_______________
We sit at the table in the formal dining room. Celeste sits across from me, Austin to my left, and Bruce sits at the head of the table to my right. His right-hand man, Raylan, sits to the left. He doesn’t speak. Never does. Not to me anyway. He’s a pussy if you ask me.
It’s going about as well as I thought it would—tense.
The only two people who have spoken since we’ve sat down are Celeste and Austin. And they’re only speaking to one another.
I haven’t touched my food. I didn’t come here for dinner. Well, not the kind their cooks can make me. I came to see the look on Bruce’s face when he saw me. It was priceless. Even now, he stares at me with his dark brown eyes narrowed, trying to figure out my angle. But he’ll never guess. And the fact I was fucking his daughter only an hour ago upstairs makes it even better.
Celeste gets up. “I’m gonna do the dishes,” she announces, and Bruce rolls his eyes. Probably because they have help who does that. But he allows it.
“I’ll help you,” Austin offers, all but running after her, not wanting to be anywhere near her father. The bastard hasn’t even said one word to her, but I think she prefers it that way.
“Leave.” He snaps his fingers at Raylan. He gets up and walks out of the room without a word.
“So,” he starts the moment we’re alone, “I’m a little confused. Which one are you fucking? My daughter or my wife?”
I want to say both just to be a dick but refrain. Instead, I lean back in my seat, stretching out my legs. “Austin,” I say her name. Because she’s not his daughter. He’s not a dad to her in any way.
He narrows his eyes on me. “So you were screwing my wife before my daughter showed up?”
“I’ve never screwed Celeste.”
He snorts.
“Why would I lie? I’ve got nothing to lose. But since you brought it up … My father told me that you think I spent the night here, but I assure you, I haven’t. Not even since I started seeing Austin.”
He arches a brow. “Trying to be a gentleman, Cole? That’s so out of character for you. I still don’t believe you haven’t slept with my wife, though.”
I lean forward, my forearms on the table. “Come on, Bruce. I’m offended. You know me better than that. If I wanted to fuck your wife, you would never know.” He opens his mouth, but I continue. “But I have a proposition for you.”
He can’t mask his surprise at my words.
We don’t work together. We’re enemies.
All part of my plan.
“I’m listening.”
“My dad also told me that Austin’s mom wants her to live with you until graduation, and you want her out as soon as possible.”
“She doesn’t belong here.” He fists his hands on the table.
“I don’t disagree.”
“I’ve already spoken to her mother. Today. I offered to send Austin back to California with twenty thousand. She said she could return.”
I tilt my head to the side, choosing my words carefully. “I know how you can get rid of her and keep your money.”
“How so?”
The bastard is so money hungry, he’s already sold his soul once. And the devil is going to be coming to collect soon. He just doesn’t know I’m the one who will deliver him. “Give her to me. Let her stay here. I’ll make sure she stays out of trouble.”
He leans in, his eyes narrowing. “No.” He stands from the table.
I knew he’d say no. That’s why I came prepared. “What if I told you I have something you want?”
He comes to a stop. “What could you have that I would possibly want?”
I dig into my pocket and pull out the single key. I toss it onto the table.
He looks at it, and his eyes flare with anger. “You son of a bitch …”
“It’s all yours. If she stays.”
“It is mine! You stole it.”
“I found it.”
His fisted hands bang against the table, making our glasses rattle. “You fucking stole it!”
I smile up at him. “I dare you to prove it.”
He snarls.
“Do we have a deal or not?”
“You planned this,” he claims, eyes flaring with rage.
I knew I’d need insurance.
He looks at the key longingly. His eyes go from it to me, and he nods. “Done.”
“How do I know you’re not gonna fuck me over?” I ask, picking the key up and twirling the chain around my finger.
“Haven’t you heard of honor among thieves?” he snarls.
I have. I also know how he operates. “She stays.”
His eyes shoot to the direction of the kitchen and then back to me. “Until graduation. And then she’s gone.”
That’s all I need.
“Why do you want her? She can’t be that great of a fuck. Her mother sure as hell wasn’t.”
Sick bastard.
I stand from the table and ignore that statement. “Oh, and just a heads-up. My car will still be here in the morning.”
Just then, Austin enters the dining room. “Let’s go to the media room,” I tell her. “I wanna watch a movie.”
She frowns but nods.
“I’m leaving town tomorrow morning,” her father scowls. “I’ll be gone for two weeks.” Then he walks off.
AUSTIN
“What was that about?” I ask as we enter the media room.
“Nothing,” he says, closing the door behind us.
“Cole?”
“What?”
“Why do you blow off everything I ask?” I plop down onto the circular couch.
He walks past it and goes to the glass table that sits underneath the screen. Grabbing the remotes, he bends down, looking at the stacks of movies underneath it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I shove off my shoes and lean back, crossing my arms over my chest. “Yes, you do,” I argue.
He stays silent while he picks out a movie and pops Gone in Sixty Seconds into the DVD player. He flips the lights off and comes to stand in front of me. I glare up at him as the movie begins.
Then being the bastard that he is, he reaches up and grabs his shirt and pulls it over his head, tossing it to the floor.
“What are you doing?” I ask, the room getting hotter by the second. I hate how my eyes run over the marks that my nails left just an hour ago when we were up in my room. The way he hissed in a breath as I drug my hands down his skin. I want to mark him just as much as he wants to claim me. It’s very unhealthy.
He then reaches for the button on his jeans. “You.”
“Cole.” I look around as if we’re not alone. But we are. “We could have done this in my bedroom.” But my heart starts to pound at the thought of doing it in here while my dad and Celeste are downstairs.
“I wanna do you in here,” he states.
His jeans hit the floor, and then he’s crawling on top of me. I pull back, eyeing him nervously. “You’re up to something.” But my thighs are tight, and my pussy already wet.
He chuckles, gripping the hem of my shirt. “Don’t trust me?”
“No.”
He removes my shirt and tosses it to the floor with his. Then he pulls the straps of my bra down, exposing my breasts. My nipples are hard, and he licks his lips. “Good, because you shouldn’t.” Then he lowers his lips to my skin.
I arch my back and let out a long breath as he sucks on my nipple. Gently biting it. He releases it with a popping sound and moves to the other side.
I reach up and grip his hair, pulling on it. He then trails kisses down my stomach. My breath starts coming faster as he kisses my hip bones before dipping between my legs. His tongue licks over my pussy, and I shudder. “Cole.” I pant.
He positions himself between my legs and throws them over his shoulders. I arch my back when his tongue enters me. He fucks me with his mouth as hard as he does with his cock. I cry out and slap my hand over my mouth, not wanting anyone i
n the house to hear me even though I know they can’t. This is a fifteen thousand square foot house. The odds of them standing on the other side of the door are slim.
That familiar feeling that I get every time he’s had his hands on me starts to build and I arch my back as my eyes close. My thighs tighten around his head and I come with his name mumbled due to my hand still on my mouth.
He lowers my legs and he yanks my hand away. I suck in a ragged breath as my body shakes.
He hovers over me as he licks his wet lips. “You taste amazing, sweetheart. Like me.” Then his lips are on mine.
_______________
The following Sunday, I find myself back at the clubhouse. And once again, I didn’t get much info about what the hell I’m doing here. But this time, they didn’t give me anything I could use on any of them.
I stand, leaning up against the table to face the open room. Cole stands to my right talking to Deke while Shane and Bennett sit on the couch.
“Where’s Kellan?” Shane asks what I’m thinking.
I’ve tried to steer clear of him at school, but for some reason, he continues to sit next to me at lunch. Thankfully, I don’t have any classes with him, but I can’t hide from him since he’s friends with Cole. Even if their friendship seems to be on the rocks at the moment.
“He’s coming,” Deke assures him.
Cole turns to me. “I’m gonna go over the rules with you.” I nod. Still not sure what we’re doing here. “One, you have a month to complete your dare. But if you complete it sooner, then the next person goes the following week.” So this is about the dares. I swallow, not wanting to do this. “Two, there has to be a consequence for each dare. If the dare is not completed, you must face the consequence by midnight on the last day. Three, there are no limits to the dares.” No limits? That makes my stomach knot up. “Four, if your dare gets picked, you may choose to be present while the dare is being completed.” I break out in a sweat and look at Deke. What if I get his, and he wants to go with me? I don’t want to be alone with him. He smiles and then gives me a wink like he knows what I’m thinking. “Last rule ... you get caught, you’re on your own. Understand?”
“Yes,” I say with a head nod, but on the inside, I am shaking.
The door opens, and Kellan walks in. His eyes are on mine while he walks over to the table. I take a step toward Cole, and he places his arm over my shoulders, and I let out a shaky breath. Although Cole is the reason I’m here, he makes me feel the safest. He’s made it very clear that he won’t tolerate Kellan touching me. I’m not so sure if he would stop Deke, though I’m hoping I don’t have to find out.
“Here you go.” Shane walks around, handing each of us a piece of paper and a pen. Then he goes back to sit down on the couch.
I remove myself from Cole’s arm and turn to face the table. Bending over, my pen hovers over the paper.
What kind of dare could I possibly do? Shelby told me they have been doing these for a while, and they physically hurt themselves. I don’t want to be responsible for someone getting hurt. That will just give them another reason to hate me.
Think! What all has Cole told me? Not much. I know they killed a guy. I know that the guy has a brother who beat his wife and then killed her …
I get a thought. It’s crazy and borderline illegal, but not enough to where I would spend the rest of my life in prison. Or end up dead.
I hear the guys behind me and know they are all done. They knew what tonight was so they already had their dares chosen before they walked in the door.
Even though I didn’t want anything to do with this, I feel like now I have something to prove. I have to show them that I’m not afraid. I can hang with them.
I write down my dare and consequence and stick it in a bowl in the middle of the room. Then go sit on the couch next to Cole. I cross my legs, and he slides his hand between them, gripping my inner thigh. Kellan’s eyes go to his hand and then to Cole’s. He doesn’t acknowledge him. But I tense.
Why does he hate me so much? Does he not understand that I don’t want to be here?
Shane walks up to the bowl and draws a piece of paper out. His eyes go straight to mine. I swallow nervously.
He begins. “SURPRISE! I’ll meet you in the sea. We’ll swim together as we flee.” He looks at Cole and then back down at the paper. “Consequence: you must dress like me for the day.”
Kellan is the first one to speak. “What the fuck is this shit?’
Cole shifts his body on the couch and turns to me. “This isn’t how it works, Austin.”
“What?” I shrug. “You didn’t say it couldn’t be done like that.” I didn’t want to give the dare away because I don’t want to be told I can’t do it by someone. I had to make it to where no one would catch onto it. If they’re making me do this, I’m all in. Too late to turn back now.
“It doesn’t make any fucking sense,” Kellan snaps.
“It’s a riddle, idiot,” Cole defends me. I almost smile.
“Absolutely not!” he snarls at Cole. “Draw again, Shane,” he demands.
“No,” Bennett says. “She’s right. She isn’t breaking any rules. And that is what he drew. We’ve never had anyone draw twice before, so we’re not gonna start now.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
COLE
“THIS IS BULLSHIT!” Kellan barks, standing to his feet.
I slowly remove my hand from between her legs and stand, facing him. “You don’t like it, you can pull out.”
His eyes widen for a brief second before they land on Austin where she still sits on the couch. I don’t agree with her dare, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to back her. She doesn’t know what we’re doing. I’ve kept the rules as simple as possible for her. Not wanting her to know more than she needs to. She’s a fucking chick. What did he think she was going to have us do?
“Pull out?” Kellan growls at my words. “Want me to leave, Cole?”
Anyone can withdraw at any time. But to be thrown out, we all have to agree. I wish the fucker would just walk away. Kellan and I have always butted heads even though we’ve all been friends since we were little. I didn’t hate him at first, but after Maddox, Landen, and Eli died, things changed between us. And the fact that he took my car to Bruce’s house to fuck his wife isn’t setting well with me. Why would he do it? Did he want me to get caught? If that’s the case, why? And if so, would Celeste have said I was the one she fucked? Does he want me to rat him out? Me take the fall? I’m not sure, but I’m keeping my mouth shut until I find out.
“Cole—” Shane starts.
“No, let him make his decision,” Deke interrupts him. He comes over to us and crosses his arms over his chest, ready to fight Kellan. But I don’t need his help, and he knows it. “I’m tired of you two fighting over fucking pussy.”
“Hey,” Austin says defensively.
“What is it, Kellan? You wanna fuck her too?” he asks, and she gasps. “You mad Cole found her first? Fuck, man, go stick your dick somewhere else. She’s not worth it.”
Austin shoots to her feet, eyes narrowed on Deke, but I shove her shoulder, making her sit back down. “Cole—”
“Is that the problem, Kellan?” I ask, interrupting her and taking a step toward him. His brown eyes meet mine. “You want her? Want me to share her with you? All you gotta do is ask. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve passed a girl around.”
I know Celeste isn’t the only bitch he’s fucking at the moment. Just last week, he hooked up with Melanie, a girl on the volleyball team. Not like he has a reason to be faithful to Celeste. The bitch is married, after all.
His eyes go to Austin, and I hate how he looks over her like she is a piece of meat for him to eat. That would be the icing on the cake for him. To fuck Bruce’s wife and daughter. And if he did sleep with her, that would piss off Celeste, and she would send her back without a second thought. I saw her eyes when she spoke of Kellan. She loves him. His eyes meet mine again.
I tur
n to Austin and grab her hand. I yank her up from the couch and slide my arm around her waist, pinning her back to my front. She tries to fight me, but I hold her in place. Her breath picks up in fear. “Cole, what are you …?”
“Did you listen to the video?” I ask him, cutting her off.
“What video?” she asks, and her voice shakes.
I bring my free hand up and wrap it around her throat and tilt her head back. It makes her arch her back, pushing her chest out. She whimpers, and her hands come up and grip my arm as if that’s going to stop me. Her pulse races, and she swallows nervously. His eyes go to her tits.
“Did you hear her scream my name inside that bathroom? Did you listen to her beg me for more?”
Her body trembles against mine.
“Everyone has heard that video,” he snaps.
“I haven’t,” Deke chimes in.
Kellan looks at him and snorts. “You were fucking there. You were the one who recorded it.”
He shrugs. “Doesn’t mean I listened.”
Kellan takes a step back, running a hand through his hair. “This is ridiculous,” he says frustrated. Then his eyes meet mine. “I don’t want your whore, Cole. I don’t want her anywhere around me, let alone inside her pants. And I’m sure as hell not gonna let you push me out of the group because I don’t like your little fuck-toy of the month.” He grabs his jacket off the couch, turns around, and storms out the door.
I let go of Austin, and she takes three steps away from me, sucking in a deep breath. I turn to the guys, putting my back to her. “We need to vote his ass out.”
Shane sighs heavily. “He’s just going through a hard time.”
“Bullshit!” Deke snaps. “He’s always caused problems for us.”
“Cole?” I hear Austin’s voice behind me, but I ignore her. I’m busy at the moment.
Shane looks at Deke. “I can see where he’s coming from. I’m still skeptical if she should even be here.”
“She’s not going anywhere,” I growl.
“Cole?” she snaps. I still ignore her.
DARE SERIES COLLECTION Page 15