Jane's Team: A High School Reverse Harem Romance

by Janie Marie

  She childishly stuck her tongue out at him, noting how he followed the movement. “For an old guy, you’re pretty immature.”

  “Says the young woman poking her tongue at me.” He undid the top button of his shirt and pulled off his tie.

  Hormones was all Jane could think as she spotted the inked flesh on his neck.

  Piercing gray eyes appraised her quietly. “I still expect you to be my queen, Jane.”

  “I know,” she responded like an obedient servant, then she scowled at him. “How do you do that?”

  “It’s standard for one to answer a question when asked, my queen. Hardly a magical feat to get aroused over.” He smirked with a hint of his real smile at the end. “You were meant to laugh, Jane.”

  Now she smiled at him, her cheeks hurting when he seemed in awe of her.

  “One day,” he said softly. “One day it won’t work on me.”

  “Not today, my king.”

  “I hate this,” David said, running a hand through his freshly showered hair. She’d barely ended the call with Luc when David texted: Baby, I’m trying to be patient, but I need to see your pretty face. “I know it’s stalkerish, but I miss getting to see you before I go to sleep.”

  “Perv,” she said groggily.

  Those blue eyes narrowed on her. “Baby, you’re falling asleep on me. And it’s only a little bit perverted. I never stared at you when you didn’t have a shirt on. You’re the worst at hiding your reactions to a naked guy.”

  “You wore only towels on purpose.” She closed her eyes, giggling. “Did you wait for me to leave my room, just so we’d bump into each other?”

  “No, but I’m certain you had my showers timed so that you would leave your room the exact moment you knew I’d be getting out.”

  She peeked at him in shock. Fourteen minutes.

  “Busted.” That panty-dropping smile stretched wide. “You’re a silly girl about me, Jane. I’m always going to cherish that about you.”

  Her heart warmed.

  “What am I going to do without my Jane?”

  Some of the warmth surrounding her heart cooled, and though she tried to sound playful, her lips quivered, “Hopefully not go balls deep in Diane.”

  His smile fell in an instant. “Baby, no.” He searched her face. “Don’t do this. I told you I was all in with you. That’s never going to change. It’s just going to take some time before I can be with you.”

  She nodded, rubbing her eyes hard so she wouldn’t cry. “I’m sorry. I’m just emotional.”

  He smiled adoringly, like he was trying to be right there with her. “Don’t apologize—I love my emotional girl. Just please don’t go to sleep thinking the worst of me. I’m here, sleeping on your boyfriend’s fucking couch because I chose you.”

  “I know.” She tried so hard to suck up her fears, but she suddenly couldn’t erase the images of every kiss she’d seen David give Diane. He’d lost his virginity to a girl who had made fun of her. “Fuck, I have to go.” She ended the call as he called out her name. Then she cried.

  Through the phone, emerald eyes appraised her the way an apex predator analyzed its prey. “What the fuck did he say to you?”

  “Nothing.” She blew out a breath, trying to appear calm, but she’d cried for the last twenty minutes, imaging David getting fed up with her. He’d tried to call her and sent several texts, begging her to talk to him, then Ryder had called.

  “Don’t lie to me.” His gaze narrowed. “Nothing is going to piss me off more than you trying to lie. Now tell me what he did, or I’m going downstairs to beat his ass.”

  “Don’t.” She glared at him. “He didn’t even do anything. It’s me.”

  “Of course, it’s you,” he fired back, shocking her. “Don’t give me that look. I know you more than you think. And I know you do this shit about him.”

  “Do what?” she fought yelling. Fighting with Ryder was not how she wanted to end her night.

  “Make yourself unworthy of him,” he said before he shook his head. “Baby girl, you are our goddess. But you have this thing where you put David on a fucking pedestal above all of us, and you compare yourself to the bitches he has let on his nuts. You’re panicking because you can’t march around and say you’re his girl, and instead of yelling at his ass for fucking around the way he did—because that’s what the fuck he did, Jane; he fucked around to get over you and to do stupid shit to make it easier on himself—but you twist it around and beat up yourself. Fucking let it out on him. He deserves it.”

  “He did it for me,” she argued.

  “He loves you, angel, but he’s not a saint.” He let out a deep breath, and she could tell he’d gone to his bed and was lying down, holding his phone above him. “Don’t be sad. I’m hating myself for talking to you like this, but I want you to get it through your beautiful mind and heart; David loves you. He fucked up. Bad. But he made a commitment to you. He’s not going to fuck this up. He’s not going back to Diane. If he could switch places with me right now, he would. He would’ve been a virgin who didn’t give a damn about anyone but you. That’s not David, though. And that’s not what you love about him.”

  A shuddering breath slipped past her lips as she realized Ryder wasn’t being mean to hurt her. He was doing what he always did; giving her the truth in his blunt way, letting her see she gave David excuses or made up things to make herself feel bad.

  “Hey,” he said, his deep voice actually the most comforting thing she could hear. “Look at me, Sweet Jane.”

  She breathed in harshly before meeting his gaze.

  “I love you, okay?”

  She nodded, whimpering.

  “You are a feisty ass kitten. You clawed my ass up for years, so I want you to hear something.” He grinned at her. “David was so fucking jealous of our fights. I threw it in his face all the time, and what I saw was a guy who wanted the girl he loved to challenge him like you did with me. He wanted his wild kitten, not those bitches we have offering to do anything we want.”

  “That doesn’t help,” she blubbered, though her chest felt lighter.

  “Don’t even start on that. You know I don’t give a damn or even look at women, and David admitted to you he was mentally putting your face over theirs. Don’t get mad that we’ve got the goods.” He laughed at her. “See? Look at me with all that fire, babe. I fucking love it. David does too. So, don’t run and hide like this. He’d much rather be yelled at than have you ignoring him.”

  She sniffled, calming a bit. “How do you make things better when you’re goading me like this?”

  “‘Cause I’m husband, wifey.” He gave her a killer smile. “Kingston was close to shitting himself about that.”

  “You are so—”

  “Incredible, I know.” He winked, still wearing that happy ass smile. “I love you, baby.”

  Damn this boy. “And I love you.”

  “Copycat.” He let out a loud sigh, and she could tell he was staring at something. “His dumbass is swimming laps in the dark. Such a drama queen.”

  Jane laughed sadly. “Will you talk to him for me?”

  Ryder’s gaze flicked back to her. “What do you want me to say? My girlfriend loves you—cheer the fuck up?”

  She glared at him.

  He glared back. “I can do this shit all night.”

  “Don’t be an asshole.” She wasn’t mad at him, but she was emotionally exhausted and cramping, and she missed her David, and she needed Ryder. She wanted to smother Tercero with kisses and make Luc laugh with her. So, she really just wanted her bad boy to make everything better for her. Just for tonight. He’d already made the biggest move, but she needed more when she was sad like this.

  He was staring at her, quiet. “My baby girl is worn out, huh?”

  She frowned, nodding. “My cramps hurt, and I miss all of you.”

  “You got medicine and shit for your cramps?”

  Jane smiled softly. He was too cute. “I got a heating pad.” She tilted the
phone down so he could see it.

  “Damn. I thought you were going to show me something sexy.” He chuckled as she flipped him off. “Don’t tempt me like that. I’ll fuck those cramps away for life.”

  She giggled, trying to quiet herself. “Shush.”

  Mischief glittered across his face, but he spoke seriously. “Want me to sneak over?”

  A gasp escaped her. “You can’t.”

  “I can do anything,” he said confidently. “I don’t want to fuck things up, but if my girl needs me, she’s getting me.”

  “You’re literally the sweetest guy in the world.”

  “Just for you, future wife.” He smiled like he was the lucky one again. “I’ll talk to David,” he added with a slight grunt. “I’ll, um, ask if he wants me to bring you a letter or some shit.”

  Jane didn’t say anything for a few seconds. “Ryder fucking Godson, you are too gosh dang cute. I don’t know if the ‘um’ did it for me or the sweet offer itself, but you just got me pregnant.”

  He laughed loudly, and it was freaking beautiful. “I’d much rather use my dick, but I can always make sure my little mini-me is stuck in there nice and tight.”

  Her cheeks hurt. “That kinda gives me gross images of you stuffing a baby up me, but I’m weird, and I like it.”

  “I know you’re weird.” He chuckled, dropping down onto his bed. “I’m keeping your cute, weird ass anyway. You’re mine. No matter who you love or who loves you, your beautiful soul is all mine. And those gorgeous lips you best stop biting right now. They’re mine. All mine.”

  David rested his forearms on the edge of the Godson’s pool, his heavy breaths managing to make a pale smoke as the temperature dropped for the night. He didn’t care it was well past midnight and that he had practice at seven. Nothing mattered to him, just Jane. And he’d fucked up everything with her. Again. He was never going to earn her forgiveness, never going to make her see she was all he ever wanted, that Diane and every other girl he’d ever touched meant nothing, not when he knew she was there.

  He wanted to beat the shit out of himself for being weak before, for not being man enough to tell her or his father, but all he could do was push his body to its limits. Because his dad wanted nothing to do with him, and she had realized the same; he was a jerk who had hurt her when she believed he was her warrior. He’d never compare to Ryder.

  “Hey, Aquaman,” Ryder drawled walking toward him, “stop pissing in my pool. I plan to make long fucking love to Jane in there one day. Don’t need David juice clinging to my balls as I’m emptying into her.”

  David clenched his jaw, shaking his head to the side to stop the water from dripping into his eyes.

  Ryder chuckled as he dragged a chair close and sat right in front of him.

  “I don’t want company,” David told him as he tried to keep his temper in check. Fighting with Ryder would hurt Jane, and he would rather take Ryder’s insults than ever hurt Jane again.

  “Bitch, did I ask if you wanted company?” Ryder unwrapped a stick of gum and popped it into his mouth. Even that reminder that Ryder was quitting smoking was a punch to the stomach. “I just got done talking to my girl.”

  Pain sliced through David’s heart, but he kept his mouth shut.

  Ryder grinned down at him. “Look at you, little prince. You going to let me tell you all the sweet shit we talked about with each other? Or the kinky shit she wants to try when I see her tomorrow?”

  “Go away.” David turned his back to Ryder as he contemplated swimming more laps or going for a run.

  “You’re such a pussy.” Ryder threw something at the back of David’s head.

  He turned, glaring at his rival. “Fuck you.”

  “I thought we were fucking Jane,” Ryder quipped. “Together.” He tilted his head. “I can swap you for Tercero. I bet she’d love the excitement of thinking she’s got me twice.”

  David growled, nearly splashing Ryder like a child, but he turned again to start more laps. Jane was done with him. “Leave me alone.”

  “I told her I’d talk to you,” Ryder said, halting David. “I even yelled at her cute ass for running from you like this. Had to use my sweet side and a fuck ton of my sexy-dominant side to remind her that you knew you’d fucked up, that you weren’t Mr. Perfect like she has always made you out to be, and most of all, that she’s perfect. Nothing your dumbass did was her fault and comparing herself to the pussy you tried to replace her with is pointless. Because what matters is that you love her, and you committed yourself to her Friday night. No going back.”

  David slowly turned, his brow furrowing as he took in Ryder. His rival wasn’t even looking at him; his head was tilted back as he lazily lounged in the chair, his eyes fixed on the pale moon as it got farther away.

  “You’ve got to be the David who deserves her,” he said, not tearing his gaze away. “She’s not going to get over the betrayal she feels from you fucking Diane. She’s going to go back and forth because that’s what Jane does. One moment she feels like a fucking goddess ruling her whole kingdom, the next moment, though, she’s whimpering like a baby, blaming herself for everything that has gone wrong, crying because she hasn’t succeeded in the areas she craves to, and destroying all her worth because David fucking Leodegrance made her think she was just a girl from his past, one not worth waiting around for or being honest with. The prettiest goddess all alone in the dark because the sun stopped burning for her.”

  The ache that spread through David’s chest intensified, and he reached for the edge of the pool as he attempted to steady his breathing. He kept seeing Jane’s pretty face, those hazel eyes, and her smile, but he couldn’t erase the tears, the way her lips trembled as she tried so hard not to cry, only to sob louder when the first tear slipped free. Then she’d flee. Always afraid to see what his reaction would be.

  “She’s never going to not love you,” Ryder said, still watching the moon. “I don’t even know what you really did to make her put you on such a higher level than the rest of us, but I know this.” Now Ryder looked at him, his face cold. “I know you’re going to find that fucking pedestal you knocked over, and you’re going to make yourself worthy to get on it and stand above me, above Tercero, and sure as fuck above Luc’s ass.”

  The air was sucked from David’s lungs, and he couldn’t respond.

  Ryder did, though. He leaned forward, a fluid movement that made the hairs on David’s neck stand. “You’re going to find her, David,” he said calmly. “You’re going to worship our girl. She’s going to be your fucking princess. Every damn time she thinks of you with Diane, you’re going to kiss her until she remembers Diane is fucking dishwater next to the sweet Dr Pepper she is.”

  David let out a harsh laugh, his breathing evening out.

  “Fight for her, bitch,” Ryder said, his words harsh but no real bite. “I told her once, she doesn’t settle for me just because you burned her pretty ass. And now I’m telling you, I’m not going to let you burn her. Out of all of us, it’s you who can destroy her, and I know you don’t want that. I know you want to shine for her too, but you’re this fucking close to burning yourself out. If you go out, so does she. No matter what I do, no matter what I’m capable of, I wouldn’t be able to re-light her flame. That’s what her dad called her, you know? His darling flame. I know you see it when she’s in the sun and smiling because I do.”

  David sighed as Jane’s smile formed in his mind again. Hi, baby.

  “You’ve done good with tolerating me and her love for me, but you’re doing this shit—angrily swimming laps when you should be writing her a letter or sneaking over to see her.”

  David jerked his head up. “What?”

  Ryder gestured to the house. “Either write some romantic shit down and have it ready for me to give her tomorrow or take my car. Keys are on your pillow along with the key your gran slipped me.” He smirked. “Think I switched her to Team Ryder.”

  “Are you fucking with me?” David hoisted himself out o
f the water, his skin instantly chilled as the wind blew.

  Ryder got up and started heading toward the house, though he answered David anyway. “I’d go for the letter because you’re not going to say the shit you need to say to her if you see her. And when you have to leave her, all the pain will come back . . . . Put it in my backpack with my keys and send her a sweet text good night.” He peered over his shoulder once he reached the door. “Don’t forget to tell her you love her, Papi. Remind her King Daddy—me—loves her more.”

  “Dick.” David smiled, grabbing the towel he’d brought outside.

  “Jane loves all my dick, even my dick personality.” He chuckled, opening the door. “Don’t drip on the fucking floor. Archer keeps busting his fucking head every time someone leaves the floor wet.”

  “Never knew you cared about your brothers,” David said as he roughly dried his body.

  “Nah, I just don’t want him knocking the common sense out of his damn head and having him thinking he can be number five with Jane. I’d hate to kill him; she thinks he’s funny.”

  David chuckled, heading toward Ryder. “Thanks, Ryder.”

  “It’s never for you.” Ryder pointed upward then tilted his head back to smile at the object deserving his attention. “Good night, my moon.” Then he was inside, jogging toward the stairs.

  David glanced up at the moon. He really liked that Ryder called her the moon; it fit her so well. She glowed as brightly as she could with the dark all around her, even with all the pretty stars sparkling across the endless night. She just kept trying to glow, changing, always there—lonely—as she watched the world pass her by. She wanted to glow and dance for her earth, teasing him with her sly smiles. But fuck if the sun wasn’t the lucky bastard who acted superior to all, shining even though he burned her. She took it and glowed even more lovely than he could imagine. She glowed for all of them. David promised he’d let her keep her earth, embrace how she changed because that was her. Her earth shielded her from the sun and stayed with her always.

  So, he whispered the words he would write down to send with Ryder, “Your father really did pick the most perfect guy for you when he picked Ryder. Whatever I did to deserve your love, to be able to even be considered beside him, I’m beyond grateful. I’ll never forget my mistakes; they’ll be with me forever, but longer than forever is how long I will work to make my heart as worthy as his.