"Get on the bed," I commanded, breaking away from her. Cassie stalked backwards, lust glittering in her eyes as I took off the ball cap and yanked my t-shirt over my head, letting them drop to the floor. Her hands went to the hem of her dress, but I said, "Leave it on."
Her eyebrow quirked up, but she complied, backing up onto the bed.
“Scoot back.” I stalked forward, popping the button on my jeans. “I’ve dreamed about this.” The admission surprised me, but all I could see was her.
She consumed me.
Cassie shimmied into the middle of the bed, long legs stretched out. I smoothed a hand over her foot, wrapping it around her ankle. I pulled and she gasped, falling back against the mattress, her dress sliding up her body revealing inches and inches of milky-white skin.
“We do this, and there’s no going back. You get that, right?” My hard gaze searched hers, needing her to know that if we crossed this line, she was mine. I didn’t give myself to people easily and I sure as shit didn’t share.
She watched me, swallowing hard.
“Cass, I need you to understand…”
“I understand, Dennis. Now kiss me, please.”
It was all the permission I needed, even if I was about to break my most sacred rule.
Never let your heart rule.
Dennis
Five months later…
“Dennis, stop, someone might see,” Cassie started to break free, but I caught her around the waist, tugging her back to me.
“I’m not done with you yet.”
Her words might have suggested she wanted to end our little tryst, but her body betrayed her. Desire flashed in her eyes—eyes that consumed me.
Controlled me.
Haunted me.
She only had to bat those damn eyes my way and I was like putty in her hands. I leaned in close, nuzzling her neck, and whispered, “Let me come back to your place.”
Her hand slid to my chest and pressed firmly. “I can’t, not tonight. Elena and Lydia want a girls’ night.” She looked up at me through thick lashes. “I’m sorry.”
Fuck.
This girl was going to be my undoing. Raking a hand over my face, I let out a heavy sigh. “Way to get me all worked up, Cass.” It came out sharper than intended, but it was too late. The damage was done.
Cassie’s smile slipped, replaced with an expression of hurt. “Maybe if we didn’t have to sneak around behind everyone’s backs it wouldn’t be such a problem.”
Ouch.
It was no less than I deserved, but it didn’t change anything.
“Cassie…”
“Yeah, yeah.” She backed away, putting space between us. It might as well have been the fucking ocean. “I get it. You’re just trying to protect me from the big bad. But do you know how hard it is not being able to spend time with my boyf… you in public?”
I reached for her, gently tugging her wrist until she collapsed against me again. “Your what, Cassie? What am I to you?”
It was unfair of me to ask, to assume, but I wanted to hear her say the words.
“Dennis,” she sighed. “It’s been five months, almost six. I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”
My chest constricted. She wouldn't say it? Fine. But I would.
“I am, you know,” I said, ignoring her attempt to cover her slip.
She frowned. “You are what?”
“Your boyfriend.” Jesus, if the guys could see me now.
But it was worth it just to see the corners of her mouth lift in an uncertain smile. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I looped my arms around her waist, pulling her body flush to mine. “I know things aren’t… ideal. But give it time, Cass. Give me time. Please?”
She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, a move that drove me wild, and gave me a little nod. For a second, I thought I’d avoided another argument. But I should have known better.
“Soon, Dennis,” she said, her eyes boring into me. “We have to come clean soon. It’s killing me. All the secrets and lies. I don’t like it.”
“I know.” I leaned in, sweeping my lips across hers. “I know.”
There was so much more I wanted to say. But it was never the right time. Cassie deserved all of it. Hearts. Flowers. Stuffed toys … Diamonds. And I wanted to be the one to give it to her, I really did, but life was complicated.
My life was complicated.
Two years ago, when I arrived at Chastity Falls Academy, life was simpler. I was here for my father. To forge business relations and align our family with the local crime boss, Marcus Donohue. But so much had happened since then, and somewhere along the line, it wasn’t enough anymore.
“Dennis?” Cassie tugged on my football jersey, pulling me from my thoughts. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good. I guess I should let you go get ready for girls’ night.” I smirked, earning me a slap to the chest. I caught her wrist, pressing her hand right over my heart. My eyes locked on Cassie's, trying to tell her everything I felt, everything I wanted to say.
Everything I probably never would.
“Dennis, I—” She sucked in a sharp breath and I waited. Waited to hear the words I so desperately craved. But when she released a puff of air they never came. “I should go. I’ll text you later, okay?” Cassie leaned up to kiss me softly. “Try and stay out of trouble.”
I nodded, too choked to reply.
Poking her head around the wall of the Pauling Building, she checked the coast was clear and slipped back onto the sidewalk. From the shadows, I watched her go. Hating the emptiness I already felt. I tipped my head back against the brick wall and closed my eyes. What the fuck was I doing?
Over the summer, I’d promised myself that I would end it—that as soon as junior year started, I would set her free. But then I’d spotted her across the lawn and every touch, every kiss was like a sledgehammer to my stomach.
I couldn’t do it.
I couldn’t walk away.
As selfish as it was, I wanted her. Cassie made life better. She made all the fucked-up shit I did in the name of family, bearable. When you grew up in a childhood like mine, you had to take pleasure in the little things. I was glad to be away from Stonewood Creek, away from him, but I couldn’t escape. Escaping this shit show wasn’t an option. It was a life sentence. I’d found that out when he’d scarpered my hopes of going to an East Coast school. It wasn’t all bad. I’d met Jackson. He was probably the best friend I’d ever had, but it wasn’t the life I wanted for myself. And now he had Ana, and they’d survived.
For the last two years, their relationship had stood the test of this life. At first, I’d thought he was crazy, that she was a liability. But I realized now, that they were stronger together, and one day they would have a life together. Away from Chastity Falls. Away from Marcus Donohue.
And then what? I'd return home and do my old man's bidding?
I could hardly fucking wait.
Maybe that’s when I started noticing Cassie. She was a close friend of Ana’s, and since Jackson spent a lot of time watching his girl, I’d spent my fair share watching her and her friends too.
At first, watching was enough. Her laugh. Her tendency to say whatever was on her mind without thinking. I’d watched Cassie at parties on campus, from the cover of the shadows.
But I promised myself I would never touch.
I wasn’t at Chastity Falls Academy to meet someone. I was here to do my job and to secure our families place beside Marcus Donohue. As my old man liked to remind me at every possible opportunity, ‘this life is no place for a woman’.
And it wasn’t.
I’d witnessed too many fucked up things to disagree with him.
Only walking away was no longer an option. I craved Cassie the way an addict craved their next hit. She let me drown myself in her warmth. A beacon of light in the eye of the storm that was my life.
My cell phone vibrated in my pocket and I retrieved it. “Yeah,” I barked.
&nbs
p; “Everything okay?” Jackson, my best friend asked.
“Yeah, I’m just on my way back to the house.”
“Okay, I’ll pick you up in the morning.”
“Got it.”
Jackson wasn’t living in the team’s house this year. After a rough two years, he’d managed to bag the old Wieman House for him and Ana. But when your uncle practically owned the town and everything in it—including CFA’s Principal—it was no big deal.
But things weren’t the same anymore.
We all felt it.
Something was coming.
Something that would change everything.
“Who’s that?”
I locked my cell and slid it back into my pocket, shrugging off Jackson's suspicions. “No one.”
The car cleared the firs and the Donohue estate came into view. I sat up a little straighter. It was always like seeing it for the first time and, for as much as I hated what it represented, I couldn’t help but be awed.
“Gets me every damn time.” I whistled through my teeth but Jackson remained stoic beside me. It wasn’t easy for him coming here, especially after the events of the last few months. He parked and let out a strained sigh.
“Ready to do this?” I asked, knowing he wouldn’t answer. I climbed out and waited, giving him a second. When he finally joined me, we entered the house together only to be met with silence.
“He did say to meet him here, right?” My eyes swept over the high ceilings and gold furnishings.
Jackson nodded, moving further down the hallway to Marcus’ office. He tapped his knuckles against the hardwood.
“Come in,” a deep voice called, and I followed Jackson inside.
Marcus Donohue sat behind his huge desk, his face an emotionless mask. My stomach flipped with anxiety but I schooled my features. Not everyone got to see the inside of this place and he’d bestowed his trust in me enough to extend an invitation. My old man almost had a coronary when I’d told him I was finally in the inner circle.
“Jackson. Dennis.” He motioned to the brown leather couch and we sat down. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.”
Jackson looked ready to puke, and I tried to catch his eye to reassure him everything was okay. “Nice to see you again, Mr. Donohue,” I said, in attempt to lighten the heavy mood.
“Dennis, please call me Marcus. You’ve earned that right by working close with Jackson. I’m glad he has you at his side.”
I nodded.
“Jackson, I trust everything is okay down on campus?”
My best friend cleared his throat. “So far so good, but do we have a plan if things go to shit?”
“We’re working on it. Distribution is to remain suspended until further notice.”
Marcus Donohue ran the town, and Jackson, me, and a handful of other guys from trusted families up and down the West Coast ran things on campus. Jackson had already given us the order to stop dealing the coke after we found out a bad batch had led to some kids ending up in ICU.
“And you indicated earlier that you had something you wanted to discuss with me?”
What the fuck? I shot him a sideways glare but Jackson paid me no attention. “Yes," he said, eyes trained right on Marcus. “Were you aware that Landon Smith was out and back in Reibeckitt?”
We’d crossed paths with Landon Smith last year. He was from the next town over and there was no love lost between the two. Things got messy. Which meant this wasn’t good. For any of us. But if Marcus was concerned he didn’t show it as he leaned forward slightly on his clasped hands and said, “Ahh, that.”
Anger radiated off Jackson. “Why didn’t you give me a heads-up?”
“Jackson.” Marcus shifted, loosening his tie a little. “I make decisions in the interest of business. Landon poses no threat since being incarcerated. Let’s just see how-”
“No threat?” His voice rose. “He drugged and kidnapped Ana, my Ana. I think I deser-”
“Jackson.” Marcus raised his hand. “I can assure you that Mr. Smith has served an appropriate punishment and will not bother you again.”
“This is bullshit, and you know it. I want someone watching him.”
“Already taken care of. My guys are on it. You should know better of me.”
I cleared my throat trying to cut through some of the tension whirling around the room, in hopes of getting Jackson to calm the fuck down. “Anyway,” I said. “Let’s get down to business, shall we?”
Marcus gave us an update on business operations. The drugs on campus, acquisition and redistribution of stolen goods, numerous jobs for other business associates. The list went on and on, but then he said something that made me sit a little straighter.
“There’s a job I want you to handle personally.” He addressed Jackson. “Maconey and I both agree it's time to bring you into the fold. You’ll be riding with Perkins.” Marcus’s gaze narrowed on me. “Just Jackson this time.”
I nodded. I didn’t like it one bit. Maconey was Marcus’ business associate and an unknown quantity, but I knew better than to argue.
“You’ll be out of town the weekend after next. Take care of things here and don’t leave a trail. It doesn’t go outside of this room. Dennis can handle campus activities for a couple of days. Right, son?”
“Sure thing, Mr. Donohue.”
“Now, please excuse us, Dennis; I need to speak with Jackson for a moment, in private.”
Dismissed, I left the room and leaned up against the wall. Marcus wanted me to run things while Jackson was out of town? Dad would love that. It was what he’d been waiting for. Hoping for.
Fuck.
Things were about to get a lot more intense.
“More,” I barked at Jackson, motioning for him to load more weights on the bar.
“You sure?” He cocked his eyebrow at my instruction. Even though I benched a lot, I rarely pushed three-fifty. But after being cockblocked by Cassie’s friends, and meeting with Marcus, I needed to work off the tension vibrating through me.
“Yeah.”
“You sure everything’s okay?” He slid the weights on and got ready to spot me.
“I’m good. Just need to work off some steam.” I gripped the bar and inhaled a deep breath ready to push up. Resistance burst through my muscles but I forced my arms to extend, slowly and steadily. It burned like a motherfucker but the burn was good.
The burn helped.
Numbed all the other shit coursing through my veins.
“Easy,” Jackson said as I got ready to return the bar. When it was safely in the holster, I exhaled. He waited for me to sit up before saying, “So you’re okay with taking point at the weekend? I’ll be gone two nights max.”
“I can handle it.” He handed me a water bottle and I chugged it down.
“Watch Kyler. I don’t trust him.”
Kyler—one of our inner circle—talked a good talk but that’s all the dipshit was. Talk. Didn’t stop him from pushing Jackson’s buttons at every turn though.
“Got it.” I switched places with Jackson, toweled off, and reduced the weights. When he was in position, I hovered my hands underneath the bar. But he could push two-eighty with ease. After two sets of fifteen reps, the bar clattered back in place and he sat up.
“And keep an eye on Ana.”
“What am I now? A babysitting service?”
“Dennis,” he warned. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”
“I know.” And I did. They’d been through more than any couple should have to go through at our age. “You can count on me.”
He offered me a curt nod and I could see how much it pained him to leave her.
“How are things at the love nest?”
“Fuck off,” he balled up his towel and threw it at me. I ducked and it landed on the floor behind me. “You’re just jealous you’re stuck here with the guys.”
He wasn’t wrong. Living with twenty plus guys made for a shit load of testosterone and parties, not to mention a revolvi
ng door of girls. But I kept myself to myself and since Cassie, I’d spent less time at the house, as bringing her here was not an option.
“You need to get laid,” Jackson said and I pressed my lips together to stop myself from spewing out the truth.
If only you knew.
Cassie
“We should do this more often.” My friend Talia licked her lips and let out a groan of satisfaction. “These are so good; I think I died and went to heaven.”
“How many of those things are you going to eat? I swear I gain five pounds just looking at one.” I pushed the box of Cinnabon stix away from me with a heavy sigh.
We’d stopped for lunch, choosing to sit outside and make the most of the sunshine. It had been nice, spending time with the girls away from campus. But then Elena had to go and ruin my mood.
“So, what gives lately, Cass?” she said. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way you're constantly checking your cell. Who is he?” Excitement danced in her eyes.
Crap.
Bowing my head, I muttered something about not having a clue what she was talking about, but I knew my blush-stained cheeks betrayed me. Keeping a poker face wasn’t my strong suit.
“Don’t give me that.” I felt her suspicious glare. “You’re hooking up with someone on the sly.”
“I am not,” I snapped, meeting her gaze.
“Fine, be like that. It’ll all come out eventually. It always does,” Elena huffed, shoving another stix into her mouth.
Ana caught my eye and smiled sympathetically but I couldn’t return it. Even though she was the one person that might understand my predicament, I couldn’t tell her. I’d made a promise to Dennis—no matter how hard it was lately to keep.
“So, Mari didn’t come,” Lydia changed the subject and I could have kissed her.
“Did you only just realize that, Lyd?” Talia laughed, but it quickly trailed off when none of us joined in. “Wait, what am I missing?”
Lydia filled her in on our friend Paul’s new girlfriend. “Whatever Paul sees in her, I’ll never know. She tried to ask me for sex advice, Ana. Wanted detailed rundowns and everything.”
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