Neveah (Society Girls #2)

by Crystal Perkins

  “Why am I agreeing to stay here again?”

  “Because I’m irresistible?”

  “Going home is looking better and better.”

  Instead of trying to spar with her verbally, I decide to use my mouth in a way that’s guaranteed to win this argument. I lean down, and cover her mouth with mine. Just a soft brush of my lips over hers. I do it once, twice, and then she puts her arms around my neck and pulls me closer. I lick her lips on the next pass, and she surprises me by biting my bottom lip.

  I force myself to keep things simmering and not blazing as we open to each other. I pull the band out of her hair, so I can tangle my hands in her long curls, and she squeezes my shoulders in response. I could do this all night, just this. Kissing her is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.

  The intercom buzzes, and I pull back to answer. I’m breathing hard, and so is Neveah. I let the pizza guy in as I look at what I’ve done to her. Her lips are swollen, her hair is a mess, and I can see her nipples poking through the fabric of her concert tee. I’m going to go to Hell for what I’m doing, but what a way to go.

  * * *

  Neveah

  I practically float up to my apartment when I get home hours later. Dylan is everything I expected him to be, but so much more as well. We really did watch a couple of movies while eating our pizzas and talking. And kissing. There was lots and lots of kissing. I know he wanted more, but he held himself back.

  I don’t know where things are going with him, if they’re even going anywhere. Despite the incredible time I had with him, it’s not what I went there for. I took one look at that pretty gun he bought me, and panicked. I can’t keep doing that, not if I want to become a member of the Society. And I do want that, more than pretty much anything else in the world.

  Before I can second-guess myself, I pull out my phone and text Dylan.

  Me: Can we try again tomorrow?

  Dylan: Of course.

  Me: You didn’t even ask what I meant.

  Dylan: You came here for one thing tonight. You left with your beautiful lips swollen, and your nipples tight, but I know that wasn’t the master plan. A wonderful alternative, I might add, but not the end goal. Or was it?

  Me: Well, when you put it that way…you sound like an ass again. Seriously, though, I want to pick up that gun tomorrow. I NEED to.

  Dylan: Got it. Gun first, making out after, no more being an ass. Text me when you’re on your way. :)

  Me: Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow.

  Dylan: You’re welcome. Sweet dreams.

  They will be sweet, because I’ll be dreaming of him. I don’t know how I got so lucky to meet someone like him. I know I deserve a good guy, but they’re sometimes hard to find. Especially for a girl like me. He’s Ellie’s brother, so that accounts for the “how” and I can’t imagine her family being anything other than awesome, but I’m not going to analyze things. It’s time for those sweet dreams.

  Chapter 2

  Dylan

  “She wouldn’t touch the gun?”

  “No,” I say. “She opened the box, but then she jumped back like the gun was going to do something on her own.”

  “Good.”

  “It’s not good. She needs to get past her fear of guns.”

  “She does not.”

  “We’re going to have to disagree on this. She needs to get past her fear if she’s going to truly be happy. You want her to be happy when I bring her to you, don’t you?”

  “I need her to want to be with me. Happiness can come later.”

  I just shake my head. I should never have made that vow. I was a scared teenager, and I had no idea it would ever come to something like this. How could I have ever thought my vow would cause me to deceive someone like Neveah. She’s sweet, funny, and damn sexy, and if things were different, she’s everything I would want. I’m going to have her, but it’s going to eventually be against her will, and that’s not the way it should be.

  “Sure, you can force me to do what you want—I owe you. But you can’t force her. She’s not indebted to you. This isn’t right.”

  “Are you going to break your vow?”

  “You know I’m not. I’m asking you to reconsider before this goes any further.”

  “No. The plan will remain unchanged.”

  The plan is all kinds of crazy, but I know he’s desperate and not thinking straight, so there’s no reasoning with him. Maybe I can delay him just a little bit.

  “I’m not sure I can accomplish all you want done before training camp.”

  “Do not try and play me for a fool. Your season just ended, and you have months before you go back. Plenty of time to woo a sweet young girl.”

  “Do you have any idea how creepy that just sounded?”

  “This discussion is over.”

  I know better than to argue, so I walk out of my pool house. I have to force myself not to slam the door, because this whole thing is so fucked up, and it doesn’t have to be. Since there’s no one here but the two of us, I strip off my clothes and dive into the pool. A few hundred laps will maybe clear my mind, and calm my temper. Maybe.

  * * *

  Neveah

  “Someone’s smiling pretty hard today,” my friend, Sierra, tells me when I walk into weapons class. Several of my friends are gathered around, sending amused looks my way.

  “And we all know it’s not the setting,” Jenysis adds.

  “Can’t a girl be happy?” I ask. I know I’m smiling. Dylan and his sweet lips are running on replay through my mind, so how could I possibly help it?

  “Totally,” Harlow tells me. “It’s nice to see you walking in here more relaxed.”

  “Oh. I’m not relaxed about being in here,” I tell her with a laugh. “It’s just other things are making it more bearable.”

  “Are you going to tell us his name?” Rhieve asks.

  “How do you know it’s a guy?”

  “We didn’t know for sure until you just told us,” Camari says with a smirk.

  Ugh. I can’t tell them about Dylan. I don’t know what’s going on with us. If anything’s going on. He’s not known for sticking with any woman for more than a night. Yeah, he said I can come over tonight, but that’s probably because he promised to help me. It felt like he wanted more than just sex when we were hanging out—and kissing—but how do I know? I’ve never tried to be with a player before, sports or otherwise. The guys I’ve dated have been fumbling teens who were lucky to have their own cars and later, their own dorm room. Dylan’s well into his twenties, has more sexual experience than most of the population, and makes millions on and off the basketball court. I still can’t wrap my head around him wanting anything more than my body in his bed.

  I don’t have time to dwell on Dylan’s motives, or pay attention to my friends and their theories as Faith walks in. Today, we’re going to be shown how to take apart and put together guns. Both for technical knowledge, and also so we can hide pieces if we need to. She said I could skip this lesson, but I didn’t want to. I need to know everything, even if I’m not ready to use it yet.

  “You can sit with me,” Rose says. Everyone knows I won’t be taking apart my own weapons today, since I can’t bring myself to touch them. That will be changing soon. At least I hope it will.

  “I’m nervous, too.” Kalila whispers as I walk past her. “What if I do it wrong?”

  “If you do it wrong, we’ll tell you,” Ellie says from behind me.

  I freeze at the sound of her voice, because I didn’t know I’d see her today. I’d pretty much decided to avoid her for as long as possible, because I don’t know how to act around her right now. I can’t say I’m with her brother, because we’ve already established that I don’t know what Dylan and I are doing. I also don’t want her to know I’m just another spin in his revolving door if it turns out that way.

  She walks over to Harlow and Rhieve, and I breathe a sigh of relief. At least momentarily. Reina steps in front of Rose and me, and
I mentally cringe. I don’t want special treatment. “You don’t need to help me, Rei.”

  “Rose is my mentee,” she reminds me, and I blush.

  “Oh yeah, right. Sorry.”

  “It’s cool. We can share the boss,” Rose tells me, lightening the mood.

  “You all share me. I hope everyone knows that,” Reina says, looking around the room. “They do know that, right? I mean, they have mentors, but my door’s always open.”

  “Relax, Rei. We all know we can come to you,” I assure her. Knowing and doing it are two different things, though.

  She nods her head. “Okay, good.”

  Faith starts the class, and all worries about special treatment are replaced by worries that I won’t ever pass this class. I watch Rose carefully, and listen to both Faith and Reina as they explain things, but I still can’t pick up the guns. Not when they’re put together, or even when they’re in pieces.

  “Nev, can I see you for a moment?” Faith asks when class is wrapping up later.

  “Sure,” I say, before turning to my friends. “I’ll meet you guys in a few.”

  Once everyone files out, I drop my messenger bag on the table closest to Faith, and hop up next to it. She sits on the table across from me, and smiles. I know she’s worried, but I also know she’ll never tell me that. So, here we are.

  “How’s everything going?”

  I shrug. “I think I’m doing pretty well with everything else.”

  “You’re excelling in most of your classes.”

  “I’m going to do it, Faith. I swear. I’m going to pick up a gun and shoot it.”

  “That’s not what it’s about. I…we…don’t want you going through the motions of shooting a gun. That could get you killed. You have to be comfortable with the gun; it has to be a part of you when you’re pointing it at someone else. You have to be willing to pull the trigger because you know you have to. You know down to your bones that if you don’t do it, justice will be cast aside.”

  “I’m trying.”

  “I know you are. There’s no time limit on when we need you to do it, but I need to know you really and truly think you can. Because as much as we sometimes try to avoid it, death is a natural part of what we do. Sometimes people have to die.”

  “You never tried to avoid it, did you? I mean, you’re the ‘avenging angel’ of the Society.”

  “I’m no angel, Nev,” she tells me with a laugh. “But yes, my sense of justice outweighs my guilt at any lives I’ve had to take. I don’t go around just killing people for fun, but I do enjoy taking down someone who deserves it.”

  “How do you know they deserve it?” I ask, practically yelling. I know I’m heading for trouble, but I can’t stop. “You said you’re no angel, but are you God? People can change. People do change. Every day, in fact.”

  “Some do, yes,” she says quietly. “But some people will never change. Their words and actions tell me that, or I can see it in their eyes. When someone is about to die, and still has no remorse, to me at least, that shows they’re not going to change.”

  “You take that chance from them.”

  “I do.” She blows out a deep breath. “I think you need to talk to someone else. Come back here after your lunch.”

  “You’re switching mentors on me? Am I going to be with Isa now?” After Greta got kicked out, Isa doesn’t currently have anyone to mentor.

  “Is that what you want?” she asks, and I see pain in her eyes.

  “No,” I tell her honestly. “I don’t want someone else.”

  She’s been more than patient with me, and I know my issues are my own. I don’t begrudge her for being who she is, and I definitely don’t hate her. I just don’t understand her, and how justice rules her life.

  “Come back after lunch.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “There’s nothing to be sorry for. We’re good,” she tells me, jumping off the table and pulling me into a hug. “Now go eat!”

  I dodge questions from my friends while we eat in the cafeteria, and convince them nothing’s wrong. I’m not sure they all believe it, but they leave me alone. We’ve all got our own problems, and no one’s going to push me on mine. Once we’re done, we all head our separate ways to work on different things.

  I walk to Faith’s office and knock on the door. When it opens, I’m surprised to see her husband, Gavin, standing in front of me.

  “Hi, Neveah,” he says with a smile, stepping back so I can walk in. Faith isn’t in the office, and I turn back to look at him. “You probably weren’t expecting me, were you?”

  “No. Faith said I needed to talk to someone, but I’m confused about why it would be you.”

  “Have a seat, and I’ll fill you in.”

  “Okay.”

  Once we’re seated, him behind her desk, and me in one of the chairs facing it, Gavin steeples his hands and looks me in the eye. “I almost lost Faith because of my beliefs.”

  “I didn’t realize you were that religious.”

  “I wouldn’t classify myself as overly religious, but there are certain things I believed, still believe to some extent, that made things difficult for us.”

  “And this has to do with me?” I’m really confused now.

  “I’ve always believed that God should be the only one to decide whether a person lives or dies.”

  My mouth drops open, and I can’t speak. Whoa! I mean, seriously, whoa! “But you married Faith!” I blurt out.

  He smiles. “I did, and I’d do it again. I love Faith more than anything. I don’t always agree with everything she feels she has to do, but I love her. And honestly, I witnessed a situation where I truly believe that if she’d let those people live…well, it would’ve been catastrophic. They would have continued to do all they could to destroy her, the Society, and humanity in general. That doesn’t mean I’ve completely changed who I am, or that I can condone what she does, but I’ve accepted who she is.”

  “Wow. I don’t know what to say.”

  “I’m not sure you need to say anything. I just want to you know that Faith doesn’t take what she does lightly. It’s not fun for her…well, sometimes maybe it is…but she truly feels she has to save the world. For her, the scales of justice have to tip for good, and evil cannot prevail. When I think of it that way, I agree. Not with the killing, but with the way she feels. I don’t expect you to feel the same way, and neither does Faith.”

  “I hurt her earlier, didn’t I?”

  “A little. She’s tough, but she has her own insecurities. She doesn’t want to fail you.”

  “She hasn’t failed me! She’s been so patient, and I know she cares.”

  “She does. She wants you to succeed.”

  “What if I can’t do it, Gavin? What if I freeze when I need to kill someone?”

  “Then you, or someone you love, might die. I hate to be so blunt, but that’s what could happen. I couldn’t do it on a daily basis, that’s why I’m a chef. I can tell you that if Faith were in danger, I would kill to save her. I believe in her more than I believe in anything else.”

  “I don’t love anyone like that.”

  “For you, it has to be the Society and the people being helped that you’re willing to kill for. I have my one person who I would go against everything for, but you’re going to do it for many others.”

  “You’ve given me a lot to think about. Thank you for talking to me.”

  “Any time you need me, just call. Or come by the cooking school. I can always use an extra set of hands.”

  Gavin runs a very successful cooking school for underprivileged youth. I’ve been wanting to check it out. “I just might take you up on that.”

  “Please do. See you soon, Nev.”

  I nod and walk out the door. Faith is leaning against the wall, looking nervous. It’s so out of character for her, but after what Gavin said, maybe it’s not. It actually makes me feel a little better knowing that this fierce warrior woman is insecure about some things. It also m
akes me want to re-assure her.

  “You’re a wonderful mentor, Faith. Don’t ever doubt that. I have to get over my issues, and I’m sorry if I was rude earlier.”

  “You weren’t rude. I want you to be honest with me. Are you sure you’re happy with me being your mentor?”

  “You’re just who I need, which you already knew. Thank you for bringing Gavin here.”

  “Did it help?”

  “It did. He also gave me some things to think about.”

  “Well, go forth and think young Padawan.”

  “Star Wars? Really?”

  “Yes, really. She likes to tease people with Star Wars references,” Gavin says as he walks out into the hall.

  “I don’t remember you complaining when that happened.”

  “Still not complaining. It’s hot.”

  “I think I should leave now.”

  “Good idea,” Gavin tells me.

  “Gav!”

  “What? You want her to see us? Or hear us?”

  I know he’s messing with her, because all of the offices are soundproof, and Faith can turn off the listening devices and cameras. I laugh, because they’re kind of adorable together. Not that I’d ever tell her that. She’s still fierce, even when she’s looking a little vulnerable.

  “Just go back into my office, troublemaker,” she tells him, before turning back to me. “And you, go think, but also pretend this didn’t happen.”

  “I saw and heard nothing,” I tell her, laughing even harder as she runs into her office after her man.

  I have to go home and get ready to see my man. No, that’s not right. Dylan’s not mine. He’s just…I don’t even know. I have to focus on the guns, and I don’t mean those sexy biceps of his. Damn it! I’m doomed. Completely, and totally doomed.

  Chapter 3

  Dylan

  I open my front door expecting Neveah to be in jeans and a t-shirt again. I couldn’t be more wrong. My mouth drops and my dick gets hard as I see her bare legs and strappy heels first. When she stands outside her car door, her long hair is in waves, caressing her curves that are straining under a neon purple strapless dress. The skirt of the dress is flared, which is honestly worse than if it was tight. All I can imagine is her sitting on my lap, and riding me hard—with her dress still on. I would peel the top down and…