by B. B. Reid
“Why the fuck not?”
“Because I want answers that you won’t give me.”
“And for a damn good reason. Damn it, Lake. This goes beyond you and me. You’re going to uncover some shit you’ll wish you didn’t and I won’t be able to save you.”
“So what happens then? You’ll kill me too?” Instead of answering, he shot up from his seat and was around the table before my brain caught up to common sense. His hand was in my hair, pulling my head back and my eyes met his stormy gaze.
“It won’t come to that because you’re going to do what I say. I don’t want to have to hurt you again. Don’t push me that far. Are we clear?”
I peered into his eyes and saw something I never thought I would see in his eyes ever. I saw fear. “What are you afraid of?” His gaze shifted from my face before he met my stare again.
“I’m not afraid of anything,” he answered, shortly. He let go of my hair and left the kitchen before I could respond.
“Everyone has something to be afraid of,” I whispered to an empty house.
***
I don’t remember the ride to school. After the breakfast that I ate alone, I looked around for Keiran even though I knew he was gone. I purposely made it to school with only a few minutes to spare. Even though Keiran was no longer terrorizing me within these walls his attention put me on the receiving end of glares and snide comments from his ex-cum buckets – Anya especially.
I was surprised that she was walking around unscathed and even still claiming Keiran after Trevor’s confession that she was a part of the setup. The irony of the situation did not escape me. Maybe he really did have feelings for her…
I entered art class and found that my seat was taken. I didn’t think it was a big deal until I noticed that the only seats left was one beside Keenan and the other next to a member of Anya’s twat squad.
Keenan didn’t seem to hate me anymore but I wouldn’t exactly call us buds. I tossed my head back, annoyed, before marching over to his table. He looked up and grinned when he saw me. It was still uncanny how much they looked alike. I reluctantly sat down next to him.
“Sup sis-in-law. You still mad at me?” I tried not to react to his nickname for me. People were getting ideas about Keiran and me that I wasn’t particularly fond of.
“Not mad. Aware.”
He frowned before saying, “I didn’t make the best impression…”
It was more a statement than a question. I shrugged and left to retrieve my project. I returned to my seat and looked at him curiously. He was glaring at his poster like it offended him. I took a peek and saw that he was drawing a picture of Sheldon doing one of her routines at a game. I was impressed with how good he was and the detail he captured. His art really seemed to come to life.
“You’re pretty good. Is art something you want to do?” Making conversation was my way of a truce…sort of. I didn’t owe Keenan anything but I wasn’t going to be a bitch either.
“Huh?” He jerked his head up and looked at me. “Oh…maybe. Hey, uh…can we be friends?”
“Why?” He definitely threw me off guard with that one and I didn’t try to hide my surprise or suspicion.
“Because I was a dick to you? I’m sorry for how I treated you.”
“I get it. You were protecting him.” I didn’t get it but that didn’t mean that I had to be the dick.
“Keiran hasn’t had the best experience with having a family so I try to have his back.”
“I know. Last night, he told me about his mother be a prostitute and a drug addict after I dug up some things from his past.” Keenan’s expression was mixed with surprise and confusion.
“He told you that?” he asked as his brow furrowed from his deep frown.
“Yes.” I studied the expression on his face and then asked, “Did he not tell you?”
“Uh, yeah. Yeah, he told me. I’m just surprised that he was so…forthcoming about it to you.”
“Yeah, no kidding.” I said absently. Keenan’s look was more than just surprise. “Anyway, do you think he would have done the same for you, if he doesn’t believe in family?” He hesitated and I could tell he was thinking his words over.
“He would have done much worse.” I studied his face and saw something odd hiding in his eyes. I recognized that look.
“Are you afraid of him?”
“No. I’m afraid for him.”
“Why?” He hesitated again and I could tell he didn’t want to answer my question but I wasn’t letting this go.
“We can’t be friends, if I can’t trust you.” I knew it was manipulative to use that against him but these two have done much worse. He looked amused before shaking his head.
“Keiran is going to have his hands full with you,” he chuckled.
“No more than I will with him. Tell me.”
“I’m afraid for him because every day he has to fight the person he is, to be the person he wants to be.”
“What happens if he loses?” I asked while the hairs at the back of my neck stood up.
“People get hurt.” I didn’t miss the sad look that passed over his face before he focused on his poster and began working on the picture.
“Something tells me you aren’t going to elaborate.” I knew Keenan knew more than he let on to Sheldon or anyone else. I can’t imagine living with someone like Keiran and not see more than the rest.
“Not unless you have something else to offer.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively and I laughed.
“Yeah. You, me, and Sheldon could all have a good time,” I quipped sarcastically.
He turned to me with wide eyes that were glazed over with what looked like hope. “Don’t say that unless you mean it because if Keiran fucks up, I got dibs.” He winked and turned back to his project.
* * *
“I want you at practice with me.” It was just after fifth period when Keiran delivered his latest demand. We were leaving the classroom when I had turned to kiss Keiran goodbye because he wouldn’t let me go otherwise.
“I’ll pass.” I turned to leave, irritated but not wanting it to show. So much for the honeymoon phase. Then again, I didn’t know what this was between us. Keiran had made it known he wasn’t going to leave me alone so it was either be friends or be…I don’t know. I chose to be friends but he was taking so much more.
“I’m not asking,” he gritted while tugging on my arm and pulling me in the opposite direction. I looked back at Willow for help but she was distracted and looking uneasy from Dash’s scrutiny. Yeah, he still had it bad for her.
“Keiran this is ridiculous. What am I supposed to do at your practice? I’ll look like one of those clingy, hoe bag groupies. No thanks.”
He continued to pull me until he got tired of fighting and threw me over his shoulder. I couldn’t fight but I cursed him almost the entire way until he gave me a sharp slap on my rear that had me seeing stars. We got to the gym where he finally released me and I saw Buddy sitting on the sideline, lacing up his sneakers. Willow told me he made the team this year. Everyone was impressed with his skill at the Saturday game.
I unconsciously looked around for Trevor. Even though he was out on bail he was suspended from school until trial. When I didn’t see any sign of him, I walked over to Buddy and felt Keiran’s stare penetrating my back as I walked away. I rolled my eyes because I knew he couldn’t see and sat next to Buddy.
“You’ve become a hot commodity for Bainbridge. To what do you owe your success?” I held out an imaginary microphone for him.
“The endless supply of hot chicks they promised me.”
“Well there you have it folks. Another brain-dead athlete. When will the cycle end?”
“Hi, mom!” He spoke into the fake camera. I hit his shoulder and laughed at him. Buddy was so adorable. “Speaking of hot chicks, when will you quit breaking my heart and run away with me?”
“Never, shit stick and quit hitting on my girl.” We looked up at Keiran standing over us looking agg
ravated.
“That’s my cue to leave.” He slapped hands with Keiran before sauntering away. “You know she wanted me first anyway!” He yelled when he was a safe distance away. I was laughing hysterically at the look on Keiran’s face from Buddy’s comment. He looked torn between wanting to laugh or kill him.
Buddy has had a crush on me for as long as I could remember but it would never go anywhere. Don’t get me wrong, Buddy is insanely hot. He could even give Keiran a run for his money. Even though he was only a freshman it was obvious Buddy would take over the reins once Keiran left.
By the time I quit laughing Keiran had turned his menacing look on me and for the first time ever I wasn’t afraid. “Hey, don’t look at me. You are the one who insisted I come here. Now all your teammates get to ogle me.”
“Yeah?” Before I could answer he stalked off in the direction of the locker room. Twenty minutes later the team emerged from the locker room and began to warm up. I pulled out my books to pass the time.
Every once in a while I would watch the team, or more specifically, Keiran practice. There was a lot of shit talking between the guys as they practiced and I found myself cracking a smile or two at the crap that came out of Keiran’s mouth. I’ve never seen this easygoing nature from him. It almost made him appear human,
After some intense drills, they had a brief break to grab water but Keiran stayed on the court to make sure everyone got water. I heard him tell the new players that his number one rule was to stay hydrated at all times and he would be watching. Keenan grabbed his water bottle and ran up to me as I was closing my Lit book.
“Say, what is up with our boy?” he asked grinning.
“What do you mean?”
“He came in the locker room and threatened to break the balls of anyone who looked at you during practice.” He began cracking up when my jaw dropped in shock.
“Tell me you're joking."
“I cannot make this up.”
That must have been why number eight wouldn’t look at me when I handed him the ball that rolled over here. I just thought he was really shy. I saw Keiran watching us with an intense look on his face. His jaw was clenching in anger and he looked pissed. Is he jealous of Keenan talking to me?
I met his stare and beckoned him with my finger. He didn’t hesitate and made his made towards us from the other side of the gym. When he reached us he took my hand pulling me up and sitting in my place before seating me in his lap. I breathed in his sweaty scent and couldn’t think of anything that ever smelled better.
He was glaring at Keenan with a possessive and cocky expression. Keenan was staring back at him challengingly before he rolled his eyes and grinned. “Relax bro, I got my own.”
Keiran grunted his response before kissing on my neck and sending chills down my spine. My throat emitted a little moan before I could stop it. “You are two seconds from getting fucked hard on these bleachers if you don’t stop moving your ass all over my dick.” His voice was harsh in my ear making my eyes pop open.
Keenan was still standing in front of us watching through lowered lids and biting his lip with a curious expression on his face.
“Fuck off,” Keiran barked when he noticed Keenan staring.
“Pussy whipped motherfucker,” Keenan muttered walking off.
“That is the second guy you ran off in less than an hour. You won’t have friends anymore if you keep it up. What’s your deal anyway?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“You’re too fucking sexy.”
“You’re crazy numb nuts. No one has ever been interested in me before.”
“That you know of. I made sure of that.”
“Come again?” I looked at him as if he’d grown to heads. Sometimes I think Keiran really did have two heads with two completely different minds. One sane and one not so sane.
“Breaks over. Behave,” he ordered before walking away.
I sat there dumbfounded. I always knew Keiran’s bullying was the cause of my dateless, boyless life but I didn’t think he had a direct hand in it. He’s got some explaining to do.
My phone vibrated with a message from Willow. She sent me a cute picture of Pepé in a sailor uniform. Willow was great at designing and making clothes and wanted to get a degree in textile.
I haven’t told her yet about my night with Keiran. I was still thinking I would wake up and find it was all a dream. Did Keiran being sent to juvie bring us together or delay the inevitable? A year ago no one could pay me to believe sex between us would be even possible.
The team stopped for another water break and this time Dash approached me and sat down. He stared at me for a moment before taking a deep breath.
“Hey.” He sounded sad.
I raised an eyebrow at him. “Hi.” He rubbed the back of his neck and ran a hand over his dark blonde hair roughly.
“So you and Keiran, huh?”
“We’re friends.” Jeez, what is with everyone? I wondered what his motive for talking to me was. He sat there for another minute, staring off into the distance and I could tell he was thinking.
“How is Willow doing?” he finally asked.
And there it is. “You see her every day. Why don’t you ask her yourself?”
“She won’t talk to me.” His nostrils flared in aggravation.
“And that bothers you?” I titled my head and studied him. He was a rich playboy and a major hottie that could have any girl he wanted yet he sat here looking almost love sick over one… My girl got game.
“More than it should.”
“Willow is phenomenal.” I stated harshly.
“I know.”
“Smart.”
“I know.”
“Loving.” He nodded.
“Crazy as hell.” He laughed.
“Beautiful with a banging body.”
“I know,” he growled, his eyes clouded over with lust.
“She’s too good for you.” I stated bluntly.
“I know.” Determination spread over his features making him appear ruthless.
“You don’t care, do you?”
“I tried but…I’d rather have her than do the right thing.”
“That’s selfish.”
“That’s life,” he retorted.
“She has feelings for you. Did you know that?” He swallowed deeply before shrugging. “I doubt she even knows it…or doesn’t want to admit it.
“I won’t hurt her.”
“So setting her up to fall for you to get back at me, didn’t hurt her?” It was a rhetorical question and he knew it because he didn’t answer. “You won’t give her what she needs either. That will hurt her so let someone else give her what she needs.”
“She’s mine.” Primal emotion took over his features and I grinned at him. He shook his head realizing the trap I led him into. He just as well admitted he had feelings for her too.
“Keiran is going to have his hands full with you,” he said, standing up.
“So I’ve heard.”
He held out his hand to me. “Friends?”
I stared at him for a minute, gauging his sincerity. “Why the hell not? Friends.” I shook his hand and he pulled me up into a bear hug, swinging me around. I shrieked and was taken aback before I laughed.
“You better put her down before Keiran gets back in here and kills us all,” Coach Lyons reprimanded while walking past.
Great, the coach was afraid of him too.
* * *
When practice ended Keiran drove us to his house where he told me that he was taking me on a date. I didn’t know what to say and apparently he didn’t either because we had just stood there staring at each other before I shrugged and answered with a terse, “Sure.”
So tonight was my first date…our first date. Keenan and Sheldon decided to come so I guess you could call it my first double date too. Dash was going to come along when Keenan suggested a girl to take until I gave him the stink eye. That would be the wrong move and he knew it
. Everyone knew the way to a girl’s heart was through her best friend.
We are all currently in Keiran’s car, on our way to catch a movie, with plans to go to the local bowling alley after. We were both out of our element but I couldn’t tell if he was as nervous as I was. He held my hand the entire way, rubbing his thumb in the center of my palm. Keenan and Sheldon were too busy swapping DNA in the backseat so we were left in our own world.
We got to the theater and the guys let us decide on a movie. The first movie we picked earned us endless groans and complaints about chicks and their flicks, so we chose a comedy instead. We had twenty minutes to spare until the movie started so we played in the attached arcade. Keiran led me over to the basketball game. There was a divider between the lanes with balls sitting inside. He picked two up and handed me one.
“Want to make a bet?”
I looked at him sideways and peeped his sneaky grin. “No?”
“Please? I’ll be a good.”
“Basketball is your thing. You’re going to beat me.” He rolled his eyes before leading me over to the wack-a-mole table.
“This better, baby?”
I shrugged and picked up a wacker —wacker? “So what’s the bet?”
“What would you like to win?”
“Answers.” I answered without hesitation. He didn’t look surprised in fact I suddenly got the feeling that I was led into a trap when he grinned down at me.
“What do you want?” I asked while keeping a wary eye on his face. The predatory look on his face made me suspicious.
“I get to fuck you senseless. All night. For as long as I need to.” He stepped closer bending his head down until his breath fanned over my neck. “And you can’t tap out… no matter how good it feels.”
My breath shuddered out unevenly as my body succumbed to the heat of the underlying threat in his tone. “What happens if it’s a tie?
“Then you get your answers and I get you under me again.”
I shuddered again in anticipation. Eye of the tiger, Lake. Don’t wimp out now. “Deal.”
“It’s not a deal unless you seal it with a kiss…”
I immediately closed the remaining space between us, challenge shining in my eyes and slowly wrapped a leg around his hip while sliding my hands up his muscular chest. I traced his incredibly sexy lips with my tongue and then nipped his bottom lip, hearing him emit a low, throaty growl. I winked at him before pecking his lips and moving away.
