The Prince and the Pawn

by Reid, B. B.

  “When does the party start?” Jamie shouted as soon as they were within hearing distance.

  “Twenty minutes,” Four answered as she tossed him her helmet to hold. She then caught the bottled water Jamie had dug from the cooler next to him. Uncapping it, she took a sip as I admired her in the black and yellow gear she wore. She looked so fucking badass in her jersey and mesh armor. I snickered, despite the state I’d been in minutes ago, when I caught my best friend staring at her ass. I was sure that whatever thoughts running wild in Ever’s mind right now couldn’t become a reality with less than twenty minutes to spare. It would take them that long alone to find somewhere secluded in this crowded, outdoor arena.

  “Have you guys seen Tyra?” she asked, making me tense up and frown when her big, brown eyes flitted between Jamie and me.

  “I thought she was with you.”

  “She was, but then Selena had to use the bathroom, so Tyra went with her. Haven’t seen them since.” Four frowned, but just as quickly, her expression cleared. Something was definitely bothering her, but she was determined not to let it show.

  “I told you already,” Lou spat. She was the complete opposite of Four, having no problem letting her true feelings show. “Selena is somewhere sacrificing our friend to whatever demon created her.”

  “Lou, you’ve known her for two seconds,” Bee argued. “You haven’t even given her a chance.” I tensed even more as I listened because this was starting to sound like an argument they’ve had before.

  “So? I know a snake in the grass when I see one. Besides, everyone told me that you were a bitch, but I saw straight through you. Now was I right, or was I wrong?” Refusing to respond, Bee crossed her arms and looked away. “Exactly. Besides, even her phone number is snitching on her,” Lou maintained. “Come on…six-six-six-six-nine-six-nine? Do you know what that means?”

  “No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell us,” Bee responded with her lips pursed.

  “It means she’s Satan’s mistress. A devil whore.” Lou sounded like the Bible thumpers she claimed she hated.

  “You’re being ridiculous,” Four chimed in, making it two against one.

  Lou didn’t seem bothered by those odds as she rolled her eyes.

  “News flash, Four. Tyra’s not just your best friend anymore. She’s mine, too.”

  Four smirked at that. “I thought Jamie was your best friend?”

  “I’m her fucking best friend!” Wren shouted from inside the Sprinter. He’d wisely climbed inside once the arguing between the girls started.

  “You get to see me naked,” Lou reminded him. Silence from the van followed. I guess Wren had been placated. “Anyway, I don’t trust her. Doesn’t anyone find it strange that she just shows up out of the blue, claiming to be Tyra’s sister?” Lou had put air quotes around the word sister. “Coach Bradley is listed, so she could have called. Selena clearly had their address, so she could have written. Anything would have been better than her just showing up and traumatizing our Ty-baby.”

  Jamie made a face at Lou for poaching his nickname, so Lou flipped him off. “Do you really think it matters?” he argued a moment later. “Either way, Tyra would have been blindsided since her father lied to her.”

  Lou waved him off. “Well, maybe he had his reasons.”

  “There’s never a reason to lie,” Ever said, speaking up for the first time. “No matter how harsh the truth, lies always cut deeper.”

  A heavy sigh came from the Sprinter that made everyone except Ever wince. Wren keeping the fact that they shared a father was still very much a sore subject between the two—partially because they both refused to talk about it.

  “You’re one to talk,” Lou snapped, defending her man. “Have you told Four about the tracking app you put on her phone?” At the guilty shift of Ever’s gaze, Lou became even more smug, if that were possible. “Didn’t think so. I saw it last week when I showed her how to set up Instagram.”

  “And you waited until now to tell me?” Four shrieked.

  Unapologetic, Lou studied her nails. “I had my reasons.”

  “Which were?”

  “There was no one else around.”

  With fire in her eyes, Four rounded on Ever before shoving her hand in his pocket and digging out her phone. Once it was free, she slammed the iPhone into his chest. “Delete it.”

  Shaking his head, Ever accepted her phone before smoothly slipping it back into his pocket. “No.”

  Big surprise there.

  Four’s hands balled into fists just as someone called for the riders over the loudspeaker, making everyone collectively release their breath. None of us put it past Four to draw blood if she had to. Without a word, she turned away from Ever and accepted the helmet Jamie held out for her before storming off.

  “Thanks a lot, brat,” Ever spat before rushing after Four.

  Lou cheekily saluted his retreating back just as the missing sisters appeared.

  Note to self: get pip’s phone and delete that damn app.

  “What happened?” Tyra inquired. “What’s wrong with Four?” She was too busy watching Ever shove through the crowd to get to Four to notice me staring her down. Where the hell had she been?

  “Lou opened her mouth, and the entire universe imploded,” Bee informed her.

  “So nothing out of the ordinary,” Tyra responded with a shake of her head. She was smiling until her gaze met mine. I watched as she bit her lip and wondered what she had to be nervous about. Or maybe my guilt was just making me paranoid. “What happened to your shorts?” Her gaze had fallen to my lap.

  “Oh, nothing,” Jamie responded before I could. “He was going for the ripped jeans look, but they don’t really work with cargos, right, man?” Jamie clapped me on my back, and if his girl hadn’t sat in his lap that very moment, I would have decked him. Bee narrowed her eyes at me like she’d read my mind, so I smirked.

  “Come on,” I said when I noticed everyone heading toward the track. “We need to get closer.” I stood and stretched, ignoring Selena eyeing me as I took Tyra’s hand and led her away from that poisonous bitch. As we moved through the crowd, I wondered what betraying Tyra made me since there had been two of us in that back seat. I couldn’t put all the blame on her sister now, could I?

  The track turned out to be a bigger challenge in size and obstacles than the one in Jersey. The heels were steeper, the jumps higher, and the turns seemed to be sharper. For miles, there was nothing but dirt as everyone gathered around the rope they used to keep bystanders off the track.

  I glanced down at Tyra and got caught up in the wonder etched on her face. “A lot bigger than a junkyard, huh?”

  “And not nearly as smelly,” she observed.

  Leaning down, I whispered in her ear. “Sadly, I won’t be tempted to spank you when it’s all over, either.” The night Four raced for Mickey in an abandoned junkyard and had almost gotten Tyra and herself killed had been the moment I realized how badly I was screwed. I’d almost wrung Tyra’s goddamn neck for scaring me the way that she had, which could only mean one thing—I cared about more than just getting under her clothes.

  “Give it time,” Tyra flirted back, surprising me at the same time. “I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”

  My dick began responding to the promise in her eyes when her sister spoke, dumping a bucket of cold water over us both.

  “So, how much money does Four get if she wins?” Selena asked.

  “Not much, if any,” Tyra answered.

  Selena turned her nose up at that. “Then what’s the point?”

  Tyra paused to take a deep breath before answering. “She’s not racing for cash,” she explained somewhat impatiently. “She’s racing for the points she needs to get her professional license.”

  “Well, I hope she’s good. I heard that motocross riders don’t make a ton of money.” I stood there wondering when the fuck she became an expert. “Not without endorsements.”

  “It doesn’t really matter
how much Four makes as long as she’s doing what she loves.”

  “Hm…I guess.” Selena then rolled her eyes at her sister before refocusing on her phone.

  Having been on the receiving end of Tyra’s fury once or twice, I quickly grabbed pip-squeak and wrapped my arms around her waist when she froze at her sister’s words.

  “You’re here for Four,” I reminded her when she didn’t seem willing to let it go. “Don’t spoil it by fighting with your sister.”

  It took her a few seconds more to finally relax in my arms, but I kept her in place just in case. Besides, if she gave me a woody again, I damn well didn’t want everyone seeing so…win-win.

  A few minutes later, the race started, and for a while, all of our problems were forgotten.

  “THIRD PLACE!” JAMIE CHEERED DESPITE Four’s scowl. No one knew if it was because Four had technically lost or because she’d discovered Ever had been tracking her phone without her knowledge. Whatever the reason, at least her boyfriend was wise enough to give her a wide berth. I almost felt sorry for him when he kept glancing at her through the rearview mirror of the van.

  After the race, we’d immediately loaded up, eager to celebrate. Four had come in third out of thirty, getting her twenty-two points closer to her license. If she won her next race, she’d finally have the sixty she needed. Of course, no pressure or anything.

  Back at the cabin, Jamie immediately got busy on the hot tub while Vaughn grabbed the beers, and Bee searched for Jamie’s iPod and speakers. Four and Ever had disappeared upstairs while the rest of us migrated into the living room.

  “So, Wren,” my sister said, drawing Lou’s attention when Selena sat a little too close to him on the sofa. “I couldn’t help noticing the tattoo on your nape. It’s pretty cool. What does it mean?”

  “It’s pretty self-explanatory, really.” Lou hadn’t even given Wren a whiff of a chance to respond. “There’s one way to interpret ‘I am not led.’”

  “Sure, but the X makes it so edgy,” Selena said, her gaze growing excited as she puffed out her chest in that low-cut top. “How’d you come up with that?”

  “He didn’t, I did,” Lou lied while speaking for Wren again. “He also has a gun, and I know how to use it.”

  Selena seemed startled by Lou’s sudden hostility, but she recovered quickly, a condescending smile on her lips. “Oh, I get it. You’re one of those girls.”

  “And what would that be?”

  Of course, Selena rose to the challenge. “The insecure type who’s afraid of a little competition.”

  “I’m not afraid of competition because I see no competition. However, I am afraid of hepatitis, herpes, HPV, HIV, and whatever incurable STDs are crawling inside that biological hazard you call a vagina.”

  Lou stood from the recliner, intent on having the last word. Never bothering to stop on her way toward the stairs, she passed the couch where Selena and Wren sat and held out her hand. Without even a moment’s hesitation, Wren grasped it before following her upstairs to the room they shared.

  I waited until I heard the door close behind them before I met my sister’s gaze.

  “Give them a chance, huh? It doesn’t seem like she’s willing to return the favor,” Selena spat.

  “You were flirting with her boyfriend. What did you expect?”

  “I asked him a simple question. How was that flirting?”

  I frowned at that because I realized she was right. If it had been anyone else, I wouldn’t have thought anything of it. Guilt rushed through me as I wondered if I was judging my own sister too harshly, too soon.

  I didn’t respond as I stood, and as I made my way toward the stairs, I glanced at the kitchen where Vaughn had disappeared and wondered how long it took someone to grab a few beers. Once upstairs, I crossed the landing to one of the bedrooms and knocked. I was left standing there a little longer than necessary before the door finally opened. I found myself staring into eyes so blue they were almost electrifying—a far cry from the usual cool gray of Wren’s irises.

  “I need to speak to Lou.”

  He stood back, allowing me inside before disappearing into their en suite to offer us privacy. Lou was sitting crossed-legged on the bed, her hair mussed, and lips swollen. I’d definitely interrupted something.

  “What’s up?” she asked a little too casually after what had just occurred downstairs.

  I crossed my arms over my chest as I stared her down. “I want to know what your problem is with my sister.”

  “Oh, that,” she said as if it was of little consequence. “I don’t like her.”

  “Why? What did she do to you?”

  “Nothing. It’s what she’s doing to you or what she’s trying to do. I don’t know,” she said, sounding like a paranoid lunatic while throwing up her hands in frustration. “I can’t explain it, Ty-baby. All I can say is, I have a gut, and I trust it.”

  I found myself lowering onto the edge of the bed and trying not to think about what Wren and Lou might have done on it. “What do you think she’s trying to do?”

  Lou stared at me for a long time before lying straight through her teeth. See, I have a gut, too. It’s just that, unlike Lou, I doubted mine from time to time. “I wish I knew.”

  I inhaled deeply before releasing it slowly. “Lou, do you care about me?”

  She grumbled before responding because she hated being mushy. “Sure.”

  “This is my sister,” I stressed. “I don’t want to her lose her when I’ve only just found her. Promise me you’ll try to be civil. For me?”

  I added a pout at the black look she gave me.

  “I guess I can try,” she agreed after some time. I didn’t doubt that she was unhappy about it. A second later, we heard a snort come from behind the closed door of the bathroom. Obviously, Wren wasn’t as gullible as me. He was also eavesdropping.

  “Thank you.”

  Lou leaned over to wrap her arms around my neck, so I hugged her back. When I tried to pull away, however, she tightened her hold, keeping me in place. “I really do care about you,” she whispered far too low for Wren to overhear. “And I wasn’t bluffing about Wren’s gun. If she screws you, I’ll help you hide the body.” Kissing my cheek, she let me go and winked.

  The laugh that escaped me as I stood and made for the door sounded nervous to my own ears. I couldn’t tell if she were serious or not. Squaring my shoulders, I decided it didn’t matter. Despite my determination to make a relationship with my sister work, I couldn’t help but feel better about my decision, knowing I had friends like Lou to catch me if I fell.

  And what a hard fall it would be.

  Our weekend at the cabin came to an end, and our return to Blackwood Keep also meant my return to work. It’s barely been a week, and I already wished that Terry had suspended me for the entire summer. Especially when I had a sexy quarterback to keep me busy. It seemed Vaughn was determined to do that anyway.

  A moan slipped through my lips as I gripped the brick wall in front of me, not caring that it was ruining my fresh manicure.

  “Break’s almost over,” Vaughn teased as he gripped my hips. “I’d come on my cock if I were you, pip.”

  A whimper escaped me as my eyes flew to the big metal door a few feet away. I wondered how long I’d be suspended if Terry were to step outside this very moment. Although, when he found me with my pants around my ankles and the town prince balls deep inside of me, I was sure he’d flat out fire me this time.

  It was my own fault for responding to Vaughn’s text to meet him outside. He’d been waiting for me behind the coffee shop where I stupidly allowed him to bend me over for my first quickie. The damn dumpster was only ten feet away, but none of that mattered when he kissed me. Stupid girl.

  The sound of our skin slapping filled the small alley as Vaughn shoved into me from behind. The only things keeping me up at this point were his hands since my legs had long grown weak.

  “But I’ve already come twice,” I whined, even though I was eager
to do it again. “Just come already.”

  “What’s my favorite number?” he asked me as his hand left my hip and his fingers found my clit. “What’s my favorite fucking number?”

  “Three.”

  “That’s how many times you’re going to come for me before I even think about letting you go.” He slowed his pace just enough to thrust deep, and a choked cry ripped from my throat when I felt his piercing tease a spot deep inside of me. Pulling me up until my back was against his chest, he began strumming my clit until I finally came for him a third time. With one hand over my mouth to keep my cries muffled and the other gripping my neck, he pounded me with a savageness that made it hard to believe I was a virgin only five days ago.

  His breathing turned ragged as he neared his release, and I swore there was no sweeter sound than the soft moan that slipped from his lips when he finally spilled inside the condom.

  He held me captive for long moments after as we tried to catch our breath. I then stood still as he bent and pulled my uniform pants up. He took the time to zip and close me up before slipping his basketball shorts back over his hips. When he turned me around and pulled me close rather than let me go, I let him do that, too.

  “Please forgive me,” he begged after he kissed my lips.

  “For what?”

  “You’re late,” he whispered as he squeezed me tighter, almost desperately. “But I still can’t seem to let you go.”

  I couldn’t ignore the bags under his eyes, making me wonder about the last time he’d slept a full night—or the bleakness within them. Vaughn had always been broody, but this was different. Something had broken inside of him. He was clinging to the pieces, hoping to be put back together again, but whatever demons he’d been fighting had grown too strong.

  “Then I’ll stay with you,” I promised him.

  And I would.

  I’d be whatever he needed—his angel of mercy, his light out of the darkness. I’d corrupt my soul to save his if I had to. Terry or anyone else who stood in my way would just have to be my victims.