Loch (The Powers That Be Book 3)

by Harper Bentley

  “And humiliating him will do that?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  I still wasn’t buying it wholly and she knew this.

  “Okay, does it help if I tell you about what he did to Samantha Hays our freshman year? You remember her. She was such a sweetheart. Not really popular but always so nice to everyone. Well, I’m pretty sure Loch’s friends teased him about her having a crush on him. And I guess he couldn’t stand to have someone who wasn’t a cheerleader or whatever liking him. You wanna know what he did?”

  Did I want to know? Yeesh. I gave her a cautious nod.

  “We were in line in the cafeteria. Samantha’s dad had just been laid off so she was embarrassed that she’d had to get on the free lunch plan. So Loch walks up to her and snatches her lunch card out of her hand, looks at it then holds it up while announcing to the entire school that she’s getting her lunch for free.”

  I scoffed. “He did not!” At her, “Oh, yes he did” look, I sputtered, “W-what? That’s horrible!” I remembered Samantha and how adorable she’d been and knew that must’ve really hurt her.

  “Yep. She ended up transferring to Jefferson at the semester because everyone teased her so much about it.” Marcy nodded at my horrified look then she remembered something else. “Oh! He and Mary Fletcher dated for like two weeks our sophomore year when she asked if he’d help at the homeless shelter the day before Thanksgiving. She said he’d been all enthusiastic about it but when he didn’t show up, she called him to ask where he was and he acted like he had no idea what she was talking about and she could hear a girl giggling in the background. When Mary told him she still had his text messages telling her he’d be there, he told her he didn’t have time for her, that he’d moved on and that she needed to ‘get over him.’”

  “Wow,” I mumbled.

  “As far as I know, he’s still just as cocky and as big of a jerk now as he was then. So do these other girls’ stories change your mind?”

  I blew out a breath as I picked at my lasagna with my fork still not convinced I wanted to do it.

  “All right. I didn’t want to tell you, but Loch also did something that embarrassed the shit outta me too.”

  My head shot up at this. Ah, here it came, the real reason she wanted him shot down. “What? What’d he do to you?”

  Her face turned bright red and I knew it had to be bad because it took a lot for Marcy to get embarrassed. “It’s so mortifying, Sim. So the beginning of seventh grade, we were in science class getting ready to dissect frogs. Jenna Plum and I were partners and Loch and David Janzen were partners and at the same table Jenna and I were. You remember what a huge crush I had on David, right?”

  I nodded wondering what the heck Loch had done to her that made her still so uncomfortable to this day.

  “I was a little squeamish because, well, frogs,” she shuddered, “so pretty much the whole time, Jenna was having to do the cutting and I was leaning on the table trying not to pass out. Halfway through class, Loch starts looking at me funny and I’m frowning wondering what the hell’s wrong with him. Then he suddenly lunges toward me and grabs… this is so humiliating…” She put her head in her hand and let out a groan.

  “What? What did he do?”

  She slowly raised her head and grimaced. “He pulled a tissue out of my shirt.”

  I wasn’t making the connection and frowned trying to figure out what exactly she was saying.

  “I stuffed my bra, Simone! I mean, all the girls had sprouted boobs except for me and it was embarrassing. So I started stuffing every day to make myself feel better. I guess when I was leaning over, it pushed a tissue out.”

  I had to bite my lips to keep from laughing because that was cute that she’d done that but when I saw that she had tears in her eyes, I felt horrible. Reaching a hand out to cover hers, I said, “Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to stand up for you like you did for me. Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

  She swiped a tear away and let out a humorless laugh as I sat back. “I didn’t want to add to your misery. You already hated him and always sounded so sad whenever we talked, I just thought it’d be best to stay quiet. And I know it’s stupid for me to still be upset about it, but it was so degrading especially with David being right there! The worst part was after he pulled the tissue out he started twirling it around asking me what it was and everyone started laughing. Everybody called me Stuffy the rest of the year.” She snorted. “It’s silly now, but it definitely wasn’t at the time.” She tried hiding it but I could see the hurt in her face. And then she shrugged. “So now you know why I hate him too and want him to pay for all the shit he did to people.”

  He was a jerk! And because she was my best friend and I felt like I’d failed her for not being there to have her back, I agreed. “Okay, I’ll do it. But not just for me, for you too. And for Samantha and Mary. You’re right. He needs to know what a… what an asshole he was.”

  “Why, Simone St. John! Your momma’s gonna come up here and wash your mouth out with soap!” she replied with a giggle.

  I usually tried not to curse unless I was really mad or the circumstances deemed it necessary. It was something that my parents had pounded into Tristan’s and my head (it didn’t take so much with him) but right now, I felt this situation warranted some foul language.

  I scowled at my best friend. “Well, I’m bigger than my mom now, so I’d like to see her try.”

  This made Marcy snort. “So you’re really gonna do it? I mean, honestly, I know I should let it go but he was such a prick.”

  “Yeah, I am. He needs to go down.”

  She reached her palm up and I gave her a high five. “Awesome. You fuckin’ rock, Sim.”

  ~*~*~*~

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 10:38 p.m.

  Me: Hey, so there’s a Kappa Sig party Friday. Wanna go?

  I was lying in bed having commenced Campaign Conquer the Cocksucker, or Triple C (Marcy’s chosen title of our operation) and waiting for an answer.

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:02 p.m.

  Assface (Marcy had decided this was a more appropriate name for him in my phone): Hey! Sounds good. I didn’t get your name today…

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:04 p.m.

  Me: Celeste

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:05 p.m.

  Assface: I like it. It’s very pretty… like you

  What a flirt. I hated that I couldn’t take anything he said to heart though because all he’d been since we’d “met” today was very sweet and I really wished I could believe him.

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:05 p.m.

  Me: Thank you.

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:05 p.m.

  Assface: So does this mean I’ll get to see you in a bikini?

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:05 p.m.

  Me: Well, it is a pool party… does this mean I get to see YOU in a bikini?

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:06 p.m.

  Assface: First of all, can’t wait to see your gorgeous body in it. Second, how about a mankini? I’ve got a bright yellow one. Would that work?

  I snorted out a laugh at that visual.

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:06 p.m.

  Me: Absolutely. Can’t wait to see your gorgeous body in it

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:06 p.m.

  Assface: You like my body, huh?

  Well, crap. He had some serious flirting skills. I was still stuck in Flirting 101 and knew I needed to be careful here.

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:07 p.m.

  Me: It’ll do

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:07 p.m.

  Assface: It’ll do…

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:07 p.m.

  Me: Yeah, it’ll do

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:07 p.m.

  Assface: Baby, I’ll sh
ow you what it can do one of these days

  Yikes! Be super cold, Simone.

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:08 p.m.

  Me: Think so, huh?

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:08 p.m.

  Assface: Know so

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:08 p.m.

  Me: Well, you’re not arrogant at all

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:08 p.m.

  Assface: Hm. Arrogant? I like to think of myself as having seemly swagger or maybe even inspired insolence

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:09 p.m.

  Me: Someone knows their alliteration

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:09 p.m.

  Assface: I’m anything if not well educated. So… back to this bikini of yours…

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:09 p.m.

  Me: What about it?

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:09 p.m.

  Assface: Color?

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:09 p.m.

  Me: Why do you need to know the color?

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:10 p.m.

  Assface: So I know what color cummerbund to wear to match

  I snorted out another laugh. Dang it. I was trying so hard to be indifferent, which I knew was coming off as just plain rude, but this was tricky!

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:10 p.m.

  Me: If you must know, it’s royal blue

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:10 p.m.

  Assface: Hot. I’ll bet you look amazing in it

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:10 p.m.

  Me: Look, I know you’re just trying to be nice, so you can save the flattery

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:11 p.m.

  Assface: Truth isn’t flattery, darlin’

  “Shit!” I muttered then realized I’d cursed. “Damn it!”

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:11 p.m.

  Me: And you’re quite charming too, aren’t you?

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:11 p.m.

  Assface: I try to be. Is it working?

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:12 p.m.

  Me: How many girls have you charmed out of their bikini bottoms, Loch?

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:12 p.m.

  Assface: There’s only one I can think of right now I’d like to do it to

  All right. This had to end now because he was getting to me!

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:12 p.m.

  Me: I have an early class, so I need to go

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:12 p.m.

  Assface: Okay. If I don’t get to talk to you in class Friday, I’ll pick you up at 8?

  No! That was when Marcy said Adam was picking her up.

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:12 p.m.

  Me: How about 8:30?

  Text Message—Weds, Aug. 13, 11:12 p.m.

  Assface: Can do. Sweet dreams, beautiful…

  How nice was he? Well, this was going to be fun seeing if I could withstand his flirting. Just what had I gotten myself into?

  Confession Number Four

  I was panicking, throwing clothes all over my room as I dug through my dresser drawers. I had on my bikini and wedge sandals and must’ve looked like a Pamela Anderson wannabe which only added to my torment. Ugh.

  “Jesus. What’s happening in here?” Marcy asked from my doorway.

  “I can’t find my cover-up! I know it’s here!” I flung out some t-shirts and shorts looking for the stupid thing.

  “I borrowed it Monday, remember?”

  I stood up straight and looked at my roommate then it dawned on me. “Oh, yeah.” Glancing around my room which looked like a tornado had just passed through I huffed out a breath.

  “Stop being so nervous, Sim. It’s gonna be okay. Really.”

  I put my hands on my hips and raised my eyebrows at her. “You’re not at this very moment having to prepare yourself to be the poster girl for all things revenge, now are you? If you were in my shoes, you’d be feeling the same way,” I challenged.

  She slowly nodded in agreement. “You’re right. Okay, carry on being nervous then.” When I shot her a look, she snorted. “I’ll go get your cover-up.”

  It was almost eight which meant Loch would be here in thirty minutes to get me and I could feel myself starting to come apart beneath the surface. As I waited for Marcy to return, I figured standing and waiting was futile, so I started nabbing clothes off the floor and shoving them back in my drawers which helped a bit with the nerves.

  “Here it is. This thing is so sexy, Sim! Loch’s gonna be drooling like crazy then BAM! you’re gonna shut him down like that!” She snapped her fingers then threw me the white crocheted cover-up that I was now second guessing wearing.

  “Maybe we should trade,” I suggested.

  “Hell no. This thing’s basically a muumuu and coming off the minute I get there,” she retorted about the semi-ugly housedress looking thing she was wearing.

  “Then what about the UDub tee Tristan gave me?”

  Marcy tilted her head to the side and looked at me in disgust. “That thing swallows you.”

  “Exactly.”

  “No! You wanna look hot and make him want you! That’s part of the plan!”

  I held the cover-up out in front of me. “But this thing leaves nothing to the imagination.”

  “I know. Adam loved it on me.” She giggled which made me roll my eyes. And speaking of Adam, just then he texted her the same time he rang the doorbell. “He’s here! I’ll see you there, okay?” At what I’m sure was a terrified look on my face, she said, “It’s gonna be fine, Sim. I’ll be there so if you start feeling uncomfortable, text me and Adam and I will come find you. And look, if Triple C doesn’t work, it’s no big deal. Go have fun and if it works, it works, okay? If it doesn’t, we’ll put Triple C Part Deux into action.”

  “I can only imagine what that entails. G-strings and pasties?”

  “Maybe…” She chuckled at my opened-mouth look of shock. “Just kidding. But it’ll be fine. ’Kay! I’ll either see you there or talk to you tonight! If not, wish me luck! Bye!” She rushed out of the room.

  She and Adam had started dating this past Sunday, so not even a week, and I’d met him Monday. He seemed like a pretty nice guy and he was really into Marcy which was good. She’d been giddy and excited all week telling me she thought tonight would be the first time they had sex which was why she wanted me to wish her luck.

  “Okay, yeah, bye. Good luck to you and your vagina,” I muttered then had to chuckle a moment later when I heard her squeal after she opened the front door telling Adam he looked hot.

  When I heard the front door close, I sighed then pulled on the cover-up and checked myself out in my full-length mirror. Boy, it was absolutely sexy in its barely-there coverage and clinginess and I tugged at the hem trying to make it longer which just made it spring back up to its original indecent length. I’d actually bought it thinking Jared would like it (he definitely had) but this was different. I mean, it was one thing to wear it for my then boyfriend, but to wear it now seemed kind of risqué to me. I vacillated for a few minutes on whether I should wear a pair of shorts under it and that’s when the doorbell rang again.

  Crap! He was early!

  Taking a deep breath and blowing it out I looked at my reflection. “You hate Loch Powers. He was a jerk to you and others. Make him pay,” I reminded myself. I nodded, blowing out another breath, then went to get the door, snagging my keys off the hook and slipping them in the one pocket my cover-up had then grabbing the towels I’d gotten for us.

  “Hey,” I said when I opened the door, looking up at the freaking gorgeous god who was standing on my front porch.

  His eyes roved over my body (twice!) before his eyes met mine and, oh my, it didn’t take a genius to read what was in t
hose eyes of his. Flat-out lust burned from them which made me let out a little gasp. “Hey, beautiful.”

  My face flamed red hot and I had to tell myself to stay calm. Easier said than done. Jeez. “Hey. Uh, you ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be,” he answered with a grin, then took the towels from me tucking them under his arm then grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door as I tugged it closed behind me with my other hand. Then he executed some kind of yank on the hand he was holding and I ended up flush against his body where my palms landed against his rock hard chest. Holy cow. He wrapped his arm around me, his hand resting just above my butt, his fingers clamping onto the crocheted material of my cover-up and pulled me against him. “I take it back. I’ve been ready since Wednesday.” His head dipped closer to mine as he said this until his lips were now against mine and I felt them move when he said, “Dreamed how you’d look and it doesn’t fucking come close. You’re stunning, Celeste.” Then he kissed me. And, man-oh-man, could he kiss. It started slow with just his mouth on mine, which was very nice, but when I felt his tongue gliding across my bottom lip I pulled in a startled breath and that’s when his tongue entered my mouth and, well, now we were full-on making out.

  Even as my brain was screaming at me to stop, one of my hands made its way up to the side of his waist as the other wound its way behind his neck where my fingers clutched his hair as our tongues twisted together exquisitely making me moan into his mouth. My moan seemed to trigger his arms into moving fast, I felt the towels drop and the next thing I knew, one arm had cinched its way around my waist holding me even more tightly to him as the other made its way up to where his hand held the side of my face. Then he buried his fingers in the hair behind my ear clutching it to keep my mouths urgently against his. Wow.

  I don’t know how long the kiss lasted, a couple minutes at least I do know that much, but it wasn’t until I suddenly realized that in accordance with the motion of our kiss and the way our tongues were jousting with each other, it became clear to me that I was rocking my body into his, as in mock humping him(!), practically having clothed (kind of) vertical sex with him as my hand at his waist dug in to pull him with me in my libidinous thrusts against him and I froze. My eyes flew open wide and locked with his that had also opened when I went all statue on him but our mouths remained connected.