Play the Game: Hannaford Prep Year Three

by J Bree

  I’m fucking doomed.

  “You have three assignments due next week.” I croak, so fucking ready to cave and he smirks at me.

  “I’m just getting comfortable. Didn’t you want to see my new tattoos?”

  Right. Tattoos. Yes.

  I nod and he peels the bandages, tape, and plastic away from the puffy, raw skin of his hands and neck. Avery was right, he’s now covered in stars. There’s even a little one inked behind his ear, right where he usually kisses me.

  “You’ll have to tape me up again. My hands are killing me.” He grumbles, and I go to rummage around in the bathroom for the first aid kit. I’m especially good at taping hands back together with all of the practice I now get with Blaise and Harley’s boxing, and Ash’s fight club matches.

  Once he’s looking more bandaged than a mummy I try to get him to study but he’s too damn jittery.

  “I’d concentrate better if you were naked.” He drawls, running a thumb over the swell of my chest. I bat his hand away.

  “No you fucking wouldn’t. If you fail this test I will be so pissed.”

  He shrugs. “I won’t. I’ve been studying at night before bed too. I’m going to pass these classes and next year we’ll take all the same classes again so I can keep an eye on you, and then we’ll go on tour together before you run off to college to become a doctor or an astrophysicist or… whatever the fuck geniuses become.”

  I smile at him and close the textbook. “Why would I go on tour with you? Do you need a groupie on hand at all times or something?”

  He leans back on the cushions, smug and relaxed. I bite my lip at the sight of him, all bandaged up, secretly marked with me. Maybe I hate my name a little less.

  “I like the idea of you being there for my every need, but no. I meant because you’re going to be singing with me. I’m going to release your song on the album… if I ever fucking release it.” He sighs, and rubs his eyes.

  “Why haven’t you? I mean, the songs have been done for months.”

  Fuck it, I climb into his lap. He groans in frustration when he can barely hold me, but I do my best to avoid pressing on any raw patches.

  “I’m thinking about leaving my label. Don’t tell anyone that, not even Ash. He’ll have a fucking aneurysm at me over it. But they keep interfering with the song writing and I’m just… I write and play to get shit out of my head. Because I love that I can turn the weird thoughts and pain into something I can hand to someone else. The band’s agent wants me to clean up the lyrics and go more mainstream. He didn’t like the new songs, he said they’re too raw. Fuck him.”

  I frown at him and say, “They’re amazing. They’re the best songs you’ve written so far. I should know, I’ve heard them all.”

  He quirks an eyebrow at me, playful again. “You haven’t though, have you? You never did open my present.”

  Fuck. I hadn’t.

  I shake my head and he smiles at me. He cups my face gently, pushing my hair away from my face and kissing me sweetly.

  “I was so pissed that day. I’d put my fucking heart in that box and you wouldn’t open it. I can’t blame you, I’d been such a fucking dick to you, but I had put myself out there and hoped you’d see it… see me. It doesn’t matter, Star, I have you now. My little muse. My sweet Nightingale, pretty and sings so sweet.”

  He starts to ramble, my crush only getting worse as he begins to describe all of his favorite parts of me, most of them naked body parts, but some of them immensely more intimate, like the scar the bullet from Diarmuid’s gun left on my skin and the soft patch of skin on my shoulder they all seem to be obsessed with.

  I wait until Avery heads to ballet the next afternoon and I dig out the package Blaise had sent me, untouched and hidden in my duffle bag under my bed. I’d been so tempted, so many times, over the summer break but it was like Schrodinger’s box. What if I opened it and it was just candy, something small and meaningless? Or, more terrifyingly, what if it wasn’t?

  Now I know it’s his heart, I have to see what it is.

  I use my knife to slice the tape open and my hands shake as I lift the lid. I find a notebook and an iPod older than the one we now share.

  I grab the notebook first and find poems, lyrics, stories, etchings in the margins and gold ink accents everywhere. The lyrics are all of his new songs, things he’s written in the last two years, but they’re all just a little different from the polished versions he’s given me to listen to. I read the entire notebook, cover to cover, in disbelief.

  It’s about me.

  The whole thing is a love story about me.

  The drawings are of my hands, the scars on my leg, the dark shadows of my eyelashes on my cheeks.

  The plump curve of my lips.

  The songs have my name in them, over and over again, the longing and worship on Harley’s face is reflected in the melodies of Blaise’s songs. I can’t breathe to read them, my lungs squeezing tight until I feel dizzy.

  Thank fuck I didn’t open it last year.

  I would have had a stroke and died.

  When I finally move away from the notebook, every word and image seared into my brain for all of time, I turn the iPod on to find it full of every single Vanth Falling song, even the covers Blaise recorded and released before he was famous. There are songs I hadn’t ever heard him sing so I know they’ve never been made public because I followed his every move online back when I lived in the Bay.

  Fuck.

  It’s every little piece of him I’ve always wanted, and I’ve been hiding it under my bed for months.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Avery is fussing with her already perfect hair and I’m busy trying to figure out why the fuck we’re being forced to a ‘Formal Family Dinner’ at Hannaford if none of us have family attending when a booming knock sounds at the door, like a giant’s fist is trying to punch it’s way through.

  I frown, motioning for Avery to stay in the bathroom, and move to open it.

  Illi and Odie grin down at me.

  Holy sweet lord, this cannot end well.

  “La Louve, I am so happy to see you! When Johnny told me he was coming up to see you, I insisted on coming too! He said you’re the top of all your classes, that’s incredible! Oh, I’ve missed you.” Odie gushes in French, wiping at her eyes delicately.

  She smiles sheepishly at me and I sigh, holding my arms out so she can hug me. She doesn’t realize I’ve had my family slowly teaching me to be normal, to tolerate all of the touches that happen between friends.

  Avery eyes Odie critically for a second and then holds out her hand. “Avery Beaumont, it’s lovely to meet you.”

  Odie grins at her, her eyes flaring in delighted surprise, and takes her hand to pull her gently in to kiss both her cheeks in a very European flourish. “Odette Illium, but I prefer Odie. Your French is perfect! It is such a relief to meet more of la Louve’s friends and be able to talk to you is wonderful. My English is still very poor.”

  I shake my head at her. “It’s very good, you’re just a perfectionist. What are you two doing here? I’m glad to see you but it’s risky.”

  Illi tucks Odie into his side and says, in English because his French is less than perfect, “The Crow has managed to keep Joseph Beaumont Sr. from coming to the family dinner, but I heard he’s sent the little freak to take his place. Joey’s been asking around about you and I think it’s time to deal with him. I can make that as permanent as you want, kid.”

  I nod and cut Avery a look. She knows better than any of us what the repercussions of Joey’s death will be.

  “Senior will strike at us if anything happens to Joey. If Morningstar refuses to take the job then Senior will come and do it himself.”

  I cock my head at Illi. “What’s your assessment of Senior?”

  He eyes Avery for a second like he’s worried about her reaction to his words, a very rare consideration from him, and says, “I think he’s a fucking psycho and with the amount of money he’s sitting on lik
e a gargoyle we need to be very careful about how we get rid of him. We’ll be better off taking him out and then the little freak.”

  I can’t help smirking at his nickname for Joey. “Not a fan of Junior?”

  Illi grins and kisses the top of Odie’s head. “I’ll skin the fucker alive for you, kid. I’ll do it with pep in my fucking step. If he looks sideways at you or your girl tonight I’ll gouge his eyes out.”

  I nod and turn to Avery. “You might want to warn him. Illi would do all of that for us and infinitely more for Odie.”

  And there’s no man on the planet that wouldn’t look lustfully at Odette Illium. She’s everything the cougar whore is trying be; a sensual, blonde bombshell who oozes sex appeal. She looks delicate against the wall of muscle and violence that is Illi, but she’s tall and curvy in all the right places.

  The price she sold for at the skin markets was fucking terrifying.

  Avery nods and pulls out her phone while I grab both of our blazers, a full uniform being a requirement to attend the dinner. Illi cracks another joke about the skirts and socks, and I shoot him a vicious look while Odie giggles at us both.

  I open the door to leave and find the guys waiting for us. Harley smiles and kisses me, then does that weird, bro head dip at Illi who claps him on the back like they’re best friends. Ash grimaces at them both, sidling past to get to Avery. Joey’s attendance tonight is wound tight around his neck like a noose.

  Blaise looks like he’s going to vomit.

  “What’s wrong?” I murmur, and I step out of our room towards him.

  Holy.

  Fuck.

  “Lips, these are my parents. Blaine and Casey Morrison. They’ve decided to attend tonight’s dinner even after they disowned me and told me they no longer see me as their son.” He says, his voice steady, but the look on his face makes me want to reach for my knife and start stabbing. His mother just stares at her feet like she’d rather be anywhere else but her son’s school.

  The look his father gives me would make me cringe with shame if I weren’t the Wolf.

  “I thought you said she was your girlfriend? Why is she kissing your friends?” He says, leering at the scant inches of my bared skin. I want to throat punch him so freaking bad.

  Blaise ignores him and slings an arm around my waist, whispering so low I struggle to hear him, “Sorry, Star. They just showed up, I had no idea they were coming.”

  I nod and move away from the doorway so the others can get through. I glance up and see Illi’s mischievous grin. Oh, fuck yes.

  “Blaise, you remember my foster brother Illi? He’s brought his wife to see me and they’re both joining us for dinner. They’re very excited to be here.” I say, and Odie grins at Blaise with a sweet little, “Bonjour.”

  Illi grins at Blaise, then turns that baring of teeth towards his parents. I swear I see Blaine Morrison shit his pants.

  Perfect.

  Blaise squeezes my side and Illi winks at us both.

  One big, happy family.

  The dining hall has been transformed into a luxurious looking restaurant, complete with Christmas decorations and waiters in three piece suits. Illi snorts at the entire thing and Odie giggles at him like she’s the school girl here. I smile at the sound until my eyes hit Joey Beaumont and it slides right off my face again. Fuck, I hate that psycho.

  “The seating is assigned. I made sure we’ll be seated together.” Avery whispers, her arm tucked in mine tense as she eyes both of her brothers.

  Illi stares between them with the bloodthirsty glee that I usually see from Blaise, but he’s still too worried about his own family’s appearance to enjoy the bloodshed that’s potentially about to happen.

  Ash pulls out my chair for me while death glaring at his brother, ever the reckless asshole, and I sit between Illi and Avery. Joey takes Harley’s seat across from me and I shake my head at him.

  “Are you trying to provoke us? Because we’re just here for the food.” I say, more to remind Ash than Joey.

  “My little Mounty. I really didn’t think you’d make it at this school for so long! And without fucking anyone! I heard the bet was still ongoing. I’m starting to wonder if you’re hiding a cock under that skirt and that’s why you won’t fuck anyone.”

  Odie makes a sound of disgust and turns to Ash, “How is this disgusting man related to you and Avery? He shows none of your high breeding or decorum when he speaks.”

  Joey smirks.

  I learn that all three Beaumonts speak perfect French when he replies for Ash. “I’m the better sibling. If you want to stop fucking gang bangers, I’ll happily choke you with my cock.”

  I count Illi’s breaths as he slows them down, deep inhales and long exhales. I stare at Joey while I wait, crunching the numbers on how much a full cleanup will cost us if Illi slams his meat cleaver through Joey’s throat and bleeds the fucker out.

  Fuck I’d love to see that. I think I’d sleep better at night afterwards.

  “I call dibs. I’ll let Ash help but I’m skinning the fuck.” He finally murmurs to me and I nod.

  Odie looks down her nose at him, and then says in perfect English, loud enough for the Morrison’s to hear, “Mon monstre, cut his heart out for me when you’re done. I would like to eat it.”

  The people within earshot all freeze and turn to look at the stunning blonde, but she stares Joey down like there’s nothing even slightly worrying about the psycho.

  I guess if you share a bed with the Butcher you’re immune to these things.

  Illi raises her knuckles to his lips and kisses them like she’s the very center of his world. My heart aches a little and I remind myself that if they can find each other and survive what they have together, then I can survive the threats we’re facing, with my family intact.

  After another minute of silence, I hear Blaise’s dad start questioning him about his classes but he’s too far away from me for me to chime in. I huff in annoyance but then I hear Harley snap, “He’s in the top of his class in every subject and he’s got a 3.5 GPA. Fuck off.”

  The food had better be fucking amazing.

  Ash stares Joey down, watching his every move while he grins at me. I ignore his eyes, focusing on his hands to gauge how doped up he really is. The tremble is there, enough to know he’s recently gotten his high and he’s still riding the effects. When the crash starts there’s going to be bloodshed.

  I can fucking taste it in the air.

  The waiters all start to serve dinner and I stare down at the plate in front of me with disgust.

  “What the fuck is this?” Illi says, and both Odie and Avery laugh at him, sharing a look that sets off warning bells in my head. Avery is the ice queen and, fuck, Odie is sultry fire. If they hit it off the whole country will fucking crumble. Sign me up for front row tickets. I meet Illi's eyes.

  My sadistic glee at their camaraderie is written all over him as well.

  The waiter fumbles over his words, intimidated by the fierce look on Illi’s face and the manic bouncing of Joey’s eyes. I wave him away before he pisses himself and Illi mutters at me, “What the fuck is a study of peas? They’re vegetables, they can’t go to fucking college!”

  I nod, agreeing completely and craving some burgers. Avery and Odie both eat the blobs of colors delicately and I just swirl my spoon in it to make it look like I’ve eaten some of it.

  There had better be a steak coming up next or Illi’s going to riot.

  “I heard you’re fucking half my family now. What’s my brother’s dick got that mine hasn’t? Other than the clap now he’s wetting his dick in slum pussy.” Joey says, ignoring his plate entirely. I watch from the corner of my eye as Ash carefully sets down his fork.

  The hand around his knife only tightens.

  I sigh, and make a big show of looking around at each member of my family, all of them glaring at Joey. I decide that if we’re hunting the Jackal, then we’re done dancing around Joey too. I can put him in his place without killing him�
�� maybe.

  I set my cutlery down and cross my arms, staring at the drugged fuck with unflinching rage. “You’ve made your decision to come here and start this fight with me. I’ve warned you, over and over again, that you have no idea who you’re dealing with.”

  Joey laughs at me, too loud and with that crazed edge it always has. The Morrisons both angle away from us even though I know they’ll hear every damn word. Good. I want them to know who they’re pissing off every time they belittle and scorn their own damn son.

  “I’m not afraid of some little slum whore who fucks thugs for protection.”

  I smirk at him. “Your siblings are under my protection and you can tell your father that. If either of you attempt to harm them in any way you answer to the Wolf of Mounts Bay.”

  Joey’s eyes narrow, the knife in his hands still pointing in my direction. “Are you fucking him too?”

  Illi snorts, “How the fuck are you still alive? Go back to the children’s table, dickhead. The crack has set you back a few years if you can’t figure it out.”

  Ash smirks at Illi. “He’s alive because he hides behind his father. He’s too fucking stupid to be a real danger. If we wipe him from the board we’ll face Senior but we can take him on. I vote we kill him.”

  Avery sighs quietly, low enough that Joey won’t hear it but I have. I slip my hand into hers under the table.

  “Yes, well little brother, you should know by now that Father will kill the little slum cunt. And the pathetic bitch you shared a womb with. I’d personally like him to take the blonde slut too. She’d look perfect strapped on his table. All that blonde hair… just like Mom.”

  Harley manages to get an arm across Ash’s chest before he flips the table but it’s Avery I’m watching. I need to know if we’re changing the plan because there are too many witnesses here.

  Joey laughs, throwing his head back and sounding like a fucking loon. “You’ll always be fucking weak if you’re taking orders from pussy.”

  Ash smirks and points the knife at Joey. “That’s your problem, Joey. You too fucking stupid to notice when you’re outmatched, and, brother, you’re so far out of your league now you can’t even see it.”