Strong Hate (A Thin Line #1)

by R. D. Berg

  “Weird. I must be drunk.”

  “Yeah, that's a wood chip, Lo.” Lundyn’s laugh is contagious because soon we’re all doing it.

  “Y’all can kiss again. Sorry, we ruined it. Finn’s not accustomed to being a ninja.” Harlow slaps him across the chest.

  “Harlow, you pinched my ass! Of course I'm gonna move, and your actions brought us tumbling down faster than Humpty Dumpty.”

  “You pinched his ass?” Shit, I think I just growled.

  “He was being loud and moving too much! We had to open the door to hear you guys and he wasn't following ninja code.”

  “Is there a code to pinch Finn’s ass?” Lundyn smirks and glances toward me as if saying, ‘she’s got this.’

  “My ass is the top of all the lady’s conversations, who needs a milkshake when you have my assets.”

  “And with that, could y'all leave us alone so we can finish talking?”

  “That'd be great,” I say and can’t hide the grin on my face if I tried.

  “I don't think she just wants to talk,” Finn uses air quotes.

  “Right. Our love-vention is working!” Harlow throws a fist in the air and dances around in victory.

  “Let's talk more about you two.” Something is for sure up with these two.

  “Oh, man, look at the time.” Harlow grabs Finn’s elbow, and they rush back into the house.

  To hide from the Peeping Toms, I say, “Let's head to the dock. Try to stay on it this time.” But I wink to let her know I'm only joking.

  “Don't remind me. You just left me in the water, you ass!” Lundyn walks in sync beside me, so I grab her hand.

  Once they intertwine, she stops mid-stride causing me to come to a sudden halt. Lundyn glances at our hands and then the most brilliant smile graces her face and in the next second, we begin our trek again.

  Finn’s cabin is right off the lake, but the dock is hidden enough that we don't have to worry about anyone seeing us. In fact, his closest neighbors are three miles away and they neighboring town is less than ten minutes.

  “So, are you still upset with me?” Her eyelashes bat up at me.

  “Nah. I overreacted. You have a tendency of making me crazy.” Looking down with a smile, I toe my shoes off right as I feel her hands grip my biceps and shove with what must be all her might. “What the—”

  Water overwhelms all of my senses as the loud splash of my body fades to eerie silence that you only hear underwater. Kicking my legs, I finally cut through the surface and gasp for air.

  “Lundyn!” I'm yelling before my head is fully past the water and in doing so, water enters my mouth, and I sputter it out. My hands reach up to wipe at my eyes before aiming them like a laser beam toward… A naked Lundyn? Completely fucking naked.

  “Are you mad at me now?” Her hand rests on top of those sexy hips of hers, and the full moon shines bright behind her outlining the curves of her body.

  “Livid.” The growl leaves my lips, and I begin slowly, stalking my prey.

  She watches me while taunting, “Ah, Mad Mav, if you wanted to cool off you should have worn your swim suit.”

  My fingers grip into the wood planks as I lift my body out of the water, and Lundyn sucks in a loud breath. She should be terrified.

  Water runs off of me as I stand on the deck and begin pulling off my wet clothes while her eyes watch my every move. Her breathing becomes more erratic with every piece of saturated clothing I toss off of my body.

  “Remember that time I Mike Tyson’d you?” she trembles as I remove the last piece of clothing. “Or the time—”

  “Shut up, Blue.” I cut her off and grip her face with my hands. “Remember the time I burned your eyebrows off or locked you in a janitor’s closet?” I grin and play this game with her while her eyes rake down my body, her hands gripping my shoulders and squeezing while her gaze returns to mine – needy.

  Her eyes light with fire, but it's lust that's fueling it, not hate. “And when—” She reaches up onto her tiptoes while pulling me toward her and slams her lips against mine. We stand there for a moment mouth to mouth, both of my arms wrapping around her small waist and we hold each other closer.

  Lundyn breaks the kiss first and begins nibbling my bottom lip before I return the favor and a moan falls from her mouth, I break us apart, “You trying to hate fuck me?”

  “Is it working?” Her lips part and I can’t help but lift a finger and trace them.

  “Fuck yes.” Easing us down the minute my ass touches the wood of the deck, she stands on her knees above my waist. My hands grip her wrist behind her back. “If I had my handcuffs here, I'd restrain you like the bad girl that you are.”

  Lundyn rubs her core against my cock, and I can't control the growl that rips from my throat. “Maverick.” She murmurs and any restraint I thought I had breaks along with my grip on her hands. And the minute it does, her fingers wrap around my cock before she slides down onto me without warning, just pure, unfiltered hate – the only way I’d want it from her. The minute she sinks down, everything falls away, and all that is left is us.

  “Fuckkkk.” Our foreheads rest against each other as we both breathe each other in. Her scent wraps around me, snuggling me further into her abyss.

  My fingers dig into her hips and for a split second, I'm worried I may leave a mark, but then, I hope I do. With my hands directing her, our hips begin to move and find that perfect rhythm. Her fingers claw at my back and the thought crosses my mind that she's trying to mark me as well.

  “I don't hate you right now.” She murmurs when her body adjusts to mine and then begins to move.

  I brush a piece of hair out of her face before wrapping both arms around her and pulling her chest into my face and circling one nipple with my tongue. “I don't hate you right now, either.” My voice deep, and weighted with truth. “One of my biggest regrets is turning you away that night.” Her stare pins me in place while she pauses her movements and just breathes me in. “I want to erase anyone before me, Blue, because there will be no one after me.” Her lower lip drops and I reach up pulling it between my teeth before thrusting my hips up.

  She begins moving again while running her fingers through my hair and tugging. Our moans wrap around each other while our mouths battle before she falls over the edge with me.

  What lies below is still unknown.

  This feels like déjà vu—me, waking up next to a sleeping Maverick. Except this time, I clearly remember what transpired the night before, and instead of being hungover from copious amounts of alcohol, I’m pleasantly hung over from generous amounts of Maverick Strong’s love making. I snuggle into him, relishing the feel of his naked body against mine.

  A small smile tugs at the corner of my mouth as he kisses the back of my head and moans. He finds a way to pull me further into him, intertwining our fingers in the process. “I dig the baldness.” His voice is muffled by my hair.

  “Hmmm?”

  Unlocking our fingers he moves his hand down to my sex, petting it like a kitten. “This.” He pats it again. “It’s like one of those sphinx cats.”

  I quirk a brow wondering what the hell a sphinx cat is. “Exactly what is a sphinx cat?” I ask bemused.

  He shuffles, releasing me, then turns to reach for something on the bedside table. A soft glow illuminates the semi-dark room, as he turns back around to where we are facing each other. His brows crease in concentration as he searches for something on his cell phone. I stay silent as I marvel the way his messy hair, and sleepy face makes him look like he just stepped out of a GQ ad that’s advertising sheets.

  “This is a sphinx cat,” he says turning the phone towards me.

  I gasp at the ugliest thing I have ever seen in my life. “Maverick, my vajayjay doesn’t look like a skinned cat!” I exclaim.

  “Yes, I mean… no, well it feels like what I’d imagine this cat would feel like— smooth.”

  “Okkkkkk, so when I go to get waxed again, I am going to ask for the sphinx tre
atment.” I laugh out, but it quickly dissolves as my waxing PTSD reminds me of the horror I endured.

  He regards me, contemplating my answer, then nods. “If that’s what’s it’s called, then yes, ask for that.”

  He runs his tongue along his lips before gently kissing mine while simultaneously running his hands up the inside of my thighs parting them. Briefly, he strokes two fingers against my clit before inserting two fingers causing me to part our kiss and inhale from the welcoming intrusion. My hips have a mind of their own, involuntarily falling into a harmonic rhythm with his instrumental fingers. He peppers kisses along my shoulder working his way to my neck, causing my nipples to pebble harder with each kiss. A soft moan rattles its way up my throat until it escapes my mouth. That wondrous sensation builds until I feel I am about to fall off the edge with desire.

  “Maverick,” I whisper and pant into his neck, gripping the sheets for some sort of leverage.

  “Blue, if I knew you felt this good I would’ve apologized days ago.” My head goes back exposing my neck further offering a moan as my only response.

  “I’m about to come Maverick, I’m about to…”

  Knocking. At the door.

  His fingers still and our heads turn to the bedroom door.

  More knocking, urgent this time.

  “Open up, Lundy,” Harlow pleads with urgency.

  Maverick growls in frustration. “Go awaym Lo,” he yells.

  The knocking is frantic now.

  “Open up now or I’m coming in, you have five seconds,” she warns.

  When we don’t immediately open the door, she begins her countdown. “Five.”

  We begin to scurry out of the bed getting tangled in legs and sheets. Maverick shouts expletives when he falls to the floor with a thud.

  “We didn’t lock the door, did we?” I ask turning to Maverick.

  “I don’t remember,” he says from the floor.

  “Four.”

  I frantically search for my clothes that I swear were on the floor next to me, but I come up short.

  “Three.”

  Maverick pops up, throwing on some article of clothing as I throw a pleading look at him, hoping he sees the sheer panic I’m in.

  “Two.”

  I’m down to my last resort, so I vigorously yank the sheet from the bed wrapping it around my body just as the door flies open.

  “One! Ready or not, here I come.”

  “What Lo, are we playing hide-n-go seek now?” I ask irritated.

  Her bright eyes turn to slits as she eyes our current state suspiciously. A knowing smile slowly spreads across her face.

  “Yeah, um we need to go to the hospital,” she states with a giggle.

  “Are you serious? This better not be one of your love-vention schemes,” I urge.

  “Lo, what is going on?” Maverick asks. She chews her lips nervously and looks as if she is conflicted about letting us in on what’s going on.

  After all their schemes, my patience has worn severely thin, and I’ve grown impatient thinking this is a joke. One that cost me what was going to be a pretty awesome orgasm. “For Christ’s sake, spit it out, Lo,” I finally demand.

  She throws her hands out in front of her. “Ok, it was an honest mistake.” She begins. Her hands push through her hair, grabbing it by the roots. “Ugggh, just follow me.”

  She doesn’t wait for us, as she turns and heads out the room. We look at each other and shrug, then follow as curiosity fuels our steps. Maverick grumbles under his breath as we make our trek across the cabin to the master bedroom. Moans of agony fill the small hallway as we approach the door. Maverick steps around me and throws open the door. He falters for a second before proceeding inside. When I step in and see the scene before me, I wish I would’ve stayed in my room. Like, I seriously need the biggest bottle of mind bleach that I can find to wash out this image.

  “Help me Maverick, it won’t go down,” Finn cries from the floor where he is cupping his dick, writhing in agony.

  “What the fuck, bro?” Maverick ask tossing a concerned glare between Finn and Harlow.

  “It’s her fault, it’s your fucking deranged sister’s fault,” Finn accuses as another round of pain contorts his face.

  Harlow steps in front of me, putting some much needed blinders between me and Finn’s horror scene. Her hands go up ready to explain. “To be honest here, Finn, you were the one who had a headache.”

  He bangs his head on the floor. “Just shut up and take me to the hospital.”

  “We will, bro. Harlow, explain how a headache turned into this?” Maverick face is impassive, waiting for her to respond.

  She moves to the side, now we are all standing in a semi-circle. “Ok, last night Finn and I were hanging out after you two went to do the dirty,” she begins biting her lower lip, and I blush.

  “Well, Finn and I accidentally butted heads,” she says this like its completely normal.

  “Doing what?” Maverick asks.

  Her index finger goes up. “Irrelevant to the story, Nosey Nathan, and I need you to focus,” she quickly retorts. Maverick rolls his eyes while blowing out a frustrated breath.

  “Anyhow, he needed some pain relievers, so I, being the good friend that I am, I went and found him some in his parents’ medicine cabinet.

  Finn moans again, then proceeds to look up at Maverick and me with pleading eyes. “Except it wasn’t Aleve, it was my dad’s stash of fucking Viagra! She grabbed the wrong blue pill man, now my dick has been hard as a rock for eight hours,” he explains as tears start to form in his eyes. “I’m dying, I’m freaking dying here, bro.”

  The room grows silent, and I take inventory of everyone’s expressions which range from confused, amused, contorted, and disgusted. Up until this moment, I have been too stunned to utter a word. My hand goes to cover my mouth as a giggle escapes. All the attention has moved from Finn and transferred to me.

  “Lundy, this isn’t a laughing matter, my dick is so raw from me trying to pump it limp.”

  I nearly choke and begin to uncontrollably cough at this admission. Harlow snickers and Maverick throws his head in his hands.

  “Ok, I’m going to help Finn get dressed, and you two get ready so we can leave,” Maverick instructs. I look down at my emergency attire, realizing that I am standing here in nothing but a damn sheet.

  Harlow and I nod and turn around to walk out the room, and as Harlow is pulling the door shut I here Finn ask Maverick, “Dude, why the hell are you wearing Lundyn’s underwear?”

  “Dude, could you drive any faster? I really don’t want my dick to fall off,” Finn cries from the back seat.

  “I’m already driving eighty, your parents shouldn’t have a cabin so far out in the woods. This has scary movie written all over it.” I attempt to freak him out more, even though we’re only a fifteen-minute drive from the closest Emergency Room.

  “I’m going to die here,” he cries dramatically. “Death by my own dick—fuck—you have to save me, man!” Finn is becoming hysterical.

  “Keep the ice on your penis and calm down, ya big cry baby. It was just an Aleve.” Harlow sits beside him without any sign of remorse.

  Finn’s tone turns murderous. “It was not,” his voice rises to mimic Harlow, “just an Aleve.” And then he resumes his normal timber, “You poisoned me! What did my dick ever do to you?”

  “You better say nothing!” I chance a quick glance toward Harlow in the rearview mirror who has her cell phone out and pointed toward Finn.

  “Don’t even think about snapping this, Lo.” Finn uses one hand to shield his face while the other holds the ice pack.

  “This is pure gold!” Harlow whines.

  “Arghh,” Finn wails out. “These could be my last moments with a dick. Please just be a decent human.”

  “So, now there will be sex change rumors about you and Maverick,” Lundyn jokes with a smirk from the passenger seat.

  “I think you’re well aware of how false those are,
Blue.” My hand finds her thigh and squeezes lightly.

  Lundyn blushes while Harlow says, “I think I may need a hospital visit too.”

  “You encouraged this.” Finn chuckles and then flinches from the pain.

  We finally reach the hospital when I throw the truck in park and Harlow helps Finn limp out with one arm draped around her shoulder.

  “I really hope they can save his life,” Finn gaze is directed toward his crotch. And I swear on it, a tear falls down Finn’s cheek at his statement about his dick.

  “You’re going to be fine, Finn, I’m sure this is common.” Lundyn laughs, but she doesn’t sound positive.

  “Easy for you to say, you don’t know what having a dick is like! It’s the most awesome thing in the world, and the majority of the time, he’s my best friend. Sorry, Maverick.” He continues limping with one hand around my sister.

  “Don’t compare our friendship to your dick ever again.” I can’t help but grin because this is Finn and of course this shit happens to him.

  After we get Hard On checked in and wait another twenty minutes listening to him cry and moan, he finally gets called back, and by a female nurse. This perks up his rather sullen attitude that had set in.

  We all follow Finn back into a private room, they take his vitals and then the questioning from the nurse begins.

  “How old were you when you first became diagnosed with erectile dysfunction?” Harlow snickers at the nurse's question and Finn side-eyes her.

  “What? No.” Finn holds one hand up in a stop motion. “My dick worked just fine, I can assure you, before she,” he points to my little sister, “head butted me and gave me a little blue pill claiming it would make me feel better.” The last part he says like a five-year-old arguing with a sibling—high pitched and annoying.

  “It was an honest mistake!” Lo shouts and throws her hands up in exasperation.

  “Okay, okay. How long have you had this erection?” His nurse tries to get to the bottom of his issue.

  “Eight. Hours.” He over pronounces each word.

  “I’m going to have to ask you three to leave the room so I can perform an exam.” This causes Finn to raise a brow suggestively and a crooked smirk to grace his face.