I chuckle. “Just be care—”
“Cole? What the hell are you doing here?”
Cole sneers as I turn to find a wide-eyed Gwendolyn Rhodes standing behind me. Her cheeks go flush as she straightens her clothes, then smooths her hair. I wonder if Cole notices how flustered Gwen is by his presence, or if he’s too busy blocking out the heartbreak. Cole’s mom used to work for Gwendolyn’s family when we were kids, and the two of them became very close. At least until Cole’s mom started working for Arwen’s dad and the two of them moved out of Gwendolyn’s home into a place of their own across town. I’m not sure what happened because Cole tends to always shut the topic down. But the two of them have been at odds since, and it wasn’t hard to see how much Gwendolyn’s cold shoulder hurt Cole.
“Well, princess…it’s a party, I’m here to fucking party. How about you? Looking for some poor, unexpecting soul to crush?”
Gwendolyn’s face falls, her eyes twinkling as they gloss over. She quickly recovers, though, whipping her hair over her shoulder as she stands taller. “Always a pleasure, Masterson.”
“Oh, sweetheart…no it’s not. Whenever you’re ready to change that, say the word. I’ll show you bliss like you’ve never known.”
I chuckle as Gwendolyn’s face turns bright red. She probably thinks he’s being crude. What she doesn’t know is Cole never hits on a girl unless he’s interested. He’s so into her, and she’s totally oblivious.
She flips him the bird, then sashays off, and I catch Cole admiring her apple bottom as I turn my attention back to him.
“God bless the person who designed that skirt,” he whistles. “Maybe I should’ve begged her to let me ravage her.”
“I don’t know, dude. She seems like the type who would chew you up then spit you out.”
“Yeah… you’re a little late with that warning,” he mumbles.
Before I have a chance to ask him what he means, I spot Joey heading toward us. “Fuck,” I hiss. “Roberts, two o’clock. He’s heading right for us.”
Cole pops his knuckles as he rolls his shoulders. “Good, I’d love nothing more than to smash something right now. His face will do quite nicely.”
“No, we should go. I promised Violet.”
Cole chuckles, but it’s with anger not amusement. “While I find this new whipped side of you very amusing, I call bullshit. If he starts shit again, what does she expect you to do? Besides, I didn’t promise her anything.”
“Thatcher, Cole,” Joey cheers. “I wish I could say it was nice to see the two of you, but…”
My jaw clenches, my hands curling into fists.
“Look, Thatch, I think Roberts found some balls at the bottom of a whiskey bottle. You should be careful with those, asshole. You wouldn’t want to lose them.”
Joey smirks, but otherwise ignores Cole, keeping his smug glare glued on me. “Actually, I’m glad I ran into you, Thatcher. I’ve been meaning to talk to you, wanted to make sure we were good after the whole Violet incident at school the other day. I didn’t know you were still fucking around with her. I never would’ve touched her if I’d known. In my defense, she’s been a total dick tease all year. She sure spread those long legs of hers for you quick as shit, though. Guess she’s not such a good girl after all.”
By the time words stop flowing out of the asshole he calls a mouth, my vision goes red and I respond before I realize what I’m doing. The crowd around us gasps as Cole shouts, “Oh shit, here we go.” Then comes the welcomed shooting pain in my hand and the crack of Joey’s jaw as my knuckles slam into them.
Chapter Thirty-Five
VIOLET
The buzzing sound of my phone vibrating on the nightstand next to my bed wakes me, pulling me from my very pleasant dream—one involving Thatcher’s perfectly full lips. With a frustrated groan, I blink the sleep from my eyes and turn my lamp on before reaching for my phone. Thatcher’s name flashes on the screen, and my stomach knots with worry when I noticed the time. Nothing good ever comes from a call at two in the morning.
My hands are shaky as my thumb slides across the screen to answer. “Thatcher? Is everything okay?”
“It will be if you let me in.” His sluggish words are followed by a light tap on my window.
Hanging up, I spring out of bed, not even bothering to check my appearance before I open the curtains. Thatcher gives me a boyish smile, but his eyes give him away. They always do. Something’s wrong.
My tired body struggles with the lock, then Thatcher helps me lift the window. I step back to allow him room to come in, but he quickly pulls me close again. His hold is tight, the desperation in it making my heart ache.
“Thatcher? Seriously, are you all right?”
He leans back to meet my gaze. His eyes are glazed with intoxication, and I can smell the liquor on his breath. “When I’m with you, always.”
“You didn’t drive yourself here, did you?”
He chuckles, reaching up to smooth my bedhead before tucking it behind my ear. “No, ma’am. Cole dropped me off.”
“Where the two of you at a party? I thought you were going home after you left here.” I hate the accusation in my tone and the jealousy twisting in my gut.
“I did.” He sighs. “My parents were there, so I left.”
After giving me a quick kiss on my forehead, he releases me and takes a seat on the end of my bed. When he runs his hands through his thick head of hair, I gasp and rush over to him.
“What the hell happened?” I demand, taking his hands in mine to examine his bruised knuckles.
He yanks them away. “It’s nothing. Just shit with my dad. I got a little worked up and punched a wall. No big deal.”
He hadn’t been very forthcoming about his dad when we talked after our date, but I know they’ve never gotten along. Thatcher’s father has always had high expectations for his son, and Thatcher has never seemed to live up to those. I got the impression he’s shown his disappointment by hitting Thatcher before. My parents may not be perfect, but I can’t imagine either of them ever lifting a hand to me.
“No big deal? You punched a wall, Thatcher. Jesus. W—”
“Please,” he pleads. “I just…I don’t want to talk about all that ugly shit. Not with you. Not right now. I want to crawl back into our happy little bubble. Is that all right?”
He pulls me into his lap as I nod, positioning me so I’m straddling him. My pulse quickens when he gives me a playful smile, his fingertips shooting tiny sparks over my skin as he brushes the thin strap of my tank top off my shoulder. His hands fall to my hips, and he brings his lips to my shoulder, placing a soft, wet kiss there before making his way across my collarbone. Once he gets to the base of my neck, his tongue darts out and trails all the way to the sensitive skin right below my ear. His fingertips dig into my hips as I grind them, my pants coming out in moans as he hardens beneath me.
“Were you dreaming of me?” His whispered question causes goosebumps to break out across my skin.
“Yes,” I breathe.
He chuckles, his hands sliding under my sleep shorts and silky underwear to get to my ass. My center throbs as he rocks my hips, creating a glorious friction between my thighs.
“Did it have a happy ending?”
I tilt my hips to increase the pressure, smirking to myself as he groans. “Not yet.”
His nose glides across my cheek, his breath brushing my jawline. When he gets to my mouth, he captures it, his tongue briefly tangling with mine before he sucks on my bottom lip. By the time he pulls back to meet my gaze, my vison is unfocused and blurred with lust.
“Do you want me to give you a release?” The huskiness in his tone is dripping with desire, and my core tightens as I eagerly nod.
He shifts, bringing his right hand to the front of my shorts, and my head tilts back as he cups my aching center. His finger skates over the wetness pooling there, and I gasp as he applies pressure to my clit.
“God, Saint…” he exhales into my neck as his
lips land there, nibbling and sucking. “Do you have any idea what it does to me knowing how badly you want me?”
His finger begins making tiny circles over the tender flesh, and my eyes fall shut as I bite into my bottom lip to keep myself quiet. The pressure builds, and my hands clamp down on his shoulders to steady myself as my body begins to convulse.
I’m lost in him, in this feeling, as his lips begin to descend to my chest. Touching myself never felt this good. It’s never been this intoxicating. Every part of me is humming, every cell of my body hot and ready to explode.
His mouth closes around my rock-hard nipple, drawing it in through my flimsy tank top, and it pushes me over the edge. He continues to suck as I come undone, his finger milking me until I stop shuddering.
I’m panting as I open my eyes, and he gives me a warm smile before planting a light kiss on my lips.
“You’re so beautiful.”
As I start to come down from my high, the reality of what occurred truly sinks in. My face heats with embarrassment and I cover it with my hands. He chuckles, tugging on my arms until he can see my eyes again.
“What’s that about, Saint? I don’t want you to ever hide from me.”
“I’m…that was…”
“Incredible.” He kisses the tip of my nose. “Trust me, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I enjoyed every second of it. Sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“What about…you know—you?”
“Relax.” He slips the strap of my tank top back into place. “I’m not looking for reciprocation, Saint. Making you feel good was enough for me. But if you want to do something for me, I’d love to hold you until you fall asleep.”
“Hold me?”
“Yeah. I’ll call an Uber or Cole and be gone before morning. It’s just…having you in my arms brings me peace, and I could use some of that right now.”
“I wish you would talk to me.” I take his hands in mine again, bringing them to my lips and placing feathered kisses on his swelling knuckles. “I’ll give you what you need now. Swear you’ll talk to me about what happened later?”
His features twist with hesitation and dread as he takes a deep breath, but he nods his head in agreement. He lifts me off his lap and stands, slipping his Converse off his feet, then his shirt over his head. My center heats again as I take him all in. He looks like a golden god with his rippled abs, a light patch of hair sprinkled across his pecs. The desire to reach out and run my hands all over him is so intense, my fingers twitch at my sides.
“See something you like, baby doll?”
I don’t even try to conceal my dirty thoughts as I lick my lips. He chuckles, crawling in my bed before patting the mattress beside him.
“Come on, it’s late. You need to get some more sleep.”
I pull the covers over us as I get in, and he tucks me under his arm. My head settles on his warm chest, my hand landing on his perfectly chiseled stomach as his blankets the small of my back. He turns my lamp off, and the room falls silent as it goes dark. The beat of his heart picks up as my fingertips caress his skin, but only a for a moment. Before long, the even rhythm combined with the subtle raise and fall of his chest lulls me to sleep.
Chapter Thirty-Six
THATCHER
Dread settles in the pit of my stomach the second I step into the front foyer of my house. There’s zero chance whatever awaits me here is anything good. The truth is, I have a good idea of what I’m about to walk into.
I considered ignoring the numerous calls and texts from my father demanding I come home right away. But I knew making him wait would only make it worse. So, I had Cole take me to my car and came straight here.
After I’d given Joey the beat down the little prick deserved, Cole and I found a different party to attend. It took several drinks before my adrenaline died down. Then I panicked, realizing how badly I had fucked up. I knew the Roberts’ family well enough to know they would never let this lie. They will demand retribution for what I did to their precious son. Even though what I did was nothing compared to the fucked up shit their daughter had done to me when I was only thirteen years old.
There was something I feared much more than the Roberts, though. I’d broken my promise to Violet, and I’m worried she’ll be disgusted by me when she finds out. All that time and energy I spent trying to show her I wasn’t good enough, now I’m terrified she’s going to realize I was right.
As I begin to head toward my father’s office to face my fate, Kandice comes hopping down the stairs. When she sees me, her mouth spreads into a wicked grin.
“Oh, baby brother, what did you do now?” she taunts, following behind me.
“Why are you here?”
“Not by choice,” she snaps. “It’s summer break. I was planning to ask Daddy if he’d rent Brandi and me a place in Nashville, but he’s been in a foul mood all morning. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
“Nope.”
“No? Funny, I thought it might have had something to do with the number you did on poor Joey’s face last night.”
“Poor Joey? That asshole is a creep and got what he deserved.”
“You’re such a hypocrite, Thatch. You think because you do shitty things to ‘bad’ people, it somehow makes it okay, but you’re no different than the rest of us. I’m going to enjoy seeing you get knocked off your high horse this time.”
I rap on the double doors of my father’s office, and Kandice quickly slinks away as he shouts for me to come in. Not even his perfect princess wants to be near him when he’s on the warpath. My hand is unsteady as I turn the knob, and I take a calming breath as I push the door open. Things are always worse for me if I show fear. Like a shark who smells blood in the water.
The large room looks like it belongs in a high-rise in the city. Sleek lines and bleak colors make the space feel cold, much like the man it was designed for. The walls are plastered with his clients’ accomplishments as if they were his own.
Tim Michaelson may be known as one of the best talent managers in Music City, but he hates all of them. He’s jealous of their talent and fame. You know how they say, those who can’t do, teach. Well, those without talent, manage. My lack of interest in music or the industry is one of the many reasons I’m a disappointment to him.
My father is sitting at his desk, a crystal glass filled with some of his expensive brandy in his hand. “Where the hell have you been? I told you to get here over an hour ago.”
“I’m sorry.” The words sour in my mouth. I clear my throat before I continue. “I was at Cole’s. He had to take me to my car.”
“Don’t you think it’s about time you stop hanging around that low-life?” My jaw ticks, but I don’t dare say a word. We both know his issue with Cole isn’t because he’s a bad person. It has everything to do with his status. “Maybe if you kept better company, you wouldn’t be doing stupid shit and getting into fist fights. I didn’t raise you to act like a degenerate. What the hell were you thinking?”
“I wasn’t, sir.”
It’s not a lie. After Joey insinuated Violet was a slut, I lost it. There wasn’t any thought involved. I wanted to make him bleed, and that’s what I did. Besides, my father isn’t looking for an explanation. He doesn’t care. There’s nothing I could say that would make a difference to him. Nothing that will save me from whatever form of punishment he has planned for me.
He comes to his feet and stalks toward me. My compliance is agitating him. He’s looking for a fight.
“You were thinking, only it was with your dick, not your brain. Joey told me the fight was over some girl. I can’t believe you’d be stupid enough to risk your future over some high school slut.”
“Don’t you dare talk about her like—”
The back of his hand slams into the side of my face with so much force, I never even saw it coming. He straightens his clothes, then takes a sip of his brandy while my tongue darts out to lap up the blood at the corner of my mouth.
&nbs
p; “Don’t forget who you’re talking to, son. I won’t tolerate your disrespect. Especially given the amount of groveling I was forced to do on your behalf this morning.”
If Joey’s father wasn’t the great Don Roberts, one of Nashville’s beloved country music singers, who also happened to be one of my father’s biggest clients, there’s no way my father would’ve pleaded for me.
“Do you realize they were planning to press charges? You’re seventeen and would be tried as an adult. Do you even understand what that would mean? You would have assault on your record permanently. Not to mention possible jail time and probation. You would’ve had to kiss college goodbye.”
My jaw ticks as I fight the urge to tell him to stop acting as if he cares what happens to me. The only reason he doesn’t want me to get into trouble is because he thinks it would reflect poorly on him.
“Are you saying they aren’t going to press charges?”
“No, they’re not,” he answers, looking very pleased with himself as he takes another sip. “We came to an agreement this morning. I’ll be paying for any medical care Joey needs, and you’ll be spending your summer at New Hope.”
My lungs freeze, my brain refusing to believe what I’m hearing. “New Hope? That’s a boarding school for delinquents.”
He nods, a smug expression on his face. “It’s a school for teens with behavioral issues. I know the owner, and he’s agreed to let you stay there for the summer. Instead of taking classes, they’ll be putting you to work. You’ll be helping wherever and whenever they need you. You’ll also meet with a therapist once a week and participate in some anger management trainings.”
“No way, this is crap. You can’t—”
This time, it’s the palm of his hand crashing down on my temple that shuts me up. My head spins, and I suck in a greedy breath, my left eye squinting as pain radiates through it.
“I can and will, boy,” he shouts, pointing his finger in my face. “This is not negotiable. It’s the only way to keep the Roberts from pressing charges. You should be thanking me instead of giving me attitude. Maybe I should let them enroll you there for your senior year as well.”
When the Saint Falls: a high school bully romance (Westbrook three Book 1) Page 16