“Understand what?”
His chest shook with a bitter laugh. “I wish I knew, Rika. I just can’t let anyone in. I haven’t touched a woman in three years.”
Three years? But he’d been out for months. No one in that entire time?
“Michael paid off guards to keep us safe, but he couldn’t shield us from everything,” Kai went on. “He watched as Will deteriorated, and I withdrew more and more. He was helpless to do anything, and he felt so guilty. Guilty, because he thought he’d incited you. Guilty, because he was free.” He took a deep breath and kept going. “He came up with the plan. Something to keep us hot and angry. Something to keep us fighting. And before we knew it, it consumed our every waking moment in there.”
And then he looked up, meeting my eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
I let out a slow breath, seeing it in his eyes. I know.
Reaching out, he grazed his fingers down the side of my face, pushing my hair out of the way. “I haven’t been able to talk to anyone,” he admitted. “Why does it have to be the one person I hated only just this morning?”
I couldn’t help it. I gave a small smile and caught his hand on my face in both of mine and held it.
Kai use to be larger than life. Like Michael, only a straight arrow. Kai was the good one.
But now there was darkness there, too. His fight with me may be over, but there was still something brewing inside.
The light spilling across the floor from the hallway disappeared, and Kai and I turned our heads to see a figure in shadow filling the doorway.
“I told you to go to sleep.”
Michael.
I dropped Kai’s hands and stood, the corners of my lips turning up. “No, you told me to go to bed. And maybe I was just about to.”
I threw a pointed look, hoping he got my insinuation.
“Do you two ever stop?” Kai chuckled, standing up.
Michael remained silent as Kai gave me one last look before turning and walking for the door. He waited for his friend to move and then walked through, disappearing around the corner.
Michael turned back to me, filling the doorway with darkness again, and my stomach flipped and then tightened.
I hadn’t realized it, but I’d been relaxed with Kai here. Now I wasn’t again.
Michael hadn’t changed from before. He still wore jeans and no shirt, and I wondered where the girl was that had her hands all over him downstairs.
“Come here,” he told me.
And I did.
I walked over—going to him, just like he asked—and then I smirked as I grabbed the handle to the door and swung it closed.
He shoved out his hand, stopping it, like I’d known he probably would.
“I wouldn’t have let anything happen to you,” he stated. “I knew it the second you walked through the door tonight. I swear.”
“I don’t care,” I replied in a flat tone. “I don’t want you in here.”
And then I tried to push the door closed, but he planted a hand on it, stopping me. Forcing it open, he walked through and slammed it shut behind him before pulling me in and swinging us around, so my back was against the door.
“I stopped them.” His breath fell over my face. “I chose you over my friends.”
“Yeah, it looked like it downstairs,” I said sarcastically, referring to the girl in his lap earlier. “I’m tired of your games, Michael, and I’m tired of you. Get out.”
“What did he say to you?” he demanded, ignoring my order.
Kai? Was he bent out of shape because Kai had sought me out?
“More than he probably says to you,” I answered.
He breathed out a bitter laugh, and for the first time it looked like he was at a loss for words.
“Sick of my games, huh? You’ve learned to play them pretty well.”
“I’m not playing your games. You were wrong.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “You want to know what I’ve learned? I don’t win by playing your games. I win by making you play mine.”
His eyes pierced me, darkening as his breathing grew shallow.
He was pissed.
I laughed, suddenly feeling ten feet high. “Look at yourself,” I joked, elation filling my veins. “You’re actually breaking a sweat trying to keep up with me, aren’t you?”
He bared his teeth and grabbed the backs of my thigh, hauling me up and slamming me against the door again. My heart jumped in my chest—the rush of fear filling my body—as the wind was knocked out of me.
And I couldn’t help it. I locked my ankles behind his back, holding him between my thighs.
“Goddamn,” he whispered against my lips. “I want you.”
“You’re not the only one.”
“Kai?” he gauged. “Don’t look to him, Rika.”
“Why not?”
He darted out, catching my bottom lip between his teeth, the heat of his mouth sending shivers down my spine.
“Because you get everything you need from me,” he argued, his hot tongue flicking my upper lip. “And you’d only be doing it to fade me out, anyway, and that will never happen.”
He dived in, taking my mouth, and I groaned, my head feeling dizzy. I met his powerful lips as I tilted my head to the right to deepen the kiss. His tongue brushed mine, and I could feel a fire building low in my belly.
I broke the kiss and tilted my head back, so he could trail kisses down my neck. “That sounds really good, actually,” I said, groaning at the feel of his lips over my scar. “A new man. A new mouth.”
His fist tightened in my hair, and his teeth brushed over my skin, warning me. “If you ever let that happen, I will make you sorry.”
And then he came in again, sucking and nibbling my skin as I gasped and dug my nails into his shoulders.
“Oh, God,” I moaned, grinding on him. “Oh, Kai. Yes.”
I felt his angry breath exhale across my skin, and his hand squeezed my ass painfully through my thin pajama shorts. His nibbling turned to biting, and his kisses became so hard they stung.
I pulled his hair, forcing his head back as I grazed my tongue along his bottom lip. “Trevor,” I whispered. “Touch me, Trevor.”
He growled and shoved away from me, backing up. I dropped to my feet and breathed hard, holding his glare.
“Fuck this,” he barked, and then he reached out and yanked me away from the door, pulling it open. I watched as he charged out of the room, and I couldn’t help but smile as he ran away.
I immediately followed.
“Does this mean you’re tapping out?” I inquired with fake concern.
“No,” he bit out, storming down the hallway, the muscles in his back flexing. “Game change. New Players. There are plenty of other girls here, Rika.”
“And there are lots of guys here, too,” I threw back, following him down the stairs.
He stopped in the foyer and turned around to look at me, a dare in his eyes. “Is that so?” And then he smiled and twisted his head around, speaking to the crowd. “Listen up!” he shouted to all the guests hanging out. “Rika Fane is Horsemen property. Any guy lays a hand on her has to deal with us!” And then he turned back to me, lowering his voice with a smirk. “Good luck.”
I clenched my teeth together. Dammit.
Play his game. Play my game. It ultimately didn’t matter when he had more people on his team.
Fuck.
He turned around, knowing he’d won, and walked toward the kitchen, leaving me standing in the middle of the foyer, surrounded by people eyeing me and thinking God-Knows-What.
Horsemen property? Christ.
But then his words came back to me, and I paused. Any guy lays a hand on her…
I fought to hold back my grin.
Walking into sitting room, I scanned the area and then moved into the kitchen, finally spotting Alex at the island fixing herself a drink. She wore a tight black dress held up by a strap on one shoulder, bare on the other.
I approached her, and she immedi
ately looked up. “Hey. Can you believe Will flew me here in his dad’s helicopter for this?” she said, setting down one bottle and picking up another. “Like I’m going to find a lot of business with the high school set. I mean I’m controversial, but not a pedophile.”
I snorted.
Not everyone here was in high school, and Alex certainly wasn’t much older than them. But yes, I could guess she was used to more sophisticated men.
I took a deep breath before I lost my nerve.
“How much do you charge?” I asked.
She set down the vodka and pinched her eyebrows together. “For what exactly?”
“For women.”
Present
PLENTY OF OTHER WOMEN HERE. Yeah, that was a fucking bluff if I’d ever heard one. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her, and I’d either have to swallow my pride and actually be nice to get into her bed tonight, or…
Or I’d have to pick another fight.
Either way, she’d have my number. She’d know I couldn’t stay away and that she was the only girl I wanted. How the fuck had that happened?
I stood outside on the patio with a few old friends—some locals who worked in town and some high school friends that never made it out of Thunder Bay—but I wasn’t listening to anything they were saying. I stayed rooted, my arms crossed over my chest, as I watched her through the windows talking to Alex at the kitchen island.
I couldn’t believe she’d called me Kai. And then fucking Trevor? She was doing it on purpose, but why would she challenge me?
She wanted me. Why not just give in?
But no, the more I tried to get her to melt for me and forget all the bullshit we’d gone through tonight, the more she opened her smart ass mouth to feed me her disdain. I couldn’t bend her anymore. She was laughing at me.
What if I’d completely corrupted her? What if she’d begun to like playing games too much, and the lust to play—and to win—overpowered her need for me?
What if her heart had hardened so much that she closed herself off in order to survive?
What if I was the one that had to bend?
Unease weighted on my shoulders, and I let out a breath. I need her.
I want her.
At least tonight I was safe. I’d won this round. No guy was going to come near her, so she’d eventually just go to bed in defeat.
She had no cards left to play.
I watched as she and Alex walked around the island, Goodbye Agony playing through the house, but then Rika stopped, looked up, and met my eyes through the glass. Leaving Alex standing in the middle of the kitchen, Rika opened the door and walked up to me, leaning in.
“You said no guys, right?” she asked, sounding mischievous. “Just making sure.”
One corner of her lips curled, and she turned, walking back inside. I watched as Alex shot me a smug, devious smile and took Rika’s hand, leading her out of the kitchen.
What the…?
I inched to the side, following them through the foyer with my eyes and seeing Rika cast one more glance behind her before they disappeared up the stairs.
No guys. Meaning…?
Charging for the door, I swung it open and bolted through the kitchen.
“Hey, where you going?” Kai grabbed my arm, stopping me. “We’ve got to talk about Damon.”
“Tomorrow.” I pulled away, dismissing him, and made my way through the foyer and up the stairs.
I couldn’t think about Damon right now. He was injured, and he wasn’t doing anything tonight.
Walking down the dimly lit hallway, I approached Rika’s bedroom, noticing that the door was open. The entire upstairs was quiet, the echoes of the music downstairs like a faraway hum.
But when I stepped into her doorway, I found the room empty. The lights were off, as they had been the last time I’d been up here, and her bed was still made.
I looked back down the hallway, narrowing my eyes. Where the hell was she?
Throwing open doors, I searched my parents’ room, my brother’s room, the guest bedrooms…But when I got to my room, I noticed a flicker of light coming from underneath the door.
Reaching out a slow hand, I turned the knob and pushed it open.
And my heart skipped a beat.
“Shit,” I barely whispered under my breath.
Alex sat on the side edge of the bed, and Rika stood between her legs, both girls with their hands on each other. Alex held Rika’s hips, staring up her and looking entirely too interested.
And Rika…
My fucking stomach was floating up into my throat, and I inched into the room, closing the door behind me.
Rika put one knee on the bed at Alex’s side, leaning her hips into Alex’s chest and threading her fingers into her hair, caressing Alex’s neck and shoulders.
Alex inched up Rika’s gray tank top, leaving soft kisses across her belly and darting out the tip of her tongue to taste Rika’s skin.
My cock rushed with blood and heat, swelling painfully.
She was going to win this round.
“What are you doing?” I was already sweating. Jesus.
Rika blinked her eyes up at me, gentle and calm. “Game change. New players,” she repeated my words. “You’re not needed. Sorry.”
And then she let out a moan, arching her body into Alex’s mouth and letting her head fall back.
I grunted, resisting the urge to adjust myself. Goddamn her. What the hell did she think she was doing?
Was she really willing to go this far to challenge me?
“You’re in my bed,” I pointed out, trying to look unaffected.
Rika grinned down at Alex who was still kissing her stomach, both of them practically ignoring me. “Your bed is bigger,” she answered. “You don’t mind, do you?”
I steeled my jaw, seeing her hands trail down Alex’s chest and grasp at her dress, pulling it up and off her body.
But I barely noticed, because I couldn’t take my eyes of Rika. She still wore her thin, pink pajama shorts, looking so sexy and innocent with her glowing skin and hair. I swallowed the dryness in my throat, not sure if she was bluffing, trying to get me to react, or if she really did want this. Both possibilities, though, would have her coming out on top. She’d know she was smarter and stronger.
Alex’s hands ran up and down Rika’s legs, and she started pulling down her shorts, nibbling the skin over Rika’s hip bone.
“Ah,” Rika groaned, her eyes closed. “Michael…”
I lost my breath, shaking my head and my heart in a thousand knots.
She was winning. I was playing her game, and I was fucking losing. God, I wanted her so goddamn much.
But this wasn’t over.
I circled the bed and grabbed Alex by the arm, yanking her up.
“Leave,” I ordered.
“What?” she blurted out, her eyes desperate. “Are you kidding me?”
I guessed she was getting turned on and probably hoped I’d let it continue and enjoy the show.
But I shoved her away, not caring how disappointed she was. Will, Kai, and dozens of other guys—and girls—were out there. Let her take her pick.
Alex snatched up her dress, huffing as she walked out and slamming the door behind her. When I turned back, Rika stood next to the bed, a slight smirk on her face. “Your move.”
I breathed out a laugh, towering over her as I hardened my tone. “Did you like that?” I asked. “How far were you willing to go with her?”
She licked her lips. “Maybe further,” she admitted. “Or maybe I knew I wouldn’t have to go far at all. Maybe I know you better than you think I do.”
Reaching up, I trailed a finger across her jaw. “Do you?”
She held my eyes, her chest rising and falling faster, and I could tell she wanted to lean into my hand. She wanted me to say sweet things and to give into her, and she wanted my heart. That’s why she was pushing me.
But I wanted to play.
“The thing is…” I stated, narro
wing my eyes on her. “We have a problem. You weren’t invited into my bed, and you came in here without permission.”
Taking her hand, I pulled her across the room, feeling her stumble behind me as I forced her toward the door.
“Michael!” she cried out, seeing me open it. “What are you doing?”
I dragged her to the opposite side of the empty hallway, two doors down, and hauled her into a bedroom, throwing her forward and closing the door behind me.
“Now that’s a bed you’re more familiar with.” I gestured to my brother’s bed. “Get in it.”
She faced me, fisting her hands at her sides and breathing hard, all composure lost. She shook her head, her eyes glistening with tears.
Why was I doing this? I could’ve told her how much I wanted her, how much I needed her, and how, after nearly a week, I could still taste her. She could be underneath me in my bed right now, and I could be inside of her, listening to her pant and getting lost in the sheets and the feel of her the rest of the night.
“Michael,” she begged, her voice brittle. “Why are you doing this? After today and everything you put me through? Why are trying to hurt me more?”
“Are you tapping out?”
Her face cracked, and she dropped her head, her body shaking with sobs. “You’re sick, Michael. You’re sick.”
I ground my teeth together, approaching her. “When I found out last year that you were dating Trevor, I hated it. I hated you, but I hated that even more. I wanted to come in here and see you in his bed and how you would’ve looked—”
“Why?” she cut in.
I stared into her eyes, knowing that I barely understood the answer to that question myself. Ever since I was little, I remember being angry. Angry that my father tried to mold me into someone I wasn’t. Angry that he took her out of my arms. Angry that she and Trevor were always pushed together. Angry that I had to leave for college and leave her alone with my family.
And then I was angry that she’d betrayed me. Or so I thought.
But for some reason, the anger didn’t break me. It made me my own person, someone who was defiant and knew their own mind. I stood up to my father, I made my own decisions, and I was invincible. And I became very good at finding my amusement in other ways.
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