by James Tate
She arched a brow at me and looked pointedly at Bark's retreating back. "Did I just see the SGU Ghosts quarterback chatting you up, MK?"
I smirked. "Maybe. Got time to help me pick a date outfit before you're due at Nanna Grave's?"
Bree's jaw dropped, then she squealed with excitement as we peeled out of the parking lot.
13
At about ten to eight, after ignoring Steele knocking on my door to say dinner was ready, I made my way downstairs to wait for Bark. It wasn't exactly a date that I was getting butterflies over, but it'd be nice to do something normal. It'd just been so long since I'd been out with a guy who was even remotely interested in me as a woman, seeing as Aunt Maria had lived in an all-female community.
"Is there a party we weren't invited to?" Steele seemed to pop out of freaking nowhere, making me stumble on the last step of the staircase.
"Fuck!" I shrieked as my ankle rolled in the high-heeled pumps I'd put on, but of freaking course, someone caught me. I was seriously starting to wonder if I'd hit my head and woken up in a new adult romance novel.
"Careful, baby girl," Kody warned me, carefully setting me back on my feet but not removing his hands from my waist. "No matter how much I love seeing you fall for me, I'd rather if you didn't mess up that pretty face in the process." He shot me a flirtatious wink, and I scoffed.
"The whole knight-in-shining-armor image is a bit ruined by the fact that you still look like an overgrown Smurf, Kody." Ugh. Lies. He was still as gorgeous as ever. How unfair was that?
"Smurfs are blue, not purple," Steele commented, folding his arms. He was sweaty and streaked with dark grease, and I locked my jaw to prevent any involuntary drooling.
Really, how fair was it that the three guys who'd ruined my life all looked like they’d stepped straight out of my sex dreams?
"Whatever," I muttered. "Get out of my way, Kody. I'm going out."
"Out with who?" the green-eyed devil demanded, folding his own muscular arms in a mirror of Steele's pose. "I thought Bree had a standing family engagement on Friday nights."
I scowled. "How do you even know that?"
Kody smirked, superior as fuck, and I resisted the urge to smack him in the face.
"Whatever," I snapped again, feeling like a sullen thirteen-year-old. "I have other friends."
Steele snorted a quick laugh. "No, you don't. The only other person you've said more than three words to this whole week was..." I looked over at him just in time to see the realization dawn on his face. "You're going out with that meathead quarterback? No way."
"Fuck you," I spat. "I'm a grown-ass woman, you don't get to dictate who I spend my time with. And what the hell, have you three been stalking me or something? How the fuck would you know who I've been talking to on campus?"
Steele just shrugged, leveling a flat, uncompromising stare at me. Kody smirked. Again.
"What's going on here?" Archer asked, stepping out of the den and eyeing the three of us suspiciously.
I threw my hands up. "Oh, the whole gang is here! Fantastic. I can tell you all to fuck off at the same time. Here it goes. Fuck. Right. Off. You don't own me, so stop playing this bad-boy bully crap. It's a tired, overdone trope."
Pushing past Kody, I tried to exit the house, but Archer's hand shot out and grabbed my wrist in a bruising grip.
"Where do you think you're going, Princess?" he asked me with utter piles of condescension. "We had plans tonight."
I scoffed. "We did not have any plans. Nor will we ever in the future. You're a minor inconvenience that I intend to be rid of sooner rather than later. Now, let go of me before you make me late for my date."
Yeah, I laid that on thicker than I really needed to, given how seriously unexcited I was for this date with Bark. Hell, I'd barely even dressed up for it. The heels had been a last-minute plea from Bree after she realized I couldn't be swayed from my black skinny jeans and soft gray camisole.
"She's going out with the Ghosts QB," Steele informed Archer, and I shot him a dagger glare.
A dangerous look passed over Archer's face, and I noted the puffy swelling below his right eye. He must have been fighting. Practice or for real? I hated that I was so fucking intrigued.
"Cancel it," he ordered me, his hold on my wrist not easing even a fraction.
I sneered. "No."
His left eye twitched, and it was like a thundercloud just formed over the two of us. "Cancel the fucking date, Madison Kate, or you'll regret it."
My jaw dropped at the clear threat. "Are you fucking serious, right now? You're telling me if I don't cancel my date, you'll what? Beat Bark up?"
Archer smiled then, but it was a cold, unpleasant expression. "I'd never do something like that, Princess." He released my wrist abruptly, and I stumbled a couple of steps back as he disappeared back into the den.
"What the hell?" I muttered, staring after him and rubbing my aching wrist.
Steele sighed and shook his head, drawing my attention. "Arch would never beat up some sleazeball for trying to date rape you, gorgeous, because if he hit someone he could be charged with attempted murder. As a professional fighter, his fists are considered lethal weapons."
I gaped at this information. That was a pretty serious accusation to just throw out there about someone. Did Bark have a reputation? The part about Archer’s fists I filed away for use at a later stage. Steele wasn't finished, though.
"So... Arch would never beat up some idiot to warn him away from you..." He cocked his head to Kody, who was grinning like an escaped mental patient.
"But we would," Kody finished the sentence, cracking his knuckles menacingly.
I shivered, and damn, I wished I could say it was from fear.
"You're messing with me," I whispered, not even believing those words myself. I knew who these three were, and I didn't mean whatever their fucking PR manager was putting out on Instagram. I meant I knew who they really were. Gang members. Criminals. Thugs. Yeah, I didn't think Kody would even think twice about breaking some bones in Bark's body just to prove a point.
"I'll go tell your date you changed your mind," Steele generously offered, then disappeared out the front door, leaving the echo of his laughter in his wake.
Kody slung his arm over my shoulders and tried to steer my into the den, where Archer had disappeared a moment ago. "Come on, babe. It's not as bad as you think. We're just looking out for your well-being, like your dad asked us to."
I shrugged out of his arm and retreated toward the stairs. "Fuck you, Kody. That's not how this is going to work. You won this round, but you know I'll just hit back harder."
He laughed, and I flipped him off, stomping back up to my bedroom with hate searing through my veins.
14
The guys only allowed me about half an hour to stew in my foul mood before Kody busted into my room without even knocking.
"Rude, much?" I snapped, glaring at him with raw fury. "Get the fuck out of my room, Kodiak."
He flashed me an unrepentant smile, flopping down on my bed like he belonged there. His cheeks were pink where he'd been scrubbing at the food dye, and—much to my disappointment—he'd managed to get most of it off.
"You know it's kind of a turn-on when you use my full name like that, Madison Kate?" His gaze ducked away from me as he said that, and I sensed the lie. It was a common misconception that lies could be detected based on the direction a person looked while speaking, but I'd found more often than not people would break eye contact for fear of their lie being detected.
I snorted a bitter laugh. "Sure it is. What do you want?"
I folded my arms, glaring at him from across the room where I leaned against my dresser.
He arched a brow, then did a long look around him. "Well, first of all... this room is fucking disgusting. No one likes pink this much, not even you."
"No shit," I replied with a scowl. "But you didn't come here to criticize Cherry’s decorating skills. I'll ask again, what the hell do you want?"
He tucked his toned arms behind his head, looking way too damn comfortable in my princess-pink bed. "We're going out."
"Okay. So, go. This didn't require a face-to-face meeting to discuss."
Kody grinned, shaking his head, then stood from my bed and prowled toward me like a predator. "Let me clarify, Princess. We"—he indicated between him and I—"are going out. All of us. So put those sexy-ass shoes back on and let's go. We're already late."
I tilted my head back to look up at him, seeing as he was standing way too close and without my heels he was way too tall. Intimidating tall. Sexy tall. Dammit.
"No."
Kody smiled again, but it wasn't a nice smile. "Put your shoes on and come of your own free will, or I'll throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of here. If my hand happens to slip and smack your ass on the way, well, what was it you said? All's fair in love and war?"
I glowered. "I said hate and war."
He shrugged. "It's a fine line. So? What's it going to be? We're not leaving you here alone tonight, and we can't miss this fight, so decide quickly."
I wanted to dig my heels in and refuse. I kinda wanted to see if he was serious in his threat. But I couldn't fight the spark of excitement that flared to life inside me at the mention of a fight. I used to be obsessed with MMA and UFC. Not that I'd ever trained, myself, but I’d been a huge fan of the sport... until last Halloween. Riot Night had soured my interest in the whole damn thing. Until now.
"Who's fighting?" I asked, against my better judgement.
Damn it, Kody knew he had me. His cocky fucking grin said it all. "Guess you'll have to come along and find out."
I bit my lip, debating my options, but when Kody's eyes dropped to my mouth and his gaze turned hot, I knew my time to decide was running short. "Fine," I said finally, ducking under his arm and swiping my shoes from where I'd kicked them off. "But don't expect me to be pleasant company. I'd still rather trek across the Sahara naked than socialize with you three."
Kody laughed, watching as I stepped into my heels and tugged open my bedroom door. "Ah, that's a shame," he murmured, stepping past me into the hallway. "I was hoping you'd make me do things the hard way."
I ignored him, but couldn't help remembering Steele say something similar on Monday morning when he was offering me a ride to school. Something told me these boys liked it rough.
Stop it, MK. Stop thinking about how they'd fuck.
"Let’s go!" Kody bellowed as we reached the bottom of the stairs, then slung his arm over my shoulders like we were on a fucking date. "You can ride shotgun if you want, babe."
"Fuck no, she can't," Archer snapped, brushing past us on the way to the garage. He stomped over to an Army-green G-Wagen and sat his ass down in the passenger seat. "Hurry up, we're late."
My eyes narrowed, his surly attitude prickling at my skin. I didn't even want to go out with them in the first place, and now he wanted to be a brat?
Two could play at that game.
Bypassing the back door, I reached out and opened the passenger door again. Archer scowled at me in confusion, his hand on the seat belt.
"What the fuck are you doing, Princess Danvers?" he sneered at me. "I'm not getting out so your prissy ass can ride up front."
I gave him a nonchalant shrug. "Suit yourself."
Using the door frame and running bar, I hoisted myself up into the SUV and sat my ass directly in his lap. I was small enough that it was possible without embarrassing myself by getting stuck, but fucking hell... it was a tight squeeze. Archer was freaking huge, and I doubted any vehicles would comfortably fit him alone, let alone with a girl in his lap.
Maybe I hadn't thought this through.
"What the fuck are you doing?" he demanded with a throaty growl of anger and outrage underscoring his words.
Losing my damn mind, apparently.
Screw it. Own your actions, MK.
"Riding shotgun, like Kody told me I could before your bratty ass pushed ahead," I replied with sheer sass. I didn't even give a crap about sitting in the front, really, but the fact that Archer had said I couldn't? Well, it was time to get a few things straight. Namely, that I didn't take shit from anyone. Least of all these three bastards.
"Get out," Archer snarled. "You're acting ridiculous."
"No," I replied, "you get out." I twisted in his lap, sitting sideways so I could meet his blue eyes with a clear challenge in my glare. "Better start getting used to your supreme authority being challenged, sunshine."
Fury washed over his handsome face, and he leaned out of the car. For a moment, I thought I'd won that standoff, but then he yanked the door shut and buckled the safety belt over both of us.
"Stubborn prick," I muttered, but folded my arms and refused to move myself.
Archer's chest rumbled with a small laugh. "Takes one to know one."
Kody cleared his throat, turning on the ignition and arching one eyebrow at me. "Well, this is going to be a fun night," he muttered under his breath, reversing the G-Wagen out of the garage. "I can already tell."
Steele, in the backseat all alone with enough space to spread out comfortably, just yawned and propped his head against the window with his eyes closed. Apparently wherever we were going, it was far enough to warrant a nap, but his fingers drummed on the leather seat beside him in some complicated pattern, like he was playing an imaginary piano.
Archer circled my waist with his arms, pulling me closer against him, and I stifled a gasp of shock.
"What are you doing?" I growled, desperately praying my cheeks weren't as flushed as they felt. As much as I hated this asshole, my body couldn't deny the attraction.
He gave me a sly half smile in return. "Getting comfortable, Princess. It's a long drive to the Rainybanks showgrounds, and I don't need your bony ass digging into my leg the whole way."
My eyes widened before I could catch myself, and a flash of satisfaction lit Archer's eyes. Fucking hell. Rainybanks was the next town over from us in Shadow Grove—a full forty-five minute drive away.
The only saving grace to this failed plan? Archer would be just as uncomfortable as me in such close contact for so long. Based on the way his jaw was clenched and his brow furrowed, I was probably on the money there.
15
For the longest forty-five minutes of my freaking life, we drove mostly in silence. Kody attempted conversation a couple of times, but with Steele asleep, Archer replying in grunted, one-word responses, and me just glaring at him to shut the fuck up, he didn't try for long.
Eventually, we turned down the street marked with "Rainybanks Showgrounds," and I breathed a sigh of relief—just in time for Kody to slam on the brakes and damn near send me hurtling through the windscreen.
I didn't, of course, but only thanks to the way Archer's arms tightened around me like a racing harness and crushed me to his chest.
"Kody!" Archer roared while I frantically chased my lost breath. My heart was thundering, and adrenaline washed through me with enough potency to make me tremble.
"I'm sorry!" Kody shouted back, sweeping a hand over his bleached hair and shooting me an apologetic look. "A dog ran out in front of us. I didn't want to hit him."
"What's going on?" Steele asked from the backseat, his voice thick with sleep. "You almost tossed me off the seat, dude."
Kody scowled, turning his attention back to the road ahead of us and continuing at a much slower speed. "I said sorry, fuck. Just didn't think you guys wanted to be cleaning chunks of dog off the car."
He said that, but the way his eyes darted around suggested he was looking for the renegade mutt to make sure it had gotten away unharmed. He also shot a couple of worried glances in my direction. Checking if I was okay? Or embarrassed?
"It's fine," I found myself saying, reassuring him. "We're all okay, right Steele?" I shot a hard look at the grumbling, sleepy guy in the backseat.
He scowled back at me but mumbled an agreement that he was, in fact, unhurt.
Archer hadn't
said anything else after yelling at Kody, and his grip on me hadn't relaxed even a fraction. The way my back was plastered to his chest, I could feel his heart racing almost as fast as my own, and it softened something in my hatred towards him.
But then...
"Just get us there without fucking killing anyone, Kody," Archer snapped, a thread of fury woven into his voice. "The sooner I get this spoiled brat off my lap, the better."
"Maybe you should have thought about that forty-five minutes ago when you had the chance to move," I replied with heavy snark. Kody pulled into a parking space in a lot where dozens of cars were already parked, though, and effectively ended our stupid, childish argument.
I squirmed in Archer's hold, popping our safety belt and reaching for the door handle, pausing only when I heard him suck in a sharp breath.
An evil smile curved my lips as I realized I'd just effectively ground my ass against his crotch, and I made a deliberate point of doing it again before hopping out of the SUV.
"You need a minute, sunshine?" I asked sweetly, batting my lashes at him when he didn't shift from his seat.
He snorted a sarcastic laugh. "You wish, Princess."
I needed to take a couple of quick steps backward to avoid getting knocked over, but instead of passing me and stalking off into the night—like I'd expected—he grabbed my arm and yanked me closer.
"Don't fuck around tonight, Madison Kate," he ordered. "Don't wander off, don't get drunk, don't talk to strangers, and for the love of all things holy, don't tell anyone who you are. Got it?"
My brows shot up, and I instantly wanted to disobey every single one of his orders simply because he'd ordered me. "News flash, Archer," I replied, curling my lip at him, "I'm kinda famous, thanks to you. People might just recognize me from the news." I flipped my pink hair over my shoulder, demonstrating what I meant. I wasn't exactly inconspicuous.
He shook his head, unconcerned. "Didn't you know? You're a trendsetter. I guarantee you won't be the only dumb bitch here who's dyed her hair pink."