How Sinners Fight

by Eva Ashwood

  I catch sight of a few other familiar—and unwelcome—faces in the crowd too. Caitlin and her little posse are all here, and I wonder if they were invited by Cliff as another way of fucking with me. Reagan and Gemma glare in my direction as Caitlin critiques my paintings in her shrill voice, calling them derivative and simplistic.

  Fortunately, I don’t have time to worry about whether that smug bitch likes my art, because I’m quickly pulled into another round of introductions and compliments from people I don’t know, praising my work. I even talk to a few people who inquire about buying my pieces, but I turn them all down, despite some of the astronomical sums they offer.

  Declan was right. There’s something incredible about putting your work out there like this. And one day, I’d love to sell some of my work, but right now, it feels too close to letting someone own a part of me.

  By the end of the night, I hang back in the shadows a little bit, watching people still milling around, talking with their friends, admiring my art. I’m still on a high from the entire evening, a rush that I need right now to cancel out all of the other shit going on in my life.

  It’s something outside of school, something outside of my struggle with Cliff. It’s something that is completely me, and I love it. I never thought I would feel this good, this excited to share such a vulnerable part of myself with others.

  “Hey, there you are,” Declan says softly, coming up behind me. His arms are wrapping around my body and pulling me close before I even have time to turn around, and I lean into his touch. “I’ve been looking for you.”

  “I can’t believe this is real,” I murmur as he turns me in his arms so that I face him. “Thank you, Declan.”

  “I didn’t do much. This is all you.” He grins almost bashfully, sliding his hands a little lower so they rest just above the swell of my ass. Maybe it’s not entirely appropriate for a fancy art show, but I don’t give a fuck about that.

  “I never thought I’d be someone who could share like this,” I admit. “But having people see my pieces, study them, absorb them—hell, even offer money for them—it’s fucking amazing.”

  “They love you, Soph,” he says, leaning down to kiss me, his tongue gently seeking entrance as my lips part for him.

  Just like I love you.

  He doesn’t say that. Maybe he isn’t even thinking it. Maybe it’s all just in my head, my mind filling in the blanks and putting thoughts in his head. But in one heart-stopping second, with his body pressed against mine and his lips devouring me sweetly, I realize the truth.

  I’m beginning to fall in love.

  Not just with Declan.

  Not just with Elias.

  Not just with Gray.

  With all three of them.

  19

  The show doesn’t wrap up until much later than I expected. Guests linger until nearly midnight, though most of the people I know from school are long since gone.

  “The gallery owner says you’ll get the paintings back sometime within the next week,” Gray says. “But if you’d like, you’re more than welcome to take as many as we can fit in my car back to the dorms tonight.”

  “I think I’m good.” I let out a little sigh, realizing how tired I actually am. “I don’t want anyone to have to—”

  “Don’t worry about convenience, Sparrow.” He laughs. “You just brought this gallery a lot of publicity, and I’m more than willing to bet that they’ll be bending over backward to help you.”

  I blush in spite of myself. The past few hours have given me a surge of confidence and energy I didn’t know was even in me. It’s still hard to believe that tonight was actually a success, that people—strangers—saw my work and liked it.

  Elias and Declan join us, and Elias swings an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close to his warm body. As we head out to Gray’s car, all three guys talk excitedly about how much of a success the night was. Gray even shocks me by mentioning that the gallery might want to display my art again.

  “Especially if you’re not keen on selling anything right now.” He glances down at me with pride gleaming in his eyes. “Not,” he quickly adds, “that that’s a bad thing. If you choose not to sell, people are still gonna want to see your work again. And then if you ever do sell, you’ll probably be able to charge whatever you want and still have buyers.”

  I laugh. “Yeah, whatever.” Even though that prediction seems a little far-fetched, the thought is nice.

  “I’m telling you, Sparrow,” he says teasingly, “you’re the next big thing.”

  As we reach the parking lot, I suddenly realize that Max isn’t with us. The last time I saw her was maybe an hour ago.

  “Hey, where’s Max?” I ask.

  Declan gives a knowing grin. “She told us to let you know she’s letting Aaron take her back to the dorms tonight.” He raises an eyebrow. “Sounded like she might actually be getting somewhere with him.”

  I make a mental note to shoot her a text and make sure she’s all right—even though Aaron may be the most bearable of the Saints, I still don’t trust him. He associates with Cliff, so how the hell could I trust him?

  The school is only a thirty minute drive away, and as we pull up on campus, all the tiredness I was feeling as we left the gallery has been replaced with another wave of adrenaline. There’s no fucking way I can sleep right now.

  Maybe the guys feel the same way, because as we cross the quiet, dimly lit campus, I realize that Gray isn’t leading us back to my dorm or even his.

  “Where are we going?” I ask.

  He throws me a look over his shoulder that makes my skin heat. “You’ll see,” is all he says, and when the other two Sinners don’t question him, I get the feeling they already know where we’re going.

  They take me to a building I’ve never been to—a lecture hall that I don’t have any classes in. Despite the hour, they manage to get into the building by a conveniently unlocked door, and I vaguely wonder what favors they called in and who they called them in from, but decide not to think too hard about it.

  My skin is tingling with anticipation as we head up a long flight of stairs, turning out into a hallway and then finding another flight of stairs, smaller this time. I know we’re on the top floor, but for some reason, as Gray opens up the door at the top of the final flight of stairs, I’m shocked when I see a bright expanse of stars stretching out over a clear night sky, the chilly air stirring little tendrils of my hair.

  “Holy shit. This is beautiful,” I breathe, taking the hand that Gray offers me as we step out onto the rooftop. “How did you manage to…”

  My question trails off as he leads us to a spot on the roof where a few large lounge chairs are set up, as if this is a place they frequent enough to call their own. I’m not sure if it’s theirs, or just a little hideaway on campus I never knew about, but I think I love it.

  As we settle in, Declan produces a bottle of whiskey that he must’ve had stashed in the car. He uncaps it and holds it out, offering some to me.

  I accept the bottle and take a deep swig of the liquid, letting it burn down my throat before turning to a very pleasant warmth in the depth of my belly.

  When I hand it back to him, he stands and holds it up as if toasting.

  “To Soph, for sharing her art and her soul with us.” His gaze catches mine, holding it for a moment before he takes a drink.

  “My turn.” Elias reaches up and takes the bottle from him. Standing as well, he says, “To Blue, who’s got the hottest ass I’ve ever seen.”

  His stupid grin is enough to make me reach up and smack his ass playfully.

  “What?” he asks, grinning as he brings the bottle to his lips. “It’s the truth. And we can’t all be poets like Declan.”

  I roll my eyes, but my heart is thrumming in my chest. I’m not sure if it’s the whiskey that’s already warming my blood or if it’s just the leftover high from the show, but I’m feeling free and on top of the fucking world tonight.

  When the bottle r
eaches Gray, he takes a long sip, the column of his throat dipping as he swallows. When he puts the bottle down, he turns toward me, gazing at me through the semi-darkness. “To Sparrow, who has the biggest heart of anyone I know.”

  Silence falls for a moment, but none of us seem to feel a need to fill it. I know I don’t. I’m not sure how to articulate my emotions right now, the way all three of these men make me feel.

  Gray might say I have the biggest heart of anyone he knows, but that’s only because he and his friends cracked it open, giving it room to expand.

  We stay on the roof for another hour, talking and drinking. It feels sort of like those times with Declan when we’d sit together and smoke—easy and comfortable.

  That thought makes me pause, and I push out of my chair as Declan and Gray give Elias shit for some prank he tried to pull last year that went horribly wrong. I walk over and stand near the small wall that runs along the roof’s edge, staring out over the dimly lit campus as the men’s deep voices rise up behind me.

  Somewhere in the middle of all of this, I’ve become friends with the Sinners. More than just being drawn to them or attracted to them or connected to them by chemistry that I can barely control, I like them. We fit together. They’re all hard in their own ways, all damaged a little just like I am. I never would’ve believed that rich kids could bear the same kinds of scars on their hearts as someone who grew up like me, but they obviously do.

  I kind of like their scars though. I don’t think I’d want them if they were perfect.

  The whiskey is mostly gone by now, and I’m tipsy. I sway a little as I gaze down at the perfectly manicured lawns and gorgeous buildings. It looks so harmless from up here. So nice.

  “Hey, Blue. Come back.”

  Elias’s voice drifts over to me, and although he doesn’t tell me to watch out by the ledge, I know he’s worried about me. It’s a strange feeling, having people care about shit like that. But I like it.

  I shoot him a glance over my shoulder before walking back toward the group of chairs where the men are sitting.

  When I reach them, Elias catches my hand and kisses my knuckles before tugging me down onto his lap. I sit with my back to his chest, resting against him as they all keep talking, listening to the rumbling of his voice in his chest.

  His hands are roaming over my body, possessive and casual, as if there’s not a single part of me he can’t touch.

  And really, there isn’t.

  Slowly, heat sparks to life inside me. The men are still talking, their deep voices quiet in the still night, and Elias is still running his hands over my curves. But with every new place he touches, my body responds more strongly.

  I shift on his lap, spreading my legs a little. I’m still wearing the black cocktail dress I had on at the show, and the movement makes the fabric ride up my thighs, baring a little more of my skin. Elias pauses, then moves one hand a little lower, sliding it up my thigh.

  His fingertips brush the fabric of my panties, grazing my clit through the thin barrier, and I shudder.

  Just like that, the conversation between the men dies out. I realize with a sudden start that the other two Sinners are watching us, totally attuned to every movement.

  A little thrill of anticipation runs through me. I feel almost nervous, something I’m not used to feeling when it comes to sex. And the nerves right now aren’t because I’m shy, but because of what all this means.

  Somehow, without ever really meaning to, I’ve started to have feelings for three men. And somehow, they’ve accepted that. These possessive alphas, men who are used to getting whatever they want, are okay with sharing me with each other.

  But what exactly that means and how exactly it will work is still being decided.

  I know how I want it to work though. All I have to do is remember the day they gathered around me on Gray’s bed to know how I want things to be between us.

  So I decide to test the waters a little.

  I spread my legs a bit wider, welcoming Elias’s touch. He makes a noise so low in his chest that I feel the vibration of it more than I hear any sound, and his fingers trace the line of my panties before delving beneath them. He slides through my folds, and I can tell I’m already fucking soaked for him.

  Gray’s bottom lip is clamped between his teeth, his gaze riveted to the apex of my thighs. Declan is leaning forward a little in his chair, and even in the dim light from the moon and the streetlamps, I can tell his cock is hard. I can see the shadowy bulge of it in his pants.

  Smiling a little, I spread my legs wider, letting them see more of me at the same time Elias tugs the crotch of my panties aside and begins to fuck me with two fingers.

  My pussy clenches around the intrusion, and Gray groans. “Fuck, Sparrow. You like that?”

  In answer, I let my smile widen, dropping my head back against Elias’s shoulder as I hook my legs over the outside of his. He opens his own legs, spreading my thighs even more.

  I can feel Elias’s cock digging instantly into my ass. He pulses his hips upward a little in time to the movement of his fingers as he continues to fuck me with them. His thumb finds my clit, and I shift restlessly on his lap as the insistent thrum of arousal inside me spikes even higher.

  “What do you want, Blue?” he murmurs against my ear, pressing little kisses to it as we both watch the other two men watch us. “I can tell you want something. What is it?”

  “Fuck me,” I whisper back, a thrill of anticipation zapping down my spine as I say the words. “Just like this. With Gray and Declan watching. I want you to fuck me.”

  My words are meant only for Elias, but the other two Sinners either hear them or make an accurate guess at what I just said, because they both make audible sounds of approval. Declan reaches down and squeezes his dick through his pants, his jaw clenching as he does.

  God, yes.

  I want to see him do that and so much more. I want to watch them come while Elias is buried to the hilt inside me. I want to know they fell over the edge watching their friend fuck me, imagining themselves inside me.

  “Here? On the roof?”

  Maybe if it were someone else asking me that, I’d think they were hoping I would say no—that fucking on the roof of a school building while two other men watch is too risky, too reckless.

  But this is Elias. So even as he asks the question, he shows me how much he hopes I’ll say yes. His cock grinds against my ass as he hooks his fingers, teasing my g-spot and making me moan.

  “Yes.” It’s getting a little harder to think. His fingers are moving faster, and if he keeps that up, I’m gonna come once before he even gets inside me. “Here. Now. On the roof. I want you insi—oh, fuck!”

  As if he senses how close to the edge I am, Elias picks up his pace, thrusting his fingers harder and deeper until pleasure crashes through me. My muscles tense up, my legs trying to press closed, but he keeps them splayed wide, letting both Gray and Declan see the movement of his fingers inside me as I come.

  When he drags his fingers from my still-fluttering pussy and licks them clean, Declan groans.

  “Fucking Christ. I’ve never been so hungry in my life.”

  I bat my eyelashes at him, making him laugh. I’m tempted to go over to his chair and put him out of his misery, to let him taste me for himself and enjoy all the things his wickedly talented tongue can do.

  But that’s for another time. Right now, I know exactly what I want.

  I shift my weight a little, letting Elias drag the fabric of my dress upward until it’s bunched around my waist. With my legs spread so wide, it was already high enough for the other two Sinners to see beneath it, but now that it’s completely out of the way, I feel even more exposed.

  My thin, lacy panties are the only thing separating my pussy from the cool night air, and Elias shocks the hell out of me by grabbing the delicate fabric in both hands and shredding it from my body. I yelp as he tosses the scrap of fabric away, and I feel the vibration of his chuckle.

&n
bsp; “I’ve always wanted to do that,” he admits.

  “You’ve never shredded a pair of panties before?” I ask as he slides a finger through my slick arousal, showing off for the other two men. I’m not sure they’ve blinked since my dress got dragged upward, and my lower half feels flushed and hot, as if their gazes radiate actual heat.

  Elias laughs softly again. “I was never with a girl who inspired me to shred her panties before. Nobody’s ever made me as crazy as you, Blue.”

  I wriggle against him, showing my appreciation for his compliment by grinding my ass into the thick hardness of his cock. He curses under his breath, grabbing my hips to still me as his body shudders beneath mine.

  “Fuck. Let me get inside you first. If I blow my load in my damn pants, these two assholes will never let me hear the end of it.”

  That draws a full-throated laugh out of me, but I don’t torture him any more. He shifts me on his lap again, maneuvering to unzip his pants and push them down enough to release his cock. As it springs free, I see Gray and Declan both follow Elias’s lead. They’re still sitting, just like he is—Declan still leaning forward a little, one elbow braced on his knee while the other fists his dick, and Gray leaning back in his chair, stroking himself languidly as his shadowed eyes take in every detail of my half-naked form.

  My body feels like it’s burning up from the inside, the orgasm I just had a few minutes ago already forgotten as everything inside me demands more.

  More.

  More.

  Fuck, maybe it’s a good thing I’ve somehow found myself sort of dating three men at once. I feel fucking insatiable lately, in a way I’ve never really been before. I’ve always liked sex, as a coping mechanism more than anything, but ever since I met these three men, it’s been so much more than that. I’ve never reacted this way to anyone. All three of the Sinners have the ability to stoke a raging fire inside me with just a few words, a touch, a kiss.

  Elias lifts me a little, and his cock slips inside of me. I feel him let out a stuttered breath that turns into a long sigh as he presses his hips upward, filling me in a long, slow thrust.