Masked Truth: Harrington Hills Academy: Book One

by Mae Reese

“I volunteer at a youth center in Monroe one or two Saturdays a month. If you don’t want to go I…” she rambles, her nervousness rolling off her in droves.

  I cut her off. No way in hell am I passing up a chance to spend time with her. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

  Those blue eyes light up with excitement. “Seriously?”

  “Absolutely. Want me to pick you up?” I ask.

  She shakes her head no “That’s probably not a good idea, my parents don’t know about Weston yet…”

  “Ok, just text me the address and time and I will be there.”

  She beams at me, the biggest smile I have ever seen grace her face. I’ve come to the conclusion I will do anything to keep that smile on her. Anything.

  A few minutes later I am pulling into the driveway of her house, stopping down a ways so her parents don’t see my car.

  Skylar pulls off her seatbelt and turns in the seat to face me. “I really cannot thank you enough for everything you did tonight. I haven’t had this much fun since I was in Miami with Silas this summer.”

  “I’m glad you came, and I’m really glad you’re finally rid of that cocksucker. What the hell did you see in him anyways?!” I ask.

  She sighs, apparently the alcohol loosening her tongue

  “I liked Wes for about six months in the 9th grade, which is when we started dating. Right after Spring Break I was over it so I broke up with him. My mother lost her shit, hell, my father too. They kept on talking about my family responsibilities and how the Santoras and the Montgomerys together just made sense. After about two weeks of their bullshit I took him back, but it was never like it was. The longer I was with him, the more I grew to dislike him…”

  “You’ve been dating the dude for three years and you haven’t even liked him? That’s fucked up Skylar, why would you do that to yourself” I say, floored that she would let the charade go on for as long as she did.

  “I know it is, but you don’t know my parents. They would have made my life a living hell. They had already sent Silas away to boarding school, I didn’t want to be next. At the time I loved my life here, I loved my friends. Now, I almost wish they would have sent me off to be with Silas….” The sadness in her voice hits me right in the chest.

  She continues “Not to mention they’ve been holding my inheritance over my head for the last three years. It’s the only thing keeping me toeing the line. It isn’t about the money really, it’s about the freedom. Once I graduate our plan is to leave, and we both will be financially independent so they won’t have anything to hold over our heads anymore.”

  Damn I hate her parents and I don’t even know the dicks.

  “We?” I ask her, wrapping her small hand in mine and giving it a soft squeeze.

  “Yeah, Silas and I. As soon as we are old enough we plan on moving away together, probably somewhere near Granny. My parents will lose their minds, but we will be 18 and there is nothing they can do about it” she sighs.

  She gives me a sad smile and I pull on her hand, dragging her closer to me. I skim my fingers across her cheek, making sure her attention is fully on me.

  “You’re so much stronger than that Sky… even in the very limited time I’ve known you even I can see you’re a fierce little thing. Don't let them, or anyone else, put out your spark.”

  Then Skylar Santora continues to shock the shit out of me.

  She leans closer to me, brushing her lips softly across mine…once… twice…. That’s all I allow her before I wrap my hand in her hair and pull her against me. Her soft lips press against mine, eagerly tasting me like she hasn’t had a meal in years. I take her bottom lip between my teeth, tugging it softly and she opens her mouth on a moan that shoots straight to my cock. I slide my tongue between her lips as her hands fist in my shirt, pulling me closer and deepening the kiss.

  Her tongue slides over mine, tasting like rum and pure fucking fire. She pauses a second when her tongue brushes against my tongue ring, her breath hitching in her throat. Her body moves closer, trying to get to me but the console of the car is in the way. I slide my lips away from her mouth and down her jaw, my tongue tasting the soft skin of her neck. I can feel her pulse hammering beneath her skin. I return to her mouth, taking it with everything I have. Showing this girl how amazing she is without words but with actions.

  Damn this girl drives me wild.

  The kiss slows, and I pull away with groan, setting my forehead against hers. “Damn, princess.”

  Even in the darkened car I can see the blush creeping up her cheeks. She bites her bottom lip before whispering “I better get inside.”

  I lean in, kissing her once more before I reluctantly let go, my fingers trailing across her reddened cheeks. “Go get some sleep. I will see you tomorrow.”

  She opens the door, and grabs her purse. Leaning back into the car she smiles, the blush still evident on her cheeks “Thanks again.”

  She shuts the door and keys in the code for the gate. Giving me a little wave she starts to walk up the driveway.

  I most definitely watch her ass as she walks away and towards her house, adjusting my cock which is straining the front of my jeans.

  Chapter 18

  Skylar

  I slip into the garage entrance of the house, the furthest door from my parent’s wing, making sure I lock the doors behind me as I go.

  I pass my little BMW which doesn’t get much love since my mother insists I ride with Weston everywhere.

  “You need to be seen with your boyfriend Skylar, isn’t that the point of dating? To show off how good you have it?”

  Tomorrow though? My little baby is getting back on the road since I won’t have to ‘show off’ my boyfriend anymore.

  I don’t worry with being quiet as Linda has long since downed her nightly cocktail of a bottle of wine and sleeping pills and she wouldn’t hear an atomic bomb going off. Taking the side stairs off the kitchen I make my way to the second floor, down the hall and into my room. I close the door behind me and strip out of my clothes, leaving them on the floor and making my way into the bathroom.

  I turn on the shower and lean against the counter, turning my phone on as I wait for the water to heat up.

  My phone immediately begins to vibrate with incoming texts and voicemails. Ignoring Wes’ I read the others;

  Maisie: Why is Wes calling me looking for you?

  Maisie: Your phone is off, your phone is never off. Call me back.

  Maisie: Getting a little worried skank, not going to lie. Call me no matter what time it is.

  I shoot her a text back telling her I just turned my phone back on and that I was getting in the shower and promise to call her as soon as I am out. It may be three in the morning, but this shit can’t wait. I need to spill the details of what happened tonight… all of them.

  She’s going to be so proud of my little make-out session with locker bang.

  Maisie: Fuck that, I'm on the way over. I’ll let myself in.

  Jumping in the shower I wash the smell of smoke and liquor off of me, and begrudgingly the distinctive scent of Barron Tucker.

  ∞∞∞

  I walk into my room, my robe tied tightly around myself and a towel in wrapped around my hair. Maisie is sitting on my bed in one of Brock’s football hoodies and a pair of leggings, scrolling through my phone. Her red hair piled in a messy bun on top of her head.

  “You do realize I almost called the police and reported you missing tonight, right?” She asks, as she continues to scroll through my phone as she leans back on my pillows.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, pulling a pair of underwear from the drawer and sliding them up my body. I grab one of Silas’ old tee shirts I stole from his room and pull it on, hanging the robe on the back of my desk chair.

  “Oh just reading all these texts from Wes…. He’s pretty pissed apparently” she laughs, handing the phone over to me.

  “… And that sexy as fuck boy you went out with tonight text you too” she smirks, “I need detail
s… now.”

  Sighing I fall back on the bed next to her “I swear to you Mais, Weston never turned me on like Barron did tonight. I was literally about to climb over the console and ride him in my driveway.”

  She hits me with a pillow, hard. “I need more than that you skank.”

  So I tell her everything; from seeing Barron at the party to the walk in the woods which subsequently led to finding Weston balls deep in Stephy. I also told her about him taking me to his house and the party, and that fucking kiss.

  “So, what are you going to do about Weston?” She asks when I’m done, making herself comfortable under the covers.

  “What do you mean what am I going to do? There’s nothing to do. I’m done with that fucker.”

  Yawning she mumbles “About fucking time.”

  I crawl under the covers next to her and plug my phone into the charger. I pull up my texts, still ignoring the ones from Wes and opening the one from Barron so I can reply to his text he must have sent when I was in the shower.

  Locker-bang: I still can’t get those lips out of my mind. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow, princess. Goodnight. x

  Skylar: Neither can I… that tongue ring may have something to do with it though.

  Locker-bang: You like that, huh?

  Skylar: Maybe.

  Locker-bang: Trust me princess, when you see what else this tongue ring can do there will be no maybe about it.

  Skylar: I have no doubts. Goodnight, B.

  Locker-bang: See you tomorrow, gorgeous.

  I turn off the bedside lamp and curl up under the covers next to Maisie. “Goodnight you whore.” She mumbles.

  “Love you too, bitch” I reply.

  Chapter 19

  Barron

  I hit traffic on the way to Monroe, which causes me to be about 30 minutes late meeting Skylar at the youth center. Not to mention I only went to sleep about three hours ago and only got a total of two hours of sleep.

  Walking into the center I ask the lady sitting at the front desk where I could find Sky and she points down a hallway. “Last door on the right.”

  I walk down the hallway lined with pictures of kids and drawings, stopping in front of the open door.

  Sky is leaning over a table of children who look no older than 10, helping one of them draw something on a large sheet of paper that is draped across the table. I stand there for a moment, taking her in. She’s wearing faded skinny jeans with holes in the knees, a loose fitting HHA tee shirt, and a worn out pair of converse. Her blonde hair is pulled up into a high pony tail and is wavy, much different from her normal perfect curls or flat iron straight locks.

  Even dressed down this girl makes me sweat.

  I’m interrupted from my thoughts when I hear a small voice speak “Ms. Sky? There’s a creepy man at the door.”

  The look on her face almost makes me laugh out loud.

  “Hey” she says, her cheeks turning pink as she tucks a loose hair that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear. I walk to her, meeting her halfway across the room. Leaning down I place a kiss on her cheek “Hey you.”

  The kids in the class all giggle at once, making Skylar’s face heat. A few of them make kissing noises in the background, causing the blush to travel down her neck.

  Skylar quickly turns back to them, making a face and shushing them.

  “So, what can I help with?” I ask, sticking my hands in my pockets and wandering over to the table. I can see that they’re making a banner that isn’t finished yet.

  “We are making a sign for the boys youth football team. They have their first game next week and it’s a BIG deal” she emphasizes, more for the kids than me I’m sure.

  “Football huh? I happen to like both football and coloring” I take a tiny seat next to a girl who has a giant bow in her hair. She smiles up at me, her two front teeth missing. Her dark brown eyes growing wider as she sees me, a large man, sitting in a tiny chair.

  We all sit around the table, coloring and talking. The kids talk about some of the stuff they have been doing in school and ask a lot of questions about the stuff I like to do.

  “Are you Ms. Sky’s boyfriend?” The little girl sitting next to me, Haven, asks.

  “We’re friends,” I say, furrowing my eyebrows and not liking how that sounds “good friends.”

  “Then why did you kiss her?” She tilts her head curiously. I look around and notice that our conversation has captured the attention of some of the other kids.

  I stammer, trying and failing to find the words to explain dating to a group of third graders. I look to Skylar for help and she just cocks an eyebrow at me, a small smirk forming on her lips.

  Guess getting help from her is out of the question.

  “Well, I like her a lot and I am hoping she likes me too, a lot. And while we are friends right now I hope that one day she will be my girlfriend.” I whisper the last word like it’s a secret, causing the kids at the table to giggle.

  Thankfully, Skylar starts talking to them about the football game, distracting them from asking me anymore questions about my intentions with Sky. They say meeting the dad is bad, they’ve never met this crew.

  I sneak peeks at Skylar as she colors, laughing with the kids as she does. Her blue eyes shine so bright and her laughter causing something to stir in my chest.

  About an hour later we have made good progress on the banner when Skylar announces that it’s time to clean up, telling everyone their parents are starting to line up in the hallway to pick them up. The kids groan, obviously hating their time with Skylar has come to an end.

  I can’t fault them, I groan too whenever I have to walk away from the girl.

  The parents all pick their children up, leaving Skylar and I to finish cleaning up the room. She hangs the banner on a line on the wall to let it dry and I step up behind her, my hands sliding around her waist. She leans back like it’s the most natural place in the world for her to be.

  “Thank you for letting me come today” I say, inhaling the jasmine and honeysuckle scent I have come to know as hers.

  Running her hands across mine she replies “I didn’t know if you’d actually come.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  She shrugs her shoulders “I don’t know. This has always been my thing, and Weston…” she trailed off.

  I turn her in my arms and look down at her, it’s time to set a few things straight. “I know that you’ve spent the last three years with a complete fucknugget, but you’re going to have to realize that I am not him.”

  She nods her head “You’re right, I’m sorry.”

  “There’s no reason to apologize, I get it. Having someone constantly let you down is ingrained in you, but I promise you princess that isn’t me. I will never purposefully let you down.”

  Leaning down I place a soft kiss on her lips which she returns, smiling against me. “You’re turning out to be a lot less trouble than I originally thought, Tucker.”

  “Baby, I can still be trouble…. It’s just in certain areas…” I let myself trail off and wink at her.

  Pushing me away and laughing, Skylar grabs her duffle bag off of a chair next to the door and flicks off the lights.

  “Are you done for the day? Can I take you to grab some lunch?” I ask trailing behind her.

  “No, I usually spend most of my day here. I need to go change though and Maisie should be here shortly. We help coach the pee-wee league cheer squad” she beams at me, her excitement for her plans this afternoon evident on her face.

  She goes into the bathroom with her bag, leaving me standing in the hallway.

  Chapter 20

  Skylar

  When I emerge from the bathroom, the hall is empty and Barron is nowhere around. I walk into the lobby and see Maisie talking to a few of the girls on the pee-wee cheer team.

  “Morning” I say as I sidle up next to her.

  “Morning” she replies, pulling her hair back into a ponytail, she is wearing a HHA tank and a pair
of running shorts.

  “What are you looking for?” she asks me, noticing I am looking around the room.

  “Barron. He is here somewhere…” I answer.

  Maisie smirks at me knowingly. “He is, huh?” she raises an eyebrow.

  “Shut it” I grumble and head off to the outside field where we practice with the girls. Maisie and I had been working with the girls, along with their regular coaches, all summer trying to get them prepared for their first game.

  “So, you brought Barron with you?” Maisie questions again while we are outside stretching with all the girls.

  “I did, but I’m not sure where he went to. Maybe he left?” I question, leaning down my leg and looking over at her.

  “I doubt it. That guy is all sorts of caught up in you” she replies. I shrug my shoulders, still a little concerned that he would take off without letting me know.

  Maisie and I practice with the girls, going over their routines multiple times and helping them through some of their harder stunts.

  “Found your boy toy” Maisie says as she drinks out of her water bottle while we take a break, nodding her head towards the football field where the pee-wee boys team had all started coming out to practice.

  Barron is walking behind the young kids, closely talking with Craig, the boys coach. Almost as if he sensed me, he looks up and the corner of his mouth quirks.

  “You do realize if he looks at you like that at school that everyone will quickly find out you two are hooking up, or whatever it is you’re doing.”

  “I don’t even know what we’re doing. I guess we’re just having fun right now” I reply.

  “Sky, you deserve some fun after your last crappy relationship.” Maisie had been a strong supporter of the Dump Weston movement for about as long as I had been dating him. But she knew my reasons behind not ending it, even if she didn’t like it.

  Her relationship with Brock was different than my relationship with Weston. While her parents pushed her relationship, they were never threatening about it. They just nudged her in the direction they wanted and Mais and Brock had always gotten along better than Wes and I did so she stays with him.