by L A Cotton
To embracing my new life.
I hoped.
A couple of other girls joined us and the five of us danced until my skin had a fine sheen and my muscles ached.
“Water, I need water.” I mouthed to Laurie.
“The kitchen’s in there.” She pointed to a door behind me. “Want me to come?”
“I’m good. I’ll be right back.”
Slipping past the crowd lingering near the doors, I headed inside and found the refrigerator.
“I don’t think we’ve been introduced.” A boy stepped into my view although he couldn’t really be called a boy with so much muscle bulging out of the black tee hugging his body.
“Lo,” I said trying to round him to get to the fridge. But he had other ideas.
“JB, I’m the captain—”
“Of the football team. I know who you are.” I didn’t, not really, but the glint in his eye told me he ate girls like me for breakfast—or liked to think he did.
“Nice,” he smirked. “So, you’re the new Stone kid?”
“If you mean, I’m the girl temporarily living with the Stone-Princes then yes, that would be me.”
“JB, one of your jerk off friends is puking in Mom’s violas.” A petite blonde I vaguely recognised from school entered the kitchen and paused, her gaze landing on me. “Hello, I don’t think we’ve met?” She gave me the once over, the way girls did when they were sizing up the competition.
I went to introduce myself but JB cut me off. “This is the new chick living with Prince.” He gave her a pointed look and her expression slipped.
Interesting.
Something about finding out I lived with Maverick, or Macey, had her attention. I took one guess it wasn’t Macey she was worried about.
Her face narrowed into a scowl. “You’re Eloise Stone?” Despite the surprise in her voice, something told me she already knew exactly who I was.
It was my turn to narrow my gaze. “It’s just Lo.”
“Well, Lo, I’m Caitlin, though my close friends call me Cat.” She dismissed me and addressed her brother. “Please go and do something about your friend, JB.”
He pressed a thumb to his bottom lip, ignoring his sister and raking his eyes down my body. “On it. It was nice to meet you, Lo. See you around.”
Why did it feel like a promise … or a threat?
“One word of advice.” The hostility in her voice caught me off guard and I blinked over at her. “Stay away from JB.” She looked like she wanted to say more, but she smashed her lips together and sashayed out of the kitchen. I shook my head reaching for the fridge door. It really was like an episode of The OC around here. All I’d wanted was a bottle of water.
“Hey, there you are.” I spun around to find Laurie smiling at me. “I was getting worried.”
“Oh, I met JB … and Caitlin.”
She rolled her eyes. “How nice for you. JB is… well, he’s a guy with a dick, but he’s pretty harmless. Caitlin on the other hand, her claws are sharp.”
“I suspected as much.”
“She dated Maverick.”
That had my attention. “You’re kidding?”
“For almost a year. They broke up just before his junior prom. She’s had a hard time letting go.”
It explained the insta-hate radiating from her. I might have been ‘family’ but I still had tits and an arse. I knew the drill. To her I was a threat. She’d underestimated one thing though—Maverick’s anger at my arrival. Then a sinking feeling washed over me and I quickly did the math. A year?
“They were dating last summer? Funny, Kyle never mentioned her,” I tried to sound casual.
It wasn’t funny. Not since he’d failed to mention anything about his stepbrother at all. The more I thought about it, the more I realised what a strange situation it was. I’d spent almost two weeks with the Stone-Princes last year. Hanging out at their house. Visiting the local sights. And not once had I seen a photo of Maverick or heard them talk about him. Other than to tell us he and Macey were away for the summer with their dad.
“They got together at the start of Maverick’s junior year.”
After we’d almost spent the night together.
Fuck.
“I feel like I’m in the middle of a bad soap opera,” I groaned.
She laughed. “Welcome to my life. Come on, Devon finally revived. He’s making a fool of himself on the dance floor.”
I grabbed a bottle of water quickly and followed her back outside, pushing thoughts of Caitlin and Maverick and their drama far out of my head.
~
“I can’t believe I almost missed my chance to get up close and personal with you,” Devon whispered in my ear as he pulled my body back against his chest. We’d been dancing together for the last couple of songs. The boy had moves.
I looked back over my shoulder at him and smirked. “Keep your hands to yourself.”
He grinned, running his hands up my waist. So, it was a little closer than I intended, but I was actually having fun. Devon felt safe—despite the vibes he was giving off. Maybe it was the fact he hung around with Laurie and Autumn or he didn’t look at me as if I was his next meal, like some of the boys at school.
“I need to pee,” Laurie announced and Autumn offered to go with her. I waved them off, sliding my fingers into Devon’s and waving our hands in front of my body, rolling my hips to the beat.
The sun had set a while ago, but the amber glow of lamps hanging around the place illuminated the Holloway’s garden. It was easy to get swept up in the moment. And when Devon turned me into his arms and his eyes dropped to my mouth, I almost let him kiss me.
Almost.
I turned my head and his lips grazed my cheek. “Burned,” he murmured as his eyes shuttered with embarrassment.
“No hard feelings.” I punched him in the chest. “I want to go slow.” The words sounded like a promise I wasn’t sure I was making, but I felt the prickle across the back of my neck. Of course, he had to pick this exact moment to arrive.
“Prince is throwing us daggers.”
I let out a heavy sigh and bowed my head. “I don’t know what his problem is.”
“Well, I do.” Devon dipped his head and slid his finger under my jaw, bringing us eye-to-eye. “You’re his now.”
“What?” I reared back.
“You’re one of them. Like it or not, he owns your ass now. He closes rank, it’s always been that way.”
“Devon, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I detangled myself from his grip. Aware we probably looked like a couple on the verge of a fight. Just what I needed. “I’m nobody’s.” I said, the defensive lilt in my voice obvious. “Definitely not a family that I just met.”
And definitely not the boy who looked at me like I was nothing more than dirt on the bottom of his shoe.
He didn’t look convinced as he raked a brisk hand over his hair. “Whatever. I need a drink. See you later, okay?”
I watched him leave. I’d been here a week and Maverick Prince was already screwing things up for me. My blood boiled, and I spun on my heels ready to march right up to him and give him a piece of my mind, but someone had beat me to it. JB was up in Maverick’s face, speaking to him—and only him—as everyone else watched on. His face gave nothing away, a steel mask, but I saw the quiet storm brewing. His fists clenched at his sides and I knew he was one second away from losing his shit. I’d seen the same look in my brother’s eyes more than once, usually right before he kicked someone’s arse.
I don’t know why I did it but I rushed over to them, acting as if I couldn’t see the hulk of a football player glaring at my step cousin. “Maverick, can we go? I need to get out of here. Like now.”
His eyes flashed to mine, and I saw confusion there. But then his cool exterior slammed back in place and he nodded tightly. “Go get in the car.”
“But…” I glanced between the two guys.
“London.”
It was a warning. Shit. Did I
go and risk him getting into a fight or did I stay and risk making things worse?
I clutched my stomach and groaned dramatically, “I’m really not feeling well, can’t we just go.”
“If you need some help, I’d be more than willing to assist,” JB’s voice dripped innuendo and I felt Maverick tense beside me and felt sure the shit was about to hit the fan. But then his hand wrapped around my arm and he was all but dragging me out of the Holloway’s yard.
“You don't need to drag me, I'm coming.” I ripped my arm free and ground to a halt.
“Just get in the damn car, Lon—”
“I swear, if you call me that again, I'll...”
Maverick's lips tugged up at the corners. “You'll do what?” His eyebrows rose in amusement and I glowered at him. “Fuck you, Prince. You should be thanking me, I just saved your arse.”
He held my gaze for a second then shook his head and ducked inside his car. I did the same. When we were inside, he took a deep breath and raked a hand over his head. “Like he could take me.”
“God, are you always this annoying?”
He didn't answer. The car purred to life, and he backed out of the driveway.
“Was it about his sister? Caitlin?”
“What do you know about Caitlin?”
“I know you went out with her last year and ended it before junior prom.”
“Laurie Davison needs to learn to keep her mouth shut,” he snapped, and I watched him through the corner of my eye.
“You don’t need friends. You’ve got Summer and Kyle and…” he stopped and I wondered if he’d been about to say his own name because that was a joke if I ever heard one. The only time he ever spoke to me was if he was bossing me around or dragging me to his car.
We were not friends.
Not even close.
Silence filled the car, and not the good kind. Ringing my hands in my lap, I took a deep breath and said, “So, what really happened back there?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Fine.” I folded my arms over my chest and turned away from him.
“Fine.”
It was a football team party. Laurie said the basketball team wouldn’t be there, and they weren’t until Maverick showed up. Apparently, there was no love lost between the two teams, but now I wondered if it was because of the animosity between their captains, over a certain blonde-haired girl who had warned me off her brother, maybe? Or was it something else entirely?
These people I now called my family were exhausting, and I began to think Summer had the right idea keeping her head down. The car pulled into the Stone-Prince’s driveway, but Maverick didn’t cut the engine. “You’re welcome,” he said.
My head snapped over to his. “Please tell me it wasn’t all some sham to get me to leave the party?” I said, eyes wide with disbelief.
He shrugged and held my glare, giving nothing away. I felt my anger levels shoot through the stratosphere.
“What the hell is wrong with you people? You ignore me most of the time, act like I’m no one, and then keep pulling this crap. It ends now.” I sucked in a ragged breath. “I didn’t ask to be dragged halfway around the world. I didn’t ask to be moved into your pool house, and I certainly didn’t ask to end up on that beach with you last summer.”
Maverick didn’t speak, but I saw the muscle in his jaw tic.
He just sat there, his cold eyes boring into mine. That’s how he wanted to play it? Fine. I could pretend it didn’t happen either.
I threw my hands up in defeat. “You are quite possibly one of the most infuriating people I have ever met. Back off, Maverick. I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself. I don’t need you riding in on your white horse trying to save me from imaginary bad guys. It might fly with Macey and Summer, but it won’t fly with me. I. Don’t. Need. You.” I pushed the door open and slid out of the car, only pausing when his voice perforated the thick silence.
“Stay away from Holloway, London. I mean it.”
I slammed the door and didn’t look back.
~
The next day, I let Laurie talk me into spending the day at the Bay with her. Gentry was taking Dad to play golf and explore and I didn’t want to be at the house alone. Not if there was a chance I would run into Maverick.
“A little birdie told me Devon tried to kiss you last night?” she said with excitement dancing in her eyes.
I pulled my knees up and shifted until I was comfortable on my towel. “He told you?”
“Jess saw it. She told Autumn who told me. You know how it goes. What’s up with that, anyway? I thought I was sensing some serious lust-vibes between the two of you.”
“Maybe. I don’t know. He’s cute and we have a laugh together, but I’ve been here a week, you know? I’m not looking to jump into anything with anyone.”
It had absolutely nothing to do with a certain infuriating Prince.
Nothing.
“He likes you, a lot. Word of advice, don’t lead him on if you’re not interested.”
“I’m not leading him on, Laurie.” But I had danced with him. There had been some groping.
“He’s a decent guy. Unlike some people.”
I leaned up onto my elbows to see who she was talking about. Kyle and his friends were in the water playing football.
“You want him.” I lay back down.
“Yeah, but he’s a Stone-Prince. You guys aren’t an easy bunch to fit in with.”
“Hey, don’t include me in with them. I’d met them once before moving here, hardly constitutes being family.”
“Yeah, but you are,” she sighed. “You’re a Stone. I can’t even imagine what that’s like. I mean, no one really gets close to Maverick or Macey but we grew up with them. They’ve always been around. How are you finding it?”
“Honestly, I have no idea how to answer that. Kyle is… he’s Kyle, and Summer seems like a nice girl. Macey is a total bitch and Maverick is…”
“I hear ya.” Laurie laughed softly. “Kyle told me once Maverick is just like his father, Alec Prince. He’s a hotshot businessman, owns half of Wicked Bay. Real piece of work. He married a model—she had a son from a previous marriage—and they had two kids together.”
So, Macey and Maverick had a bad case of abandonment issues. Between Rebecca’s new life with Gentry and Alec’s new life with his model wife, they had gained two step-siblings and three half-siblings. It explained their hostility to some degree, but there had to be more to it.
“Wait,” I said. “Alec is a Prince too? But that means Rebecca kept his name?”
Laurie’s head nodded up and down slowly. “I know, right? Kyle told me she didn’t want to have a different name to Macey and Maverick but I mean, come on, it’s just—”
“Ladies, looking good.” Kyle loomed over us, blocking the sun.
“Seriously, Kyle, Lo is your cousin, that’s gross.”
I sat up, tucking my legs to the side of me. “Are you stalking me?” He hadn’t mentioned coming to the Bay over breakfast this morning.
He winked and chuckled. “So paranoid, Cous. No boyfriend in tow today?”
“Devon is not my boyfriend.”
“The two of you looked cozy last night.”
“Drop it, Kyle. If Lo wants to hook up with Devon that’s her business. You don’t see me jumping down your throat because you were all over Megan.”
Kyle scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed. “I wasn’t all over Megan. She was all over me. I can’t help it if I’m this good looking. Besides, the girl I want all over me is playing hard to get.”
Laurie blew out an exasperated breath and crossed her arms. “Go bother someone who cares. We’re sunbathing and you’re annoying.”
He laughed again, but I sensed the strain. He really did want to fix things with Laurie—he just had a strange way of going about it.
“I’m out. If you need a ride home, text me. Or a few of us will be heading over to The Shack later if you want to come?”
I looked to Laurie to answer, I didn’t want to force her into a situation she would rather avoid. “Maybe,” she said earning her a goofy grin from Kyle.
“Enjoy the sun and don’t burn.” He gave her a pointed look before running back to his friends.
“He’s so bossy.”
Just like his stepbrother. I smiled to myself. Maybe the Stone-Prince boys weren’t as different as I first thought.
Laurie and I sunbathed for another hour until my skin felt tight and Laurie told me a smatter of freckles had appeared across my nose. “I’m done,” I announced, pulling the loose vest over my bikini top. Unlike Laurie who had stripped down to her bikini top and bottoms, I’d kept my shorts on.
“What do you want to do?” She pushed her glasses onto the top of her head and craned her neck as I stood up and dusted myself off.
“I’m easy. If you don’t want to go to The Shack, we don’t have to. I need food though.”
“Ugh. Okay.” Her smirk told me she was more than willing to go despite her attempt at being indifferent.
After rolling our towels and dumping our stuff in the boot of her car, we walked the short distance to The Shack which was exactly that—a wooden beach hut style diner with a wraparound deck housing tables and chairs. She held the door for me and I slipped inside. Kyle spotted me immediately. “Cous, get over here.”
“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” I muttered to Laurie, but she laughed me off, moving toward the group huddled into a booth with a circular table.
“Scoot up, Stone,” she said to Kyle, and he shuffled along to let us in.
“Lo, you remember Matty and Trent?” He thumbed to the two guys on his other side. “Guys, meet Lo Stone, officially, and you already know the light of my life.” Kyle tried to slip his arm around Laurie’s shoulder but she elbowed him in the ribs.
“Don’t be a dick, Kyle. We’re here to eat. That’s it.”
“Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that.”
“So, Lo, how is it living with this jerk?” one of the guys said.
I shrugged. “It’s alright. Technically, I live in the pool house.”