I lifted my chin to look up at him and a satanic smile pulled at his mouth. “What do you want me to do?”
He took hold of my shoulders, flipping me around to face the water then spoke loud enough for everyone gathered to hear. “Fledglings must prove their worth. Only the most strong of heart can run with the Night Keepers.” He shoved me forward and I braced my hands on the railing, taking in a ragged breath. “Swim to the Everlake flag and back. If you fail, drown or don’t manage it in under fifteen minutes, you will be outcast from our company and from the company of those we keep.”
He pointed out to the flag sticking up from a tiny island several hundred meters out in the lake and cold fingers encircled my heart.
Sure, I could swim. But in a freezing cold lake that looked as deep as the depths of hell itself? Er, no thank you.
I glanced at Blake who nodded keenly in encouragement then to Kyan who was smirking like he knew I was going to back out. And that was it for me. Fickle as it was, being underestimated was my fucking kryptonite. And if that beastly bastard didn’t think I could do it, then he was about to be proved severely wrong. The dark and stormy certainly helped too.
“Go on, Tatum!” Mila’s voice caught my ear and I turned, spotting her in the crowd waving and smiling beside Danny Harper. The sight filled my heart with strength and I turned to face Saint again with a smile tugging at my lips.
“Give a girl a hand?” I turned to show him my zipper and his cool fingers brushed my neck before he took hold of it, making my heart falter for a full second. He ran the zipper smoothly down to the base of my spine and I pushed the dress off of my shoulders, bending down to scoop it up. I looked for Mila again so she could take it for me with my purse, but Blake appeared, pulling them from my hands as his eyes raked over my exposed flesh. Thankfully, I’d gone all out tonight in my Victoria Secret matching black panties and bra and my tan was gleaming even in the dark. I kicked off my stilettos before handing them to Blake too. The lust in his eyes was enough to set my pulse racing. And as I looked to Saint beside him and found his eyes eating me up too, heat gathered between my thighs and sent desire licking down my spine.
I turned my back on them, pulling myself up over the railing and taking a deep breath as everyone at the party started cheering me on. The cabin was up on stilts and it was at least six feet to the water - which hadn’t seemed that high until now.
Please don’t hurt like a bitch.
I dove into the lake and the freezing water immediately stole my breath away. I kicked my way to the surface and as my head breached it, applause and shouts filled my ears. I glanced back up to the deck where Saint, Blake and Kyan stood shoulder to shoulder, staring down at me with shadowed features. Saint lifted his arm to check his watch and that was all the encouragement I needed as I started swimming toward the flag.
It wasn’t the swim I found difficult, in fact swimming was one of my favourite exercises in the world. But the cold was gnawing, blinding. It made my body ache and ache until my limbs started to go numb.
I set my sights on the flag as the noise behind me became a din and the glow of the flashlight was left far, far behind. The thickening darkness made it almost impossible to see the flag ahead, but every now and then I’d catch sight of it, protruding toward the sky which was ever so faintly brighter than the surrounding water. The stars were out in full force too, but there was no guiding moon to help me out. The heavens reflected so starkly in the water around me that it looked like I was wading through a galaxy, the glossy waves rippling out around me eternally.
My hand finally hit the lump of rock which housed the flag and whistles and cheers sounded in response back at the cabin. I circled the earthy mass, clinging to its edge as I stole a few precious moments to catch my breath. Ice was wrapping around my bones and my lungs were labouring against the heavy air that pushed in and out of them. Even the adrenaline in my veins couldn’t counter the pain.
I clenched my jaw as I gazed back at the cabin, resilience tearing through my body. Then I started toward it, moving faster than before, despite the fact that I could hardly feel each turn of my arms and kick of my legs. I willed myself to move with nothing but my mind and hoped for the best as my muscles fought to listen.
I finally swam into the ring of light cast by Saint’s flashlight and smiled up at them through chattering teeth, waiting for my moment of approval.
“You’re in!” Blake called excitedly and I threw my head back and whooped to the sky, causing the rest of the party to join in with me.
I headed for the shore to the right of the cabin and by the time I reached it, Blake was waiting there with Mila, Danny, Pearl and Gerald, all of them looking at me with huge grins on their faces. Blake had a huge white towel in his hands and he wrapped it around me the second I waded onto the shore. Sharp stones dug into my toes and I hissed as I made my way over them, but a second later Blake whipped me off my feet and crushed me against his chest.
I glanced up at him in surprise and I instinctively reached out, pushing my fingers into his hair. “Thank you, golden boy.”
He chuckled and I smirked as we reached the top of the shore and he carried me inside. He kicked his way through a door and I found myself in an incredible bathroom with a walk in shower. The walls were wooden, but the floor was a russet and cream marble which must have been worth a fortune. He placed me down and I spotted my clothes and purse beside a large basin.
Mila raised an eyebrow at Blake. “Off you go, Bowman, the girl needs to get dressed and sort her makeup out.” She popped open her purse and I threw a glance at the oval mirror, eyeing the mascara that had smeared all down my cheeks with a laugh.
“I kinda like her like this,” he growled, his expression making my toes curl up against the cool floor.
Adrenaline was buzzing in my veins and part of me wanted Mila to leave so I could lure Blake into the shower with me and continue chasing this high.
Mila wafted him toward the door and he stared at me the whole time he backed up until he shut it sharply behind him.
“Holy shit, girl, that was epic!” Mila cried the second he was gone. “They usually only make the fledglings jump in, not swim to the fucking flag.”
“Are you for real?” I huffed, peeling off my underwear and heading into the shower. I turned it on and flinched under the heated water as my frozen skin adjusted to it.
“Yeah, but shit, now you’re gonna be a legend around here.”
I laughed as I washed off the lake water and scrubbed it out of my hair too. “Those assholes,” I muttered to myself.
I soon stepped out of the unit and dried off with more fluffy towels, wondering if every part of campus was like some sort of luxury holiday camp.
“You’d better watch yourself with Blake,” Mila said with a meaningful look. “I saw the way you two were eye-fucking each other.” She started miming kissing the air, sticking out her tongue and grinding her hips.
I laughed, shaking my head. “Is that how you kiss?”
She tossed a hand towel at me with a grin. “I’m just saying.”
“You said you were gonna stop with the warnings,” I pressed and she sighed heavily.
“Fine. But just know this final thing, Blake is extra cold lately. I heard he screwed Tiffany Forsythe up at his Dad’s mountain lodge during summer break then took off in the middle of the night in his truck. Left her there in the wilderness. Apparently animal control had to go up there and save her from a wild bear.”
“Oh come on,” I laughed. “That’s bullshit.”
“Alright maybe Tiffany is a bit of an exaggerator, but not that much,” Mila said, tossing her hair over one shoulder. “Anyway, I think he’s acting even more heartless since his mom died.”
My heart twinged and my brows pulled together. “He lost his mom?”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “Anyway, get fucking dressed! I wanna party, girl.”
I nodded, turning away from her although I kinda wanted to ask more about Blake’s mo
m. I knew how painful grief could be, but I also knew everyone handled it in their own way. And I didn’t exactly know him well enough to bring it up.
I had to put my dress on without underwear and stuff the wet garments in my purse. I tugged my dress down a little lower, conscious of the air flowing between my legs.
“This isn’t a good outfit to go commando in,” I laughed.
“Don’t worry about it, girl.” She tossed me my stilettos and I put them on, figuring fuck it about the underwear. I didn’t wanna walk all the way back to the girls’ accommodation now anyway. No, I wanted to do one thing and one thing only. Party.
Mila helped me fix my makeup then we headed back into the lounge where everyone immediately started chanting my name.
Blake kicked off of the wall opposite the bathroom, moving toward me like a hunter stalking his prey and wrapping his arm around my waist possessively.
“Let’s go play a game,” he spoke into my ear, handing me another dark and stormy and I smiled in thanks for the drink.
“What kind of game?” I narrowed my eyes at him and he smirked.
“You’ll see.” He guided me over to a table where a group of people were clustered, sitting on the carpet. Kyan was lazing in the armchair again and Saint was resting on a couch while no one else dared join him.
Mila dropped down to kneel on the floor between Gerald and Pearl and I eyed the wine bottle which lay down on the table, realising exactly what sort of game this was. Blake pushed me down onto the couch beside Saint, sitting on my other side and resting his hand on my knee. Saint didn’t offer me a word of acknowledgement as he leaned forward to lift his drink from the table.
My gaze zeroed in on his Night Keeper tattoo and I eyed the lethal looking arrow with interest. It looked even more brutal on him somehow with his clean cut appearance, like it was a reminder of just how dangerous he was beneath the surface.
He sat back and sipped on a glass of something that looked and smelled suspiciously like straight vodka. Jesus.
“You earned the first go.” Blake squeezed my knee and I took another sip of my drink.
“Yeah seriously, Tatum, that swim was epic,” Pearl said, pumping her fist.
“Thanks.” I grinned, warmth filling me at the hope of making some real friends tonight.
“Come on, sweetheart,” Blake encouraged and I shrugged.
When in Rome…
I leaned forward and spun the bottle.
It whipped around fast before slowing and slowing until finally landing on Kyan in his armchair. His brows arched and my heart squeezed like it was in a vice. Blake’s hand didn’t release my knee for a long moment, then he finally retracted it and prodded me to get up.
Kyan cocked his head, lifting his index finger to beckon me and I pursed my lips at the gesture. He shifted forward in his seat, getting up when he realised I wasn’t going to, clearly willing to meet me half way. I gave in and stood up, stepping around the table to meet him as my pulse thrummed like the wings of a humming bird in my chest.
He looked down at me with a cold disinterest, but one of his hands fell onto my waist while the other moved to snare my chin in a vice-like grasp.
“Welcome to the pack, fledgling,” he growled, the noise rumbling right through him and into me. He smelled like whiskey and sin and his earthy eyes held a violent secret in them which I longed to know.
I tip-toed up to meet him as he dropped his head, carving his knuckles up my spine so I quaked like the ground had shifted beneath me.
“I’m not a fledgling anymore,” I breathed.
“No, I guess not. You’re just another student at this school,” he whispered low enough so only I could hear as I tasted his addictive flavour on my lips. I hadn’t realised how much I wanted this until right now. He was divine to look at and I couldn’t wait to feel his mouth against mine, the coarse scrape of his stubble against my skin. He drew me closer and I tilted my chin up, my eyes fluttering closed as I leaned in, my heart pounding in anticipation of the feeling of his mouth on mine.
“But I don’t get hard for Everlake girls.” He released me suddenly, walking away and making me stumble forward into the space he’d just been occupying.
Heat flashed up my spine and made everywhere burn with shame. I glanced back at the group around the table and Mila gave me a worried look. Pearl was biting her lip like she was doing her best not to snigger at me and that just made me flush even hotter.
I forced out a laugh that sounded convincing as shit and I was seriously proud of myself for it. “His loss.” I shrugged, moving forward and spinning the bottle again. It rattled around onto Blake and a smirk pulled at his mouth.
My heart juddered and I became hot for a whole different reason as he pushed out of his seat. He closed the distance between us in two confident strides, a flare of possessiveness in his eyes saying I was all his. And in that moment, I felt I was.
I barely had a moment to prepare as he grabbed a hold of me and dipped me low, tugging my body flush to his as his hands roamed shamelessly down to grab my ass. I gasped and he took the opportunity to plunge his tongue into my mouth, his kiss scorching and all-consuming like a forest fire. I clutched onto his powerful shoulders, my heart thrashing wildly as I met his tongue for every stroke.
Heat built between my thighs and I fought back a moan as our desire for each other collided everywhere our skin touched. He kissed me like a soldier back from war and I soaked in his passion and let it trickle through everywhere in my being. It felt right, fucking astounding. And I let my inhibitions fly as I allowed my crush on Blake to be known. I knew I wasn’t just asking for trouble tonight. I was screaming for it.
I wound my way through the party, ignoring pretty much everyone there as I left the new girl behind and sought out some more whiskey.
There were people clustered all around the makeshift bar, but they scattered as they saw me coming. One guy even fell over in his haste to get out of my way and as I glanced at him, I vaguely remembered beating his ass last year. Couldn’t remember why though. Something about books…or breakfast…maybe balls…definitely something beginning with b…or f. Whatever. Point was, the asshole ran like he might combust if I looked at him the wrong way, so I was willing to bet those injuries still stung when he was lying alone in bed at night.
I’d been told that once. Some prissy little sophomore had squared right up to me, tears glimmering in her eyes because I’d beaten the living shit out of her boyfriend. She’d looked right into my eyes, pointed in my face and said you’re the stuff of nightmares Kyan Roscoe. I mean, honestly, it had been the nicest damn thing anyone had ever said to me. Saint hadn’t appreciated it though and she’d disappeared not long after that. I was pretty sure she’d just been expelled or some shit, I doubted she was lying dead in a ditch somewhere. Though with Saint you never could be sure.
I scoured the mess of the drinks table and frowned as I failed to spot my poison.
“Where’s the fucking Jack?” I asked, raising my voice enough to be heard over the music.
One of the Unspeakables came running, his cheeks flushed as he murmured apologies and scrambled about for my damn drink.
I turned my back on the drinks table, leaning my elbows against it as I waited for him to sort this shit out for me and I looked back across the room where Blake and Saint were still playing spin the bottle.
Although, playing spin the bottle wasn’t what was happening. Saint would never allow fate to decide anything for him, let alone push him into making out with some girl he didn’t want. Hell, if the Grim Reaper turned up right now and pointed his gnarly bone finger in Saint’s face, that motherfucker would find himself impaled on the pointy end of his own scythe and we’d all have ourselves a new lord of death.
The crowd shifted as I looked across the dance floor and I was given a clear view of Blake as he fell back onto the couch, pulling Tatum down with him so that she straddled his lap as they made out.
I ran my tongue over my teeth as I wa
tched them, the memory of her warm body pressed to mine overwhelming me for a moment. I’d felt the way she’d shivered beneath my touch, inhaled the taste of her breath on my lips. In that moment I was pretty sure I could have taken anything I wanted from her. And I’d wanted it all from her. Right up until she reminded me of what she was now. Just another cog in this place. And sure, she was a hot as fuck cog who I wouldn’t mind spending a whole lot of hours ruining. I could spend way too much time forcing her body to bend to mine and making her flesh scream with a pleasure so intense it blinded her. But I had my rules about the girls in this place for a reason. My interest never lingered on one girl for long and I didn’t need the drama of scorned exes trailing me about. Not least because these were the daughters of the wealthiest people in the country. I’d be bumping into them at social bullshit for the rest of my goddamn life. Assuming I managed to forge my own way of course.
Blake’s hands shifted up Tatum’s thighs as their kiss deepened and I watched hungrily as that little black dress slid up and up until-
She pulled back with a laugh, yanking the hem down but I’d caught a glimpse of that perfect round ass as he’d run his hands over it. An ass like that would look damn good with teeth marks in it.
I clucked my tongue irritably as I wondered if I should have made the other call. I didn’t even know her family anyway. She clearly wasn’t all that important. So maybe I could spend a bit of time breaking in the rich girl, give her a taste of what she’d be missing when she tied herself to a nice, respectable husband. Some memories that she could get herself off over when she was an arm candy housewife. And I seriously wouldn’t mind knowing that a girl like her spent time touching herself over me. Besides, chances were I wouldn’t even be running in these circles much longer. Not now. Not when my family’s secret came out.
“Found it!” the Unspeakable announced as he brandished a bottle of Jack Daniels at me.
I turned to him as he unscrewed the cap and picked up a glass.
Kings of Quarantine: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep Book 1) Page 9