by Huss, JA
To lose, maybe.
But I’m not playing to lose, just biding my time here. I’m not stupid. I don’t want to make myself a target. I just want to be smart. Pick and choose my battles. And there is no point in challenging them without reason.
They linger at the long breakfast table for hours. No rush to do anything today. And for a little while, I figure this is all they’ll do. Just drink and eat like stupid rich people all day because by the time Isabella claps her hands and directs us to clear the table, it’s nearly noon.
But then everyone is in motion. Not just us, the servers, but all the pledges too. They are moving chairs and couches around, the white wooden folding chairs they were sitting in for Ax and Valentina’s performance earlier long since removed.
Two loveseats are pushed into the center of the room and then two overstuffed chairs arranged on either side. The boys take their seats, clearly excited about what is to come. The girls disappear outside with Selina.
I glance over at Valentina. She’s hanging off Ax like they’re a couple.
Are they a couple?
Hmm. I really wouldn’t know. I didn’t spend any time at all over on the college side of campus the past three years. They could be dating, I guess.
Ax definitely kissed Valentina this morning like they do it regularly. And his hands have been all over her body this morning. Fondling her like she’s his property.
This realization makes me glance over at Cooper and Isabella. She’s flirting with him. But that’s very typical, from what I know about Isabella. She flirts with everyone.
But this… maybe goes a little beyond her normal tease routine. She plays with Cooper’s dark hair, twisting those sexy waves up in her fingers as she looks him in the eyes and talks.
Cooper is smiling as she does this, listening attentively and gazing down on her with those electric-blue eyes like she’s the center of his world. Laughing, even. Like they are very good friends.
Hmm. Maybe they are? Maybe they’re dating? They’re definitely doing something.
He glances around the room, checking progress of the new furniture arrangement, and then his eyes land on me and he instantly frowns.
I look away quickly and start removing the white tablecloth so I can take it in the back and start the laundry.
I’m just about to push my way through the kitchen doors when I hear “Cadee Hunter!” bellow through the room.
I stop, take a deep breath, and turn with a bright smile on my face. “How can I serve you, Your Highness?” I even curtsy.
Cooper is glaring at me. Then he beckons me with one curved finger, like I’m not worthy of speech, and leans in to Isabella’s neck to whisper something. She laughs. Loudly. Smacks his shoulder playfully as I slowly cross the room towards them. Then he kisses her on the mouth, holding her face in his hands, and spanks her ass when she turns to go outside.
She squeals and skips a step, looking over her shoulder at him. He grins back at her, enjoying her playful reaction to his swat.
I roll my eyes.
But I shut that down quick when he turns to me and his gaze locks on. He folds his arms across his chest and I hold the tablecloth close to mine because his heated stare is no longer playful. It’s mean and sends a chill up my spine, making my nipples bunch up in response.
“Yes, my king,” I say, trying to sound… subservient.
I’m not sure I pull it off.
“Stand right here.” Cooper points to the other side of him, next to the door that leads outside. “I’ll be right back.”
“O-kay,” I mumble under my breath. He goes outside and I turn a little to watch.
“Hey, serving wench!”
I turn back around and look at the boys in the center of the room, then hate myself for looking. Because I just answered to the name ‘serving wench’.
They laugh at this. Like I am the butt of their joke.
“Did Cooper Valcourt say anything about turning around and watching him?”
“Uhhh…” I’m not sure I answer to these boys. So I’m not sure if I should be rude or not.
But I don’t have to answer, because Lars is suddenly in the center of the room, in front of the boy speaking. I recognize him as Ivan Turgenev. The Bully King of Prep. I’ve heard some stories about that boy over the years. He’s far worse than Cooper ever was.
“Did I give you permission to talk, cockling?”
Cockling? I snort out a laugh. Haven’t heard them called that before.
Ivan doesn’t back down. “She’s a fucking servant. I can talk to her any way I want.”
Well, I guess we all know how he treats his family’s house staff. I feel sorry for them.
Lars—not a guy known for using his fists the way Ax is—reaches down, grabs Ivan by the collar, and pulls him right out of that cushy loveseat and on his feet. “Did you just talk back to me, boy?”
Ut-oh. Lars is mad. He won’t hit him. That’s not Lars’ style. But it is Ax’s style. And everyone knows, if you fuck with one of them, you fuck with all three.
Even I know that.
I stifle a laugh. Because that can be interpreted in more than one way.
“Are you having fun here, Cadee?”
Cooper’s words make me tingle all over, because his lips are right up to my ear and his deep voice enters my body as a low vibration.
I take a deep breath. “No, sir. I’m not.”
He slides his body around mine and grabs my hips, tugging me close to his body. His hands slide down my ass and stay there, the heat from his touch so intense, I flush. “Well, that’s too bad,” he whispers. He licks his lips and my eyes dart down before I can stop them. I look up quickly. “But I think I can rectify the situation.”
I gaze up at him, recalling another time we were this close to each other, so close I can see the swirls of green that outline his blue irises. He uttered those exact same words to me.
I think I can rectify the situation.
As if my problem at the time was a situation to be rectified.
I stiffen, tilt my chin up, and glare at him. “Don’t do me any favors, Christopher.”
He laughs and backs off, turning away from me.
Whatever was happening with Lars and Ivan, it’s over now. Ivan is back in his seat and Lars is all the way across the room.
Every single set of male eyes is now one hundred percent on me.
Cooper throws something at Ivan, who catches it one-handed. It’s a water balloon. And it breaks, spilling all over Ivan’s lap. “What the fuck?” he says, standing up, his shirt and pants drenched. He looks down at himself, then back up at Cooper, glaring at him.
“Do not,” Cooper says in a low growl, “talk to my servants without permission, you fucking pleb.” Ivan opens his mouth to say something but Cooper beats him to it. “Do not look at my fucking servants without permission. Do not think about my fucking servants without permission. And if I ever”—he pauses—“ever catch you touching one of my fucking servants without permission, I will ruin you, Ivan.”
Ivan’s scowl disappears. “I didn’t fucking touch her. I was joking.”
Cooper looks back at me. “Did you think it was funny, Fugling?”
Fuck. I catch Victor’s eye from across the room. He’s shaking his head at me. And I can practically hear the words in his mind. Do not engage.
“No,” I say, straightening my back and lifting my chin. “I didn’t find him funny at all.”
Cooper’s heated glare lingers on me and for a moment I think I catch the beginning of a smile. But it never really materializes. Then he’s looking back at Ivan. “She doesn’t think you’re funny, Ivan. Do you want to try again?”
“What?” Ivan is confused.
And so am I.
“I said do you want to try again?”
“Am I supposed to make her laugh?”
“Do you want to make her laugh, Ivan?”
Jesus Christ. He’s not trying to save me. Cooper Valcourt is setting me u
p.
“Uh…” Ivan chuckles. “Sure. I’ll give it another try.”
Cooper looks at Lars and growls, “Find me some rope.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - COOPER
Lars snickers as he disappears into the kitchen. He knows what I’m going to do. And it is pretty funny. Cadee Hunter will laugh, no doubt about it.
I look over my shoulder at her. But she’s not laughing yet.
She looks scared.
What could he possibly do to me with rope? I can read her mind.
Oh, Cadee. I can think of lots of fun things to do with rope.
This wasn’t my original plan for her on opening day, but fuck it. That other one will hold until later. When she thinks the day is done and she made it through. That’s when I’ll spring my original plan on her.
If she makes it that far.
Lars returns with the rope and hands it to me.
“Thank you, Lars.”
He grins. “Any time, Coop.”
I turn back to Cadee. Hold up the rope. “You can walk out, you know. You have all the power here, Cadee. All you have to do is say, ‘No, thank you’ and get the fuck out of my face. Forever.”
She thinks about it. But I’m not surprised when she shakes her head no and whispers, “I’m not quitting.”
I shrug. “Fine with me. But when you leave here today, leave here knowing that this was your choice. Your decision.” I glare at her. “This is you. Giving me permission.”
She frowns. Shakes her head again. “I can take it.”
“Can you?” I laugh and turn to my pledges. “She can take it! So let’s get the first show on the road. Ivan.” I point at him. “Come stand right here.” I beckon Cadee with a single finger. “You. Come stand right here.” I point to the space between Ivan and me.
She barely hesitates. This is what I’ve always liked about Cadee Hunter. She’s dumb. She knows what’s coming and she obeys my commands anyway. Her eyes are even locked on mine the whole time she walks over to me. Still defiant.
I place my hands on her shoulders and turn her around so she has to face Ivan.
Ivan looks like he’s about to bust his nut before this party even gets started. Fucking boys.
I lean down and press my lips up to Cadee’s neck and whisper, “Put your hands behind your back.”
She sucks in a deep breath, but complies.
I take her wrists and start tying the rope around them. Tight. She doesn’t move. No one moves.
But then the door opens and Ax says, “OK, we’re ready for you.” We all look at him and he laughs. “Fuck them, this looks way more interesting.” He leans against the door and folds his tatted-up arms across his chest.
I finish tying her wrists together and then lean down again to whisper, “Last chance, Cadee.”
“Permission granted, my king.”
Everyone laughs and starts talking.
“God, you’re dumb.” My whisper is lower now. Private. “You’re not going to win.”
She turns her head so I can look her in the eyes. They are a very light brown color. Almost amber. When she’s angry, those eyes make her look like a demon. When she’s sad, they make her look like a child. And when I’ve got my fingers between her legs and she’s screaming out her climax, they make her look like a goddess. “I’ve already won,” she whispers back. “All I have to do is limp across the finish line.”
I slide my hands to her hips and kiss her neck. She sucks in a breath of air, not expecting this. I pull up her t-shirt just enough to show off her belly to Ivan and the others while I play with her nipples. I bite her earlobe and whisper, “Tell me to stop and it’s over.”
She shakes her head.
I slide the tips of my fingers up and down her ribs. It’s a light, fluttery touch that sends chills through her body and the skin on her arms pricks up. The next time I touch her nipples, they are hard, tight bunched peaks.
She likes it, I realize. And why shouldn’t she? I know how to turn this girl on. She told me exactly how she likes it. She spelled it all out for me back when she was just fifteen years old.
But when she actually moans a little, I pause for a moment, my eyes going to each of the other boys in the room. Lars looks concerned. He knows what I’m going to do. Ax looks excited. He knows too. Ivan looks like he’s having a hard time keeping his hands to himself.
He meets my gaze and I caution him with a fierce look. “Follow my lead,” I say loud enough for everyone to hear. “Understand me?”
Ivan nods. “Sure. Fine. Whatever.”
“You may touch her, Ivan.”
Cadee gasps a little.
“Is that a stop, I hear, Cadee? Ready to walk away now?”
She holds her breath and shakes her head. “No. I’m staying.”
Ivan grins. They’ve all heard about what they do during summer rush. They have probably spent the last several years jerking off to the fantasy.
But they don’t know. They don’t have any idea. And not just because it’s different every summer. The King makes the rules and plans the games. No two summer rushes are exactly alike. But because they think this is about sex the same way the girls think it’s about money.
And summer rush isn’t about either of those things.
It’s about power.
And how they don’t have any until it’s bestowed upon them.
And if I have to be stuck here running this shit, I’m gonna make damn fucking sure I have fun.
I peek over Cadee’s shoulder and watch Ivan’s fingertips caress her stomach. I wish I could see her face. Lars has moved closer to get a better look, his hesitance nothing but fascination now.
I kiss Cadee’s neck and massage one of her breasts. This makes her knees buckle a little. Like I make her weak.
Ivan takes a step forward, pressing his hips up to hers. He wants to kiss her. Even makes a move to try, but I turn Cadee’s head and claim her lips for myself.
She kisses me back immediately and my cock grows in my pants.
That wasn’t in the plan, but oh, well. I grind it against her ass as I play with her tongue, then slip my hand down her ribs, right past the waistband of her shorts, and find the wetness between her legs.
Ivan’s hand follows mine and I pause, holding my breath for a moment. Because I want to stop him, but I want to leave it there too. And when I look at Lars, he’s shaking his head at me.
I crossed a line there with Lars, so I pull Ivan’s hand out and he doesn’t protest, but his fingers are already wet.
The room is totally silent. Like… I’m pretty sure everyone is holding their breath.
“Are you laughing yet, Cadee?” I whisper these words past her lips as I kiss her.
She huffs. But she smiles too.
I stop kissing her and look at Ivan. He’s… transfixed. I’m pretty sure this kid has never, ever, even in his wildest fucking fantasies, thought about sharing a girl like this in front of a whole room filled with men.
But after today, it will be all he thinks about.
All of them will jerk off tonight picturing themselves as me and Ivan with Cadee between us. I mean… isn’t that why Ax, Lars, and I started the whole Cadee Hunter experiment back when we were seniors in Prep?
Because we heard about it?
And then we couldn’t stop the fantasy?
I hate to break it to poor Ivan here. Hate to burst his little bubble, but this is just day one. He’s not getting off that easy.
And neither is Cadee.
I pull my hands away from Cadee and step back. She looks over her shoulder at me, her eyes heavy for a moment. Then she squints them. Questioning what I’m doing. Wondering why I’m no longer touching her.
I point to my pledges one at a time. Michael, Dante, Roland, and Jamie. Then I say, “You also have my permission to touch her.”
Cadee gasps, squirming a little in Ivan’s embrace. Both Lars and Ax are on either side of her as the other boys step forward, grinning and laughing with excitement.
All of them are hard beneath their shorts. Dante is even grabbing himself.
I slip back up behind Cadee and start tracing the back of my fingers up and down her ribs. Her shirt is up to her neck, her breasts round and firm and her nipples hard from all the hands on her. But they’re gentle hands. Because I am gentle. And I set the standard. The King always sets the standard.
I lean into her ear one more time. “Last chance to walk away, Cades.” Fuck. That nickname just slipped out. “Cadee.” I correct myself. “Say stop and we stop. Say nothing and this goes on until it’s over.”
She says nothing.
“You’re so stupid,” I whisper as I slip my fingers into her hair and wind it up in my fist. I tug on it. Not hard, or the boys might get the wrong idea. “Why are you doing this?”
She stretches her long, slender neck, her soft cheek right up next to my scruffy one. She looks me in the eye and says, “Why are you doing this?”
I’m instantly angry. “Because I belong here,” I growl. “And you don’t.”
She lets her cheek move away, releasing me. And instead, she presses it up to Dante’s neck, urging him to pick up where I left off.
They kiss.
And I rage inside.
Calm down, Cooper. She’s playing you.
And she’s not allowed to play. She’s just a pawn.
Remind her of that fact.
Oh, I plan on it. The fun is just getting started.
We’ve made her feel good—that’s for sure.
But we haven’t made her laugh yet.
I poke her pit with one stiff fingertip and she squirms and giggles. I do it again, and this time she tries to get away. “Hold her, Ivan.”
He looks confused for a moment, but then nods and holds her still.
I poke her again and again. In the ribs, in the pits. Dante starts making grabs at her knees. She buckles, laughing hysterically, squirming, and writhing, and wriggling as poky fingers come at her from all directions and make her jerk and squeal until she finally just collapses on the ground.
They don’t stop. They keep going. Grabbing at her ribs now, her armpits, her knees, over, and over, and over again.