by Mae Doyle
When they all nodded, I took a deep breath. Okay.
I knew that I wouldn’t have to do this on my own.
There wasn’t any way that they were going to let me.
“So, you guys know that we have one more week until the meeting?” It was a silly way to start. I knew that they were aware of how much longer we had until the meeting.
It was all they thought about. I just…didn’t really know where to start with what I was going to say.
◆◆◆
My rogues and I all had our plans of what we needed to do to make sure that we were going to be as safe as possible during the next week, but there was one thing that I hadn’t really thought about.
I missed my girls, and I wanted to talk to them. Even though I didn’t think that Amelia or the council would go after my friends, especially since I’d been keeping my distance to keep them as safe as possible, I was still worried about them.
And I missed them, plain and simple. As much as I loved all three of my rogues, I hated not getting to spend more time with my girls.
Maggie and Harper were walking ahead of me across the quad. I’d seen them and told my rogues that I’d meet up with them after lunch and run ahead. It wasn’t safe to be on my own at all, and we all knew it, but I really wanted to talk to my girls without the rogues around.
“Hey!” I said breathlessly, as I caught up with them. My friends turned around, and even though we hadn’t spent a lot of time together recently, they still cried out my name and threw their arms around me.
“Rose! We’ve missed you,” Harper squealed into my neck as she hugged me. It felt amazing to have my friend’s arms around my neck and I snuggled into her, enjoying the way she snuggled back.
“I’ve missed you guys,” I told them honestly. “it’s just been so crazy around here that I got caught up in it. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Maggie said, grabbing my hand. “But just so you know – we claim you for lunch right now. Your little harem will just have to wait to get a piece of you later, okay?”
My harem. I giggled and squeezed her hand. “I don’t know that they’d like you calling them that,” I said, resisting the urge to turn around and look at them. I knew that all of my boys were behind me and that they weren’t going to let me out of their sight.
“But that’s what they are,” Harper protested, laughing. “You have a hot little harem, and that’s why you’re so busy anymore! No wonder you always look tired.”
She and Maggie cracked up and I couldn’t help but laugh, too. I wished that they were right – that I looked so tired simply because I was spending all of my nights in bed with my boys, but the truth was not nearly as exciting.
“Actually, that’s something I wanted to talk to you about,” I told them as we walked.
Maggie grinned at me. “We love you, Rose, but we’re not interested in joining your harem.” The laughter in her voice was obvious and I couldn’t help the smile that split my face.
“Maggie!” I cried, swatting her arm. “That’s not at all what I was going to say, geez!”
It took the three of us a little while to compose ourselves. Even though my stomach was rumbling and I couldn’t wait to find out what was for lunch, I wanted to make sure that I took enough time to talk to my friends and explain what was going on.
They deserved to know why I’d been a little distant and had seem preoccupied. It wasn’t because I didn’t still love them…
“Oh, you’re serious?” Harper slowed down her pace. “What’s wrong, Rose? You know that you can tell us anything.”
I nodded and took a deep breath. “You guys have always been there for me, and I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea and think that I was mad at you for something. That’s not it at all, okay?”
When they both nodded and squeezed my hands, I continued.
“But you guys also know about all of the shit with the harpies and the council, right? I mean, we’ve known for a while that Amelia has had it out for me, but we never really knew what the problem was.” I took a deep breath. “I figured it all out, and that’s why I’ve been keeping my distance a little.”
“We figured that something was going on with you,” Maggie said.
“Yeah, you’re not the kind of person to just…flake, but we haven’t seen a lot of you.” Harper smiled a little apologetically, like she was worried that she was going to upset me by telling me the truth.
Honestly? It stung a little, but it wasn’t anything that I didn’t already know. I’d been flaky, but I hadn’t done it because I didn’t want to hang out with my friends. I’d been so caught up in figuring out what was going on with the council and keeping the people I loved safe that I just didn’t want to include too many people.
“I mean, it was insane when Brett came back to school,” Maggie said, interrupting my thoughts. “They had a funeral for him and everything! But you and the rest of the rogues acted like nothing really changed, and neither did the teachers.”
“It was like you guys all knew that it was going to happen,” Harper added. “Everyone else was super surprised, but you guys and the staff were all…just so calm, I guess? Does that make sense?”
It did, and I nodded. “I know that it had to have been a huge surprise to everyone. There just wasn’t a good way to bring him back, you know? I mean, even his mom thought that he was dead for a while and then he just suddenly wasn’t. I hated it. I hated not telling you everything that we’ve been up to, and not seeing you guys all the time has really sucked.”
“It’s sucked for us, too,” Maggie said. “But tell us the truth, have things calmed down now? Are you okay? I know that Amelia has had it out for you for such a long time, but it almost seems like she’s backed off.”
“Does it?” Maybe everyone else was just immune to the dark looks she loved to give me, or maybe I just needed to get over my feelings for Amelia and how much I hated her, but I still felt like it was a war. The battlefield hadn’t changed, but the stakes were higher than ever.
“No matter what, Rose, we’re here for you, and we can’t wait to have lunch with you.” Harper must have seen the dark look on my face, because she squeezed my hand and started to pull me to the dining hall. “We can talk more about this later, if you want, but it smells like they’re grilling, and I would kill for a burger.”
There was so much more to say, but it was obvious that my friends didn’t want to talk about it any more right then. Grinning at them, I grabbed their hands and we started back across the quad.
I didn’t have to look behind me to know that Jackie, Kaleb, and Brett were back there.
Just like we’d decided the other night – they had my back. They knew my plan now, and they were willing to risk everything to end this.
Chapter 22
It’s really damn hard to concentrate on school when you know that you have the biggest meeting of your life coming up on the weekend.
Even though I was still going to classes, I felt like I was just going through the motions. Part of me wondered if it would have been better for the council to simply call me to an emergency meeting one afternoon without any warning rather than drag it out for weeks.
Knowing that I had to meet with them and that the time was constantly drawing closer made me more than nervous. It gave me a stomachache, made it difficult for me to concentrate, and even took a toll on my performance in voice.
Just that afternoon Mr. Collins had stopped me after class to ask me if I was ok. The competition was in a few weeks, but judging the way that I’d sung in class, I wasn’t much of a threat for Amelia.
I’d watched her sashay away while I talked to the teacher and wondered just how much he knew about what was going on. My meeting with the council was the next day, and the thought that he didn’t have a clue about what I was facing was laughable.
Kaleb was waiting for me and walked me back to my dorm before we went to dinner. As soon as he shut my door behind him, I leaned in for a hug, enjoying how
his fingers quickly worked their way down my tight spine to help me relax.
“You’re tense, love,” he whispered into my ear. My hair was growing back but was still so short that none of my rogues had to tuck it behind my ear in order to whisper to me. I couldn’t wait until it was all grown back and they could run their fingers through it. “Talk to me,” he continued, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Tell me what’s going on.”
I wanted to break down in his arms and tell him everything, but the truth was – he already knew. Kaleb knew exactly how scared I was, how much I hoped this would work, and how I worried about what our future would be when it was all over.
It was silly of me to think that I would be able to explain what was going on in my head and in my heart when I knew that he already felt it all.
“You know,” I told him, leaning my head on his shoulder. He was so strong and steady. My Kaleb loved me and I knew that he’d do anything for me. “I know you do, Kaleb.”
“You’re right, Rose,” he said, leaning back so I’d look at him. As soon as I did, his mouth crashed onto mine, his hands squeezing my sides and pulling me in to stand closer to him.
Our bodies were pressed tightly together. The heat from his coursed through mine, giving me a burst of energy. Instead of pulling away and going to dinner, I wanted to curl up inside of him.
I needed Kaleb. My kind, emotional Kaleb, who I knew would do anything for me. I kissed him back, reaching up to wind my fingers through his hair and pull him back down to me. Our lips were on fire, our whole bodies burning up as we touched and kissed.
“Rose,” Kaleb gasped, pulling back from me to suck in a breath.
I didn’t know what he was going to say. Honestly, I didn’t care. I didn’t need to hear him tell me what I meant to him, or that he wanted me.
I could feel his longing for me as he pressed his body up against mine. All I needed from Kaleb was him.
Just him.
I tugged his shirt off over his head and threw it onto the floor, then kicked out of my shoes. Running my hands up his abs and pecs, I moaned, enjoying everything about his body.
His muscles were wrapped tightly around his frame, and I traced them with my finger before leaning in and kissing my way from his navel up to his lips. He stiffened under my kisses, his body taut under my touch.
“I want you, Kaleb,” I whispered.
Yeah, like it wasn’t obvious.
He answered me with a kiss, his tongue sliding across mine, sending fireworks deep into my core. When I leaned back to pull my shirt off, someone knocked on the door.
We both froze.
“Expecting company?” Kaleb raised an eyebrow at me, and I couldn’t help but giggle.
It felt amazing to laugh for a moment, like we were just teenagers, and not the victims of a crazy group of adults.
“No,” I said, regretfully tugging my shirt back down. Again I cursed Taylor Prep for not having peepholes in the doors and I motioned Kaleb away so that I could open it without anyone seeing him standing there. He stepped to the side and I cracked the door, peeking out and holding my breath.
“Oh, thank goodness, Rosita,” Jackie said, pushing the door open. “We thought that someone was wrong when you two didn’t show up right away for dinner, so we came to check on you.”
His voice trailed off when he saw Kaleb’s shirt on the floor and our flushed faces. A slow smile spread across his face.
“They’re okay?” Brett followed Jackie in, his dark eyes scanning my body like he was checking for himself to see if I was in one piece.
“I think they’re more than okay,” Jackie quipped, leaning over to pull me to him. Brett pushed the door shut at the same time as Jackie kissed me. My lips were already swollen from kissing Kaleb, but I leaned into Jackie, letting him support my weight as he lips worked against mine.
When I pulled back from him, I lightly touched my lower lip. It was swollen and throbbing just a little, but I loved it.
Brett chuckled, a gravely sound that made me turn to look at him. “You telling me that I was going to miss out on all of the fun? Again?”
Instantly, I remembered the time that Jackie, Kaleb, and I had spent together before we went and brought Brett back to Taylor Prep. I’d hated not having him with us then, but I also hadn’t been able to keep my hands off of my other rogues.
Now, though…
Now they were all here with me. All staring at me like I was a snack and they were starving men.
It was how I felt about them, too.
“I think,” I said, finally managing to find my voice, “that Kaleb and I were just getting started.”
“That’s right,” Kaleb added, walking over and running his fingertips down my arm. “Rose and I were just getting started, but – ”
I cut him off. “We’d love company.”
I said it looking at Brett. He was the only one who hadn’t been with all of us. He was the one who I was almost afraid would be unwilling to join in. If Brett would join us, then…
He nodded, and as he did, I felt all of the pressure and stress that I’d been carrying slip off of my shoulders.
Jackie grinned and grabbed Brett’s hand, giving it a little squeeze. “We missed you last time, Brett,” he said. “It’s good for all four of us to be together.”
Even as I watched the two of them talk, I couldn’t believe that this was actually going to happen. A year ago I never would have believed that all three of my rogues would want to be with me and with each other. The thought gave me chills.
I’m sure that I stood there grinning like an idiot for a moment. Before I could say anything to any of my boys, Jackie started unbuttoning Brett’s shirt.
I swear, it was like I was frozen in place. I couldn’t have torn my eyes away from what the two of them were doing if someone had tried to pay me. Jackie was gentle, but his fingers worked quickly, and in just a moment, Brett’s shirt fell to the floor. Locking eyes with me, Jackie undid his shirt, tossing it onto the pile.
Brett’s eyes were wide, and I reached out for his hand, pulling me to him. I hadn’t kissed him yet, and I needed to taste him. His lips were hot and hungry on my mouth, and as we kissed, I felt someone lifting my shirt up from behind.
Kaleb? Or Jackie? It didn’t matter.
The three boys stripped me down, Brett falling to his knees in front of me before he slipped off my skirt. I shivered as I fell to the floor and left me standing in just my panties and bra.
“I swear, I’m never going to get tired of that sight, Rose,” Kaleb murmured, running a line of kisses along my collarbone. I shivered and reached for him, digging in my fingernails at what happened next.
Brett slipped his fingers into the waist of my panties and gently tugged them down while Jackie unhooked my bra. Their hands were all over me, hot and needy, and my skin felt like it was on fire wherever we touched.
“You taste delicious, if I remember correctly,” Brett said, gently spreading my legs with his hands. I felt like I was going to fall backwards onto the floor as my knees shook, but Jackie supported me, reaching around and pinching a nipple. I moaned at the feeling and my skin pebbled under his touch.
My rogues all knew how to make my body want more, and this time, they weren’t going to stop until they had all of me.
Brett’s breath was hot on my skin, and I felt the slick of my wetness as he slid his fingers into me, making me go up on my toes. “Fuck,” I breathed, unable to stop myself.
Kaleb laughed and then kissed me, making it so that I couldn’t say anything else. His mouth was hot and insistent on mine, and I held onto him, using him and Jackie to hold me up while Brett slowly licked and sucked my clit.
It was almost too much for my body to bear. Between Brett’s tongue and the way he pumped his fingers into me, Jackie pinching and rolling my nipples as he massaged me, and Kaleb’s kisses, I felt my body starting to quiver.
Coming with them was like I was falling apart, each shattered piece of me breaking down
as they sent me over the edge. I spiraled, my breath hitching as my body became overcome by the feeling.
It was like the three of them were all in me, all of them knowing exactly what they needed to do in order to push me over the edge. I couldn’t stop myself if I had tried.
When it became too much for me, I was up on my toes, leaning back in Jackie’s arms. Kaleb ran his tongue along my jaw to my ear and I shivered as he nipped at my skin, making me break out in goosebumps. My fingernails were dug deep into his skin, leaving behind little halfmoons as I tried to hang on.
But I couldn’t.
Brett slipped his tongue around my clit, sucking and licking it, his tongue sliding and rubbing me, sending me over the edge.
I cried out, but nothing intelligible, then I broke apart.
All of my nerves were on fire. They all screamed as I fell back into Jackie’s arms. He supported me as I closed my eyes, all of my muscles tight and locked into place.
Finally, I relaxed, but my body wasn’t done.
I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was Kaleb’s face. He was hungry. Brett stood up and kissed me, his tongue forcing my mouth open. I sucked my taste off of him, hardly able to handle it.
He made me taste so good.
When Jackie put me back on my own two feet, I tried to stand, but I stumbled, my legs still weak and shaking. Brett caught me and guided me to the bed, where he put me down to perch on the edge.
“That was…” I began, but I couldn’t finish, and ended up just shaking my head.
“I hope it was good,” Brett said, “because that was just the beginning, little Rose. You have no idea.”
Chapter 23
It was almost impossible for me to catch my breath. My skin was still on fire, my three rogues were bending over me, each one planting hot kisses on my bare skin. I gasped and reached for them, pulling one up by the hair to kiss him.
It was Jackie. “Rosita,” he moaned, kissing me. When he tugged my lower lip between his teeth, I arched my back, pulling him closer. “God, I want to be in you,” he said, running his hands down my sides.
