Trevor’s swift feet and arms moved to the beat. We followed suit. As always, others crowded around us. Rocco joined his buddy pulling his tuxedo shirt up showing off his abs. And who appears out of nowhere—some chick. I wondered was she the girl from the last party. Her blonde hair swayed from side to side as she shook her ass against him. We threw our hands in the air, cheering them on. I glanced to my right. Veronica leaned into Tate’s ear. That fucking bitch. My fingers curled into tight balls at my sides.
“Hey, there Laura Croft. Slow your roll,” the silky deep vocals said against my ear. I glared up over my shoulder.
“Who are you?” I glowered.
“Your boyfriend’s quite the ladies man.”
“You don’t take rejection well.”
“I love a challenge.” His soft lips fell against my cheek.
I shoved him back. “You want your ass kicked. If Tate catches you, he will kill you.”
“Not worried, sweetheart.” He nodded his head in Tate’s direction. “Uh, oh, looks like someone’s headed to hook up.”
Veronica gripped Tate’s hand pulling him out the door. My arm heated. I scratched at the faint cut lines. What was happening?
“Come on, let's dance.” He twirled me around.
I threw the vodka, I’d been nursing since the waiter brought it a few minutes ago, to the back of my throat.
“Why are you dating such a jerk?”
“You know nothing about me and Tate?”
His arm slid along my waist as he danced against me. I shoved my palms against his abs. “Back the fuck up.”
He flashed a wicket boyish grin.
“All right, party Haven Saints, we are getting ready to countdown to midnight,” a band member shouted from the stage.
The mystery guy pulled me close and crushed my lips. Like a deer in headlights I stared at his flawless face as I braced my hands against his chest.
He stepped back. “Later, sexy.” He darted out the door.
What the fuck was that?
Connie nudged me. “He’s a cutie. I see Tate has a little competition.”
“I’ve never seen him before. Doubt I’ll ever see him again.”
I swiped two glasses of champagne off a waiter’s tray. Chugging it, I glanced beside me at Trevor’s watch.
Where the fuck was my boyfriend? I couldn’t go running behind Tate. Not tonight any way. This was New Year’s Eve. I chugged half the glass of bubbly.
Big strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind. My body vibrated against his rock-hard frame.
“Ten, nine, eight...” The band members counted down.
Tate turned me to face him. “I love you, baby.” At the count of one, his lips devoured mine.
The famous song ‘Auld Lang Syne’ filled the room.
“There’s no other girl for me but you,” Tate confirmed against my lips.
“Not even, Veronica.”
He laughed. “Definitely not her. She claimed she had to talk to me about something important. We stepped in the hall. She told me I came on to her at the Halloween party.”
I slapped my hand against my forehead. “Shit, I forgot to tell you.”
“No need. I figured it was Mason.”
“Yeah, he was trying to destroy us.”
Tate held me tight. “I want to beat his fucking face in again.”
“Babe, you’ve done so well tonight ignoring him.”
“I don’t want to think about how many other girls he went after, in an effort to rip apart our relationship.”
“Me too.”
Tate didn’t leave my side again. His friends gathered around us. Nosy Haven Saints eager gossipers and those looking to gain popularity across the room surrounded Mason and Marisa. Tate and Mason were never seen again in close proximity for the remainder of the night. We finally said our goodbyes and Tate led the way toward the door. Veronica flashed a devilish grin near the exit. I halted.
“Tate is my man, bitch. I am not Brittany. Try to get alone time with him again.” I cocked my fist back and slammed it into her pretty eyes. She stumbled to the floor holding her face.
“Shit, I told Tyler no trouble tonight.” Tate shrugged, before helping Veronica to her feet. “Guess I lied.
I leaned into Veronica. “Once again, find your own man, slut. If you see my man walking in your direction walk the other way. Or next time, it will be my three-inch stiletto on your throat.”
“I was fucked up the night of the Halloween party. Better believe I wasn’t in my right mind if I was flirting with you.” Tate pulled me into his arms. “We’re out.”
I sighed as we slid across the back seat of the Maybach.
Matt and Megan disappeared upstairs. Tate said he’d send the chauffeur back to pick them up.
Leaning against the door, my feet rested in Tate’s lap. “Babe, I hate I can’t tell her the truth.”
“Me too. Relax, Chelsea.”
My eyelids hooded as he cradled one of my feet, pressing his thumbs into the center of my throbbing skin. “That feels so good, Tate.”
He slid closer. His tongue stroked my neck. “In a moment, I have something else that will make you feel better.”
“Is it long and thick?” I purred
“You bet your sexy ass it is.”
TATE TOSSED ME ON THE bed the second we were through the suite doors.
Not sure how I forgot but the guy who kissed me came flooding back to memory.
My eyes widened. “Shit.”
Tate stood at the foot of the bed shedding his clothes.
His brows bunched together. “What’s wrong?”
“Tate try not to get upset.” I swallowed hard.
The bed dipped as he kneeled beside me. “What now?” Tate tugged my dress over my head.
“Well, once you and your friends were across the room talking. A guy sent me a drink.”
He tossed my dress in the chair across the room. “Did you take the drink?”
“No.”
“Good, only accept drinks from Matt, Stephen, and your geek pack.”
I shoved my fist against his muscled chest. Fuck, so sexy.
“What about Kyle?”
“The jury is still out on him. We may have lost him to Mason. What else?”
“Later he appeared as you were walking out of the door with Veronica. We danced.”
Tate sank against the headboard, seething in only his red boxers.
“He called you a jerk.”
Tate’s eyes darkened.
“And he kissed me.”
He sat straight up. “What?”
I tried pushing him off of me.
“What is his name, Chelsea?”
“I don’t know. He never told me. Trust me, I asked. After the kiss he disappeared.”
“I told him to leave me alone.”
He pulled me into his arms. “Baby, I believe you. And I will find that fucker. Tried to steal my girl.” His lips crushed mine.
I caressed his cheek. “I’m all yours, Tate.”
“Happy New Year, Chelsea. Can’t believe I was in a dungeon for weeks. Now I’m home with my woman.”
He held me tight. “It feels so good to be back in your arms.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Good morning, Tate.” Dad’s deep voice filled the kitchen, as he poured the twins each a glass of orange juice.
I glanced over my shoulder and flashed a warm smile. He made it. I told him to come inside once he arrived.
“Good morning, Mr. Culver.”
Tate strolled toward me. His lips pressed against my hair. He greeted the twins.
Tate was back. I bit into a strip of bacon. It was so surreal we were returning to school after the hell we’d gone through toward the end of the year.
“Are you ready to return to school?” Tate grinned.
“Yeah. I’m eager to play basketball if nothing else.” He nabbed a strip of bacon off of my plate.
“We’ll attend a few of your games to show support.”
Dad’s heavy hand landed on his shoulder.
“Thanks.”
Dad pointed to the empty chair beside me. “Have a seat.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t. We need to get to school.”
I bounced out of my seat. “Bye, Dad. I will text mom to tell her happy birthday the second I am in the car.”
He smiled. “Good.”
I kissed the twins. “See you two later.”
“Bye,” they chimed at the same time.
I wrapped several pieces of bacon in paper towel and darted out the door with Tate.
He was brooding more than usual as we walked toward the truck.
I turned to him. “Tate, we’ll get through today together.”
His turbulent blue eyes worried me. Tate opened the passenger door, and I slid inside. He climbed behind the wheel and drove out of the driveway. We chowed down on the bacon. I was convinced we equally loved the special pork goodness.
“Do you have practice after school?”
“Yeah, if you can’t stay take the truck. I’ll catch a ride to your house later with Matt.”
“Ok.”
“Whoa, what about me?”
Tate’s eyes widened and he had a death grip on the steering wheel.
I glared through the rearview mirror. “What the hell?” I shrilled.
The guy sprung up off the seat and whipped his fingers through his brown locks.
“Shit, you were so quiet I forgot you were back there.”
“Sorry, Chelse. This is my cousin, Lake. He’s transferring to Haven Saints.”
His lips tipped up at one end. “How are you doing, sweetheart?” He braced his arms against the front seats staring at me.
“You have got to be kidding.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Babe, what’s wrong?” Concern loomed Tate’s handsome features.
“He kissed me at the party.”
“What the fuck?” He was darn near foaming at the mouth.
Tate jerked the truck over to the side of the road. “Get the fuck out, Lake,” he growled.
Lake slouched into the plush leather. “I was just having a little fun.”
Tate leaned over the seat, gripping his uniform shirt. “Don’t come here stirring up trouble.”
“Hey, man. Not like you invited me to that ritzy party. So I borrowed one of granddad’s cars and followed you guys.”
“You’re fifteen, Lake.”
“Dude, in Chicago I bet I partied harder than you.” Tate socked him in the stomach.
“Ah,” he groaned.
“Don’t touch my girl again,” Tate warned.
“Noted. Chelsea’s off limits. Any hot girls that look like her attend Haven Saints?”
Tate reclined back in his chair. “Lake, you are going to give me gray hair at seventeen.”
I chuckled under my breath.
“Oh, you find that funny.”
I squeezed my fingers a hair apart.
“Just a little.” I peeked at Lake.
“You could have just introduced yourself. We would’ve been happy to hang out with you.”
“Of course, you would’ve. I’m Tate’s charity case cousin.”
Tate shook his head. “Don’t mind him. He’s having a rough time. You can hang out with us. Be sure to sign up for Lacrosse. You are damn near a fucking pro after all.”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
“In the meantime. I can ask coach to add you to the basketball team. You might sit on the bench a lot since we’re mid-season, but I can get you some play time on the court.”
Tate pulled into the flow of traffic.
“Thanks, Tate.”
“What brings you to Atlanta?”
“Mom and dad calling it quits. We arrived a few days after Christmas. Just me and mom. My sister Francesca didn’t want to leave dad. Mom followed some lame dude to Georgia.”
“Part owner of Atlanta professional football team. Dudes not a lame.” Tate grinned, rolling to a stop in his parking space.
“My parents were cheating on each other.”
We climbed out of the truck.
“My father plays pro basketball in Chicago.”
“Sorry to hear about your parents, Lake.” Tate gripped my waist as we strolled into the school.
“Thanks.”
“The office is down the hall to your right. Our lockers are on the second floor on the senior hall. We’ll talk to coach this afternoon.”
Lake walked backwards down the hall. “All right.” He saluted Tate and blew me a kiss.
Tate lunged toward him. I grabbed his arm. “He’s just acting out.”
“That’s all right. I will catch his ass later tonight,” he snickered.
“This weekend I’d like you to have dinner with us at my grandparents. My mom keeps asking me to come home. Not happening.”
“She misses you so much. Melissa cries on my mom’s shoulder every day.”
We halted at my locker. I cupped his face. “She loves both of her sons. You can at least spend time with her.”
He sighed. “She can come to her parents’ house and see me.”
“Tate.” I kissed his lips.
“Chelse, you are trying to break me down with those irresistible blue eyes.” He dropped his head against mine.
“I’ll stop by tonight.”
“That’s my big man.” Tate’s nose nestled in the crook of my neck.
Someone pounded on the locker next to my head. I jolted out of Tate’s grasp.
“What the fuck, Mason?” Tate stepped toe to toe with him.
Marisa grinned, clutching her books against her chest.
“What the fuck are you smiling at? Pregnancy Barbie.” My lips tipped up at one end.
“Fuck you, outcast Barbie. You are still a minute, insignificant twit.”
“Says the chick who’s knocked up by the evil spawn.”
She rolled her eyes and tossed her perfect blonde hair over her shoulder. “Mason, this was a total waste of time.”
“Marisa, sweetheart, chill.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side.
Loud chatter quickly surrounded us as the students filled the hall. We arrived early so we beat the rush. We had to keep our voices down. Didn’t want to draw attention to ourselves.
“Mom, requested we sit down as a family for dinner Sunday.”
Tate’s jaw ticked. “Not on your fucking life.” He peeked around the hall. “Keeping up this farce of us being tight when you know damn well, we are anything but. You’re a piece of shit, Mason,” he growled in a low whisper.
“You’re my brother by blood and we unfucking fortunately share the same handsome mug. Matt is more my brother than you.”
Tate rubbed my shoulder. “Baby, grab your books, I’ll walk you to class.” He never took his eyes off his brother. “Don’t talk to Chelsea. My woman is off limits.”
Tate leaned down and kissed my lips in front of his brother. I’d say he was trying to piss him off.
Mason’s blue eyes darkened. It worked.
“Chelsea’s my woman, motherfucker.”
Mason’s fist curled at his side.
“Let’s go.” I tugged his blazer.
Tate was drawing unwanted attention to us. We had to come up with a plan and figure out what to do about Mason and Marisa. We had to coexist every day until the end of May.
He threaded our fingers and stalked down the hall.
“Tate, why are we covering for them? And slow down. I can’t walk that fast in these heels.”
“Shit, sorry, babe.” His stride turned into a stroll.
Students walked around us, never forgetting to wave at King Tate. He ignored them.
He slipped his fingers through his dark curly locks. Since he returned, he kept his hair longer. Giving him a distinctive look. I wanted to skip first period and fuck his brains out.
Tate pulled me into his arms and leaned into my ear. “My parents asked us to play nice. Said we nee
ded to keep a united front.”
My hands splayed his chest.
“Dad’s trying to rebuild the company. In London the guests saw Mason and I face off. That’s all. They didn’t witness what happened to my grandfather. No one knows how he took advantage of Mason. So we are pretending to love each other.”
“And what is the story? How is Mason alive?”
“Class, baby. We’ll discuss later. This isn’t the place.”
I stepped back. “You’re right.”
He swept his hands over his navy blazer. “The vultures here will grill you about Mason. I can’t afford to miss class, but I’ll meet you outside third period. Text me your new class schedule.”
“Ok.” He kissed my temple and walked in the opposite direction.
Two starry eyed bimbos smiled and waved as they crossed my boyfriend’s path. “Hi, Tate,” the blondes said in unison.
He continued on his path. They whispered and snickered as they walked past me.
Bitches.
Oh, this would turn out to be one hell of a second semester.
∞
First period, Brittany attempted to gain my attention. I lied to Mr. Barrings. Told him I was having difficulty seeing the board. He allowed me to move to the front of the class.
Second period I wasn’t so lucky.
Clarita Tanner whispered over my shoulder almost the entire period. Grilling me about Mason and Tate. Was Mason really in London all this time? Who knew he was alive? How is Marisa his girlfriend? Had he changed?
I wanted to laugh at the last question. ‘Had he changed?’ Mason became a bigger narcissist. He wanted to control everyone in his life. He yearned for power. I bet he still does. Tate’s been the man at Haven Saints for almost four years. Not sure if Mason attended high school or was home schooled. Either way he’d adjust. Tate immortalized him. In Haven Saints eyes Mason’s already a God. Now that he returned from the dead, he’d become the most popular guy in school. I was sure it was just what Mason wanted.
The bell rang, I stood and smiled. “See you later, Clarita.”
Her mouth dropped open. I turned on my heels and sashayed toward the door.
“Wait.” I heard from behind.
“You said nothing. You have to tell me...”
Tate leaned with one foot braced against the locker across the hall. My tongue slid across my bottom lip. He was the star of the biggest cologne commercial in my mind. Obviously, every girl in passing felt the same. They gawked, pulled their lower lip into their mouths and went bat shit crazy over my man. I was convinced he had no idea the effect he had on the girls at Haven Saints High.
You're To Blame 2: A High School Bully Romance (Haven Saints High) Page 9
