“She’ll need more. This isn’t enough for her,” Royce whispers and the sound of heavy breathing surrounds me.
“We’re gonna keep you quiet, RaeRae,” he breathes. “You good with that?”
I squeeze my eyes shut, my legs bouncing and all hands on me freeze where they are. I swallow. “Distract me.”
There’s a pause, and a chill runs over my skin as all connection is lost. I’m ready to shoot from the place they’ve laid me when finally, one heated hand meets my flesh once again.
Two fingers find my collarbone, tracing over me slowly, not stopping when they reach the top of my swimsuit but dipping in the front to edge along my breast.
My breathing speeds up.
I jerk lightly when a second hand starts at my calf, running up and over my knee, sliding forward when they reach my thigh. They grip me tight, slowly skimming upward.
A moan starts to escape, but a mouth lands on mine again, swallowing any sound before it could be heard.
Warm breath hits my stomach then and hot air is blown across my abdomen, continuing until the heat seeps through the material covering my center.
Two hands glide up, slipping between my suit and skin, moving the suit to the side, and then I’m exposed ... but only to the darkness.
I sense it before it hits, and a breathy whimper makes its way up my chest.
A tongue comes down on me, and I lift my hips, needing all it can give. Reaching out, I latch onto the closest body, finding a solid arm to squeeze.
My chest rises rapidly as a practiced tongue explores me, not letting up until my clit is properly assaulted. When my thighs clench, the lips close over the sweet spot and I start to shake.
My kiss grows hungrier and the mouth on mine growls against me.
I’m right there, so fucking close to losing, I jerk away gasping, and right before I come, a hand hits my hip and feathers south, and my body recharges, unwilling to let go of the feeling just yet. The pleasure starts over, a new fire burning deep in my core. The fingers trace up and over my ribs until I’m a quivering mess. A deep, cry makes its way up my chest and just before it escapes, a hand covers my lips gently, slowly dragging down my neck, forcing my head to tilt back and my back to arch high as those hands slide over my suit covered breast. They pause there, my hard nipples now being squeezed between fingers.
“Fuuuck.” I think it’s Royce who draws out the word like a song. “She’s ... a fucking trooper.”
“She’s making us work.” Captain, I think.
“I knew she would.” Maddoc.
Over and over again, from every pleasure point I have, I’m brought to the edge, pushed back and led there again. Until it’s too much, until it’s everywhere, until they’ve been everywhere, consuming every inch of my body and mind. My back leaves the cushion one final time, my legs clamping tight against the head between my legs, and my teeth draw blood from the bottom lip teasing mine.
I come hard, the ride even more powerful as I fight for silence when all I want to do is fill the room with my moans, show them what they did to me.
For me.
‘Cause that’s what this was – the boys keeping me calm in the only way they knew they could.
In the minutes that follow, nothing but the sounds of heavy breathing fill the room.
Right when my body calms enough to realize I’m still in the dark, there are two soft taps against the window, followed by two more.
I jerk, but a hand to my thigh calms me.
“Let’s get the fuck outta here,” Maddoc rasps and a shiver runs through me.
The hand on my thigh squeezes.
“We sure it’s clear?” Royce whispers.
“Leo wouldn’t signal if he wasn’t sure.”
I fix my swimsuit and lace my fingers through the ones that reach for mine, allowing them to lead me out.
When we hit the landing and exit, I see it’s Captain who is holding my hand. He lets go the second we reach the door and together, the four of us round the house while I pretend not to see Royce stuff a piece of paper in the front of his trunks.
Leo’s eyes widen when he spots me, a mumbled “shit” leaving him.
“Yeah, fucker. What happened to keeping an eye on her?” Maddoc shoves him, but he laughs in good nature.
“Tried. She’s slippery.”
A scuffled laugh leaves Royce and my jaw drops, my head swiveling his way, but when Maddoc and Captain do the same, we share a laugh.
Pretty sure I might be blushing right now.
Leo’s questioning stare bounces between us, but he doesn’t ask. He knows his place, they’d talk if they wanted him involved.
He gives a stiff nod, his eyes skating past mine as he turns, walking the opposite way the four of us go.
Royce splits for the house once it’s in view, the other two going for the hot tub at the landing of the cabin beside theirs, and I make shoot straight for the picnic table turned bar. I pour a quick shot of Captain Morgan’s Tattoo and knock it back, letting the too thick, too sweet liquor coat my throat.
Holy shit, I can’t believe that just happened.
I toss some ice into the cup and pour some more to sip on.
“Aye, pour me one too, RaeRae.” Royce bounds my way, having locked up whatever they stole in the safe, I’m sure.
I do as he asks, holding in my frown when I turn around to hand him his, finding he’s slipped into the hot tub as well. The hot tub Chloe and her friend are now in.
She stands in the water, pretending to adjust the tie of her top all so she can push her chest toward Maddoc’s face.
Too bad for her his eyes are locked on me over her shoulder.
He likes me watching.
Leo steps up beside me. “Don’t let her see you hesitate.”
“I’m not hesitating.”
“What are you doing then?”
“Laughing at her antics.” If she was all she pretends to be, she wouldn’t mess with the teasing, she’d go straight for what she wanted.
“I don’t hear you laughing. You should just go over there, send her on her way.”
“I’m laughing on the inside.” I look to Leo, who frowns at the sight and I realize what’s happening here. He’s jealous. I turn my body to face him, and a splash of water sounds to my right.
The boys are now watching us.
“You want her, and you’re trying to use me to help make it happen.”
“How would I use you, the way the boys are?” He lifts his chin, but he sure as shit dropped his tone down a bit.
I’m not the one that fears a body, or three, in that hot tub.
“That’s right, Leo. Lower your tone so they don’t hear you. But if you thought they wouldn’t like what you had to say ... why would you still go for the wannabe insult and chance possibly disrespect your boys like that?”
“What are you trying to say?” He goes for a strong, hard tone, but every inch of him is suddenly laced with tension.
“I’m not trying to say a damn thing. You showed me all I need to know. One comment, one look and I’ve got you all figured out. You’re the odd man out, always. You stay as close as they let you but you’re never invited past the buzzer. And here I come, nothing to offer and uninterested in the game, and I’m staying in that fourth room.”
“Don’t fool yourself, it’s the pussy between your legs they want. They’ll throw you out when they’re done.”
“Like they do Chloe?” I taunt and his features harden. “Yet she still goes back for more, each and every time, leaving you sitting there wondering what they’ve got that you don’t.”
“RaeRae!” Royce calls, but he drags my name out more than normal. “I’m thirsty.”
Leo’s eyes cut their way before coming back to mine. “I can’t wait to watch you fall.”
“Don’t worry, Leo.” I smirk, walking backward. “Whores are good on their knees.”
I spin on my heels and force the frown to stay away.
It was a joke when I�
��d say it before, but I did just let all three touch me in some way. Maybe I am more like my mother than I care to admit.
I use my sex appeal against people all the time. I use it to decipher a man’s intentions by gauging the look in his eyes, to search for loyalty, to gain advantages. To get out of sticky situations.
My body is my weapon.
But I never take it further.
Laughter has me scanning the hot tub and as I would have suspected, each of the guys’ eyes are on me.
But tonight, I did, didn’t I?
I don’t realize I’m stepping away until Maddoc’s hand shoots out, grabbing onto my wrist. He tips his chin ever so slightly, silently demanding I stop with the thoughts he can somehow read.
Fingers brush mine and look to my other hand where Royce is reaching for his cup, his touch conveying the same.
A palm appears in front of me next and I look to its owner. Captain.
I place my hand in his, looking from Royce, to Maddoc, and back to Captain.
I let him lead me up the steps, even though I don’t need the help. Even though I don’t know if I want in. Even though all other eyes are on me.
I dip into the water and when Maddoc grips my hips, I let him pull me to his lap.
Chloe shifts her stare to me, rage growing in her eyes.
She slithers back, licking her lips in attempt to cover her displeasure. She slowly lets the jets push her farther left, closer to Royce, who would probably be all for it, but there’s plenty of others willing to play if he says go.
I lock eyes with him to make sure he’d be okay with it, suddenly not wanting to make the wrong move, and he looks from my blue-tipped hair to me.
He gives a curt nod.
I sit up straight and Maddoc’s hand slides across my stomach, his chin moving to press against my hair.
And I feel it, the supremacy that is Brayshaw. I shouldn’t use it, shouldn’t take what he’s offering right now with his possessive hold and steady heartbeat.
Yet I do it anyway.
I look to Chloe. “Go.”
A laugh spits out of her but when it’s only her and the girl she came with who thinks it’s funny, her smile slowly fades.
“You can’t be serious?”
I lift my cup and take a drink, dismissing her.
“You heard her. Go.” Captain stands, looking down at the two.
There’s some groaning and unnecessary water slapping, but they do as they’re told and step from the hot tub.
Leo watches from where I left him. His face is blank but his body language says enough. He’s not happy.
Fuck him, too.
I call out, loud enough for him to hear, “The entire team is off-limits to you tonight, Chloe. Find another dick to fall on.”
She storms off, and he meets my stare a moment, unable to hide the way his lip curls just the slightest.
The twitch of Maddoc’s muscles has me thinking he caught it too. But I’m not looking to cause problems between friends. He’ll either get his shit straight or cause his own fall.
I don’t need Leo’s respect ... but I don’t want the Brayshaws at the expense of their boy. He was here before me, and he’ll be here after.
It’s only a matter of time before I’m sent back to my slums, it’s how the story always goes.
Girls from the gutter don’t belong at privileged cabins in the woods with ruling rich boys and pissy princesses.
I’ve got enough problems of my own, the last thing I need is to inherit theirs.
Yet here I sit, comfortable on the lap of the king, confident with his palm spread across my abdomen, and strong with his princes at our sides.
This is their world, and it seems I’m in the middle of it.
“We just gonna pretend we didn’t rock her world last night?”
Oh my God.
“Shut the fuck up, Royce.” Captain throws a chip at him and Maddoc shakes his head.
“What?” He shifts in the front seat to look at me.
I lift my hands, peeking at him through my fingers and he grins.
“I’m playing. But I did have to go fluff my ego last night after it took you ten fucking years to—”
“Bro, shut up.” Captain shakes his head.
“Fine, but for real, afraid of the dark, RaeRae?” His dark eyes widen. “Never saw that shit coming.”
“Anywaaaaay...” I playfully frown at him and he winks, turning back in his seat.
“Right. Yeah, we got what we were looking for, so thanks for that,” he says and then ... silence.
He offers no more, none of them do, so I sure as hell don’t ask.
I settle in my seat, trying not to let a sour taste take over. It’s dumb, because I have no right to feel left out. I’d have to be “in” for that to happen and right now I’m just ... hell, I have no clue what I am.
Fresh? Foreign? A toy? A—
Wait.
I swiftly cut my eyes to Maddoc, who lazily meets my gaze.
“What?” His stare bounces between mine and after a few seconds, his lips smash together.
I scoff, tipping my head back as a bitter laugh leaves me.
Ugh, stupid girl. You should have known.
“Raven—”
“Fuck you, big man.”
Royce’s head swivels around. I make sure my glare meets his questioning stare, then Captain’s in the mirror.
“Fuck all of you.”
The distraction.
That’s what this was. That’s why I was here, why they played friendly lately. The rides to school, the light share of information, a tiny glimpse into their world to make me comfortable.
I always knew comfort was for fools, the man who slipped under my covers after slipping out of my mom’s when I was twelve taught me that hard lesson.
They knew I’d roam, it’s who I am and what I do. They bet on my stumbling upon the Graven guys at some point. It’s why they didn’t give me the pre-warning or order or what the fuck ever, to stay away – like they did before.
Because this time, they needed me to be the pawn so they themselves had a reason to survey the setup. Bet they even counted on them moving their party into the designated bullshit Brayshaw zone so they could make their way to the cabin without being seen.
No fucking way could they have gotten in there if they were all partying right outside.
No fucking way would they have gotten in the house if I hadn’t made it happen.
“Raven.” Maddoc’s tone is demanding – a command to look his way.
I close my eyes and tip my head back on the seat.
His light growl and jerky movements have me wanting to scream, but I don’t.
I hold it in.
Tonight, when we get back, I’ll let it all out.
We don’t bother getting our bags out but head right into the house after we drop Raven off.
“She thinks we used her to get to Graven,” Royce states the obvious.
I nod, looking from him to Captain.
“Why didn’t you tell her that wasn’t true?” he barks.
“Why didn’t you?” I counter and his eyes narrow.
“Man, cut the shit. We all know she’s under your skin. That means you run the Raven show. All we can do is sit back and watch.”
“Fuck was I supposed to say?” I throw my arms out and he shakes his head.
“Tell her she was wrong, tell her we like her, tell her to cut the shit and admit she likes us too.”
“This won’t turn into some fucking four-way, brother,” I ease, and he scoffs.
“Not what the fuck I meant, and you know it!”
I sigh, dragging my hands down my face. “Fuck, man. I know. She makes me fucking crazy. She’s not gonna believe it just because I say it. She’s even more untrusting than we are.”
“Yeah well, she won’t even get to consider believing it if she doesn’t get to fuckin’ hear it.”
“We really sitting here pretending? We knew having her around wo
uld help with the Graven shit,” Captain spits. “Just because we started to like having her around don’t mean there wasn’t purpose behind it in the beginning.”
“Yeah, but—”
“There is no ‘but’ as far as she’s concerned. We did what she expected. She’s not mad at us. She’s mad at herself for thinking we wanted her there instead of needing her there.”
“What should we have done then?”
“Ask for her help instead of being sneaky about it.”
“She had no reason to say yes.”
“No reason to say no either.” Captain shrugs. “She’d have done it and you know it.”
Fuck if he isn’t right.
Royce drops onto the couch. “Go fix it, Madman.”
I nod, heading upstairs for a shower, knowing damn well what Royce said a minute ago is true, she’s under my fucking skin. Problem is I haven’t decided if I’m going to let her stay there or not. Or, if she even belongs. Either way, I wanna play with Raven Carver while I decide.
I take my time showering, then get my shit from the car and put it away. By the time I’m done, it’s finally past lights out at the home, so I head down the stairs, deciding to walk down the dirt road to the Bray house.
I’m almost at the edge of the trees when the smell of weed hits my nostrils.
I clench my teeth together, knowing what I’ll fucking find when I step past the trees. And sure as fuck, there she is with a dude who must not have gotten his ass lit up good enough, Bass Bishop. They’re leaning against the shed at the edge of the guys’ home.
He’s saying some shit that has her covering her hand to muffle that husky laugh of hers and I’m ready to throat punch him.
I told her ass what would happen if I saw her with him again. I wasn’t fucking playing.
A car pulls up at the curb and they head for it, but something has her glancing back.
She scans the trees so I take the two steps forward into the light.
Her eyes shoot wide and my chin lifts.
That’s right. Busted. Now get that ass over here ...
She flips me off, and my muscles lock.
Just when I think she’s gonna slide into the seat and take the fuck off, she turns to face me.
Boys of Brayshaw High Page 19