by L. J. Woods
A band tee hangs above leather shorts and her combat boots are a far cry from Eden’s usual favourite designers. She whispers something in his ear before he laughs. Not one of his smooth flirty chuckles either. A real laugh and there’s a jab to my stomach.
I fucking hate this feeling as much as I hate him.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Don’t worry,” Lexi giggles, handing me a glass of clear liquid that I hope is all vodka. “She’s cool.”
Isaac hands her a drink and she declines, rubbing her stomach before King pushes Christian away. “That’s right, Perez,” King says. “Try stealing Jo away from me now.”
Stealing her?
Damien gives him another push to his head before Jo tries to stop him with a roll of her eyes.
“Not to worry.” Christian raises his hands in surrender before he gazes my way. I gulp down the vodka. “I got a girl.”
Proving he’s as observant as he looks, Damien tilts his chin towards me. “That her?”
All eyes whip to me, Christian coming over to plunk his heavy, warm arm around me. “Rayne Rose.”
“She came back.” Damien’s cold eyes narrow and it gives me chills. “With a hell of an ass.”
Jo slaps his shoulder before she smiles my way. “Sorry, he got a head start on the ride here. Cool outfit.” She points a finger at my boots, a rock as big as my foot on her hand. Did Damien King settle down? Didn’t see that ever happening. “I hardly have patience for these laces.” She gestures to her Docs.
It’s hard not to smile at the only person in the room who doesn’t come off like a narcissistic asshole.
“I always saw you two together,” King says, pulling Jo by his side. “But if you two are fucking, this is about to get a little awkward.”
“H’oh boy,” Jo mutters before looking over at us. “Bathroom?” Not sure if she needs to go or if she's doing the smart thing and running away.
Lexi offers to show her, leaving me alone before a girl with a short blonde cut approaches Christian. She wears nothing but sparkling lingerie, like a vegas disco ball. Taking the rope out of his hand, she uses it to tie Christian to one of the chairs around the long glass dining table. Then she straddles him.
Isaac claps, laughing as he taps the touchpad on the wall. “Cherry Pie” comes over built-in speakers.
“Time for your lapdance, Birthday Boy,” the blonde says.
“Vicky?” Christian looks stunned, his brows hitting his shaggy hairline.
Great. He knows the stripper too.
“I love a good surprise,” King chuckles, walking over to me with his eyes on the bottles. “Hope you don’t mind.” His voice hits my ear and it’s hard to ignore the way the rumble of his voice travels down my spine.
Christian doesn’t look like he minds. Not one bit, laughing as “Vicky” pushes her ginormous tits in his face.
“As long as her tits don’t kill him, I’m cool.” My grip tightens around my glass. I’m not even sure why this is making me so tense. Vicky buries his face in her cleavage. “Not that he wouldn’t mind death by breast suffocation.”
That gets a chuckle out of Damien but it doesn’t make me feel any better.
“So, do we all get lap dances or …” Isaac appears on my other side and all three of us can’t take our eyes off the way the blonde grinds all over my boyfriend. Fake boyfriend. She says something and he laughs and that makes me down my drink faster.
“No, I’ve got something else for you, Johnson,” King says while I pour up another. He speaks like he’s already bored. Glancing around, he pulls his own baggie of powder out of his pocket. “Let’s revisit the old times.” They’re about to walk away, my eyes still on Christian as he laughs it up with his performer. “You comin’ Rose?” King calls. “Or are you gonna stay here and watch your boyfriend get a boner for the stripper?”
He wiggles the baggy as I down my glass with another long gulp. Christian catches my eyes in time to see them narrow. I’m not usually one to partake in the shit my brother sells but tonight, with all this, I can use a fucking pick-me-up. “Let’s go.”
The rest of the team is out at the pool with a killer view of the lake. The moon shines on soft rippling waves, frogs croaking in the distance. The boys rack up some lines on the stone bar, catching up with each other as they do. Isaac’s quick to switch the topic to how annoying Lexi is but it only makes me laugh because something tells me he cares more than he lets on.
The first line hits quickly and we only get through another before a voice makes Damien jump. “Already partying, huh?”
“‘Sup Jo? You used to partake if I remember.” Isaac wiggles his brows, wiping his nose.
“We’re not giving birth to a coke baby.” Damien slaps the back of his head. “Don’t mind us.” He pulls Jo close by her leather jacket. “Let me have my fun and I’ll make it worth your while.” He pulls her on his lap, whispering something into her ear that makes her bite her lip before he leans in for a kiss.
It’s a little raunchy and okay, pretty hot. And as fucked up as King is, he looks happy with her. They look real. Far from whatever the fuck Christian and I have.
“Fuck around and you’ll put another one in her,” Isaac snorts.
“Hopefully,” Damien’s quick to respond, tugging on the neckline of Jo’s shirt.
“Ew.”
Now I’m the one to jump, Christian’s voice coming behind me as I ready up another line. “I’m happy for you guys and all but spare me the details about how it happened," he says.
“As if you don’t wanna know what it’s like to fuck the Queen of Eden.” Damien sits back on his stool, wiping some powder on his gums. He flicks out his index finger, moving it between us. “Just ‘cause we’re not there, doesn’t mean we still don’t hold status, by the way.”
A scream comes from the pool. Turning my head, a guy from the team tosses the blonde dancer into the water.
Jo waves Damien off. “I’m not here for this.” Glancing over at the pool, she shrugs her jacket off her shoulders. “I’m more interested in what Pixie’s been up to.” She pulls on Christian’s shirt. “C’mon, I need backup.”
Gotta admire her gusto but the way Damien’s jaw clenches when they walk away signals there might be more between them than they show.
“I always knew you had a thing for Perez,” Damien says, his eyes still on Jo even when she’s across the yard. “Didn’t think you’d ever come back. Sorry about what happened to your mom.”
I’m thrown off by his condolences but I brush it off, the mention of my mom making me quick to do another line. “No thanks to the lovely folks of Eden.”
Damien cocks an eyebrow, watching as I tilt my head back, wiggling my nose. “The fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Isaac catches the hand of Iris as she walks by, pulling her on his lap before he whispers something in her ear.
My nose burns as I speak. “You of all people should know since your father’s the richest fuckhead in town. Couldn’t even help out his neighbour.” That’s more the top-grade cocaine than me but at least I’m being honest.
He brings his glass to his lips, dilated eyes dancing around my face. “I don’t know what grudge you’re carrying but you can’t blame us for our parents' shit. If you’re mad we didn’t help your family with something, take that up with our folks. Not us.”
“It’s still a glaring example of what you guys from across the tracks are.”
“You used to be from across the tracks. You know damn well we’re not all poisoned.” He laughs. A smooth one. “Well, we partake in a lot of poison but you know what I mean. Besides …” He readies another couple of lines but with the way my jaw grinds, and with how fast my heart is pumping, I’ve already had enough. “Looks like being outside of Eden grew you the fuck up. You don’t look like the regular old whores from this town and for you, that’s a good thing. For Christian too.”
A laugh comes from the pool, Damien whipping his head towards it. His jaw
tightens, so does his grip around the hundred in his hand. When I follow his gaze of hatred, my eyes settle on Christian. Vicky sits on the arm of his lounge chair, Jo beside him, her hand on his shoulder while she laughs. It makes my jaw tighten too and it’s not the blow.
“Too bad he’s a dick,” I say, reminding myself of why I’m out here in the middle of nowhere. Him. And I’m left entertaining his friends while he chats it up like the celebrity birthday boy he is.
Damien chuckles, tapping on his phone. “He’s been a dick to you? That’s hard to believe.”
“Oh, believe it,” I say, kinda baffled that his best friend is saying the king of dicks isn't a dick. “He’s been a motherfucking challenge.”
King shrugs. “The guy’s been through a lot. Especially in the last year. We all have.”
“A lot?” I scoff, knowing that these people don’t know the definition of hardship. “What? Did his daddy forget to buy him a new mansion for his birthday?”
“We killed someone.” Damien's words smack me in the face, his eyes glaring swords into Christian. “Kinda hard coming back from that.”
My brows knit, unsure if he’s serious. “You fucking with me?"
His eyes move to me. “What? Your boyfriend didn’t tell you we’re all criminals?” He laughs before he snorts another line, “Heathens” by Twenty One Pilots playing in the background. “Maybe I’ve said too much.”
My eyes narrow and I still can’t tell if he’s fucking with me. Another laugh comes from Christian’s small group before Damien taps faster on his phone. Jo’s laugh gets louder and my eyes zero in on the way her hand taps against Christian’s chest, Damien’s words in my head.
My stomach twists, Vicky running a hand through his hair and this whole scene only reminds me of the player he is. But killing someone? King has to be fucking with me. Right?
My skin feels clammy, my heart thumping.
I need air.
I’m about to get up before a cold hand lands on my wrist. Looking back, Damien’s eyes are still on the group as he pulls me towards his lap. I pull back, my brows furrowing. “I’m not sure what the fuck you’re trying but I’m not into this.”
He chuckles, getting up from his stool with a shrug. “If you’re too stupid to see what’s happening over a lost love over there...” Damien tilts his chin towards the trio. “Guess you’re not as down for my boy as I thought.”
Laughter comes from them again as Damien nudges me with his shoulder, taking the bottle with him. When my eyes move over to them, Vicky’s shaking her ass in Christian's face again.
So what if she knows I’m his girl? Something about that makes me feel like these guys are still toying with me. Including him.
Time to pull this thing back in my court.
Blame the vodka or the blow but his name flies out my mouth, “King!”
He stops in his tracks towards the cabin … er, mansion. My stomach twists when I approach him.
It’s not like I haven’t fucked around with drug dealers and murderers living in Shady Shores but something about what I’m about to do feels so much worse.
I remind myself. This isn’t real.
Then why is rage flowing through me like water on a hot day?
“Yeah, Rose?” Damien sways when he stands in front of me. He gives me a raised brow as if he’s challenging me again, his eyes shifting behind my shoulder.
Game time.
With one big breath, I take a step forward and press my lips to his.
Fifteen
Christian
“No fucking way.”
With a hand on each ass cheek, Vicky falls to the stone when I push her out the way.
I haven’t seen Damien King in months and I’m about to send my fist through his face.
“King!” My voice comes out a deep, low growl. The music muffles, my ears ringing. He likely can’t feel his face but he will with how tight my biceps are.
“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Jo sounds livid behind me but I’m boiling enough for the both of us.
“Perez.” He greets me like it's a fucking picnic. Ray backs away as I get close and that’s a good idea. Because his smirk is the last thing I see before my fist hits his flesh.
CRACK!
I’m on top of him while he laughs. If this is anything close to how he felt last year when Jo and I almost got together, then I understand it now. Doesn’t mean he’s not getting what’s coming to him.
“How’s it feel you pussy whipped fuck?” Damien laughs through his words like a maniac, his shirt in my fist. His eyes move to Jo. “How’s it feel, Medusa?”
That’s when it hits me. We’ve all played into Damien King’s twisted games again.
With one last pound to his face, I point my index between his eyes. “Not fucking cool, King.”
“Well, damn,” Isaac’s voice comes from behind me. “It’s like old times.”
“Happy birthday, Perez,” Damien smirks, his bloody face a mess. “Rayne has a thing for you but we all knew that. Now leave my girl the fuck alone.”
Jealous asshole.
Shaking my head I push him down, rising to my feet. Jo’s looking at us with wide eyes. “Unbelievable.”
At least I know he still cares about her.
My eyes scan the yard but I don’t see Ray. My heart thuds from seeing her lips near someone else but I’m not trying to think about what that means. “I’m gonna find her.”
“Saw her head out front,” Isaac says.
Jo lays into Damien, “You’re not even back in Eden and you’re already using your friends!” I usually have his back but he gets what he deserves and I hope that’s zero ass tonight.
Ray’s not in the kitchen or the foyer when I push through the small party but it doesn’t take me long. Through the large living room window, my eyes zero in on that ass swaying towards the gate. Her body looks tense, shoulders by her ears and her phone’s in her hand as she glances around the large driveway.
“Ray.” I try calling her when I get to the front door but she doesn’t flinch or turn around. So I make my way out into the cool night. When I get closer, my sneakers slow.
“Do something,” Rayne says into the phone, her voice low.
Who is she talking to?
“August, I’m serious."
Her brother.
“Someone’s been following me and you haven’t done a thing!” She lowers her voice some more but I still hear every word. “Take care of it or I will.”
The minute she pulls the phone from her ear, I ask the only question that’s now on my mind. “Who’s following you?”
Her entire body tenses when my voice lands by her ear. “Like you care.” She starts storming past the gate.
Pulling on her hand, I turn her around to face me. The anger I felt seeing her with King goes away when I see her glance around the lot, like she’s in danger.
Shit, she's serious.
“Who’s following you, Ray?” She looks down, trying to pull away again but I keep her in my hold. “If it’s one of the guys from campus, I’ll deal with ‘em.” With my fists.
She sighs, “It’s someone from … work.” Where the hell does she work? Her eyes narrow, like an angry cat, her bangs brushing in the wind. “You’ll deal with ‘em? Like you’ll deal with all the girls that come your way?”
“Was that what that was about? With King? You’re jealous?”
She crosses her arms before she wiggles her nose. “He even saw it. It’s humiliating.”
That makes me laugh. “Yeah, ‘cause King is a jealous asshole. Like you’re being.”
The way her face scrunches when I’m getting to her stirs my insides. She raises her voice, “You’re the one blackmailing me to be your—”
“Be quiet, Loca.” Pushing her against the gate gets her to shut up, my palm keeping her in place. “If anyone hears you, you can kiss our deal goodbye.”
“Make me.” She stares up at me, those fiery eyes catching the moonlight and it’s hard
not to get lost in them. Hard not to think about King’s lips on hers instead of mine. A fire lights inside me, my eyes falling to her lips.
Thick. Soft.
Delicious.
Fuck it.
I press my lips to hers and it’s like my anger disappears into her velvety pout.
A nip to my lip gets me to stop but it surprises me. Did I read that wrong? When I pull away, that’s when I see it. Those dilated pupils. “Fuck,” I mutter. “Should’ve known better than to leave you with King and Johnson.”
“Why? Can’t handle me?”
Shaking my head, I start walking towards the door. “Get your things, Ray. You’re staying with me.”
“The hell I am,” she protests. “Don’t even know why I’m here when you’re only on this trip to flirt.”
Taking a breath, I turn around and storm up to her. She squeals when I throw her over my shoulder before she pounds on my back. But I don’t care. “If someone from your work is following you, you’re staying with me.”
Strapping a slurry, cursing Rayne in the passenger seat of my car is no easy feat. Especially when she’s pumped up on King’s party supplies. A night with King and Johnson is always debauchery so why should this night be any different?
Sure, I wanted Ray here but not for the use of my friends. So I don’t tell them when I leave, they can figure it out on their own like how they figured out how to get Rayne involved with their bullshit.
The hotel we’re staying at isn’t far. A five minute drive away from Iris’ mountain mansion. Ray uses that entire time to lay into me.
“Asshole!”
“Fuck you, Perez!”
“I hate you!”
That last one still stings but I’m focused on getting her back to my room. The front desk agent stares with wide eyes as I bring a wiggling, cursing Rayne to the elevator.
With a smile and a wink, I make up an excuse. “Role-play,” I say between Rayne’s grunts and groans. It almost sounds seductive if she wasn’t banging on my back. “You know, caveman and damsel in distress.”
“I’m no damsel but you bet I’m distressed,” she slurs.