by L A Cotton
“Stone, didn’t expect to see you here,” someone called out, and I heard the telltale slap of fist bumping fist. I paused but didn’t turn around, trying to remain incognito.
“Holloway doesn’t own me, Aaron.”
“Could have fooled me. It’s good to see you show up to support Rick. He’s around somewhere. Probably out back by the pool.”
Kyle came around and motioned for me to follow him further into the house. Like I intended on leaving his side. I’d been in Wicked Bay for almost three months, but kept my circle small. Kyle. Summer. Laurie and Autumn. Devon before he ruined things. Still, I recognised more faces this time and a few people gave me a wave or tipped their head in my direction.
“Is Laurie coming?” I said over Kyle’s shoulder. She hadn’t made the game but said she’d try to meet us here.
“She said she’ll try to escape her parents and drive over here. Don’t worry, Cous, I won’t throw you to the wolves.” He glanced back and winked.
I pushed him forward. “Don’t let me get too drunk.” Even though the urge to grab the nearest drink and knock it back in one, was strong.
Kyle stopped and slipped his arm around my shoulder. “Stop worrying. We’re here to kick back and have fun. Luke is good people. I think you’ll like him,” he teased, but I refused to take the bait. It was the elephant in the room—what Kyle thought he knew about me and Maverick, and what I did know. Neither of us were willing to come clean, and I preferred it that way.
It was a conversation I didn’t want to have. Ever. Besides, what was the point? Maverick had made it clear where we stood. If it came out, Kyle would never let me live it down.
The long hallway gave way to a kitchen similar to the one in Kyle’s house. Unlike the pristine bare counters at the Stone-Prince’s, here every surface was crammed with bottles, and bowls of tortilla chips. I helped myself to a handful on the way past, leaving Kyle to get drinks. He unscrewed a beer and handed it to me. “Stick to beer. For now.” He grinned.
“Kyle,” I warned. “Dad’s expecting me home in one piece. One sober piece.”
“Sober smober. Sometimes it’s good to let loose, and I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. No one will touch you here.”
“What do you—”
“Stone,” another voice boomed. “Get the hell out here and bring a bottle of Jack. We want to show Rick our gratitude.”
“Fuck off,” someone grumbled. Was that Maverick? My hands grew slick, a ball of nerves bouncing in my stomach.
Kyle’s shoulders heaved with laughter as he grabbed a bottle off the counter and made his way through the French doors. They opened onto a sprawling garden. A big kidney shaped pool was tucked away in the corner, already full of half-naked seniors. I lingered back, sipping my beer, taking in the scene before me.
“Stone, my man, bring it to daddy,” a lanky boy with a shaved head approached Kyle, taking the bottle from him. I recognised him from school. From the game. They fist bumped and talked some more. I risked looking over at the group.
Maverick sat on a rattan chair, surrounded by his teammates and a couple of girls as they talked animatedly. If he felt my presence, he didn’t let on, and my chest tightened. Luke noticed me and his lips tipped up in a discreet smile. I gave him a small nod in return and looked away. Focusing on anywhere but their group.
What was I doing? I didn’t belong here with these people. It was a party for the team—for Maverick. He didn’t want me here. I spun on my heels to get the hell out of there, but I wasn’t quick enough. Kyle bounded over to me, grabbing my arm. “Hey, where are you going?”
“This was a bad idea,” I rushed out, my eyes flickering to Maverick.
Kyle reared back and looked offended. “Huh? Did I miss something? You can’t hang out with your cousin at a party now?”
“It’s not you, Kyle, it’s...”
His eyes dared me to say it. To confess. But I swallowed down the words, steeling myself. “I don’t know anyone. I shouldn’t be here.”
“You’re here because I asked you come.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Okay, I didn’t ask, I dragged, but semantics. You’re family, Lo. I want you here.”
“Kyle.” My eyes widened, aware a couple of kids were watching our exchange.
But not Maverick.
He didn’t even glance in our direction.
Twat.
“Seriously, these things are usually way more fun than the football team’s parties. Just don’t tell JB I said that, okay? I kind of like my head.” His eyes glazed over. “And my ass. And my dick. Definitely my dick.”
“Kyle,” I hissed this time, and he finally released me, his eyes softening a fraction.
“Come on, Lo, we don’t get to hang out much now you’re gone. It sucks. One hour. Give me one hour and if you still hate it, I’ll drive you home myself.”
My gaze dropped to the beer in his hand and his chest rumbled with laughter. “Okay, Mom, I’ll walk you home. Better?”
“Fine. One hour. But if I’m not having the time of my life by then, we’re out of here.” I couldn’t help the smile tugging at my lips. Kyle made it so difficult to argue with him.
He held up two fingers. “Scouts honor. Now let me introduce you to some people.”
~
Two hours later, I wasn’t quite having the time of my life, but I was having fun. My blood hummed with the effects of the steady stream of beer Kyle and Trey—the bald guy—kept supplying me with. Perched on the end of a long garden sofa next to Kyle, I couldn’t help but feel envious of how easily he slipped into the group. They were Maverick’s friends, his teammates, and yet, they gravitated to Kyle in equal measure. The two of them were like dark and light. They looked to Kyle to provide fun and entertainment, but they looked to Maverick for guidance and direction.
“So, Lo, how’re you liking it now you’re not having to put up with these two for housemates?” Trey asked me.
I shrugged unable to stop myself from meeting Maverick’s eyes. This time he watched me. I didn’t break our connection as I said, “I like my own space. No more boys thinking they can just barge in and make themselves comfortable at all hours and annoying the hell out of me.”
The noise and chaos went on around us, but Maverick’s friends grew quiet. Even the couple of drunken giggly girls curled up on the other end of the sofa stopped to hear our exchange. No doubt waiting for a reaction from either Kyle or Maverick. My comment was innocent enough, it meant nothing to anyone on the outside looking in. But there were three of us it meant more to. Kyle’s stare burned into the side of my head but it wasn’t him I cared about. I only had eyes for the eldest Prince. His gaze hardened—his walls slamming down. They’d been down ever since my birthday but this was different. He was warning me. I was annoyed with myself as much as I was with him, but it didn’t stop my body craving his touch. No matter how much I tried to forget—to remind myself it was just one night—my body didn’t get the memo. Maverick continually pushed me out, but it only drew me in more.
Trey broke the suffocating silence. “I wouldn’t want that fucker anywhere near my space.” He shot Kyle an amused look and my crazy cousin leaped up and launched in his direction. Trey yelled and the two of them started play fighting on the chair Maverick’s friend occupied.
“Cut it out.” His voice was so cold everyone’s heads snapped up. Kyle paused, plastered against Trey’s outstretched body, he craned his head to the side and said, “Come on, Rick, we’re just goofing around.”
“Whatever, I’m out of here.” Maverick drained the rest of his beer and slammed it down and stormed off. The table rattled. Luke called after him but didn’t seem as surprised as everyone else at his outburst. His gaze slid to mine, lips pressed into a flat line. He whispered something to Trey and Kyle and went after Maverick.
Okay, then.
I didn’t even want to try to analyse what that was all about. What was the point? I turned to Trey and Kyle as they untangled from one another, shook
my empty bottle at Kyle, and announced, “I need more beer.”
“You’re so drunk,” I slurred.
“You’re drunker,” Kyle hiccup-laughed. He held me up as we made our way through Luke’s house. Or maybe it was me holding him up. Either way, our bodies moved clumsily as we tried to find our way out of the mini-mansion. It seemed unfair my new house was a modest two-bedroomed bungalow with a pool no bigger than the bathtub. I needed to talk to Uncle Gentry about getting Dad a pay rise. If I was going to be stuck in Wicked Bay for the foreseeable future, I might as well reap the benefits. Starting with a pool big enough to swim in.
“Shit, we drank way too much.” Kyle hiccupped again. “I blame Trey and those shots. Laurie will kill me.”
“Kill you? We,”—I stabbed the air with my pointer finger—“should kill her. She bailed on us.”
Kyle nudged my side. “I was supposed to look out for you, Baby Cous.”
“Baby Cous? I’m older than you, Kyle.”
“Yeah, but you’re a girl, it’s different. Besides, we’re both juniors.”
I stopped, pulling him back into me ready to protest, but we collided, bouncing off one another. “Motherfucker,” he groaned, rubbing his forehead.
The room spun, and I buried my face in my hands trying to make it stop. “Oh God, I think I’m going to throw up.”
“Come on.” He started tugging me again. “I called Uber.”
“Uber?” My head snapped up. “That’s a real thing? I thought it was one of those things made up for movies.”
“You’ve been here almost three months. Uber is like Starbucks. Everyone has to try it once. Wait, that’s not right. Uber is like beer, you can’t live without it,” he murmured to himself. “No, that’s not it, that’s sex. Uber is like…” Kyle paused, rubbing the back of his neck and then he frowned. “What the fuck was I saying?”
“Uber is like coffee and beer but you can’t live without sex?”
Sloppy laughter erupted from him as he dragged me toward the door. I was drunk. Beyond toasted but, unlike the football party, I still had my bearings. Maybe I should have drunk more. Teetering on the edge of control and the inability to walk a straight line wasn’t a fun place to be.
“Kyle, wait.” I yanked on his arm. “Wait, I need to—”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Kyle what the hell is your…” The words died on my lips when my cloudy gaze landed on Maverick. He was coming down the stairs, and I blinked to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Because… drunk.
“Hey, Rick and...” he blinked at the slim blonde tucked into Maverick’s side, hand curled around his arm. I'd never hated a hand so much as I did in that moment. “Hello, I don't think we've met.” Kyle stumbled forward, extending his hand, only to thrust it behind his back when Maverick sent him an icy glare.
“I'm Selina. You're in my sister Bianca's class.”
“Bianca Framer?” He seemed surprised. “You’re Selina Framer? Didn't you graduate like two years ago?”
“Yeah, I go to Cal State now.”
“And you,”—his head motioned from Maverick to the girl and back again—"two know each other how?” Kyle seemed to sober and I waited for her to answer. Not that it wasn't obvious how they knew each other.
God. I wanted to throw up all over the expensive parquet floor.
“How are you guys getting home?” Maverick ignored Kyle’s question but kept his focus on his stepbrother, not me.
Never me.
I was invisible.
Insignificant.
I was the drunk British girl.
Fuck my life.
“I called Uber.”
“Cancel.” It wasn’t a question this time. “I'll drive you. I have to drive Selina, anyway.”
Of course he did.
Jealousy burned through me as I followed them to the car. They stood too close. Close enough that Selina's arm kept brushing his. I wanted to hack it off with my hair clip. Maverick opened the passenger door for her and she climbed inside. He left me and Kyle to fend for ourselves so I yanked the door open and stumbled inside, slamming it behind me.
“Since Maverick is above introductions, I'm Kyle, his more handsome, more humorous stepbrother. And this here is our sister from another mister, Eloise Stone.”
Selina twisted her body to Maverick and quietly said, “You didn't tell me she was your stepsister.”
It wasn’t quiet enough and her words hung in the Audi, filling the space. Kyle laughed while Maverick growled. “Stone,” he warned.
“Come on, bro, that shit is hilarious. Could you imagine?” He tried to catch his breath. Finally composing himself, Kyle added, “I’m just messing, Selina. Lo’s our cousin.”
“Oh,” she whispered.
Oh, I mimicked silently, letting my head roll back against the cool leather. Maybe if I pretended this wasn't happening... oh, who was I trying to kid? It was happening. I was trapped in a car with Maverick and his latest conquest.
First Caitlin. Then me. Now Selina.
Where was that bucket?
The car purred to life, and we sped out of the driveway. It was late. Past my curfew if Dad ever bothered to give me one like a normal concerned parent. I pushed my arse off the seat, fumbling in my jean pocket and slid my phone out. Everything was blurred, but not blurred enough to see I had no texts. No message reminding me to be home at a reasonable time. To watch my drinks and avoid dodgy boys.
Fuck. My. Life.
I sank back again, drifting in and out of consciousness. Kyle's voice refused to let me slip under. He wasn't talking to me; his attentions were firmly on Selina. But the masochist in me couldn’t stop listening. Did she like school? How long was she back in Wicked Bay for? Would we be seeing her again? If I didn’t know he was crazy about Laurie, I might have thought he wanted to hook up with her.
When the car rolled to a stop, I pressed my face against the tinted windows, sighing when I realised we weren't at my house or the Stone-Princes.
“It's been a pleasure, Selina.” Kyle saluted her as she climbed out of the car. The relief I felt was instant, and I sucked in a deep breath. But she had to go and stick her head back inside. “Good night, Lo,” she said. “It was nice to meet you.”
Nice my arse. I murmured a garbled reply, and the door clicked shut. Maverick waited for a second, raking a hand through his hair. His eyes found mine in the rearview mirror but I looked away. He didn’t deserve to see my face. To know what I was feeling. He climbed out and walked her to her door like the true gentleman I knew he wasn’t.
I didn't watch the exchange. I wanted to forget this whole night ever happened, but Kyle had other ideas. “She seemed nice,” he stifled a laugh, and I shot him an irritated look.
Maybe he wanted a reaction. Maybe this was all a game to him. But I was sick of it.
“Yeah, real nice,” I whispered, the words bitter on my tongue.
He chuckled, but it tapered off into a sigh as he pulled down his baseball cap, folded his arms over his chest, and tipped his head back against the seat. When Maverick got back into the car, he didn’t speak and we rode the rest of the way in silence.
“We’re here,” his voice pulled me from the darkness and I rubbed my heavy eyes. Kyle snored softly beside me apparently not as attuned to his stepbrother as I was.
“Thanks for the ride.” I fumbled with the door handle desperate to get out of there. I needed to be away from him—far, far away before I said something I would no doubt regret in the morning.
Maverick’s darkened gaze burned into the side of my head. “London,” his voice was smooth.
Too. Fucking. Smooth.
Just open the door. Finally, it clicked open, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Lo, wait.”
My eyes fluttered shut, his plea pressing down on me, sneaking under my skin and demanding I concede. But I couldn’t.
I wouldn’t.
Slowly, I turned and settled my narrowed gaze on his face.
“Goodnight, Maverick.” Then I slipped into the shadows.
~
Sometime between Maverick dropping me off at the house, and Kyle picking me up Monday morning, I decided.
Move on.
It was simple, really. I couldn’t keep playing this game of cat and mouse with Maverick. I’d followed his rules. Stuck to his game plan. It wasn’t me who’d turned up outside his bedroom door in the middle of the night or jumped out of Laurie’s bushes to wish him a happy birthday. And I’d gone along with it because Maverick touched some place inside of me that needed soothing.
But after waking up and replaying the ride home over and over in my head, I realised something. Whatever reason he had for putting me at arm’s length, there was a much more obvious one—he wasn’t a one-girl kind of boy and I wasn’t emotionally secure enough, or deluded, to be with someone like him.
We were a disaster waiting to happen.
So, when I said goodbye to Kyle and Summer, and headed into school, I made a beeline for Devon. But he beat me to it. “Lo,” he said, his eyes darting anywhere but at my face. “Can we talk?”
“Sure.” Maybe my luck was turning because this was already going much easier than I’d anticipated.
Surprise flashed across his face as he met my gaze. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. Lead the way.”
I followed him around the side of the main building to the gym. He leaned his foot against the brick and tipped his head back with a heavy sigh. “I owe you an apology.”
“How about we don’t?”
His eyes landed on me and his eyebrows quirked up. “Don’t what?”
“No apologies, no mushy heart-to-heart. You messed up. But so did I. I knew you liked me and I still went along with it telling myself it would be okay.”
“Okay, then, I think.” He looked hesitant, so I continued.
“But you should have told me about Caitlin and Maverick.”
“You know?” Devon dragged a hand over his face. “Shit, I—”
“No apologies, remember? I want to be friends. I’m not exactly swimming in them and I like hanging out with you, Devon. So how about it? No more secrets? No more lies? Friends?” I extended my hand, and he searched my face.