If You Dare (Dare Series Book 3)

by Shantel Tessier

  “Nothing,” I answer, not wanting to explain it. Making my way up to my bedroom, I enter and shut my door. I can hear them arguing once again.

  “This is no joke, Cole.” Austin growls. “This is Evan Scott!” she snaps. Maybe she doesn’t know. “Becky told me a while back that Evan Scott was Deke.” Well, fuck! “And I highly doubt he sent this to you and himself.” He says nothing. “And all of a sudden Bennett and Shane show up? Obviously, someone is fucking with you guys. And you were gonna keep this from me?”

  “Yes.”

  She gasps at his honesty. “Why?”

  He sighs. “Why would I tell you? Sweetheart”—he softens his voice—“I pulled you into this game nine months ago, and it almost got you killed. I can’t lose you …”

  “Nothing is going to happen to me, Cole.”

  “You don’t know that,” he argues. “And I’m not willing to take that risk. Not again.”

  “Wouldn’t you want me to be alert? I take Lilly to school. I pick her up. She has dance and ballet. I’m not with you a hundred percent of the time. Barely fifty percent now that you have classes and swimming. Wouldn’t you rather me know to keep my eyes open for something off than be in the dark?”

  He doesn’t answer that because he knows she has a valid point.

  “You’re different,” she whispers, and it’s so low I almost didn’t catch what she said. “And I can handle dark and moody, Cole, but not this one who keeps secrets. We’re supposed to be a team.”

  “I know,” he says with a rough voice.

  “I’m going to be your wife.”

  “I know.”

  “Whatever you are getting into, I’m getting in too.”

  “No!” He growls.

  “Yes! This isn’t just about you anymore. You, me, Lilly, and the guys. You’re all my family, Cole. I trust you all with my life. You need to trust me just as much.”

  “I trust you.” He snorts.

  “Then show me that.”

  A long silence follows before he speaks. “I love you, sweetheart.”

  “I love you too.”

  Then they’re kissing. Her moaning follows shortly after. I roll over onto my side and grab the spare pillow on my bed and place it over my head, not wanting to hear them fucking. You would think as much as houses cost these days, the walls would be soundproof.

  “Stop,” she says.

  “Excuse me?” Cole asks, sounding surprised. Pretty sure he’s never heard that word from a woman before.

  “We need to talk to the guys.”

  “It can wait …”

  “No. It can’t. This is important.” She growls.

  Seconds later, my door opens, and she pokes her head in. My phone sails through the air, almost hitting me in the head. “Get dressed and meet us downstairs.”

  I sigh and do as she says, wanting to get this over with. I already told them I’m fucking tired.

  DEKE

  We all gather in the living room. Austin sits on Cole’s lap in the leather recliner. I’m perched on the couch next to Bennett, and Shane stands by the back door, refusing to sit.

  “Do we have any idea who it is?” Austin asks. Her eyes scan the paper one more time. Cole gave it to her ten minutes ago, and we’ve all sat here while she silently went over it.

  “No.” I answer.

  “Demi has to be behind it.” Shane growls.

  “I don’t know,” she says slowly. “Demi doesn’t seem to be that type.”

  He pushes off the wall. “Deke is fucking her.”

  “What?” She gasps, her large green eyes meeting mine.

  “I’m not.” My jaw clenches. I’m only fucking her in my dreams. My dreams where she pretends to be Becky and tells me to hurt her. Too bad I end up killing her every time. I keep that to myself, though. Don’t want to cause more worry than there already is.

  Shane goes on. “She knows too much. And she needs to die.”

  I didn’t think Austin’s eyes could have gotten any bigger when she looks at him. “You can’t be serious.”

  “You have a better option?” he asks.

  She turns and looks at Cole. He’s running his hand absentmindedly through her hair. “Please tell me you don’t want to kill Demi?” I haven’t heard that kind of fear in her voice in a long time.

  His hand pauses, and he looks up at her. His eyes give nothing away, but his brows crease. “No.”

  She looks back down at the paper in her hands.

  This would be a good time to tell them she threatened me the last time I saw her, but I keep my mouth shut. For some reason, I feel like I need to protect her from Shane. He’s on a mission to kill someone, and Demi is his target. Do I think she’s capable of this? Not really. But am I suspicious? Yes. If she’s behind it, I’ll handle her myself. It’s not going to require all the GWS to take her down.

  “We don’t have a lot of options here.” Shane growls. “She comes out of nowhere, and all of a sudden, she’s on a piece of paper that has some cryptic riddle on it. And we’ve checked Kellan’s phone. Of course, there was nothing on there. He must have deleted everything.”

  Yeah, that was a dead end. “What do you suggest we do?” I ask her.

  Shane snorts as if asking Austin for advice is beneath him. I don’t give a shit what he thinks.

  She doesn’t answer right away. Folding up the letter, she stares out the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook their pool in the backyard. Regret and sadness flashes across her face, and I wonder what she’s thinking about. I’m not sure how well she knows Demi. Becky never hung out with her much. Demi came to a few bonfires on the beach with Becky, David, and his friend, but that was the last time I knew of them ever hanging out together.

  Finally, after what seems like forever, she looks at me. “How do you push a girl to think irrationally?”

  None of us answer.

  She chuckles at our clueless minds. “You make her jealous.”

  I frown. “Jealous?”

  She nods. “A jealous woman is a scary one.”

  I think back to the time I saw Austin jealous over Cole.

  I lean my shoulder up against the lockers as Cole digs through his. Austin walks down the senior hallway, not bothering to look his way, but he sees her, grabs her, and pulls her back to his front before she can pass him. “Miss me, sweetheart?”

  She spins around in his arms, reaches up, and slaps him across the face. The sound bounces off the walls.

  I take a step back from them. What the fuck …?

  “What the hell was that for?” Cole demands, now glaring down at her.

  She throws me a look of disgust, and my brows rise. What did I do? She turns her attention back on Cole. “I’m sure you can figure it out.” She turns around and walks toward the door, but he grabs her arm and yanks her back. “Cole!” she snaps.

  “What the fuck was that for, Austin?” he demands. “Because I didn’t tell you where I went? It was none of your fucking business!”

  He spent the day in Texas meeting with his counselor at the University of Texas. He plans on taking Lilly with him, and he can’t live in the dorm with a child. He needed to discuss housing, and he already had a few lined up to look at while he was there. He told me this morning before he boarded his plane that he’s gonna ask Austin to go with him. He tried to make it sound like it was no big deal, but Cole wanting any woman to move in with him is huge. He loves her. I know it. He knows it. He just refuses to admit it. She had no clue where he went or what he has planned. I don’t know why he won’t just tell her.

  Tears fill her green eyes. She tries to pull away from him, but she gets nowhere. “Just forget it.” Her voice cracks.

  And I watch in fascination at the way he melts for her. How can he not see it? Feel what she does to him? His eyes soften as he steps into her. “What’s wrong?” he asks, cupping her face.

  Her first tear falls. “I know where you went.”

  My eyes widen. How the fuck does she know? I’m the o
nly one he told.

  Cole’s jaw sharpens. “How do you—”

  “I heard it,” she interrupts him.

  He looks at me, and I throw my hands up, shaking my head. “I haven’t said anything.”

  “What do you mean? You heard it? Who did you hear it from?” He turns his attention back to her.

  “I’m not gonna spell it out for you, Cole.”

  She had overheard her stepmom calling out Cole’s name the night before while she was fucking our friend Kellan. He tried to convince Austin that Cole was cheating on her. And she believed it for a day. That was long enough to drive her crazy. That was also the day I found out Kellan was fucking Celeste. We didn’t need to know why. There was a reason behind it, but we just couldn’t figure it out.

  Austin nods, getting my attention. “You force her hand. If she is really Evan Scott, she’ll get pissed and act without thinking it through. Make her jealous and see what Evan does next. We get another letter, message, or whatever, then you know it’s from her. But …” She pauses. “I’m just gonna give you my opinion now. It’s not Demi.”

  “Who do you think it is?” Bennett speaks up for the first time.

  “I don’t know,” she answers honestly, and he leans back on the couch, letting out a sigh. “I mean, how many enemies could you have left behind in Collins?” She shrugs. “I think it could be anyone at this point. And if for some reason, I’m wrong, and it’s Demi pretending to be Evan Scott, she’s not doing it alone. She’d have to have help, right?”

  No one answers, but she makes a valid point.

  I pull out my cell and send a quick message to Becky. She had messaged me the other day about wanting to meet up this weekend. I don’t have time to wait that long.

  Me: Wanna have dinner tomorrow night?

  “I’m not sure this will work.” Shane growls. “How are you gonna make Demi jealous?”

  I look over at him. “I’ll stay the night with Becky.”

  “Whoa …” Austin starts. “I said to make Demi jealous, not hurt Becky. She loves—”

  “Becky and I are never going to happen,” I interrupt her.

  Her mouth clamps shut at my words. Some things just can’t be undone. And Becky and I reached that point months ago. But I don’t mind using her.

  My phone dings.

  Becky: I’d love to.

  “I’m on. Tomorrow night,” I announce.

  The room falls silent, and I place my phone down without responding.

  “Do we need to tell you this stays between us?” Shane asks, narrowing his eyes on Austin. He doesn’t want her running to Becky and telling her our plan.

  Cole glares up at him, but Austin just sighs. She’s mad at me. And a part of me hates that. I see her as a little sister, but no matter how much I love Austin, it’s not going to make me love Becky.

  “What?” Shane snaps. “She’s best friends with Becky. One word could ruin it.”

  “I’ll keep my mouth shut,” she tells him. “But thanks for the reminder.” Austin gets up and leaves the living room, making her way upstairs. Cole follows her without saying a word, knowing he’s finally going to get his dick wet.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  BECKY

  STANDING AT THE foot of my bed, I look over the clothes I have thrown around my room.

  I’m having dinner with Deke tonight. And I can’t find a single thing to wear.

  Every girl’s worst nightmare.

  The problem is this isn’t a first date. I need something that screams love me. Take me back. I can’t live without you.

  And I have nothing.

  All but running out of my room, I enter Demi’s. She’s out with Seth tonight. I overheard her telling him earlier when she came home to get ready and she would meet him at seven thirty at Lake Travis. His parents have a cabin over there.

  I rummage through her closet. She normally doesn’t dress like me. She prefers frumpy shirts and jeans with tennis shoes.

  Not my style.

  But that doesn’t stop my mother from buying her expensive dresses. My mother has high hopes for Demi. She sees her representing her lingerie line one day even though my sister gives zero shits about it. I think that’s why my mother pushes her. If Demi would just give in, then our mother would probably back off.

  I come across a royal blue bandage dress. It wraps around the ribs, showing off a little midriff with a high skirt, connecting the two in the back. I hold it up to my body to measure the length. I’m taller than Demi and my boobs are bigger, but I can make it work. It would probably come to her knees so my upper thighs.

  I remove my jeans and tank top right here in her closet and then step into it, thinking it would be easier to pull up than push down. After wiggling my hips and shaking my ass, I get it on. I run my hands down the form-fitting skirt and face the floor-length mirror in the corner of her room.

  I smile at myself. It’s a little tighter than I’d like, but it will work for dinner. If I play my cards right, he’ll be taking it off me later. Just like old times. It reminds me of this one time when he took me on a date, but we had to keep it a secret because I was with David.

  Junior year

  “What are we doing here?” I ask Deke as he pulls into his sister’s driveway.

  He turns his Range Rover off. “Don’t panic. Shelby’s at work tonight.” Getting out, he comes around the SUV and opens my door for me.

  “Thank you,” I say with a nod.

  We enter the house, and I wait in the entryway for him to turn the lights on, but he doesn’t. Instead, he grabs my hand and leads me down the hallway. “Deke, what are we doing?” I ask again with a soft laugh, but he doesn’t answer.

  Why did he bring me here? No one knows about us. Even if Shelby isn’t home, it’s too risky.

  We turn the corner, entering the kitchen, and I gasp. A single red rose sits in a glass vase surrounded by four candles in the center of the round table. A white tablecloth covers it, and it’s set for two. He lets go of my hand and walks over to the table. He picks up the lighter and lights them, giving the room a soft glow.

  He places the lighter in a drawer and looks over at me with a sly smile on his handsome face. “I hope you’re hungry.”

  “Starving,” I lie. I had dinner earlier with David and his parents. I tried to get out of it, but he wouldn’t let it go. And his mom offered me a glass of wine, so I couldn’t turn that down. She’s a lush and doesn’t care if you’re legal age or not.

  He walks over to me and places his hands on my hips. His blue eyes look darker in the dim light. Sexier. “You did all this for me?”

  His answer comes in a smirk.

  I lean forward and place a chaste kiss on his lips. I go to pull away, but he places his hands in my hair and devours my lips with his. When he pulls away, I open my heavy eyes. He runs his knuckles down my cheek. “I’d do anything for you, Becky. All you have to do is ask.”

  I smile at that memory. Let’s hope he still feels that way.

  DEKE

  I park Austin’s Range Rover in Becky’s mother’s driveway. Her father had bought her a red BMW when she arrived in Collins last January, but she traded it in for an SUV like mine after we moved to Texas. She said it was a better choice and safer for Lilly. But where mine is black, Austin’s is white. I drove it tonight because I don’t want Demi spotting mine in the driveway when she arrives home. I want to surprise her. And then Angelica won’t question why a guy’s car is here all night either. She knows Austin’s ride, and she’ll think for some strange reason Austin stayed here. Not me.

  I knock on the front door, and Mrs. Holt’s housekeeper answers the door. “Hello, sir.” She nods her head in greeting.

  “Ma’am. I’m here to pick up Becky.”

  She smiles at me and gestures for me to enter. “She’s upstairs getting ready.”

  “Thank you.” I make my way up the left staircase, knowing that Demi’s room is on the right. I come to a stop and lean up against the doorframe. Be
cky stands in her room, bent over looking at herself in her vanity mirror. She wears a dark blue dress that looks a little too small, but that’s nothing new. She’s always liked to show off every curve, not that she has many. Demi may be smaller than her sister, but Becky isn’t big by any means. She has no hips and no ass, but she does have long, sexy legs. I’ll give her that. I used to love having them wrapped around my hips. And her tits, they’re a good handful. I always wanted to fuck them, but Becky wasn’t into that sort of thing.

  As I stand here looking her over, I can’t understand why I fell for her. What was it that made me believe every lie? Made me fall in love with her? Was it because she chose me over David? I wasn’t faithful to her, but she knew that. I didn’t lie to her. She was very aware that I slept with other girls and she couldn’t say shit to me about it. She fucked both David and me, and I fucked whoever I wanted. I mainly just did it to piss her off, though, and it worked.

  Now I’m going to fuck her to piss her sister off. And I’m hoping that it works. When I find out that Demi is the one fucking us over, I will give her what she wants—me. A motherfucking shark. I’ll destroy her.

  Becky smacks her lips together and straightens. She pulls her blond curls over her shoulder and turns to face me. She jumps back, letting out a squeal of surprise. “Deke. How long have you been standing there?”

  Even her voice makes my skin crawl. “Long enough.”

  She runs her hands down her dress nervously, and I give her a smile. I’m not gonna hurt you. Just going to use you.

  “I’m ready when you are.” She clears her throat and reaches for a clutch that sits on her dresser. Her eyes move to her bed for a brief second, but I don’t miss the longing in her eyes. There was a time when I would have already had her dress off and her lying on her back with my head between her legs.

  Not tonight.

  I’m in no rush to fuck you. I’m going to take my time. I’ve got all night, after all.

  She makes her way over to me, and I reach my hand out for her. We make our way down the stairs, and just as we reach the door, I hear a set of heels clapping on the tile floor behind us. “You kids have fun tonight.”