Left Behind: Left Behind Series #1 by D. J. Pierson, Kim Young Page A

problem? Since when do you back off, and why the fuck are
you pouting like a little girl?”
    “When
I first saw her last night, I admit that it wouldn’t have taken much for me to
pull my usual shit. Then I started talking to her and realized I wouldn’t mind
getting to know her,” I tell him the truth. “But she made it clear she wasn’t
interested.”
    “And
how did she do that?” he asks, grinning at me. I respect Jake but, right now,
he’s really pissing me off. It’s hard enough trying to deal with this crap. This
is exactly why I don’t date. Who has time for it? It’s so much easier to have
random sex and be done with it.
    “She
ignored me.” He starts laughing. I lean back in my chair. “Glad you find this
funny.”
    “Man,
that just goes to show how much you don’t know about Kacie Foster,” he says.
    “What
the hell does that mean?”
    “Kacie
doesn’t ignore people she’s not interested in.”
    “What
does she do?”
    “She
tells them. And she’s generally not very nice about it, either. It’s usually
fuck off or, if she’s in a good mood, she’ll say go away the second a guy walks
up to her. I’ve seen her call guys all kinds of names you wouldn’t think most
girls even knew existed. She’s been known to slap guys just for calling her
something as simple as beautiful if she didn’t like the tone he used. But, in
all the years I’ve known Kacie, she has never once ignored someone.”
    “What
are you saying? She might not hate me after all?” Why does hearing this make me
happy? I should be out walking around the club, trying to find someone to bring
in here and make me forget this girl ever showed up.
    “I
don’t know for sure,” Jake tells me. “Here’s the thing. I won’t watch you do to
her what you do to all those other girls. Kacie is much better than that and,
for once in her life, she deserves to be happy. She finally has something good
to look forward to and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you or anyone else
take it from her. I don’t agree with my sister telling you to stay away. Who
she dates or is friends with isn’t anyone’s business but Kacie’s. So, if you
get to know her and it goes well, meaning whatever you two decide works for the
two of you, then fine. However, if you hurt her, I will personally make sure
you never screw with anyone again. I’m not fucking around here, Evan. I love
Kacie like a sister and I would do anything for her that I would do for Jade.
Those two girls are the only family I have left. Are we clear?”
    “Crystal,”
I tell him. “I’m not sure what it is about her, but even though you just pretty
much told me she’s Jade’s twin, I want to know everything about her. I rarely
even ask a girl’s name. What the fuck is it about Kacie that makes me care?”
    He
stands up. “I have no idea. Let me know if you ever figure that out.”
    “Are
you sure it’s cool? You’re not still into her? If that’s the case, I’ll back
off.”
    “There’s
no way in hell I’d ever be able to handle not having her in my life so, a long
time ago, I accepted being nothing more than one of Kacie’s best friends. I’ll
never regret my decision.” Another knock on the door prevents me from asking
him if he’s secretly in love with her. Something tells me I’m better off not
knowing the answer to that question.
    “Oh.
Hi, Jake,” Meg says, walking into the office. “Am I interrupting something?”
    “Not
at all,” Jake answers, smiling at my cousin. “How are you?”
    “I’m
good.” She gives him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “I just saw Jade. She looks
happy for a change.”
    Jake
laughs. “Her best friend is back in town after being away for a really long
time. Those two are inseparable.”
    “Kacie?
I just met her. She seems nice. Shame she’s a Foster. Those people were a pain
in my fucking ass last night. I don’t know how her or her brother fit into that
family.”
    “Kacie’s
here? Were you going to