by K. G. Reuss
“You’re kidding me, right?” I demanded angrily. “You just made that speech in my bedroom about me enjoying being yours and how no one else’s feelings matter but yours. Y-You kissed me.”
Cole narrowed his eyes at me as he pulled the car into his driveway and put it in park. My heart banged painfully against my chest as he undid his seatbelt and leaned over to me, un-latching mine in the process. His eyes locked on mine with his slow, deliberate movements.
The shock rattled around inside me as his warm lips met mine in a deep kiss, his tongue dipping into my mouth, tasting me. I let go for a moment, relishing in how normal, how good, it felt to let go and experience him, despite the smarter part of my brain screaming for me to abort mission and run and hide from him and his friends.
Our tongues danced against one another’s, my breathing coming in sharp, small gasps as his hand cupped my breast before moving south. Nerves made my eyes flutter open. I let out a soft whimper at his touch, my inner voice screaming at me to tell him to stop. The proverbial devil on my shoulder was yelling at me to just let it happen. In that moment, I wanted whatever he’d give me. His fingers trailed along the edge of my skirt before finding their way beneath.
I’d never been touched like that and never anywhere close to there. Having only ever kissed Fox when we were kids, I was running on zero experience. I was just doing what felt good and hoping he liked it because the alternative was soul-crushing. Cole could ruin anything he wanted with a single word. That’s the pull he and the guys had.
The groan of approval from him had me wanting him to ruin all the parts of me just so I could feel what it was like to be with someone like him.
My breath caught as his fingers skimmed my center against my panties, anticipation threading through me. I never let anyone touch me like that. Everything was screaming internally again to push his hand away, but that one tiny voice in the background whispering, pleading, with me to let it happen, won out.
“Just because I want this doesn’t mean I want you.” His breath tickled my ear as he whispered in it.
I jerked away from him. The ecstasy fizzled before being snuffed out like a candle with his words.
“You’re an asshole.” I shoved his hands away from me, feeling humiliated and angry at myself for letting go, thinking this could be different. Or better. Or anything.
“Rosebud, wait—”
I opened the door and got out, slamming it behind me before he could finish his sentence. When I turned, I was face to face with Ethan.
“Going somewhere?” He raised a brow at me.
“Yeah. Home.” I stormed past him down the driveway, not giving a damn if anyone saw me and my attempt at freedom. Ethan’s firm grip on my elbow had me stopping in my tracks though.
“Calm down. Come on. Don’t let Cole ruin your night. He ruins everyone’s nights. Come back and have fun.”
I looked up at Ethan, frowning. It was a bit of a walk back to my place from Cole’s. He lived in the rich section of town. His mom was a surgeon. His dad was some big shot attorney. His house alone could probably fit both mine and Fox’s houses inside it.
“I want to go home.”
“Well, that won’t happen, so best make do with a shitty situation.” Ethan surveyed me with a no-nonsense look. “We’ll make sure you get home later. For now, you’re coming inside, and we’ll have some fun with you.”
The way he said that made me scowl even as a tiny smattering of curiosity twisted in my guts.
“Like pushing me into the pool and getting me wet so you can record it and make fun of me?” I challenged.
Ethan chuckled softly. “Oh, you’ll be getting wet, but it won’t be from the pool.”
I shook my head at him, the heat from his words creeping up my body to my face.
Deciding maybe there was at least one decent human at the party who’d give me a ride home, I marched past Ethan to the house, a new resolve settling in.
“You need to loosen up.”
“Walk a day in my shoes, pal.” I reached for the door, but he stopped me.
“Rosalie, you may never get another chance like this. Consider this a tryout tonight. If you want to live free of bullshit, let go. Whatever happens tonight, let it. I promise it’ll be worth it. We’re making memories.”
I snorted at him. “What are you? A motivational speaker?”
“Maybe.” He cast me a quick smile that made me relax. “Did it work?”
I shrugged. “You don’t know me, Ethan, but my life sucks—”
“Only because you focus on that. Let it go. One night. Kiss. Touch. Drink. Tonight, you aren’t Rosalie, the girl who gets picked on. Tonight, be Rosalie, the girl who gets picked up.”
“Are you talking about...”
He smiled and cast me a wink before pushing open the front door.
“Your call.”
I swallowed, breathing out. Could this be the answer to my torment? A night of fun and letting go? I bit my bottom lip.
It was worth a shot.
Eight
I kept to the edge of the massive living room, hoping being in the dark would make me less noticeable. I immediately had second thoughts the moment I entered the room. People were dancing to the music while passing drinks, cigarettes, joints. It definitely wasn’t my scene. I craned my neck, hoping to find someone I knew so I could ask for a ride home.
Andy Warren, my lab partner from last year, was leaning against the fireplace mantle, looking extremely uncomfortable. Deciding he was probably my best bet, I made my way over to him.
“Hey, Andy.”
“Rosalie?” His eyes widened as he took me in. “Wow. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Likewise.” I offered him my best smile. He grinned back at me, the tension leaving his shoulders.
“It’s not really my scene, but Carrie wanted to come.” He shrugged helplessly as he trained his eyes on Carrie Winston, a junior from school. Carrie was probably next to take over Juliet’s spot after we graduated. Only difference was, Carrie was nicer.
“You two are seeing each other?”
“No,” he laughed, shaking his head. His mess of dark curls bounced on his head. “I wish, I mean. We’re just friends.”
I gave him a sympathetic look.
He shrugged helplessly. “I was actually thinking about taking off.”
“Really?” I asked, excitement coursing through me. “I could use a ride. I’ll give you some money—”
“You don’t have to pay me, Rosalie,” he scoffed. “You got me through biology. The least I can do is give you a ride back to your place.”
“Thanks.”
We grinned at one another.
“There you are, beautiful.” Cole’s arm wound around my waist, cinching me to his side. He planted a kiss on my temple.
Andy’s gaze darted between us, confusion and surprise both warring it out on his face.
“I’m actually leaving.” I attempted to untangle myself from Cole. “I’m going with Andy—”
“No, I don’t think you are, right, Andy?” Cole’s icy gaze landed on Andy who backed away despite being close to the wall.
“Uh.” Andy’s eyes volleyed between us again. “Sorry, Rosalie, I, uh, I have to use the bathroom.”
He didn’t wait for my plea. He rushed away, leaving me with Cole.
“You asshole,” I hissed at him. “What the hell is the matter with you? Why are you tormenting me?”
“I haven’t even begun to torment you, Rosalie,” he growled in my ear. “That business in the car was just a warm-up to what I have planned for you. We have business to discuss.”
I shoved him away. “We don’t have shit to discuss.”
He was quick to grab me, his eyes moving around the room to make sure no one was watching. “You need to relax. Come on. Let’s get you a drink.”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me through the room. I ducked my head as people openly gawked at us. When we reached the kitchen, he reached in
the fridge and grabbed a can of soda for me.
I arched my brow at him. Ignoring the can, I grabbed a cup of beer from the counter.
“You normally drink?” he asked me.
“Not really.” I started to lift the cup to my mouth, but Cole grabbed it from my hand.
“Then you can only have one. Don’t want you unable to keep your wits about you. And don’t ever accept a cup that you didn’t watch someone pour. Don’t you know how to take care of yourself?” He filled a cup with alcohol for me. “Try it.”
“You poison it?” I raised a brow at him, half-serious.
He rolled his eyes and sucked down some of his drink. “You saw me pour it for you.”
I knew I wasn’t getting out of trying it, even though I’d originally had no intentions of drinking it, so I tipped the glass back and chugged down a moutful before sputtering.
“Gross,” I coughed out, wiping my mouth.
“It gets better.” He nodded to my cup. “Enjoy it while we make our rounds.”
“Cole, I seriously just want to go home. I don’t fit in here.” I looked around with unease at all the people I either didn’t like or didn’t know.
“You’re here with me. You fit in.”
“You’ve already pissed me off. You’re only looking to get laid.”
He shrugged. “Maybe. But so are you. You wanted it in the car. I felt how wet you got when I touched you.” He moved in close to me, his lips near my ear. “You ever had someone get you off, Rosalie?”
A violent heat swept through me, pooling in more than just my cheeks at his words. He let out a soft chuckle.
“That’s what I thought. Come on.”
I didn’t know what was happening or why I was doing what I was doing. Maybe it was the fear of being chucked in the pool. Maybe it was the excitement of being accepted, even for a night. But I tipped that plastic cup against my lips and swallowed down the liquid courage, my eyes locked on Cole’s knowing gaze.
One night couldn’t hurt.
Nine
“Wow, Cole Scott, huh?” Ian’s voice pulled me away from watching Cole at the keg as he filled his glass and talked to one of the guys on the football team.
“No,” I snorted. I let out a giggle.
Ian raised an eyebrow at me. “How much have you had to drink? And I thought you weren’t coming.”
“I don’t know on all accounts.” I crinkled my forehead, trying to keep the room from rotating.
“You look really good tonight.”
It was my turn to raise my brows. I giggled again as I swept my gaze over him in his dark jeans and t-shirt.
“You’re not too bad yourself.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. I hadn’t intended them to sound like I was hitting on him, but he seemed to interpret them that way because his lips tilted up into a smile.
“I didn’t mean that,” I backtracked, wincing. “I meant you look nice. Not like I want you or something.” I was rambling, breathless.
He stepped closer to me, the smile still on his lips. “I wouldn’t be upset if you did.”
Jamie’s face flashed through my mind, and I shook my head.
“I-I...”
Ian laughed. “No worries. Looks like your boy is coming back. But if it’s not working out with him, come find me.” He leaned in to whisper in my ear. “I won’t tell anyone. Our secret.”
He pulled away and winked at me before sauntering off, leaving me speechless.
“Tell me you weren’t chatting up Ian Hall,” Cole grumbled at my side, handing a drink to me.
I pulled in a deep, calming breath and plastered a smile on my face. “You’re not blind, Cole. Of course, I was.” I took a sip of the soda he’d gotten for me. I guessed he meant it when he said he’d cut me off. But he wasn’t the boss of me.
“I really want you to rethink that and answer again. Ian Hall is off limits to you. Fox hates him. I hate him. Even Ethan’s bleeding heart hates him, and Ethan likes everyone.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Sounds like a good reason why I should like him.”
“Not if you know what’s good for you, Rosebud.”
“Seriously, Cole. My friend Jamie is practically in love with him. If I did anything out of line with him, it would ruin my friendship with her. So chill.”
“I’ll chill when I know he’s not sniffing around you, looking for a piece.”
“You’re not my boss, Cole,” I sighed, setting my soda down on the counter. “Ian is a friend. I can talk to whoever the hell I want—”
“Not him, Rosalie,” he hissed through gritted teeth, his blue eyes darkening. “I don’t give a shit if your friend has a hard-on for him. That doesn’t make him safe. Stay away from him. Got it? He’s not one of us.”
I rolled my eyes, trying to play off how frightening Cole was in that moment.
“Whatever. I’m not one of you.”
“You are tonight. Be a good girl and fall in line like you’re told.”
“Maybe I don’t want to be a good girl,” I shot back, snatching his still full cup of beer and gulping it down like I was in the desert, dying of thirst.
It was Cole’s turn to roll his eyes. “This is your one warning. Ian is off the table. He’s not your friend from here on out. If you don’t listen to what I’m telling you, you’ll be very sorry. I’ll show you how bad things can get when you disobey what you’ve been told.”
“What are you? The Godfather?” I slurped down the last few swallows of his drink and handed him back the empty cup, daring him to keep pushing me.
A muscle ticked along his jaw, but he remained silent, his eyes locked on mine. The look he gave me sent shivers through my body and not necessarily bad ones. I pushed the feelings away, citing inebriation and temporary insanity as the cause for my sudden lack of judgement.
After an intense staredown, he approached me, his arm winding around my waist again.
“I love your defiance, Rosebud. Keep it up. It’s going to be so much sweeter for me when you’re broken. You can come willingly or you can fight it. Either way, we win.”
I choked down a whimper as he gave me a quick squeeze.
The spinning intensified as Cole led me away from where we’d been standing and over to the guys, much to my displeasure.
“Hey, Sunshine.” Enzo grinned at me as Cole stopped us next to his friends.
I didn’t even care that Juliet, Melissa, and Tara, another of their crew, were glaring daggers at me. I was still hung up on Cole saying he was going to break me.
“Hi,” I slurred out on autopilot.
Fox’s eyes swept over me, his lips set in a straight line.
“Are you having fun?” Ethan asked, taking a drink from his own plastic cup.
I glanced at Cole. “Not really.”
Cole rolled his eyes at me.
“At least you don’t actually have to look at you.” Juliet did her hair flip, a sneer on her lips. “Poor Cole.”
“Poor Cole? Poor us,” Tara added, glowering in my direction.
“Juliet. Tara,” Fox growled. “Enough.”
Juliet rolled her eyes, and Tara fell silent.
“Whatever,” Juliet scoffed. “Take the trash out when you’re done, Cole.”
She flounced away with her clones before anyone could say anything.
“She’s a bitch. Why are you with her, Fox?” I popped an eyebrow at him, wanting to know what the hell he saw in her. I figured he’d get upset at the question. Instead, he only shrugged, his eyes focused on her across the room as she laughed with her friends.
“Here, Sunshine. Try this.” Enzo pushed a small shot glass into my hand. “We’ll cele-brate.”
“What are we celebrating?”
“You being here tonight. It’s about to get lit.” His dark eyes focused on Cole, who frowned at him. Probably telling him I wasn’t allowed to have more alcohol. But if I was going to have to stay here with them, I was going to need it. They didn’t get to decide for me.<
br />
I volleyed my gaze between them, not caring what the hell they were talking about. Throwing my drink back, I finished it and was quickly handed another. I finished it only to down one more.
“That’s enough,” Fox growled as Enzo moved to hand me another. I swayed on my feet, my head spinning worse than before. “She’ll end up throwing up.”
Enzo shrugged and drank it down himself.
“Who the hell are you to tell me what I can and can’t do?” I demanded with a slur, jabbing my finger in Fox’s chest. He stared down at me, an eyebrow quirked. “I’m in charge of me!”
“Easy, champ.” He rolled his eyes. “Just don’t want you getting blackout wasted or sucking some random guy off in the bathroom.”
I wrinkled my nose at him. “If I want to do that, I can. You’re not the boss of me.”
“Like you even know how. Aren’t you a virgin?” He cocked his head at me.
I ground my teeth and stumbled back. Anger coursed through me.
“Is that what would make me cool? Losing my virginity?” I raised my voice.
Enzo pulled his phone out and recorded me. I shoved him away as he tried to get closer.
“Maybe. But we all know you’re holier than thou and would never do it. Uptight freakshow, can’t even get laid when she offers it up. No one even wants that shit for free.”
“Fox, man, come on,” Ethan butted in, glancing between us.
I shook my head, my curls bouncing. With a snarl, I pulled my hair out of its rubberband, letting the red ringlets cascade around me like a firestorm.
“I could get laid, Fox. Imagine what it’ll feel like for me when he runs his fingers through my hair. Imagine what he’ll feel like, getting to pull it while you’re down here with your bitch of a girlfriend catching some mediocre missionary-style sex.” I narrowed my eyes at him as he stared back at me, a muscle popping along his jaw. “It’ll be his name on my lips. Not yours. Never yours.
I backed away from him and gave a satisfied smirk at the anger on his face.
“I’m out of here.”
“Rosebud, wait—” Cole called out to me as I stumbled away.
“Let her be someone else’s problem,” Fox interrupted. “She’s a waste anyway. There are more in the book.”