I have to admit, the view is beautiful. Darkness has settled across Lake Tahoe, thousands of lights glimmering beyond from nearby towns and resorts. The camp managers don’t stand out, and the music’s not bad, either. Most importantly, I’m having fun. Gage is funny as usual, making light of pretty much every and anything, including his own heartbreaks.
“I’m serious. I wrote her letters. Handwritten, Elly, I shit you not,” he says, as we navigate through the crowd. The juniors are dancing, the sophomores are bobbing their heads and complaining about the absence of alcohol at the bar—I don’t know how they were all foolish enough to think the camp would supply any, given that no one here is over 21. Heck, there’s only eight or nine of us in total that have turned 18.
“Nicely written? Or chicken scratches?” I giggle.
“I’ll have you know I took calligraphy classes a couple of summers ago,” he replies proudly. “I produced some gorgeous pages, Elly. Poured my soul into them.”
“So, what happened?” I ask. “Did she respond?”
He sighs, looking downright disappointed. “She sent me a text. Let’s hook up. That’s all it said.”
I double over, laughing my heart out. “Oh, man… That must’ve been disappointing…”
“Yeah. Total boner killer,” he says, only half-smiling. “I mean, she was so beautiful and elegant and the smartest in her class and all that jazz… I would’ve at least expected a written note, you know? Even an email would’ve been better.”
“So, what did you do?”
He shrugs. “Nothing. I let Rhett have her. Prestley did not say no, since I no longer bothered. She was just eager to get with one or any of us. It didn’t really matter who.”
“Huh… Desperate?”
“To be with us? Yeah. I’m trying to be modest here, but… back at our school, we’re the apples of many pretty eyes.”
I laugh again, but I’m also fascinated by his free spirit. He does not care who does what or why, as long as it doesn’t offend or hurt him, and as long as it doesn’t target the defenseless. I know The Hotshots are pretty adamant about that. They can be bullies if they want to, since they’re pretty intimidating, but they only poke the bears they know will fight back. Not the innocent cubs. Gage came up with that analogy.
“Fun fact, about a year later, Prestley went down on both Rhett and me,” he adds, making me stop.
“Whoa. I don’t even know her, but whoa…”
“We do share,” Gage replies, giving me an amused look. “Kellan, Rhett and me. Prestley wasn’t even the first. But we don’t do it with just anybody.”
“What do you mean you share?”
“Seriously, Elly, after what you saw by the creek, you feel the need to ask that?” he asks, pursing his lips.
I lose sight of Rhett and Kellan as we leave the crowded area and sneak back to the Range Rover to get a bottle of vodka for the mocktails. So many bodies have rubbed up against me on our way here that I didn’t even feel my dress roll up my hips. A cool breeze hits my ass, and I gasp when I feel Gage’s fingers on my skin, as he pulls the dress back down.
My cheeks are hot, my mind going back to the creek. Gage’s blue eyes find my face. For a moment, it’s just the two of us, along with my own memories of him screwing Belladonna, Tube Socks and Bangles causing my blood to rush in all directions.
“Couldn’t have you walk around half-naked,” he mutters, his voice low and raspy and way too sexy.
“Thanks,” I whisper. “So, you share, huh?”
This is my attempt to change the tone of the conversation before I melt into a puddle before him, but something tells me I’ve picked the wrong topic to stick to, as we finally reach the Rover. He walks over to the back of the car.
“Yeah. There aren’t any secrets between Rhett, Kellan and me, Elly. We tell each other everything, and that’s what keeps us close and stronger together,” he says. “I know everything about them and what goes on in their lives, and they know everything about me.”
My naughty side just can’t give this a rest, it seems. “Have you ever wanted one of the girls that Rhett or Kellan were with?”
He looks at me, but it’s different this time. There is meaning in his gaze, and I think I know what it is, but I don’t have the courage to be more inquisitive. “Sometimes,” he says.
“And what do they say?”
“If the girl agrees, then it’s okay. Like I said, Elly… We share everything.”
I don’t know why, but the though alone turns me on badly. It’s probably because I’ve wondered what it would be like with the three of them, more than once. There’s something about the synergy between them that automatically invites such fantasies to settle in my head. If it were anyone else telling me such things, I’d be laughing in their face. But with Gage, Rhett and Kellan… yeah, I believe them.
Gage’s face drops as foreign voices cut through the parking lot silence. They’re a lot closer than the music echoing from behind the cabin. He sees them before me.
“Shit!” he hisses and grabs me by the wrist, pulling me behind the Rover with him. “Don’t say a word!”
He’s so commanding! And I don’t mind it one bit. Soon enough, I realize why he wants us hiding. Belladonna and Tube Socks have just come out from the party, and they’re looking for someone—him…
“I swear I saw him coming out here,” Tube Socks mumbles, biting her lower lip.
They’re both wearing short, semi-transparent dresses, and I can see their bathing suits beneath the shimmering blue and green fabric. They’re probably angling for a midnight dip later, and they want Gage to join them.
“Do you think he’ll be into it?” Belladonna asks her, continuing a conversation that neither Gage or I have had the chance to eavesdrop on.
“I doubt he’ll say no. I mean, just the two of us with him? Fuck yeah!”
It’s hard for Gage not to laugh, so I cover his mouth with both hands, silently urging him to keep quiet. If we’re to help him avoid a threesome with Belladonna and Tube Socks—which is clearly what he wants, then he needs to keep quiet while they search for him.
He stills, his lips soft and warm against my skin. He looks at me, no longer caring about the girls who move across the parking lot and away from us. Something changes between us—a shift so subtle that I barely notice it, until his hands find my hips and he pulls me into him.
I dry-swallow, suddenly mindless and defenseless, like a deer caught in the headlights.
The girls’ voices fade away, and it’s just the two of us again. His fingers dig into my flesh, as I put my hands on his shoulders—a move I’m not sure was deliberate. Still, it happened. I’m responding. A hint of mint reaches my nostrils.
“Have you been smoking?” I ask, trying to stall whatever this is until I figure out what the hell it is…
He shakes his head. “I promised you I’d quit. I did. I’m on my third day and stocked up on nicotine lozenges.”
“Good. Good. It’s better. Healthier. You know that.”
“Why are you stalling, Elly?” he asks, suddenly serious.
“What… What do you mean?”
“You see what’s happening between us, right?”
Oh, I can see it alright. I just don’t know what to make of it. His erection swells, pressing against my lower abdomen, his grip tightening on my hips. I feel the arousal blossoming between my legs, my breath hitching when one of his hands moves over my ass and squeezes firmly.
“Tell me, Elly. You see it…”
I nod once, as he pulls me closer. His chest is firm, and my hands slide down, my fingers itching to feel his muscles beneath the cotton shirt.
“What are we going to do about it?” he asks, lowering his head.
My lips part, his breath tickling my face. His scent is inebriating, as if the ocean itself is longing for my kiss. “I’m with Kellan,” I whisper.
“I told you… we share, Elly. Tell him. He won’t mind.”
The concept hits me lik
e a brick. It’s a possible reality, but do I have the courage to pursue it? Gage’s hand slips between us and under my dress. Within seconds, he finds my panties, then my slick folds as he takes a deep, satisfied breath.
“Look at you, Elly, all wet and aching for me,” he says. “I’d be a monster not to take what you clearly want to give me…”
He works me with his fingers, and my hips sway in circular motions, my body responding to his touch. Oh, he knows exactly what he’s doing. I’m a fly caught in his spiderweb, and I want him to devour me.
“Does it feel wrong?” he asks, dropping soft kisses along my collarbone.
He penetrates me with one finger, then two… then three, and I can’t stop myself from spreading my legs and wrapping my arms around his neck. He raises his head to look at me, and I lose myself in the blue pools of his eyes.
“No… It feels right. So right…” I croak.
He captures my mouth in a kiss—it’s delicate and inquisitive at first, but it quickly descends into madness, his tongue invading and tackling mine. I find myself pushed against the back of the Rover, his hand still tormenting my pussy, teasing my throbbing nub and finger-fucking me like a savage.
Every time he thrusts his hand, I am closer to coming undone. We consume each other with passionate kisses, until he stops so suddenly that I’m about to cry. “No…” I whisper, breathlessly.
A devilish grin slits his face from ear to ear. “Hm… Open your mouth,” he says, and I obey. He puts a finger in, and I suckle it, tasting myself on his skin. My mind warps, the heat inside me expanding beyond unknown limits. He puts his finger in his mouth next, closing his eyes as he enjoys every moment of it.
Without any warning, he goes back under my panties and starts taunting me again. I can’t stop myself as he uses his other hand to cup one of my breasts, sucking the nipple straight through the fabric, the wetness spreading, my legs weakening with every second that goes by.
I’m so close to exploding, and that’s what he’s waiting for. He looks up at me, my breast in his mouth, his fingers thrusting harder and faster below, eager to see my face when the last thread is pulled, and I unravel.
We left Rhett and Kellan by the bar, somewhere. Gage says they share… sometimes. Oh, my consciousness is overwhelmed with a mixture of delightful guilt and blazing arousal, as I move against his hand and clench my pussy around his fingers, seconds away from oblivion.
“Where the fuck did he go?” I hear Belladonna getting closer again.
Gage straightens his back and covers my mouth with his, pinning me harder against the Rover, fucking me deeper with his fingers. I have to keep quiet. We hear their footsteps as they cross the parking lot again. If we get caught, it’s going to be one hell of a summer camp circus. The thought alone, the danger of it all finally pushes me over the edge.
The orgasm shatters my senses as I moan against his lips. His hand is relentless, faster and more brutal, and I welcome the delicious ache and slick rawness as he keeps me riding this wave until I can no longer stand, until the pulsating waves dissipate, and my heart beats so frantically, I’m close to passing out.
Silence settles between us, but for our thundering hearts so close together. Belladonna and Tube Socks are not around anymore, and Gage has just given me one of the most mind-blowing experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve wanted to do this and so much more since I first saw him by the creek—it just isn’t an easy thing to admit.
I was taught about monogamy and faithfulness, but it’s just so different with The Hotshots. I have a feeling that nothing I know is valid with them.
“You feel amazing,” Gage whispers in my ear. “The way you let go. The way your pussy surrenders to me. Elly… If this is what you’re like during a finger-fuck, I’m really looking forward to what will happen when I put my cock inside you…”
My eyes roll back, as I nearly faint at the mere thought of such an experience. I cling on to him for dear life, waiting for my legs to come back to me. We stand like this for what feels like forever, waiting for my heart to return to a slightly calmer rhythm. Guilt rears its ugly head, and Gage can sense it.
He grips my chin between his thumb and index, raising my head as his eyes search my face. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, Elly. None of this is wrong. You said so yourself, it feels right,” he says, smiling softly.
Yes, it feels so fucking right… And that is exactly the problem.
Is this what it will be like with them? One orgasm after another between hours of laughter and deep conversation? Switching from Gage to Kellan to… Rhett and back? Where will we go from here?
It doesn’t feel fake.
It’s so real.
So sweet.
So weird and so fucking hot.
But is it for now? What sort of forever would I be looking at with them? Because I’m falling. I’m falling hard, and I’m not sure how I’ll be able to pick myself back up if I crash.
Will they catch me, before I plummet to my death?
24
Elly
Upon hearing the news about Harry Flanagan, I was tempted to text Rhett and Kellan, but, hard as it was, I resisted and tried to go on with my day. I’ve been stealing glances at them throughout the day, wondering what they’re even doing in school, given the tragedy that struck their family. Kellan and Rhett stay close to Gage, whispering in corners and occasionally looking around, making sure no one eavesdrops on them.
I don’t have much to go on, but based on everything that happened, including my fiery encounter with Kellan, I understand that something much darker and truly dangerous lurks beneath the surface, as far as the Flanagans are concerned.
“You okay?” Kyle asks as we stop by our lockers. He’s pulled some strings with the school administrator to have his moved next to mine, just in case anyone thinks of pulling another condom number on mine. His need to protect me is endearing, but I know he’s limited. I have a feeling that Rhett, Kellan and Gage will not be deterred by his move.
“Yeah, just wondering about Rhett and Kellan,” I say, collecting my backpack and study books. It took me a while, but I managed to scrub off most of the “whore” graffiti from the inside of my locker. “You know their dad died.”
“Mhm… Doesn’t feel a little bit karmic?” he replies, carefully watching as The Hotshots exit the classroom and stop across the hallway from us, where their lockers are. They’re still talking. Kellan is clearly upset, his eyes red and puffy. I think he’s taking it the hardest.
“Dude. That’s a bit extreme,” I say to Kyle. “Their dad died.”
“The universe isn’t always unfair, Elly. You do harm, it comes back twice as hard. Case in point,” Kyle replies, definitely unapologetic. I’m genuinely surprised. His antipathy for The Hotshots seems to run deeper than I’d thought.
“I refuse to enjoy a single second of this, regardless of what they did to me,” I mutter. Rhett steals a glance at me, and I can feel his pain in my heart before he looks away. “Besides, they apologized. In their own, uncut way, but… they apologized.”
Kyle stares at me in disbelief. “What? When did that happen?”
“Yesterday. I now understand why Kellan had to leave so quickly,” I sigh, remembering the look on his face. Likely the shock of learning his father just died. My issues suddenly seem small, no longer insurmountable or even remotely nightmarish, compared to what The Hotshots are going through.
“Word is the uncle is taking over the family business now,” Kyle says, changing the subject. “There are rumors, of course…”
“What rumors?”
“That it was a hit job. That the uncle really wanted to get everything from old man Quinn Flanagan,” Kyle replies, his voice low, then shrugs. “Then again, rumors are just that. Can’t trust everything in the streets.”
It does make sense, though. To me, anyway. If the uncle is the big bad wolf in this picture, then maybe he’s the one that Rhett, Gage and Kellan are so afraid of. Maybe he’s the reason why they’ve
tried so hard to push me away and make me leave—but if that’s the case, then everything that’s happened between us, starting with summer camp, is definitely bigger and more important than I’d thought.
Am I their weakness? They’ve had a lot of girls between them. Why wouldn’t their uncle go after them? Why me? I must be different. Special. Normally, the thought alone would make my heart sing, but the terrifying reality anchors me firmly to the ground. I might be in danger. It must be why they’ve been so adamant that I leave Trinity. They probably saw this coming.
Oh, shit…
Kyle notices my expression change, as my mind makes all the right calculations and leads me to the most probable conclusion in all of this. Everything The Hotshots did, despite its cruelty and crassness, it was to protect me. I would still love to smack them around a bit for all the tears and agony they’ve caused me, but… Jesus. H. Christ!
“Elly?” Kyle demands my attention. I’ve heard his voice in the background, but I didn’t register any of the words. I’ve been too consumed with The Hotshots, and with what all of this means.
“Yeah… Sorry, I just tuned out for a second.”
“Are you staying for the PTA meeting? It’s gonna start soon,” he says.
Looking around, I realize that there’s merely a handful of students left. Most have burst through the doors for the weekend. There’s a PTA meeting that I almost forgot about, and my mom is definitely coming. I wonder who’ll be here from the Flanagan side, given what happened.
“I’m not sure. I wouldn’t mind a ride home with mom, but it depends how long the whole thing takes,” I reply.
I catch a glimpse of Rhett nodding at Gage and Kellan. He moves away from them and heads in my direction. In less than a second, I go from neutral to hypertense when he reaches me, his expression cold, his eyes puncturing my very being.
“You really shouldn’t be here,” he says.
Kyle scoffs. “It’s none of your business what Elly—”
“Are you fucking her?” Rhett cuts him off.
“Excuse me?!” I blurt, rage quickly storming through my chest.
Trinity High: High School Bully Romance Page 19