. "Just talking with this little chick for a bit."

He doesn't smile back. "Don't mess with her, eh?"

"Relax," I say. "She's gonna be my... friend soon."

"Jack." His voice is lower now. Rougher. "I said don't mess with her."

He grabs my collar.

"Kyle, please," Twyla says, grabbing his arm, but he gently moves her aside.

"Kyle, watch what you're doing." I shove his hand off.

"Just warning you." He points at me.

"She's just your best friend, right?" I raise an eyebrow. "Why the drama?"

"Whatever the hell she is," he spits, "she's not your business. And don't touch what isn't yours."

"She's not mine... yet. But she's not yours either," I shoot back. I glance at Twyla—her eyes are full of fear. Not for me, of course. She's worried about him. It's always him.

Nothing new. He's Kyle Jennif. I'm just Jack.

"Nothing happened, Kyle. What's wrong with you?" she yells.

"Get out of here," he says to her, voice suddenly low.

"No. I'm staying," she snaps, standing between us. She looks so small between two grown men.

"Twy, get out of this shit," he barks, eyes still on me.

"Hey man," I say, taking a step forward. "If you wanna hit me, go ahead. But don't think things are always gonna go your way. Not this time. Not anymore."

He glares. "So it was you. You were behind it, right? You couldn't handle me sleeping with Dedra."

His smirk cuts deep. My blood boils. He's baiting me.

"I didn't want Selena. You know that. And Dedra? I didn't care about her either. I was just... playing. I never loved her," I say through gritted teeth. The mention of her still stings, though. She was mine, damn it.

"I know," he says. "But you wanted me to pay."

I pause, then smile bitterly. "Guess you're smarter than you look."

I pat his shoulder and leave the room.

⸻

What do you think of this chapter?

You now know everything about Dedra, Selena, and Jack's inner thoughts.
I really enjoyed editing this—it's sharp, dramatic, and layered with emotion.