by Reid, B. B.
My phone pinged again, but this time, it was a private message.
Lou: Sorry you had to see Wren’s butt.
Lou: It’s okay if you liked it. It’s pretty fucking cute. ;-)
I snorted, making Vaughn’s eyes narrow. “What did she say?”
“Nothing,” I quickly lied. Blacking the screen, I placed it face down on the nightstand just in case Lou felt the need to discuss Wren’s butt some more.
Contrary to my fainting, it had been a pretty fantastic view.
“Looks like we’re staying the night,” Vaughn said with a smirk before tossing tossed his phone on the bed. I lost my train of thought when he gripped the collar at his nape and pulled his shirt over his head.
Fuck me.
The look in Vaughn’s eyes promised he’d do just that, and he’d take all night if I’d only ask. I wasn’t a saint, which meant I told the occasional white lie, usually to spare someone’s feelings. However, promising Vaughn that I was okay with never having all of him in exchange for one night? That was one lie I couldn’t tell because despite what Vaughn claimed, we were already in deep.
They say sex is what complicates a relationship, but what if you’ve already given the other person something much more valuable? Like your bleeding, beating heart?
Walking over to the bed, he pulled me from it until I was standing and relieved me of my shirt. It was now a heap on the floor.
“Do you trust me?” he asked after cupping my chin with his fingers.
“I’m starting to question if I should.”
Vaughn’s nostrils flared as his gaze searched mine. It lasted long enough to make my heart stop. “Yes or no, pip-squeak?”
“Yes,” I admitted reluctantly. I just hoped the day never came that he made me regret it.
I shivered at the heat that rose in his eyes. His fingers left my chin, and I almost jumped out of my skin when I felt them unhooking my bra. In no time, it joined my shirt on the floor, and I fought against the urge to cover myself. Almost reverently, his thumb brushed back and forth over my nipple until it was a hard point. Pushing me back onto the bed, he lay beside me, resting his head on his hand.
“I’ll never get used to this with you,” he whispered while gazing into my eyes.
“I don’t think I will either.”
He kissed me then, and I forgot the fact that I wore nothing but my panties until the hand that had been caressing my belly dipped inside them. I moaned when his fingers found and softly teased my clit. He did that until my panties were soaked, and then he pushed his fingers between my lower lips.
“Why are you so wet?” he asked between kisses. He was rubbing me soft enough to drive me insane but not enough to give me what I ached for. “Hmm?”
“Because you’re touching me.”
“Want me to stop?”
By now, I’d figured out that he was teasing me with more than just his fingers. And getting off at the same time by making me beg. “Please don’t.”
I held my breath when Vaughn began slowly filling me with his finger, but then reaching the first knuckle, he stopped. When I tried moving my hips to get him to go deeper, he pulled his finger out, only filling me once more when I lay there submissively. “I’m not a mind reader, Ty-ty. Tell me what you want.” He cruelly added a second finger, making speech temporarily impossible.
“I want you to stop being an asshole,” I finally answered breathlessly, “and make me come.”
The sound of his deep, throaty chuckle had me tightening around his fingers. “Your wish is my command,” he said before kissing me one final time. “But tonight, we do things my way.”
I frowned, wondering what he meant as he stood and pulled his wallet from his jeans. My breath stalled a second later when he plucked a square, gold foil from inside before tossing his wallet on the nightstand.
I shot up into a sitting position before grabbing the sheet to cover myself. “Vaughn?”
“Relax,” he said as he unbuttoned his jeans. “I won’t be popping your cherry tonight.” My heart thundered as he pulled his jeans and his boxers down before stepping out of them. Vaughn was already hard, and the small, titanium barbell piercing the head of his dick glistened with pre-cum.
“Then why do you need that?” I asked.
All I got was a smirk in return. As my arousal skyrocketed, I watched transfixed as Vaughn ripped the condom open with his teeth before slowly, carefully sheathing himself. Thanks to Prince Albert, the likelihood of the condom breaking was too high to think about, or I’d surely back out. If I thought my life was stressful now, I didn’t want to imagine how it would be with a baby on my hip—at eighteen.
“You trust me, right?” he challenged once he was done. I’d told him so, and now he was making me prove it.
I inhaled as much air as I could before letting it all go. “I do.”
Without further ado, he seized my ankles and dragged me down the mattress until my bottom half nearly hung off the bed. My lips parted because although I trusted him not to go too far, I didn’t trust myself not to beg for it.
He ended up silencing me before I could speak with a kiss so desperate, I couldn’t help but respond with complete submission. Once I was lying on my back again, Vaughn ripped the sheet covering me away and pushed my legs up and out. My chest heaved as I watched him grip his thick cock and stroke it slowly while meeting my gaze.
“You’re beautiful, pip-squeak. So fucking beautiful that I can’t go another day without being inside you.”
I think my heart stopped when he rested his knee on the foot of the bed. Kneeling over me, he began teasing my clit with the head of his cock. Even with the latex between us, I could feel his piercing providing friction that only intensified with each pass of that monster between his legs. Mimicking his fingers from moments ago, he dipped his hips, parting my swollen pussy lips with the underside of his dick. He repeated the action over and over until my eyes began fluttering from the sweet sensation.
“Pretty fucking pussy,” I heard him mumble. His voice sounded strained—like he was barely holding onto his control. Overwhelmed with the sudden surge of power and pleasure, my hips lifted of their own accord, bringing his cock to my entrance. “Jesus, Tyra.”
Feeling my body shaking out of control, I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply before letting it all go.
I trust him.
My lips fell open from shock when a moment later, I felt him pushing inside. He was so thick, and despite my arousal soaking the sheets, my pussy immediately protested the invasion. And just when I thought he’d go deeper and take my virginity, he pulled out, only to repeat the action.
“Vaughn, you’re…you’re…”
He kissed me again, and I swear his lips were voodoo.
“Just the tip, pip-squeak. I promise.” He entered me again, and my legs seemed to spread of their own accord. He immediately settled between them. “You feel so fucking good.”
Gripping the sheets, I found myself biting back a moan. Even though this wasn’t something that I ever saw myself doing, I had to admit that I was already eager to do it again. “You too.”
Feeling overwhelmed with such raw fucking emotion, I shot up to my elbows at the same time he leaned down. When our lips met, nothing else mattered. Vaughn kept his word, never venturing past the ridge separating the head from his shaft. This was reckless sure, but somehow, special. Unconsciously, we’d both decided that the other was worth the risk. It was the closest we’d come to admitting our feelings to one another.
“I need you to come for me, okay?” he begged against my lips. “I’m not going to—”
His mouth fell open when I tightened and pulsed around him, coming on his dick as he commanded. Neither of us should have expected to last long. The sensations were too powerful. Before I was even done, his body stiffened mid-thrust, and then he was filling the condom with a groan.
I fell back onto the bed as he settled between my legs, and for a few long minutes, we held each other as we both
tried to catch our breath. Vaughn, being the athlete, caught his much sooner. Rising onto his forearms, he stared into my eyes. Worry, but minimal regret filled his green gaze.
“Are you mad?”
Slowly shaking my head, I reached down and gripped his ass with both hands. Wren’s was nice, but Vaughn’s belonged on a statue. It was already as hard as a rock. Even his abs poking into my stomach could put Michelangelo’s David to shame. “I want to do that again.”
THIS TIME, WHEN I AWOKE next to Tyra, I didn’t leave her side.
And it had nothing to do with her threat—to get Four to cut my brake line—just before her tired eyes drifted shut.
It was because trying as I might, I couldn’t help but give a damn. I felt responsible for yesterday, even though I hadn’t shown it. My frustration with myself had boiled over and spilled onto her. I might not be her boyfriend, but I was still her friend, and I’d bailed.
Fingers linked behind my head with Tyra softly snoring on my chest, I watched the ceiling fan spin and wondered if I could be hypnotized into caring a little…less.
My phone pinged, but I didn’t bother reaching for it. I knew it was none other than Jamie texting his usual morning selfie of him and Bee waking up together. It had been less than a week since they made it official, and I was ready for them to break up.
Needing to take a piss, I carefully slipped from underneath Tyra. After pulling on my jeans, I left the guest room. The sun was barely up, so the house was quiet as I made my way down the hall. There was a faint glow underneath the bathroom door that made me frown. Wren and Lou had an ensuite, so I wasn’t expecting to fight anyone for the toilet.
Thinking maybe one of our friends forgot to turn off the light before they left last night, I had my hand ready to knock just in case. I had no doubt Wren wouldn’t hesitate to shoot me if I walked in on Lou while she had her pants down. Or worse. Naked.
Just as my fist came bearing down, the door flew open. With honed reflexes, the man himself used his forearm to block my fist from connecting with his cheek. Something fell out his hand, and when we both rushed to pick it up, we bumped our heads instead.
“Fuck!” he barked in a volume louder than I’d ever heard him speak. I guess my head was harder than his—in more ways than one.
“Shit, sorry, man.” I grimaced as I rubbed my temple. This time, I was quicker and swooped up the blue, velvet box he’d been holding. I started to hand it over and paused when the lid popped open, revealing what rested inside. I gaped at it a few seconds, wondering if I was seeing things. The modest diamond curved on the sides, the ends too sharp to be a simple oval. I didn’t know shit about rings, but I knew that it was beautiful and exactly what I pictured adorning Lou’s finger.
“You’re going to propose?” I choked out when my initial shock cleared. “When?”
I watched the gray of his irises turn a startling blue before he spoke. Lou hadn’t been kidding. “Soon.”
“Fuck, man…” I stood there for a moment, not knowing whether to hug him or not. He didn’t seem like the type. “Congratulations,” was all I ended up saying when it got awkward. And then I made it even more so. “I won’t tell anyone, I promise.”
There was relief in Wren’s eyes when he dipped his chin in gratitude. “Thank you.”
“So, are you nervous?” He had to be. My armpits were sweating just thinking about it, and I wasn’t even the one proposing. “Do you know how you’re going to ask her?” Wren simply shrugged in response, but I could see the wheels turning in his head. “You don’t talk a lot, do you?”
Neither did I, but that was because I had a lot to hide, especially from the former Exiled lieutenant. Wren had yet to learn that my father was once his rival. Even though he was no longer Exiled, I wasn’t quite sure if I could trust him with that information. He sure as shit wouldn’t be safe with it. The only reason my father hadn’t killed Ever for knowing was that he knew I’d never work for him if he did. The head of Thirteen also knew my desire to keep Ever alive wasn’t enough to give him what he wanted. For the moment, I had him trapped at a crossroads. Unfortunately, my father was clever, which meant my time was running out.
For years, he’d been searching for the perfect incentive—someone or something worth selling my soul. Remembering Tyra asleep down the hall, I realized if I wasn’t careful, he just might get it.
Smirking, Wren took the tiny blue box from my hand and slipped it into his pajama bottoms. “Lou talks enough for both of us.”
I snorted as he stepped around me, letting me have the bathroom. When I stepped inside and looked around, I realized he must have stashed the ring in here and was now looking for another hiding spot. Shaking my head at Wren’s naïveté, I stepped back into the hall, catching him before he made it to the stairs.
“Hey,” I called out, making him whirl around. Coming to stand in front of him, I held out my hand. “Give it to me.” Wren’s expression was blank as he stared at me—to the point that I wondered if I’d imagined the whole thing. “Unless you’re planning to propose tomorrow, she’s going to find that ring if she hasn’t already.” Although, it didn’t seem like Lou’s style to pretend while patiently waiting for him to pop the question. “Give it to me,” I insisted when he still hadn’t moved or spoken. “I’ll keep it safe, I promise.”
I patiently looked on as Wren considered it before slowly, finally handing over the ring. I took the box from him before slipping it into my pocket. He didn’t look happy about it, but at least he was smart.
“One last piece of unsolicited advice?” I took his silence as my cue to go on. “Don’t even think about proposing to her without us there to watch.”
His jaw tightened before he spun on his heel, grumbling all the way down the stairs. Grinning, I quickly relieved my bursting bladder before rushing back inside the guest bedroom. Tyra must have just awoken because she was sitting up, hair all array and drool drying on her chin as she blinked sleepily at me.
“What time is it?” she croaked.
“Hell if I know. Pip-squeak, you won’t fucking believe what I just found out.” Not waiting for her to respond, I pulled Wren’s engagement ring from my pocket and watched the tired haze clear from her whiskey eyes.
“I still can’t believe he’s going to propose,” Tyra said for the fifth time since I’d spilled the beans.
I know I promised Wren I’d keep it a secret, but girlfriends—um, dear, close, personal friends with whom one shared a complicated relationship with were naturally exempt from such promises, right?
Tyra would make good on all of her many death threats if she found out that I’d known all along and didn’t tell her. A man’s got a right to self-preservation. Besides, I made her promise not to tell anyone.
“Well, he is,” I said as I stopped at a red light. I was taking Tyra home to shower and change. Wanting to keep my eyes on her, I’d made her leave her car at Wren and Lou’s. Pretty soon, we’d be calling them the Harlans. “And remember, you can’t tell anyone.”
“Why should I keep it a secret?” she shot back. “You didn’t.”
I could only sigh because I knew she wouldn’t listen and simply laugh at my threats. So much for secrets. “Just don’t tell Lou. It should come from him.”
“I would never do that,” she said as she reached for the glove compartment where I stowed the ring for now.
“What are you doing?”
“I just want to see it again.”
“Pip-squeak, I’ve shown you like eight times already.”
“So?” she mumbled as she slowly opened the lid.
My palms became a little sweaty when she carefully lifted the ring from the box and slipped it on her ring finger. Lou was a small thing, but Tyra was one inch from having to shop for clothes in the kids’ section. Needless to say, the ring fit a little loose on her finger. I didn’t realize that I was staring until someone behind me beeped their horn. I’d been so busy wondering what it would be like to see her wearing my ring that I
hadn’t noticed the light turn green.
“Put it back,” I barked a little harsher than necessary. It didn’t fucking matter that marriage to anyone would never be possible; I was only eighteen for fuck’s sake. Wren would be twenty-one in a couple of months, and even he was pushing it.
When you know, you know.
Just as quickly, I shoved the thought away.
Fuck that.
“Be a dick,” Tyra mumbled as she obeyed. “That’ll get you into my pants.”
I snorted even as I strangled the wheel. My frustration was a direct contrast to the arrogant bullshit spilling from my mouth a moment later. “We both know I don’t need to get in your pants to make you come.”
I could practically hear the steam coming out of her ears as Tyra bristled in my passenger seat next to me. “Yeah?” she said, crossing her arms. “Well, I’d give you a six out ten in that department, which is above average but still average.”
Feeling her burn below the belt, I tucked my lips to keep from laughing as I focused on the road. Lying bitch. She seemed pretty satisfied with my performance last night. In fact, I knew she was.
“How would you know, virgin? You have someone to compare me to?”
Turning to stare out the window, she responded, “Maybe not, but that can always change.” Even from her profile, I could see her smirking. “We’re just friends, remember?”
Yeah, okay. This time, I was the one pissed off, so I turned up the radio to drown out my thoughts. I wish she fucking would. That would be the day she’d find out how jealous an asshole I could be, and my father would finally have his way.
Wisely, we didn’t speak to each other the rest of the way to Tigerwood Lane. When I pulled into Coach’s driveway, the weighted silence became a stunned one as we both stared at the visitor waiting by the front door.
“WHAT THE HELL IS SHE doing here?” I was the first to break the silence even though Vaughn had recovered quicker. I could feel him watching me as he waited to see what I would do.
