by Laura Lee
“You’re going to pay for that later.”
“Bring it, babe,” she retorts.
I groan. This girl is always testing my patience and self-control. I’ve obviously become a masochist because I get off on the shit.
Big time.
CHAPTER SIX
JAZZ
Thanksgiving break went by way too fast if you ask me. I spent most of it at Kingston’s except for my shopping trip with Ainsley or my weekly date with Belle. I still can’t get over what Kingston has planned for Belle’s birthday. It was so hard not spilling the beans when I saw her yesterday. Kingston and I agreed to keep it a secret until we get there. I’ve never been to Anaheim, but he said there are Disney signs everywhere as soon as you get into town. Kingston thinks there’s still a good possibility it won’t register with her until we’re pulling the car through the gates, though.
Belle’s going to absolutely freak, and I can’t wait to see her reaction. And if I’m honest, I’m crazy excited myself. I already have a list of princesses we need to see, and I’m sure my sister will want to hit up some fairies too. It’s bittersweet in a way because I always thought if I did have a chance to go, it’d be with my mom and Belle, but I know our mom would want this for us. She loved Disney movies—hence, our names—so much so that she ensured Belle and I got to see as many as possible.
Whenever she saw a DVD at a yard sale, or if one was on clearance at Walmart, she’d add it to our collection. Every time we had a family movie night, odds were high we’d choose one of those. I’m glad Belle was able to take that collection with her to her dad’s house. Maybe one day, she can pass on the tradition.
“You ready to do this?”
I blink rapidly, taking in my surroundings. I was so lost inside my head, I didn’t even realize Kingston and I had pulled through the Windsor Academy gates.
I turn my gaze toward my boyfriend. “If I have to be.”
“At least we only have a few weeks until winter break.” Kingston’s eyes twinkle in amusement. They’re extra green today, with just tiny little flecks of gold. It always amazes me how drastically they change color. “Then, ten weeks until spring break and after that, just over two months before we’re out of this hellhole for good.”
I smile. “Not that you’re keeping track or anything.”
“Noooo. Not at all.” He smirks before his expression turns somber. “You know, I honestly didn’t mind school all that much before you came around.”
I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest. “Gee. Thanks a lot.”
He reaches over and untangles my limbs. “Not what I meant. It’s just that things were easy for me. I could go through the motions with minimal effort beyond classwork. Nobody got in my way; one day bled into another. It was actually a nice reprieve from all the bullshit I had to face with our dads after school.”
“What changed?”
“Since you’ve arrived... I’m hyper-alert all the damn time. At first, it was because you intrigued me, and I was trying to puzzle out what made you so different. Now, I’m constantly keeping an eye out for anyone who’d try fucking with you. And before you say it, I know you don’t need me to do that, but I can’t help it. That inner caveman of mine you love so much demands it. Plus, it’s pretty obvious you hate this place, and that doesn’t exactly give me the warm and fuzzies.”
I pop a brow. “Does anything give you the warm and fuzzies?”
“I can think of something that keeps me nice and warm.”
“I meant besides my vag,” I say dryly.
His stupidly kissable lips twitch. “A couple of other places come to mind, but I can’t speak from experience on one of them. Yet.”
I shiver involuntarily as heat spreads between my thighs. “Are you really bringing up anal right now?”
Kingston shrugs unapologetically. “It’s been on my mind.”
I laugh. “Oh, really? What makes you think I’d be interested?”
“Oh, you’d be interested.” His eyes burn a path down my body and back up again. “I can’t stop wondering...”
“Wondering about what?”
“Whether Taco Truck Shawn took both of your virginities.” Kingston places his hand on my bare thigh, giving it a little squeeze.
I slam my hand over his when he tries creeping under my plaid skirt. “First of all, it’s still just Shawn.”
Now his eyebrows lift. “And secondly?”
“And secondly...” My eyes narrow when he shrugs out of my hold, and his hand starts climbing. My breath stutters when he reaches the lacy trim of my cotton panties. “Secondly...” My legs part involuntarily, giving Kingston better access. I grip the edge of the leather seat when he runs an index finger over the crotch of my panties.
“What’s the matter, Jazz?” the asshole taunts. “You lose your train of thought?”
“Fuck off.”
I gasp and throw my head back as he dips beneath the material, sliding his finger through my wetness. I’m glad he took the Range Rover this morning so we’re high enough off the ground where a passerby couldn’t see what we’re doing unless they come right up to the window because I really don’t want him to stop. Kingston’s tongue traces a line down the nape of my neck as he inserts two long fingers inside of me, all in one go. I’m so embarrassingly wet, there’s no resistance whatsoever.
“Mmm... I’d rather fuck you. But I’ll have to settle for this right now.”
He pulls back, studying my face as he pumps his fingers in and out, carefully cataloging each one of my features. I’m sure my eyes are as wild as his, and I can feel the flush in my cheeks. Kingston’s gaze lowers to my mouth as I nibble on my bottom lip, trying not to make any noise. It takes considerable effort because the boy is just as talented with his hands as he is with other parts.
The pad of his thumb is drawing lazy circles over my clit, bringing me closer and closer to the edge. I squirm as he curls his fingers inside of me, triggering the mother of all orgasms. It comes on so suddenly, I inhale sharply from the surprise as I ride the wave. Kingston removes his hand from under my skirt once it ebbs and begins the process of licking his fingers clean. It’s utterly obscene and self-evident why he’s doing it, but I’m too blissed out in my post-orgasmic haze to care.
He flashes a wicked grin. “You never answered my question.”
“Yeah... well...” I gesture to my lap, where my panties are still askew. “You distracted me.”
“Not going to apologize.” Jesus, could he be any smugger?
I look out the window and see the parking lot is entirely devoid of people. When my eyes flicker to the clock on his dash, I curse.
“Fuck. We’re late for first period.”
“Totally worth it.”
“Yep.” I pop the P at the end.
“So? You gonna answer the damn question?”
I give Kingston a lazy smile. “I don’t want to tell you because then you’ll get all, ‘Must be the first—and only, if I have anything to say about it—to conquer’ on me.”
“All the answer I need, babe.” He grabs the back of my neck and presses a hard kiss against my mouth. I can faintly taste my arousal on his lips. “And you can bet that sweet, untouched ass of yours that it won’t be that way for long.”
“So cocky.” My eyes roll to emphasize my point.
Kingston’s full lips quirk. “There’s a reason for that.”
Yes. Yes, there is.
I don’t give him the satisfaction of saying that out loud, though. The last thing Kingston Davenport needs is for someone to feed his enormous ego. Instead, I stick my tongue out—adding a middle finger for good measure—but that only makes the jackass laugh.
My eyes narrow. “You’re lucky I like you.”
“Oh, you do, do you?”
I hold my thumb and pointer finger half an inch apart. “Just a little bit.”
His big body climbs over the center console and lands on the back seat.
I turn in my chair. “What are you
doing?”
Kingston reaches over and unbuckles my seat belt. “Don’t act surprised, Jazz. You’re the one who threw out the gauntlet.”
“And what are you going to do about it?” I’m pretty sure my tone couldn’t have possibly been loaded with more sass.
“I’m going to remind you that you like me a helluva lot more than ‘a little bit.’” He extends a hand. “Now, get your ass back here.”
If anyone asked, I’d deny it until I was blue in the face, but I’m reasonably sure no one has ever hopped into a back seat faster.
***
“Has Ainsley said anything about me lately?”
I smile up at Reed. “She says lots of things about you.”
While we’re walking down the busy hall, I can see him giving me the stink eye out of my peripheral. “Like what, specifically? Has she said anything about... ‘cause it seems like maybe you know...”
I prop my foot against a locker that’s adjacent to my last class of the day. I share the same class with Ainsley, so it’s pretty ballsy of him to be asking me this right now. She should be here any second. “Know about what?”
“About me. About being with me.”
I sigh. “Look, Reed. I’m not going to violate girl code, but let’s just say Ainsley is a happy girl. You make her very happy in all ways. If there’s anything else you want to know, you need to ask her.”
Reed looks unsure. “You genuinely mean that? She’s not weirded out?”
“Why would she be weirded out? Because you happened to think she has a really great ass? Anyone with eyes can see that.”
His green orbs widen. God, I love fucking with him.
“You do know.”
“Haven’t the slightest clue what you’re talking about, buddy.” I pat him on the cheek condescendingly.
He scrubs a hand over his face. “Christ, I can see why Kingston’s so frustrated all the damn time.”
“Meh.” I shrug. “He may act like he hates it, but you and I both know that’s not true.”
His lips twitch. “Touché.”
“Hi, guys.”
Speaking of the woman of the hour...
Reed’s face brightens when his gaze finds my bestie. “Hey.” He cups her jaw with both hands and plants a kiss right on her mouth.
My eyebrows lift. “So, you’re doing this now, huh?”
“Guess so.” Ainsley’s still giving Reed starry-eyes when she answers me. “What was that for?”
“Missed you,” he murmurs against her lips.
She briefly closes her eyes and smiles softly. “Missed you, too.”
Ainsley and Reed have been pretty quiet about the fact that they’re together during school. They said they didn’t want to deal with the mean girls’ cattiness while their relationship is so new, but I guess that’s no longer a concern.
“Aw, you two are so cute, it makes me want to puke in my mouth.”
Ainsley flips me off as she sneaks one more quick kiss. “You need to haul ass if you’re going to get to math in time. I’ll meet you by the car after class.”
“Have fun.” Reed gives her a discreet pat on the butt before walking away.
“Why are you blushing, Ains?”
“Shut up.” She rolls her eyes as she leans against the wall.
We still have a few minutes before class, so we take advantage of that to continue our conversation.
“What were you and Reed talking about before I got here?”
“You.”
“What about me?”
“He’s still having doubts that you’re not okay with his...” I lower my voice before adding, “kinks.”
She pulls back, her delicate brows raised in surprise. “Reed said that?”
“Sort of. As much as he could without revealing what that thing of his is. He suspects I know, but I haven’t confirmed anything.”
Ainsley smirks. “Well, to be fair, you’re not exactly subtle about it.”
I shrug. “I respect the fact that Reed wants to be discreet, but you know damn well the guys know. And I hate bringing this up, but odds are, most girls he’s been with know too, so it’s not like it’s a take-it-to-the-grave kind of secret. He has nothing to be ashamed of, but I don’t think he believes that.”
“I think I know the reason behind that.” She sighs heavily. “His parents are über conservative. Judgy assholes, really. Reed’s grown up listening to them preach about Christian values, which they like to fall back on to justify their bigotry. In reality, their behavior is very anti-Christian. He doesn’t buy into their bullshit—especially after what they did to his sister—but I think he still fights a lot of deeply-rooted stuff in his head.”
“Reed has a sister?”
“Yep.” Ainsley nods. “She’s four years older, but they’re close. Reed usually spends most of the summer break at her place. He actually asked me if I wanted to fly up there for Christmas.”
“Why haven’t I heard about her before?”
Ainsley’s shoulder lifts. “She moved to Oregon literally the day after graduation with nothing but the clothes on her back. Couldn’t get away from their parents fast enough.”
“Why? What happened?”
She frowns. “Regan—that’s her name—is bisexual. She decided to finally come out to her parents toward the end of her senior year because she fell in love with a woman and didn’t want to hide her feelings anymore. The ‘rents were not okay with it in the least. Those jerks threatened to cut Regan out of their will unless she got that ‘lesbian nonsense’ out of her head. In turn, she told them if they couldn’t understand that love is love, regardless of what that looks like, they could take their money and go fuck themselves with it.”
“That’s sad.”
“Very. Regan’s girlfriend, Cass, had some family in Portland, so they packed up and left town as soon as they could. When Reed told his parents about Regan and Cassidy’s engagement, they acted like they didn’t even have a daughter. That was pretty much the last straw for Reed—he wants nothing to do with them. He can’t wait to get out of that house, either.”
I sigh. “Poor guy. No wonder he’s so serious all the time. I sorta feel bad for screwing with him now.”
“Yeah.” Ainsley blows a hair out of her face. “And don’t feel bad, Jazz. You didn’t know, and he could definitely use a little more humor in his life. He’d understand you meant no harm.”
“Well, you should tell him you told me and that he’ll get no judgment from me on the matter.” I wag my eyebrows suggestively. “And you should definitely try convincing him that you’re more than okay with it. Whatever you need to do to ensure he has no doubts, do it.”
The flush in her cheeks deepens as we walk into class.
“Buenas tardes, señorita Davenport y señorita Callahan.”
“Buenas tardes, señor Reyes,” Ainsley and I reply in unison.
Before we split off to take our seats, Ainsley winks and says, “I’ll see what I can do.”
I chuckle. “I bet you will.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
JAZZ
If I thought Thanksgiving break went by fast, it was nothing compared to our first week back at school. On Monday, I had a pop quiz in almost every one of my classes because the teachers at Windsor are clearly giant assholes, and it didn’t get much better from there. The one nice thing is that Peyton and posse have been relatively quiet, save for a few whispered insults here and there. After school, the guys and I reviewed video footage while Ainsley was at dance class. However, the boys have taken over anything from Preston’s offices because I can’t stomach seeing the man for any length of time after recent events.
Nothing exciting has happened since we saw Preston abusing my stepsister on that video, although you can definitely sense the growing tension between my sperm donor and his wife. I won’t lie and say watching Madeline squirm hasn’t been entertaining. We’ve finally made it to Saturday, where we’re just about to head to another fancy party. If you would’ve t
old me six months ago I would be attending gatherings like this wearing designer dresses, I would’ve laughed my ass off.
“There. I think I got it.” Kingston finishes buttoning his dress shirt and begins the process of knotting his bright red tie.
“Do you need to test it out?” I straighten the corner of his collar.
“John and I did that earlier,” my boyfriend says. “It was just a matter of getting it taped up properly without smothering the mic. All I need to do at this point is to hit the button to activate it once we’re there.”
It turns out, John Peterson’s FBI friend is, in fact, investigating mine and Kingston’s fathers. John wouldn’t give us any real details because he doesn’t want to compromise the case, but he seems to think this is a positive development. Kingston agreed to wear a wire to the party tonight since there’s a possibility several vital players will be in attendance. He’s also decided to hand over any incriminating video footage we have, though I don’t know how Kingston’s getting around the fact that he’s technically engaging in illegal surveillance. John says he trusts this guy, and Kingston trusts John, so I’m going with it.
“Well, look at that. We clean up well, don’t you think?” I gesture to our reflection in the mirror above Kingston’s dresser.
His eyes darken as they take me in, lingering on my subtle cleavage for a few seconds. “You look incredible, but that’s really no different from any other day.”
I’m wearing an emerald green midi-length dress that’s fitted through the bodice with a flowy skirt. It’s simple and delicate but totally appropriate for my age. More importantly, unlike the last dress I wore to a stuffy event, this one lacks the sex kitten vibe. When I moved to the hills, my closet was filled with beautiful clothing, but there wasn’t a single cocktail dress because Madeline says evening wear should only be worn once then promptly discarded. She didn’t appreciate my scoff after that ridiculous statement, but it’s not like I really give a fuck.
My stepmonster tried buying me something to wear for tonight, but I declined for obvious reasons and raided Ainsley’s closet instead. Thankfully, the girl has a massive wardrobe, with items ranging from perfectly chaste all the way over to this-would-look-perfect-with-a-pair-of-stripper-heels. I chose a dress on the former end of the spectrum because the last thing I’d want to do is show up to a house filled with pervy old men in an overtly sexy garment. You’d think I was completely naked, though with the way my boyfriend’s gaze eats me up.