by Shandi Boyes
Jacob swears on his mother's grave that the very minimum he gets from this prank is a blowjob on the drive home. Although pleased Lola is still sparking an interest from Jacob, I’m bored out of my fucking mind. I’m also out of smokes, so if Jacob doesn’t arrive within the next five minutes, he’ll have to bring out the charm to get into Lola's pants tonight.
When another ten minutes pass with no sign from Jacob, I tell Nick to head off. It may only be a Tuesday night, but there are more entertaining things we could be doing than loitering under an old railroad bridge. My phone feels heavy in my pocket just at the thought of how I could occupy my time.
If you had told me four weeks ago I’d rather spend my night off with my phone instead of my bandmates, I would have said you were crazy. Now I’m always on the lookout for an excuse to get away from the boys and their prying eyes.
I did everything in my power to stay away from Emily, but no amount of alcohol made me forget her number was saved in my phone.
Drunk dialing never ends well. Thank fuck the same can’t be said for drunk messaging.
Our messages are as innocent as Emily’s face, but they do wonders for a broken soul on lonely and dark nights. I don’t intend to take it further than the playfulness we have going on now. I shouldn’t even be doing what I’m doing, but there’s something about that girl that has me acting differently. Don’t ask me if it is a good or bad recklessness because I wouldn’t be able to give you an honest answer. I’m still me, just closer to someone I wish I could be.
Just as Nick fires up his truck, Jacob’s car pulls around the sharp corner of the railway bridge, arriving for the show with only a second to spare. Flashing a big beaming smile, I bang my hand on the truck's roof, giving Nick the signal to chase Jacob down. We’re here, so we may as well accomplish what we set out to achieve.
You’d think with how many times we’ve performed this stunt, the excitement would wear off. It hasn’t. Not in the slightest. I’m buzzing with more energy tonight than I’ve ever had. It’s a weird sensation that’s unexplainable but undeniably heart-thumping.
Nick’s truck is a big beast, but she’s quick off the mark. It doesn't take us long to catch up to Jacob’s car, and once we do, Nick’s high beams light it up like a motherfucking Christmas tree.
Nick nudges his head to Jacob's car that’s sitting a mere inch or two from his chrome grill. "Who's that?"
My heart does an elongated beat when my eyes lock in on a person sitting in the backseat. From her petite frame, I can easily perceive she’s female, but with her hand covering her face, I can’t see any of her features.
“No clue. Maybe a friend of Lola's?" Usually, there are only two people in the car when we pull this prank. “Jacob will cash in double the benefits tonight.”
Grinning at the mirth in my tone, Nick inches his black beast to within sniffing distance of Jacob’s bumper. Assuming we want to overtake, the passenger in the back waves her arm through the air, indicating that we're clear of oncoming traffic.
Nick thanks her cordial nature by revving his engine. Its vibrations rumble through my seat as efficiently as my heart thrums against my ribcage when the passenger in the back moves her hand far enough from her face, I can see who she is.
"Oh shit, that’s Emily: Lola's little sister."
Nick’s eyes snap to mine. “Sisters? Damn! Why does Jacob get to have all the fun?"
Jacob’s car veering off the road stuffs my reply down my throat. He kicks up some dust, but not enough for Nick to back off. His truck is so close to Jacob’s bumper, one wrong move and his grill will burn through Emily’s seat.
“Fuck, Nick, slow the hell down.”
"Come on, man, you know Jacob loves this shit. He’s swerving the car on purpose to increase the adrenaline rush.” Nick floors the gas while idling his clutch. “You do know an adrenaline rush can be as good as an orgasm for some girls.”
I grit my teeth, struggling not to wipe the pretentious look off his face with my fists. I would if he didn’t divert my attention back to Emily. “She’s got spunk.”
A smile overtakes the grim expression crossing my face when I spot Emily flipping us the bird. I’m shocked she has the gall. Seeing her brave enough to give us the finger while we’re trying to scare the shit out of her makes me wonder if she’s as shy as first perceived. Just the thought of exploring her naughty side has my cock turning to stone.
"Jacob will have fun with her.”
Nick’s comment wipes the smile off my face and softens my cock.
I punch him in the arm—hard! When he rubs the area, feigning injury, I hit him for the second time. The amusement on his face changes to anger, but before he can retort, a much more dangerous situation unfolds.
Jacob’s car jerks to the right at full speed, causing his tires to lose traction in the gravel. He maintains control... until he attempts to compensate for his error. His brutal second yank sends his car spinning out of control.
The stench of burning rubber overtakes the dust his car is kicking up when Nick locks up his brakes. “Oh shit.”
Our speed is so excessive, we come to a stop a quarter mile from where Jacob’s car is spinning like a ballerina. I watch the scene transpire in complete silence. Nothing I can do will stop their twirls; I’m just praying they don’t flip. If that happens, Lola’s virtue won’t be the only thing skating on thin ice tonight.
The more Jacob’s car spins, the thicker my blood becomes. I trust that Jacob has this—he drives like a maniac, but he’s been behind the wheel since he was ten, so he knows what he’s doing—he just needs to keep a cool head.
It feels like the moon circles the sun a hundred times before Jacob's car finally comes to a stop. A dense dust cloud covers it, but miraculously, it’s still in one piece.
Thank fuck.
Seeing things the same way as me, Nick returns my jab to the arm. “Jacob is one lucky fucker.” He continues with our ruse by flattening his foot to the floor. We take off down the road at a record-setting pace, adding to the dust cloud Jacob’s car made.
I’m so stunned by the turn of events, I sit in silence the first few minutes of our trip. I've never seen Jacob take the prank this far before. I get he wants to impress Lola, but I’d prefer he didn’t shave years off my life while doing it. I don’t know what the fuck he was thinking risking the girls’ lives like that, but I do know one thing: I’m not fucking happy.
The rumors about fear thickening your veins with adrenaline are true. My heart is thumping a million miles an hour, and every inch of me is covered with a misting of sweat. I’ve never felt more alive and more panicked in my life.
When we arrive at a T intersection, Nick indicates to turn left. With my veins still clogged with adrenaline-thick worry, the last place I want to go is anywhere with Nick. That’s just asking for trouble. He’s not called “One Hit” for no reason.
I sling my eyes to Nick, talking before my adrenaline high wears off. “Can you take me back to Jacob's?"
Nick glares at me like I’m a sex freak who’s about to get his rocks off watching his best friend have a threesome... or worse, get his sloppy seconds.
With clenched fists, I return his glare. He shouldn’t be giving anyone relationship advice. His ideas about relationships are more fucked up than mine.
Incapable of standing my wrath a second longer, he slams his foot onto the accelerator, fishtailing his car to the right. “Whatever, man, it’s your funeral.”
Chapter 4
Emily
While my lungs kick up a stink about the ghastly air they’re being forced to suck in, I lower my hands from the roof of Jacob’s car to clutch my chest. My heart is raging so fast, I’m shocked it hasn’t escaped my chest cavity. We were just run off the road by a lunatic. Well, not technically. Lola’s inexperience is partially to blame for our near-death experience, but if we weren’t aggressively taunted by two deranged men in a large truck, she wouldn’t have pulled into a closed gas station at a speed too fast t
o be classified as safe.
When my eyes pop open, I gasp in a mangled breath. We’re still upright. I have no idea how. From the amount of dust that surrounded us when we spun out of control, I was confident we were cartwheeling. Lola did incredibly well to maintain control. That would have been difficult for an experienced driver, much less someone learning how to drive.
The nerves I’m only just settling flare up again when Jacob roars, “Oh my fucking god!" He pounds the dashboard with his fist, his strength undeniable when he dents the stiff material. “How could they not realize it wasn’t me in the driver’s seat?!”
I’m impressed by his stamina; he appears more than capable of defending us. Lola is on the other end of the spectrum. She’s cowered against the driver’s side door, her pupils wide with fear as she stares at Jacob as if he’s a monster.
The anxiety hampering her face remains until Jacob throws open his door and darts out of the car. He’s not hunting down the culprits responsible for running us off the road—their taillights were the first thing I spotted when the dust settled—he’s merely seeking space to throw his fists in the air while biting out a string of obscenities.
While Jacob handles the massive boost of adrenaline lining his veins in a very male fashion, I use a more feminine approach. With a raging heart and sweaty palms, I shift my eyes to Lola. Unease grips my heart when I notice her glossy cheeks. She’s crying. I haven’t seen her this upset since Misty passed away from old age.
I’m just about to comfort her, but she beats me onto the soapbox. “Are you okay, Em?" Her voice is as rigid as her hands still clutching the steering wheel. "I'm so sorry; I had no idea this would happen.”
"I'm fine." I sigh, more concerned about her odd behavior than our near-death experience. She also has no reason to apologize. What happened wasn’t her fault, so she shouldn’t be taking the blame for it. "It’s not like you knew a maniac would be on the loose tonight.”
With my nerves still on edge, I lock the car doors. Just because the truck left in a hurry doesn’t mean they won’t come back to finish the job. I’ve only just flopped back into my seat when three quick taps hit the driver’s side window. Lola and I scream in sync, our frightened squeal loud enough two towns over could hear us.
"Holy shit, Jacob, you scared the crap out of me." Lola cradles her thrusting chest with one hand while the other clears away her tears. She hates crying in general, let alone having the rare occasion witnessed by a man she’s interested in.
Jacob does a good job pretending he can’t see Lola’s tears, but the rattle of his words gives away his true composure. "Sorry. I thought perhaps you’d like to swap places so I can drive?”
"Good idea.” Lola bounds out of the driver’s seat to plop into the passenger side with a huff. "I need a drink, though. Isn't your home close to here?"
A smile tugs on my mouth when Jacob struggles to repress his. “So it is, Lola; so it is. How about we go back there for a drink?”
Although he’s asking a question, he doesn’t wait for Lola or me to reply before latching his belt and starting our trip. Our near-fatal accident must have scared him because he drives more responsibly this time around. He keeps well below the speed limit and takes the corners as suggested by the designated signage. He even parks between the lines when he stops at a twenty-four-seven convenience store to grab a few items.
I spend our drive with my forehead braced on the cool window, staring out at the star-filled sky. We’ve been traveling for over thirty minutes, yet I’m still struggling to get my heart rate back to a safe level.
Any chance of achieving a regular pattern is lost when Jacob glides his car down a wide dirt path. An impressive brick farmhouse with wrap-around porches sits at the end of the long driveway. Its brick and wooden frame is surrounded by manly hedges and rolled turf that stretches as far as my eyes can see.
The traffic that usually keeps me awake at night is nothing but a memory when Jacob shuts down his noisy engine near the front steps. It's eerily quiet but in a serene, calming way. The architectural wonder of his country estate is pushed to the background of my mind when an even more spectacular sight enters my vision. Noah has his shoulder propped up on the front door. He’s wearing black satin boxer shorts and a confused expression.
No, I didn’t miss anything. That’s all he’s wearing. Boxer. Shorts.
His body is... I’m speechless. There’s no possible way to describe what I’m seeing adequately. He’s wet, yet angry. Sexy, yet angry. Hot...did I mention angry?
I’m saved from going to hell for my wicked thoughts when Jacob’s deep timbre breaks through the lust cloud hazing me. “Can you give me a minute to talk to Noah in private before joining us?"
“Sure.” Although Lola is quick to agree to his request, she sounds peeved.
Still speechless by the awe-inspiring visual of a half-naked Noah, I nod.
After silently pleading for me to work on my sister’s attitude while he’s gone, Jacob throws open his driver’s side door, curls out of his car, then hotfoots it to Noah.
With her attention rapt on Jacob, Lola finally notices Noah when Jacob stops to stand in front of him. “Damn...”
I still haven't regained the ability to talk, but even if I had, I'd still be at a loss on how to describe what I’m seeing. Noah’s leather jacket and grungy jeans were hiding a masterpiece of a body the night we met. Tonight, his athletic build is on full display. His thick biceps have bulging veins entangled around them, and his left pectoral muscle has a Celtic tattoo covering a majority of it. It appears to have two names woven around it. His six-pack— or is it an eight-pack, it’s hard to see from a distance? —features a thin trail of hair that’s in direct symmetry to his mouthwatering V muscle, and the low hang of his satiny shorts is so scandalous it should be illegal.
An urge to smack Lola into next week hits me when she moans, “Mmm, nice and wet."
Instead, I slap her shoulder. Noah is glistening in the moonlight as if he’s just showered, but she needs to keep her eyes on Jacob’s assets—not a man I haven’t stopped thinking about whether asleep or awake.
Loving that she has me worked up, Lola continues to tease me, “What? He’s hot.”
“Don’t go acting like that tree trunk you’re dating is made out of marshmallow.” I jerk my head to Jacob, happy to give as much sass as I’m getting.
Lola’s manicured brow gets lost in her hair. “One, we're not dating.” She gags on her last word. “Two, Jacob has more muscles in his pinky than you have in your entire body.”
I slap her again—a little harder this time. I’ve always been on the slender side, but what I lack in the boob department, I make up for with ass.
The unusual playfulness fueling our exchange is doused when raised voices sound through the quiet night. "You could have killed them!"
My pulse quickens when my eyes lock in on Noah and Jacob going toe to toe. They’ve yet to exchange blows, but their thrusting chests connect with every snapped word they shout. I don’t see it being long before this escalates from a verbal altercation to physical.
"That's all part of the game, isn't it, Jacob?" Noah’s voice is as loud as Jacob’s, his anger just as palpable. “Get them so rushed up on excitement, they’ll come back here for some more entertainment?"
Jacob balks, physically stunned by Noah’s reply. He’s not the only one shocked. Who the hell are they arguing about? I could be wrong, but my spikes are hackling.
“Get them excited? You scared them to death.”
When Jacob’s eyes drift to his car, a spasm hits Noah’s jaw. Even from a distance, its pulse is undeniable. They continue exchanging words, but since they’ve noticed mine and Lola’s watchful gazes, they lower their volume a few decibels. Noah does most of the talking, but Jacob’s anger is evident even without words. His fists are balled at his side, and he looks prepared to attack at any moment. Although he’s a good few inches taller than Noah and several inches wider, Noah isn’t the least bit intimid
ated by him. The way he holds himself with confidence would be more impressive in a less hostile environment.
When the aggression in their exchange dulls down, my eyes drift to Lola. “What do you think that was about?”
She’s known Noah and Jacob longer than me, so she’d know if this is a regular occurrence for them. I thought they were close friends, but right now, neither appears very impressed with the other.
Lola’s lips quirk like she's genuinely unsure. “How about we find out?"
When she curls out of her seat, I mimic her movements. I don't shadow her down the wide sidewalk, though. I prop my backside on the back quarter panel of Jacob's car, happy to watch the scene unfold from afar. It isn't that I'm scared about two large, brooding men going to war; I just don't want to intrude.
Yeah, right.
I'm being the coward who once again lets everyone else take up her fight instead of facing the problem head-on. That’s what I did when I found out it isn't just frogs who turn into princes when kissed. Sometimes it's the other way around. Princes turn into frogs more times than not.
Realizing this situation is different than the one I found myself in two years ago, I push off my feet to back Lola up. My determination gets squashed not even two seconds later. Noah is staring at me. It isn’t the same intense stare he gave me in the hallway of my home weeks ago. It’s brimming more with anger than lust.
Hoping to ease his agitation, I smile at him. He doesn’t smile back. Instead, he angrily shakes his head before rushing into the house, slamming the door behind him.
Chapter 5
Noah
I stop tuning my piece of shit guitar when someone knocks on my bedroom door. Raising my eyes, I spot Jacob standing in the doorway. He’s casually dressed, but his lips are hard-lined, and his brows are furrowed. He seems hesitant, as if he’s unsure if he's welcome in my home. I understand his unease. Things have been tense since our argument a couple of weeks ago. Although it was fueled by a misunderstanding—Jacob assumed Nick and I had left when he failed to arrive at the time we had discussed—it was the most brutal we’ve had.