by J Bree
“Friends of yours?” he whispers into my ear.
Joey has seriously misjudged who I am.
He looks up and grins at me, all baring teeth and threats. The two Mounts Bay locals notice his attention is elsewhere and look up to me as well. Daniel damn near pisses himself as he scrambles away from Joey but Trenton manages to keep his cool. He meets my eye and dips his head, a sign of respect. His eyes dart over my shoulder and he does the same to Harley. I stare at him with a blank face and I hope Harley follows my lead but I can’t glance back and check. Joey frowns at him and then back at me.
I arch an eyebrow at him but I don’t say a word. He wanted to out me as a gangster, either a whore or a drug dealer. Well, asshole, you guessed wrong.
“This guy bothering you?” Trenton says, jerking a thumb at Joey. His other hand slips behind him and I know he’s gripping a gun shoved into the waistband of his jeans. One word and the eldest Beaumont child catches a bullet between his eyes.
I look at Joey and raise an eyebrow at him. His lip curls into a snarl when he realizes his little reveal has backfired so superbly on him. I don’t think he’s noticed Trenton’s movements but the tension in Harley’s body tells me he has.
“He’s just a guy with too much money and too little respect for how things are done in the real world, boys,” I say and Harley grips my elbow.
Trenton nods as he looks down at his toes. “What’ll it be then? You need me to take care of him?”
Harlow frowns at me and her lip quivers as she takes a step away from Joey. Hmm. She’s more observant than I thought. I stare Joey down even though his eyes burn my skin with their manic fixation.
“I’m here to go to school, not start a war. Head home, boys. Hannaford isn’t the place for you.”
Daniel takes off from the clearing, damn near running towards his car. Trenton hesitates before shaking Harley’s hand and bowing his head at me, respectfully. The entire crowd of students watch in silence as they walk away. When the car starts and peels away Joey speaks.
“Who the fuck are you, Mounty?”
I grin and lift the bottle of whiskey to my lips, “Maybe you should watch yourself until you know, Beaumont. I did warn you.”
Harley sniggers behind me and, after I’ve taken a sip, he grabs the bottle and takes a swig. “Come dance, Mounty. Let’s enjoy the rest of the night.”
“I’m sleeping in Avery’s bed tonight. If Joey comes up here again, I don’t want you alone.”
My hands fumble with the keys but I manage to unlock the door and get us into the room. Harley slips his jacket off and hangs it over the armchair he’s claimed. He’s still clutching the bottle of whiskey. When he notices I’m frozen by the door, he takes a sip, his eyes burning my skin. He offers me the bottle and I snap out of my trance to walk over and take it. It’s nearly empty so I finish the last of it, feeling the warmth spread through my limbs.
“Do you have pajamas here or do we need to go back to—“ my voice dries up as Harley reaches behind his head to pull his shirt off.
Holy.
Fuck.
His eyes stay fixed on mine as he reaches down to unbutton his jeans and my entire body spontaneously combusts. There’s too much whiskey coursing in my blood to stop myself from moaning when he smirks and drops the jeans to the floor, kicking them away so all he is left wearing are his boxers. There is too much skin on display for my brain to process. I’m shaking, my body trembling with the intimacy and intensity of the moment. It’s like everything has ceased to exist except for us and this moment.
I want him so fucking bad.
“Are you just going to stare, Mounty, or are you gonna do something?” he taunts and I shiver. I think I’m going to do something. Wait, I know I’m going to do something.
I strip off, with the same efficiency he has, until I’m standing before him in my bra and panties. Thank God I bothered to wear nice ones, matching black with a tiny bit of lace. His eyes never drop down to my body but his throat works as he swallows roughly. I know I’m covered in scars but I don’t feel ashamed of them when he looks at me the way he is. He waits for a second, like he’s making sure I’m with him, and then he pounces.
He grabs me by the backs of my thighs and lifts me up into his body like I weigh nothing. I wrap my legs around his waist to hold on and my arms wind around his neck as he claims my lips. I know that’s exactly what he’s doing, he’s claiming me. I open my mouth to his and groan as his tongue sweeps in and I melt.
He is so unbelievably hot, his skin pressing against me burning me until I’m sweating and shaking. I tug at his bottom lip with my teeth and his hands move to my ass and squeeze. I wriggle and he breaks away from the kiss to murmur, “Bed?”
I’m not thinking, I don’t want to think ever again, so I nod and kiss him once more.
He sits on my bed and holds me over him until I can tuck myself into his lap comfortably, straddling him. We pause for a second, panting and staring at each other before Harley cups my face gently. His eyes are soft, something I’ve never seen on him before, my breath hitches in my throat but before I can think he pulls me back into his lips.
He kisses me like I’m a drug he’s desperate for and I kiss him back like he’s the only air I’ll ever need to breathe.
I move my hips until I feel the rigid length of his dick pressing against my panties. Good lord, his dick is so fucking hard and I gulp at the size. I do not want to be torn in half for my first time and I’m about to pull away but then he sucks the skin just below my ear and my hips rock in response and then nothing else matters except what his lips are doing to me. I grind down onto him and savor every grunt and moan he gives me. He’s only wearing his boxers so there are two thin layers of fabric separating us and my eyes roll back into my head at the thought. I can feel how wet I am, soaking through my panties and leaving a wet spot on Harley’s boxers. I tug at his hair and moan softly.
“Fuck,” he mumbles as he drags his lips away from my shoulder. “This isn’t how I wanted to do this. You’ve had too much to drink.”
Whether it’s the alcohol or his mouth, the jury is out, I don’t feel drunk until he says that, and now I feel lightheaded and rejected. I pull away from him sharply, snatching my arms back from where they’re pressed into his chest, but he keeps his hands circling my waist. He pulls his knees up to push me back into his chest and moves a hand to gently stroke the hair away from my face while he scowls at me.
“Don’t freak out. I’m just saying I don’t think we should be doing anything more than making out when we’ve finished a bottle of whiskey between us.”
Dammit. Damn him to hell, he’s being fucking reasonable. How can I argue with that?! I don’t want to take this further, not really, because he doesn’t do commitment and I don’t want casual for my first time. I don’t want to be another Mounty girl used and thrown away. Urgh. Why?!
“You’re right. We should stop.”
Harley cradles my face in his hands again and kisses me slowly until I can’t breathe. Well, if he isn’t the most confusing guy on the freaking planet I don’t know who is, but my mind turns off again and I lose myself in his lips. I shift my weight, rocking my hips just a fraction, and he pulls away.
“Nope. No. We’ll stop. If you can’t kiss me without grinding on my dick like that we have to stop.”
I groan at him and collapse on the bed beside him. Rude. “You’re the one that stripped off.”
He scoffs at me and I swear he mumbles, “I had to get your attention somehow.” But that doesn’t make any sense to my whiskey-soaked brain so I brush it off. Clearly he isn’t taking his celibacy very seriously. I wonder why he’s even doing it. He could easily find a replacement for Annabelle. Maybe he wants me to be his regular casual hookup. I mean, I room with his cousin so he has access to me without drawing suspicion from the other girls. My eyes drift shut while I hypothesize Harley’s sex life.
I feel the blankets being pulled up around me, and a hand brushing my hair
back from my face.
“I can’t fuck a Hannaford boy.” I remind myself and then I pass out.
Chapter Thirteen
I wake up hungover, in my underwear, and alone.
I take some time to reassess my life choices because, boy, did I make some life choices last night. When I finally drag my ass out of bed and into the shower I’m in full sulk mode. Not Morrison levels of sulk but enough that I’m not leaving my room. Avery has different plans for me.
Stop being a hermit and join us for dinner. Harley said you haven’t come out all day and I can’t be bothered cooking.
Dinner? I glance at the clock and, fuck me, it’s after five. I’ve slept and moped the whole day away.
I think about texting her back some bullshit excuse but she’ll tell Harley and he’ll rat me out so I throw an oversized sweater and Avery’s yoga pants on and trudge down to the dining hall like I’m heading to the executioner's block. When I open the door I find Harley scowling down at his phone waiting for me. I open my mouth, not that I know what the fuck I’m going to say, but he turns away and grabs a tray. “Risotto or salmon? There’s pizza too but it’s shit.”
I stumble behind him as he grabs us both food. It’s chivalrous and sweet but he won’t look at me and his jaw is clenched. I’m embarrassed about making out with him last night but he looks pissed and I have no fucking clue what I’ve done to warrant that so I keep my mouth shut and watch him from the corner of my eye instead. The twins are already eating in their usual seats and Blaise is nowhere to be seen.
When we take our seats Avery tucks her arm into mine and Ash does a double take when he sees my face. Fuck, do I have toothpaste on my chin or something? He stands and takes off without a word. What the fuck is going on?
“Why do your lips look all red and pouty?” says Avery to me with narrowed eyes. I refuse to blush. I refuse but my body doesn’t listen. Fuck. “Is that a hickey?”
I clear my throat but I can’t think of an answer so I grab my plate and tuck in. The risotto tastes like ash because of my anxiety and just once I’d like to enjoy my food. Just once.
Harley arches an eyebrow at me and I don’t know what the hell to say because he’s acting so weird.
“Did you forget your morals for a second and mess around with a Hannaford guy?” he sneers and I want to stab him with my fork. I didn’t ask him to get naked and kiss me! He has no right to be a dick to me!
Avery looks between the two of us and then snaps at Harley, “This is about safety not morals.”
He frowns at her and I butt in before she says too much. “I went to the party to see about Joey’s threats. I drank too much and made out with someone. I forgot myself for a second, don’t worry. I won’t do it again.”
Avery purses her lips and glances at Harley. I can see her measure out her words before she speaks them. “I just need you to be safe, Lips. I don’t want you to get carried away and risk something happening to you.”
Harley pins me with a searing look like he’s trying to pry my brain open with his eyes and learn all of my secrets. I ignore him and steer the conversation onto safer topics.
After we finish eating Harley insists on walking us back to our room. Avery tucks herself under his arm and tells him all about her recital. I’ve already watched her entire performance thanks to Blaise’s recording. When we make it back, I find clean piles of folded clothing waiting outside our door and I grab piles, noting a complete lack of underwear yet again. Every pair I’ve sent down to be cleaned have gone missing and I’m running out! Avery lets us into the room and Harley holds the door open for me.
“Remind me tomorrow that I need to talk to the laundry personnel, my underwear is missing again.” I grumble quietly as I pack away my clothes.
Harley, of course, overhears me and snorts out a laugh. “You sure you don’t have some pervert stalking you?”
I shudder. I certainly do have a sociopath stalking me I guess. Avery grabs her pajamas and heads to the bathroom. “Ask Harlow, maybe she’s moved onto stealing lacy unmentionables instead of my fucking shoes.”
I cringe at her swearing and I don’t notice I’ve been left alone with Harley until it’s too late.
“Why is your safety a concern for what we did last night?”
Fuck. Here we go. “Why?”
“What?” He frowns at me.
“Why do you care? You were just sick of your celibacy, right? You were just drinking and made a mistake because Annabelle is off the cards. So what does it matter?” I’m snippy at him but his attitude is grating on me.
Harley stalks over to me and grabs the shirts I’m holding and throws them on my bed. “Maybe it matters because I’m fucking worried about you. Maybe it matters because if someone is threatening you I want to know about it. Maybe I take this friendship pretty fucking seriously. You gave up a diamond for me.”
I groan and scrub a hand over my face. “You don’t owe me for that. I made a decision and the cost of that lands with me.”
Harley’s hands wrap around my elbows and squeeze firmly. “When I beat Hillsong for you last year, called Avery off, told all of the guys they couldn’t approach you, I did all of that because I wanted to be your friend. So let me in. Tell me why you don’t want to get involved with someone who goes here.”
I squirm under the intensity of his eyes and I try to tug away from him but he won’t let me go. Fuck. I have to tell him something. “It’s not about whether or not I want to, it’s just not a good idea for me to get involved with someone from Hannaford. I don’t want to talk about it.”
He glares down at me before blowing out a breath and stepping back. “One day you’re going to trust me to have your back, Mounty.”
Avery uses my missing underwear as an excuse to get a day pass from our classes to go into Haven together the following day. I can’t believe it’s as easy as that, but then again she’s a Beaumont.
She wears a dress, stockings, and heels with her hair curled and perfect makeup. I throw on jeans and a jacket, a messy bun and a touch of mascara. We couldn’t look more different but Avery tucks her arm in mine like there’s no question we’re best friends and then cackles at the looks we get from other students. I laugh because, I mean, what else can I do?
A town car drops us off in front of the small cafe I went to last year and I smile at the waitress Emily as we take a seat in one of the booths. Avery rolls her eyes at me, thoroughly bemused by my insistence on being friendly to people, and we each order our drinks. I know it’s coming before she speaks so I’ve already resigned myself to spilling my guts to her.
“Are you going to tell me who you kissed or am I going to have to pry the information out of you?”
I sigh. “It was Harley.”
“I fucking knew it.” She’s smug and I think about pinching or slapping her or something. She knows she’s treading a fine line and sticks her tongue out in an entirely non-Avery way and I roll my eyes.
“We went to the party, had our little showdown with Joey, shared a bottle of whiskey and danced, came back to the room, and then made out.”
“No sex?”
“No.” My cheeks probably look sunburnt, for Christ’s sake.
“I’m glad you showed some self-control. I mean, he wouldn’t have claimed the sweep but you guys couldn’t keep that a secret.”
I can’t look her in the eye. I know who had the self-control that night and it certainly was not me. I had the raging hormones and the soaked panties. I had taut nipples and gyrating hips but I definitely did not have any sort of restraint.
“Can we just forget about it? Harley has and I’d like to.”
Avery narrows her eyes at me and shrugs. “Sure. Tell me about the henchmen Joey had there?”
I wait until Emily has brought us our drinks and then I smirk. “You should have seen his face, he was so pissed his little surprise backfired.”
Avery laughs and I go on, “They were both bottom rung guys, you know, like the lowest on the ladder. I�
��ve met Trenton before a few times. He’s done some work for Luca and I’ve seen him around. The other guy knew who I was but I’ve never met him. He shit himself, I’m surprised Harley didn’t ask me about his reaction.”
She nods and props her chin up on the table with her fist. “I think he’s made some assumptions about who you are. Every time he gets close to figuring you out you throw him a new secret and he has to start all over.”
I shrug. “His family runs in a lot of the same circles as the Jackal and others. The only Twelve members who stay out of the lower society dealings are the Crow, the Tiger, and the Lynx.”
Avery looks around but I’ve already done a sweep of the room. No one can hear us from where we’re sitting and I can see who’s coming in and out of the cafe. I raise an eyebrow at her and she clears her throat before whispering, “Can you tell me more about them? What they each do?”
“The Crow deals in information. The type of information you deal in, I’ve always guessed that he’s the bastard son of a big player or a governor or something. The Tiger is a lawyer. He’s actually a decent guy, dirty as they come but he makes bank by digging people out of shit. He’s married, got kids, lives a white picket life while being a member of a criminal institution. It’s fucking weird.”
“The Lynx?” Avery takes a gulp of her drink and I remember I have mine to drink as well.
“She’s a mafia princess. Well, queen I guess, she’s in her fifties. Her family has always had a member in the Twelve and when her father died, both her brothers were locked up and couldn’t enter into the Game so she did. She was the first woman to win it. Her brothers both despise that she’s their representative. They can’t touch her because of her power and they have to run all of their business decisions past her. It’s hilarious.”
Avery chuckles and rearranges sugar packets absently. “So, who are the others then? What do they do?”