“Four minutes, Leigh. That’s the kicker. We’re not talking seconds or a minute. This is two-hundred and forty seconds of intense eye-fucking.”
“Eloquent.”
Laughing, he points to the barstools on the other side of the wet bar. We sit knee to knee. Red and Rue watch. I rest my arm on the counter, and tipping my head, I meet Dare’s gaze. His aqua-colored eyes sparkle. I smile back. Thick fingers skim along my thigh and touch bare skin where the hem of my dress rides up. I smack his hand aside. He smiles and stares back at me. We stay like that for four minutes. Except we do more than look into each other’s eyes.
Dare touches my knee, my thigh, my shoulder, and delves his fingers into my hair. I caress his face. Run my knuckles over his coarse stubble. Clutch and squeeze his tatted arms. The sinewy fibers of his muscles dance to my every whim.
When Rue calls time, we sputter laughter.
“Well?”
“Um, no love. You?”
“Totally in love.” He moves in for a kiss. I cover my mouth with my palm. His lips kiss the top of my hand. I shove him away with my free hand.
I uncover my mouth. “You’re such a flirt.”
“Can’t say I didn’t try. Anyway, I’m prepping you for what’s coming later tonight. Looking as hot as you do in that short-as-fuck dress, you’re gonna get hit on.”
“I’m counting on it.”
“That’s my girl.” Dare sticks out his fist. We fist bump. “Okay, ladies, ready to get this show on the road?”
“Ready.” Rue waves her hand. She’s holding on to her phone. Her screen lights up. A notification.
She looks at her phone.
“Shit.”
“What?” I ask.
“Trace follows me on Insta. He liked this post.” She holds up her phone in front of my face.
The picture is a wide shot of Dare with his fingers in my hair. His other hand is on my hip.
“It’s a good picture,” I say.
“That’s not the problem. Trace shared the post. Guess who follows him?”
“I doubt he cares.”
“Leigh, he beat the shit out of Shay for showing you his magic trick.”
“Who beat who over a magic trick? Was it a good trick? Will Riley like it?”
We all look at Midnight.
He flips the hood of his hoodie over his head, looking like a thug. “What?” He nods at the door. “Come on. The quicker we get this done, the faster we can get to the fun stuff.”
“Fun stuff?” I shouldn’t have asked.
Midnight tilts his head back at the winding staircase. “Have you seen Princess Diaries, Leigh?”
“Heard of it. Not my kind of movie.”
“No kidding?”
“None.”
He rubs his hands together. There’s a shit-eating grin on his face. Crap.
“Well, you see, there’s this kickass slumber party, and the princess and her friends take turns going down the stairs riding atop a mattress.”
“What’s so fun about that?”
Red, Rue, and Dare shout, “We go down naked!”
The unnamed condition I agreed to when Rue said Midnight and Dare are more than willing to help.
My scars.
Crap. Crap. Crap.
26
LEIGH
The party at Galley Rutherford’s is unlike any party I’ve been at. And looks like something out of a movie. There are these spotlights set up on the lawn that point at the sky. Also a fog machine. Kids spill out of the house, onto the lawn, and onto the sidewalk.
“Wow, you weren’t kidding about how big Galley’s parties get, but what’s the theme?”
I am in the middle seat of the middle row in Midnight’s SUV. He and Dare are dropping us off, and then they’ll join the party and jump in at the right moment.
“The Freaks Come Out At Night,” Midnight answers.
Galley likes to hashtag his parties. Dare and Midnight don’t go to DU, but when your families are filthy rich, you tend to run in the same social circle.
“I wouldn’t have guessed,” Rue says. She is sitting to my left. Red is on my right. “Leigh, you sure Henry and his ex will be here?”
“Yep. I saw it on their feeds.” I Insta-stalked them.
“Stop yapping already and get the hell out of the car,” Dare says from his spot riding shotgun. “Go have fun but not too much. Easy on the alcohol too. Don’t want you guys upchucking on the way down the stairs. That shit goes everywhere.”
Rue and I shake our heads and follow Red out of the SUV. Teetering on my sky-high heels, I pull down the hem of my minidress. I am not about flaunting my body, but tonight is different. It’s all about baiting a certain someone into cheating on his girlfriend.
Do I feel bad? Nope.
Henry’s ex-girlfriend sure didn’t put his feelings first when she hooked up with a guy who wasn’t her boyfriend.
The three of us walk up to the house. The fog at our feet gives off the illusion of floating on clouds, while the fog lights lighting up the sky give off this weird glam vibe. It’s like walking on clouds on our way to accepting an award, the take-down-cheaters trophy.
We walk up to the house.
Manning the front door are two muscular and tall guys wearing backward baseball caps. One has a sexy smirk, and the other is just as sexy, with his guns for arms and come-hither smile. The guys look us up and down. I have a few layers of makeup on, and so does Rue, but we still look youngish. Dare thought ahead and got us fake IDs and fake student IDs.
“Who you here with, girls?”
“Why ask just us? What about him?” I tip my head at Red.
“We didn’t ask Red. We asked you.”
“Who are you?” I cross my arms, and pulling back my shoulders, I straighten to my full height of five feet five inches.
The one with the sexy smirk scoffs. “I asked first.”
A pissing match. Nice. I extend my hand and smile. “Name’s Leigh. This is Rue.”
The larger of the two guys leans in, intensely checking out Rue. “You look familiar.”
“My sister goes here. Her name’s Riley Lee.”
The guys look at one another. “We know Riley. She’s cool. It’s nice to meet you two. Name’s Xander. This is Zeke. I’m Zeke and Galley’s team captain. Rugby. Don’t want no trouble, so you girls have fun. Grab me or Zeke if any guy gives you a hard time, got that? No guy has the right to harass a girl when she’s only here for fun times.”
“We will,” I say. “Thank you.”
They let us through the door. Zeke smiles and gives us a two-finger salute. I almost swoon at his feet. My oh my, that boy is panty-melting hot. Me and Rue walk inside the house arm in arm. Red is busy fist bumping and shoulder bumping Xander and Zeke.
“Have you ever been to a party of this magnitude?” I ask, embarrassed to have used a big word, but there is no other word to describe how impressed I am. I’m excited too.
“Never. This is true adulting.”
Smiling, I lean into her. “Our first experience adulting together. This is awesome.”
“Agreed.”
We walk deeper into the house. To our right is the kitchen, and it is crowded in there.
“Want to get something to drink?” Rue asks. “Dare says they keep the kegs outside on these benches. It’s easier to get them out there than through the crowd.”
That makes sense. We shuffle to the kitchen. Bodies push into us and I hold on to Rue’s arm. Red follows close behind us. Outside, we stand in line and wait our turn.
After we get our drinks and I get some liquid courage in me, we split up. I have my cell and fake IDs tucked into the front of my dress. Sipping my drink, I do an “inventory” of the partygoers. I have this fascination for people watching.
While I watch people mosh in the mosh pit and grind on one another next to the jumping and head-banging partygoers, my forehead tingles. I take a small sip of my beer and slide my eyes upward. A tall guy with a hoodie ov
er his head stares at me from across the room.
Midnight.
He tips his chin. Is Dare behind me? Or is it Ashley’s boyfriend? I pivot slowly on my heels, hoping I’m coming off casual rather than ogling. There are so many good-looking guys here.
I spot him right away. It’s easy spotting Ashley’s new boyfriend in the crowd. He tops the guys by a good four inches. Not only is he tall but I have to say he is the best-looking guy at this party. Dirty-blond hair. Bright-green eyes. He catches me staring, and giving me a flirty smile, he strokes his jaw and hooks his thumb in his pants pocket, looking suave and sexy.
I smile back over the rim of my red cup. He heads over. Ashley is MIA, but Henry isn’t. I saw him out back. He doesn’t realize I’m here yet. He will soon.
“Hey, there.”
I point at my chest.
“Yeah, you.” His smile widens. “What’s your name?”
“Leigh.”
“Nice to meet you, Leigh. Name’s Jackson.” He sticks out his hand. I set my hand in his. He holds on and doesn’t let go.
“Are you a freshman? I haven’t seen you on campus.”
Huh, and here I thought he would only have eyes for his girlfriend.
“A transfer from California. I came to the party hoping to meet new people. It’s hard to make friends when everyone has their own group already.”
I make a sad face. His arm wraps around my waist, and he pulls me against his side.
“I can show you around campus and Dumas.”
“Really?” I amp up the excitement in my voice. Then drop it down to a note of disappointment. “Wouldn’t your girlfriend mind? I mean, a guy like you must have one. You are hot.” I glance up at him and bat my eyelashes.
“I don’t do girlfriends.” He stares at my cleavage. “I’m into fuck buddies only.”
Whoa. This guy tells it like it is. I widen my eyes and turn into him, resting the hand holding the red cup on his chest.
“Is that what you’d like us to be?”
“If you’re up for it.”
“I’m not the prettiest girl at this party.”
“You are to me.” He ducks his head and in my ear whispers, “Say yes.”
“What if people find out? I don’t like anyone in my business. And I’m new. I don’t want guys thinking I’m easy just because I agree to be your willing hole.”
God, saying those words make me feel so dirty.
He cups my waist. Fingers press into my skin through my dress. “It’ll be our secret. I promise.”
Bam. Hook, line, and sinker, I have him. Now on to the next act.
27
LEIGH
“When can we start?” I say breathless-like. “Unless you’re playing with me. Guys can be worse than girls, teasing and promising things, then not following through.”
“Is that so? You have experience with this?”
“On my knees kind of experience,” I purr.
“Fuck, you are hot.”
“And in need of liquid courage. I’m more limber when I’m wasted.” I edge back.
He licks his lips, his eyes hanging on my mouth. Is he wondering what I can do with my mouth? Here is crossing my fingers he does. Also, Midnight or Dare better be getting all this on video. I am uncomfortable as heck flirting with a guy like I’m a hussy.
If I had my way, I would be talking to Seven in this way rather than this cheating jerk.
“I can help you with that. Let me refill this baby for you.” He takes my cup. I follow him outside. He tells me to wait by the door. I see the reason. Henry is outside talking to this pretty gal with long brown hair. She is smiling at him, hanging on his every word.
As though he feels me staring a hole into the back of his head, Henry turns around. When he sees me, his eyes get huge. I give him a big smile and a small wave, tugging at the hem of my dress when it rises.
Jackson returns and hands me my cup. Out of the corner of my eye, Henry’s jaw locks and his body pulls taut. I take the cup from Jackson, murmur a breathless, “Thank you, big guy,” and chug my drink.
“Ready?”
I nod. He leads me out of the kitchen, and bumping into other partiers who barely glance our way, he guides me up the stairs. Whatever he refilled my cup with is stronger. I’m tipsy and woozy, my body buzzing.
“Did you put something in my drink?”
“You wanted liquid courage. I added tequila.”
Shit, no wonder I am swimming in a daze of drunkenness. I’m a lightweight. It’s the reason I sipped my drink and to chug beer and however much tequila Jackson mixed into my drink . . .
I stumble on the carpet. He picks me up. The room is spinning. Oh, God, this is such a bad idea. I rub my brow. Close my eyes. Every step he takes ups my dizziness factor by twofold. Where is Henry? Where are Midnight and Dare? Rue I saw talking to a bunch of guys with Red at her side.
Jackson stops walking. I open my eyes, and my vision adjusts to the darkness. He sets me on my feet and takes my cup from me, setting it on top of a bookcase. The whooping and hollering from downstairs fades, then mutes altogether when Jackson shuts the bedroom door.
“We shouldn’t be up here. It’s some other guy’s room.”
“He won’t care, baby.” He pushes me onto the bed.
I try sitting up. The room spins, and I fall back onto the bed. He comes over to the side of the bed and looks at me, starting from my heels to my bare legs to the rise and fall of my chest. He leans in and skims his fingers over the swells of my breasts.
“Small. Sexy.”
He trails his fingers down the center of my body. When he gets to the hem of my dress, he uses both hands and hitches up my dress until the hem pools around my waist. He drinks in my white thong with his eyes.
Where is Henry? Did I have this all wrong, that Henry will come to my rescue knowing what a douchebag Jackson is?
The door crashes open, and slinging my arm across my eyes, I smiled shakily. Thank the stars.
There’s a scuffle, followed by the sound of a body hitting a piece of furniture, hard. Holy cow, Henry is strong. And pissed off. I lift my arm. It’s not Henry taking on douchebag Jackson. Jackson staggers out of the room. Dark-as-coal eyes blaze angry and hot at me, Seven’s gaze eating me up.
He marches to the bed, and before I can get a word in, he picks me up and slings me over his shoulder.
“Seven?”
“Not a word, Leigh. I am so pissed at you right now.”
“No, shit, Sherlock.”
“Put a sock on it, Defiance.”
“You’re telling me to shut up?”
“Yeah, I did. Not a word, Leigh, or else I hike up this damn dress of yours and show everyone your ass.”
That shuts me up fast. On our way out the door, I bypass Henry. Dare, Midnight, Rue, and Red look on with curiosity and amusement. Henry is pissed.
“Where were you guys?” My words slur. I glare. Dare opens his mouth.
A heavy hand smacks my ass. I suck in a breath. Dare shuts his mouth. I don’t miss the gleam in his eyes. Boys. I am done with them.
Sighing, I hang my head. Not difficult to do slung over Seven’s shoulder like prey after a successful hunt. I shouldn’t be mad at Seven or my new friends. Compared to Jackson, they are golden.
“What are you doing here?”
He ignores my question, walking for what seems like forever before he stops in front of his truck parked blocks from the party.
He sets me on my feet. “You need to throw up at all?”
I’m in awe he’s not out of breath carrying me the distance. This boy has stamina and strength. Believe me, I am not light. I shake my head.
“If you do, I have barf bags left over from when we came home from the hospital.” He opens the passenger-side door. “Get in.”
I tip my chin. He grasps my chin and tilts my face up.
“I’m done with your defiance, beautiful. You are mine. Now please get your ass inside before I put you over my knee and sp
ank obedience into you.”
For him saving me from being a number on Jackson’s list of random screws, I climb inside Seven’s truck. He gets in, starts the engine, and gets on the road.
“Explain what the hell you’re doing at a party getting ready for some guy to crawl up on you?”
“I don’t owe you one. Why are you in Dumas, anyway?”
“Take a guess, Leigh. It has something to do with you letting that fucker Dare touch you.”
Shit, the IG post of Rue’s.
“We were testing a theory, that’s all.”
“He had his hands all over you. All over what’s mine.”
“I’m not yours.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Defiance.”
We sit in tense silence. I ball my hands in my lap. He’s right. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to be Seven Shanahan’s girlfriend.
“Where are we going?” He took a turn onto a side road lined with these cute houses that look like cottages out of a fairy tale.
“My place.”
“Your parents have a house here?”
“I bought a place with the birthday money they gave me.”
“You are one hundred percent certain you’ll be going to DU.”
“I plan on playing ball for them.”
I chew on my bottom lip. He could be DU’s next quarterback. King of the game. A new kingdom to rule over. His pick of girls. Why would he pick a girl with scars on her body? Who isn’t a part of the popular crowd? I am outcast material. A rebel. I would never fall in line with his crowd of jocks and cheerleaders.
“That’s great, Seven. You have your future all planned out.” Swell. In that future picture is a beautiful cheerleader.
I should be glad he has his head on straight enough to know what he wants in his future. Then why does my heart break knowing I will never be a part of it?
28
SEVEN
To say I am pissed is an understatement. I shove open the driver-side door, stomp over to Leigh, who did not listen when I told her to stay in the goddamn truck, and picking her up, I haul her over my shoulder.
Beautiful Defiance: Cambridge High Mayhem (Kiss Starter: Cambridge High Book 1) Page 15