by J Bree
Ash smirks back at her. “More than you. You’ve bought it for one body, I’ve seen it on-“
“Do not give me a number right now Alexander Asher William Beaumont, I will smother you in your sleep. No sister wants to hear how many sluts her brother has gone through. Which reminds me, when were you last tested for STI’s? Annabelle probably gave you herpes.”
Hw ignores her and continues to add items. I choke on my toast and try to snatch the laptop away from him when I see what exactly he’s picking. “I do not fucking need corsets, suspender belts, or a crotchless bodysuit!”
Ash raises an eyebrow at me. “How very vanilla of you. All cotton granny panties then?”
I cross my arms and seethe at him. No answer I give him will save me so silence it is. Avery comes over to perch on the armrest and point out pieces she likes.
“Why are you doing this? You don’t even like me.” I say finally, after I hand over my card details and find myself thousands of dollars poorer. I’m so glad I risked my life for such a tiny amount of lace and boning. Corset boning, not even the supposedly fun type. Avery pats my head and heads to the coffee machine for round two.
“I know you’re going to fuck us over at some point, I figure why not have some fun until then?” Ash replies, nonchalant.
I glare at him and Avery calls out from the kitchen in a sing-song voice, “Baby steps!”
I groan and pack my bag for the day. Ash watches me and I try not to squirm under the intensity of his gaze.
“What?!” I snap when I can’t take it anymore.
“Who do you think is stealing your underwear?”
I groan. “If I knew, it wouldn’t be happening anymore. I’m fucking sick of replacing it. Whoever it is, they’re taking them when I send them out to be washed.”
Ash grimaces but doesn’t say anything so I continue. “Avery thinks it’s a prank and someone in the laundry is in on it. I think it’s Harlow being a snotty bitch because I found Avery’s shoes.”
Ash frowns at me. “They’re taking underwear you’ve already worn. It sounds like a desperate guy taking them to sniff.”
My stomach roils, I hadn’t thought of that. For fucks sake. “Guys are disgusting. Seriously. I’m putting a fucking camera on the door and I’m washing my own shit from now on. Fuck this!”
I storm out and head to my classes in a foul mood.
What next?
Avery texts me during classes to say she’s having our clothes sent out of the school for cleaning for the foreseeable future. I’ll have to order two more uniforms to get through the week but it’s cheaper than buying more of the underwear Ash selected.
When I get back to our rooms and find a package waiting for me I empty it straight into my drawers without looking through it. I’m too pissed to enjoy my new things.
Thankfully Ash sleeps in his own room so the next morning I don’t have to deal with his commentary while I pick out what I’m going to wear. I blush profusely when it finally hits me that he’s picked every piece of lace I now own. Fuck. He didn’t just buy underwear either, no, he bought matching bras for every pair. I didn’t give him my size and yet they fit perfect. He’s a fucking wizard.
I pick out a black set and once they’re on it’s clear he’s picked out the most risqué underwear possible. They’re completely transparent and sexy as fuck. I blush but I also feel feminine and attractive. Yep, a fucking wizard. I wonder if he’ll pick out all of my underwear from now on if I ask?
Avery ducks into the bathroom behind me and slaps my ass with a giggle. I scowl at her playfully and pull on some jeans and a shirt.
“I need your help with something today, if you’re not too busy?” she says as she brushes her hair. I frown and nod as I brush my teeth.
“A senior, called Yasmin Gilliam, started a gossip website last year. It’s stupid and childish and I’ve barely given it any attention up until now. Someone has made an anonymous account and is posting classified documents on there. Documents from businesses and organizations owned by Hannaford families.”
I finish up and lean on the sink, my arms folded, as I listen. Avery gives me a sidelong look. “None of it affects us but it’s only a matter of time. If something about Seniors business gets posted, or Harley’s parents, we’re in for a rough ride through hell. Yasmin plays basketball and the team has training now. If we leave soon we can meet her in the locker rooms and I can sort this out.”
I nod. “What do you have on her?”
Avery sighs. “Not enough to get it taken down. I can have it disabled but she can just start it up again. I’m hoping threats are enough. If not she goes on the planner and we destroy her.”
I head out of the bathroom and grab my knife, slipping it into my jeans pocket.
Avery adjusts her dress, and again, and again. I frown at her. “What aren’t you telling me?”
She bites her lip, a nervous tick I’ve never seen her do before. “There’s dozens of posts about Rory and what he did to me. Girls are commenting about how I was leading him on and how I was only getting what I deserved. All anonymous of course but the idiots don’t realize I can trace them. I’ve got a very long list of bitches on my planner.”
I’m disgusted but not surprised. We don’t have time to deal with any more spoilt little girls, too privileged and naive to understand real world consequences.
“We’ll work something out, Ave’s. Let’s just talk to this girl and go from there. Whatever happens, we’re in it together.”
Avery smiles and tucks her arm into mine. “I know. I’m just…a little nervous about it. When Ash sees it, he's going to lose his mind and then we’ll have to do damage control for him as well. Like I said, it’s going to spiral.”
I hum my agreement and lock our door behind us.
Avery is silent but determined as we walk down to the gym. Basketball practice is still underway but only the juniors and seniors are still out on the court. Avery leads me into the locker room and, fucking hell, it’s practically a day spa.
The only locker room I’ve been in before is the one at Mounts Bay Middle School and it was a damp, rotting nightmare. This room is a palace of white marble and Egyptian cotton towels. Avery laughs at the look on my face and I give her a lopsided grin in return. Fucking rich kids.
Yasmin blanches when she sees us and Avery easily corners her. I lean against the wall by the door so I can keep an eye on the other girls. Not that I want to, they’re mostly walking around in their underwear and giving me dirty looks. I smile back sweetly and flip them off.
Harlow is naked and rubbing her shoulder down with oil. I’m totally horrified but no one else seems to care so I stare at my toes instead. The smell of mint hits my nose and I hear Harlow grunting as she massages the oil into her skin. She must have an old injury, I’ve used Wintergreen oil on my leg when it’s flared up before. I store that knowledge away because it’s good to know where her weaknesses are.
I’m still staring at the floor when a hand wraps around my mouth and I’m jerked flush against a hard, naked chest. I don’t recognize the scent of the shampoo the guy uses and I tense up. He’s twice the size of me and easily drags me out of the girls locker room and into the guys.
Chapter Eighteen
I don’t bother fighting or struggling.
Whoever it is, they’re not Joey so I doubt this is life threatening but I wedge my hand into my jeans pocket to get a hold of my knife anyway. The arm around my chest is like a steel band so I’ll have to wait until the asshole eases up on the pressure. Then, I’ll stab the fucker.
“Not so tough now, are you Mounty?” Ugh. It’s Devon, Joey’s favorite flunky, the one with a crush on Harlow. I wonder if he got an eyeful of her rubbing the Wintergreen oil into her shoulder before he grabbed me? Gross.
He marches me over to a little alcove behind the showers and slams me into the wall. I grunt as the air is knocked out of my lungs and he presses himself against me. He’s standing there in a pair of silk boxers and flip
flops. For the love of god, I’m going to have to stab him. I meet his eyes and see the glazed look of them. Open too wide and bouncing around my face like he can’t stop them. He’s taking drugs too. I bet every last one of Joey’s flunkies are snorting coke between classes. I want to scream.
Devon keeps one hand pressed over my mouth and he leans in too closely as he speaks. “I’ll let Joey know I caught you. He can come down and finish the bet. We can forget you even exist, Mounty.”
My eyes narrow at him. Joey will never forget me now I have his interest. Devon ignores the warning look I’m giving him and moves so his hand wraps around my throat, squeezing just little.
His eyes may be manic but I’m not worried about him choking me. He’s too much of a pompous rich boy, he doesn’t have the fire required to kill someone, even as high as he is. He starts rambling on like his mouth is running away from him. “Why couldn’t you just spread these legs and let Joey win, huh? You’re a frigid fucking slut. Why did you just have to become a problem we all have to deal with? Well, I’m going to finish this.”
I jerk the knife out of my pocket and press it to his gut. I still prefer the groin but I can’t reach it with how he has me pinned. The hand on my throat spasms as he glances down and sees the blade pressing into his skin, a line of blood already starting to well up.
His eyes are wide and when he opens his mouth to start on his next tirade of crap he doesn’t get a single word out because his body is thrown away from mine by an equally naked, but far more colorful, body slamming into the side of him. It takes me a second to see who it is, because he’s so fucking fast to lay into Devon, but Blaise is beating the shit out of the tweaking asshole. Devon tries to put his hands up but Blaise just keeps on punch until Devon falls limp with a pathetic groan.
I take a deep breath, and then another, and then Avery slips her body in next to mine and watches Blaise pulverize Devon.
“I turned and you were gone.” she whispers.
I shrug. “He grabbed me from behind, I had it under control.”
When it’s clear Devon is unconscious I call out, “He’s done, Morrison.”
Blaise grunts and punches him in the face one last time. When he stands he’s panting and his fists are covered in blood. I finally notice he’s only wearing a pair of boxer shorts and he’s still wet from the shower. He turns to walk towards us and I can’t breathe.
“Sweet lord.” I mumble and Avery snorts at me, incredulously. I elbow her gently in the ribs because, seriously, how the fuck is she immune to him?
Blaise stops in front of me and reaches up to push the stray strands of my hair out of my face. “You ok, Mounty?” he rasps.
I clear my throat. “I’m fine. I had it under control but thanks for, uh, stepping in.”
He smirks at me. “Yeah, I saw that. I think we’re better off with me punching him than you gutting him.”
I blush and slip my knife back into my pocket. Avery rolls her eyes at me. “Get dressed, Morrison. You can walk us back to our room so we don’t get jumped on the way back.”
Avery is on her phone all the way back to our room so I shouldn’t be surprised to find Ash waiting for us, leaning on the wall and scowling at his phone. There’s a lot of activity in the hall while the other girls swan around in the smallest amount of clothing possible to try and tempt him into their rooms. Avery rolls her eyes and marches through them and I chuckle under my breath at the way they all scatter away from her. She’s totally right, they’re all sheep.
Blaise sticks to my side and when Ash looks up to see us his eyes dart over my body, looking for injuries.
“I’m fine.” I say and he snorts, following Avery into our room.
“She is fine but Devon is out. I just sent a copy of his latest urine sample to his father. He’d paid off the school nurse to keep it under wraps but his father won’t stand for a drug addict in the family. Not after his brother OD-ed.” says Avery, walking straight the kitchen.
I exhale deeply and slump down on my bed to take my Doc’s off. One less asshole to worry about.
Blaise moves to shut the door and is shoved out of the way by an enraged Harley. “What the fuck happened!?”
Avery huffs and starts wiping down the counter.
Blaise holds up hand and stops Harley in his tracks. “When I got out of the shower I heard Devon threatening someone. Then I heard him mention Joey and the bet I realized he was talking to the Mounty and I came out to find him pinning her to a wall by her throat.”
“What?! He hand his hand around your throat? I’ll gut him.” spits Harley and Blaise smirks at him.
“Oh, don’t you worry, the Mounty was going to. Pretty sure he’ll end up with a nasty scar. Really, I saved his life with the beating I gave him.”
Ash startles and jerks around to look at me. I raise an eyebrow at him. “What? He’s twice the size of me and grabbed me from behind like a little bitch. He deserves to lose his intestines.”
Avery starts to straighten up the coffee mugs even though you could already take a tape measure to them without finding a fault. “I think I should get one of those knives too.”
I nod emphatically. “I’ll get you one and teach you how to use it.”
Ash grabs her hand to distract her away from her ritual. “Agreed.”
She smiles at him. “Stay for the day? I’ll cook something for dinner later and we can watch something Blaise picks so he doesn’t whine at us. Like old times, but better because Lips will side with me when we pick snacks.”
Blaise huffs. “I don’t whine, you guys just have shit taste.”
Harley kicks his shoes off and ignores the daggers Avery’s eyes send his way. “If he’s picking I’m going to need a beer.”
Ash starts opening cupboard doors in the kitchen and says, “Fuck it, I need something stronger than beer to get through this. Where are you hiding the good stuff, Floss?”
I take the couch knowing Harley likes the armchair on the left, Ash likes the one on the right, and Blaise likes the floor. Avery hands me a coffee and a bowl of popcorn before tucking herself into my side so we’re huddled up together. Harley grabs enough beer to survive the apocalypse and then sits on the other side of me so I’m wedged between the cousins. Avery leans forward to give him a look but Harley ignores her.
Blaise starts the movie and messes with the thermostat until the room turns into a freezer. I sigh and nudge Harley.
“Can you grab me the blanket you’re sitting on? My nipples can cut glass at this point and I’m not ruining my new bras.”
Avery giggles at me and Harley scoffs but he hands me the blanket. Ash watches him tuck it under my leg and then gives me a sly look. “Which ones are you wearing today?”
I choke on my coffee. “Uh no, my underwear choices are not going to be a daily conversation starter.”
Ash shrugs. “Might help me like you.”
“Hard pass.” I snipe back and I try to ignore the hard look Harley is giving me. Ash and his big, meddling mouth!
“They say women pick their colors according to their moods, so which is it Mounty. Red? Are you feeling feisty today?”
I throw a pillow at his head. “Black, now fuck off.”
“Depressed or horny?”
Avery groans and buries her face in her hands. I gape at him but, surprisingly it’s Blaise who comes to my rescue. “Lay off, man. She’s not here so you can poke and prod at her for your own enjoyment.”
Ash shrugs and drinks his bourbon. Harley glares at him. “Why are you asking her about her underwear?”
Ash smirks at him and I decide that I’m going back to a single room next year. Sorry, Avery, I can’t deal with this crap. “We picked out her entire collection together this week. Why do you care?”
Harley tenses and I nudge him with my shoulder. “He decided our path to friendship is going to be paved in lace. I decided he’s a perv and it’s easier to let him go than fight it.”
“Crap, we haven’t gone down to the laundry
yet to ask about the thief.” Avery mumbles but she doesn’t look up from her phone.
Blaise looks up from the floor at us. “Someone is stealing your underwear?”
“Her used underwear.” says Ash.
Harley looks at me incredulously. “Are you a magnet for fucked up shit and psychos?”
Avery laughs. “Why yes, Arbour, she is.”
Fuck me with a rusty spoon, can I please catch a break?
Chapter Nineteen
The phone buzzing silently in my pocket doesn’t mean much to me. It’s only when I see that everyone in my history class has received a text at the same time that I know there is trouble at Hannaford.
Harley frowns as he looks around and then raises an eyebrow at me. I nod and he slips his phone out of his pocket discreetly. I don’t attempt to look at his screen because that will definitely attract the teachers attention but I shouldn’t have worried about discretion.
“Fuck!” Harley shouts and leaps out of his chair. When the teacher scowls at him he grabs his bag and snaps at her, “Lips and I have to go. Family emergency.”
He waves a hand at me and I shove my books away too.
The teacher stutters out, “You’re not related.” But Harley ignores her, throws my bag over his shoulder with his, and then shoves me out of the room.
“I can’t just leave my classes, I’m not invincible here like you are.” I grumble as he takes my hand and drags me.
“Avery will square it, come on.”
I follow him, though I have to run to keep up with his ridiculously long legs, and he propels us back to the girls dorms. He taps his foot, agitated, as I unlock the door, then drops our bags at the door. The room is empty and quiet, no sign of Avery. I grab my phone to try and figure out what the fuck is going on.
There’s a text of a link from an unknown number. Harley starts to pace, scrubbing his hands over his face like he can scrub away whatever is eating him, and I click the link. I find myself of the stupid gossip website and I glance up at Harley.