“When you say we, you mean the sorority?”
“God, no. The treasurer would have our asses. The captains split the take. Two years in a row, I made close to fifteen grand. That was just my share. And before you accuse me of prostituting my girls out, three of the seven are happily engaged to their matchups. It’s not a perfect system, but it works.”
“Shit.” I lean in hard. “That’s fucking human trafficking, Aubree.”
She barks out a laugh. “Don’t be so dramatic.”
“You’re telling me that those idiots at Theta—all they have to do is inspect the potential new members and cut a deal? The girls have to sleep with them, or they’re not in your sorority? None of that sounds wrong to you?”
“They don’t have to sleep with them. God, no! And it only happens with a handful of girls—maybe three or four a year.” She closes her eyes, exasperated. “We just highly encourage it because it’s a part of the bonus deal. Look, this happens at more sororities than you think. Matchups have been around as long as the Greek system. It’s just that a few years ago guys were fighting over girls—and we knew there had to be a better way.”
“So, you found it by lining your pockets.”
“Bingo.” She bites down over a smile. “Hey, don’t get pissed at me. I didn’t invent the salacious wheel. I was just spinning it. And if this girl, Piper, chose to sleep with her matchup, then that’s why she’s in Alpha. I’m sorry.” Her eyes glitter with tears for me. “It looks like you might have gotten caught in the crosshairs.”
“I think she did, too. Would you mind if I brought Piper here to speak with you?”
“No, not at all. I don’t mind pulling up the skirt of Alpha House and showing everyone their dirty laundry.” She crosses her arms, slow and deliberate. “I have nothing to lose, Owen.”
“And, here, I’ve already lost it all.”
The irony is killing me.
* * *
After dropping Ava off at home, I head to The Dungeon and ask for some time off. Turns out, I don’t have the balls to quit. I figure two weeks is enough time for me to apply for a couple of loans. I’m already maxed out on scholarships and grants. I’m not too sure I want to be the Punisher anymore. As good as the money is, and it is damn good, I don’t want to be that person. I’m secretly hoping that Piper and I can iron out this mess we’ve landed in. And if I’m still thrusting my junk in women’s faces after hours, it’s going to put a damper on things. I head across the street into Jet’s well-lit shop and nod at the receptionist who sits blinged-out with piercings and enough tattoos to qualify for the Japanese mafia.
“Where’s the big man? Busy?”
“He’s hurting Rex.” She smirks without looking up. I head back and find Rex lying down while Jet executes a mustang on fire over his shoulder.
“Dude, you got a donkey breathing fire from his ass. Keep making good choices.” I pull up a stool and take a seat.
Rex looks up in a wild panic. “Shit. There had better not be fire shooting out of its ass. And it’s a mustang, not a donkey!”
“Relax.” Jet puts down his drill. “Let’s take a break. The only one breathing fire out of his ass is Owen. You okay, man?”
“I’m good.” Lie. “I think I’m hanging up the whip for a while.” I nod across the street. “Hopefully, I can find a different way to make ends meet.”
“In that case, I think I owe you something.” Jet pulls his jacket off a side table and stuffs a roll of bills into my hand. “Eight grand. I tossed in a little extra because you ate shit. It doesn’t taste so good. You don’t have to pretend like it does.”
I stall with that fat wad in my palm a moment. It feels good to hold it. I need it, but I don’t want it.
“I’m not taking it.”
His features smooth out as both he and Rex hold back a laugh. “You’re not giving it back either.”
“That’s because I’m borrowing it.”
“Customers!” the receptionist barks from out front.
“Gimme a second!” Jet barks right back. “Keep it. Don’t worry about it. I’m making too much damn money anyway. I’d much rather give it to you than Uncle Sam.”
“I’m still paying you back.”
“Besides, you won the bet.” Rex kicks my foot. “You slept with that girl. She thinks she was using you? Dude, you’re the master of disaster on the relationship scene. She’d be pissed if she knew you hooked up with her on a fucking bet.”
Jet growls out a laugh. “What did you call her? The Ice Princess?”
“Yeah, Owen.” A female voice chimes from behind, and we turn to find Piper and three of her girlfriends holding up the rear, each of their faces stunned and pissed as hell.
“Piper.” I jump up and wrap my arms around her, but she’s quick to push me right back off.
“No, I really want to know.” She gives a nervous laugh. “Was I the Ice Princess? Because that’s pretty cliché as far as bitches go. You’re a smart guy. You could have done a lot better.”
Jet pulls me back. “Just like you called him the Playboy?” He nods for me to back up.
“It was Player, you idiot—and those weren’t my words.” Piper presses her lips together. Her eyes sparkle with tears, but she successfully blinks them away. “So, I was nothing but a bet?” She swallows so hard it echoes throughout the room. “That looks like quite some wad.” Her eyes sink to the cash in my hand. “How much was I worth?”
“Five grand—initially. He got a bonus for sealing the deal before homecoming,” Jet offers, and I have the sudden urge to shove my fist down his throat. “But that was me being generous because my buddy needed the money. You’re not worth that much, Princess, so get over yourself.”
I slam Jet up against the wall and land us nose-to-nose. “Apologize,” I grit the word through my teeth.
“Enough.” Rex pulls me off. “We get it—you and this chick used each other. It’s a fucking draw.”
Jet looks to me with a hint of disappointment, but underneath that lies the sympathy of a guy who’s had his heart put through the meat grinder before. Jet’s taken a shit ride with a couple of girls himself. He looks to Piper and closes his eyes a moment.
“I take it back. You’re worth a lot more. My friend thinks so, and, if he does, I know it’s true.” He lands his giant paw on my back. “Too bad you never bothered to get to know the real Owen—not the playboy—player— you think he is. I’ve never met anyone with a heart of gold before like his. There’s no one who’s more loyal as a friend.” He kicks Rex. “Hell, I might have two.” He nods to Piper on his way out of the room. “You ever want to finish that tat, I’ll do it for free.”
Rex hops up and tosses on his flannel. I’d better get going. He pats me on the shoulder. “Use your heart and your brain. Don’t jump into a fire just because you think it’s right. We all know what happens there.” He takes off just as quickly.
Piper’s friends drift to the front of the establishment, and it’s just she and I, the hurt in her eyes as ripe as mine. How in the hell did we land here?
“My feelings for you are real.” My voice cracks like a pussy. The tears beg to come, but I fight them like holding up a granite mountain.
“I guess they are.” Her mouth stays open as she eyes the wad of money balled up in my fist. “You’ve got the Benjamins to prove it.” Piper flies out the door and into the night with her friends following close behind like an iron fortress.
As final as this feels, as bad as it seems—this isn’t the end.
And until it ends well, it will never be over.
If Piper and I can make it through this, we’ll make it through anything.
Too bad we’ve already been thrown into the fire—burned beyond recognition.
I wonder if we can come back from the ashes?
I don’t see why I shouldn’t die trying.
Done With You
Piper
I hate people. I hate people with balls in particular. I hate people with bal
ls who wield whips while dancing at strip clubs the most.
We enter the Black Bear, and Cassidy speeds us to a table. There is no way in hell I want to be here, but I’m too freaking pissed to sit at Hallowed Grounds, and my dorm room is simply too small to hold the four of us.
Scarlett and Daisy came along for support while I went down to Think Ink to try to straighten this out. First, we went to The Dungeon, but his boss said we had just missed him and to try the place across the street because it’s usually his next stop. He was right. Boy did we ever have perfect timing. I’m not sure if it was perfect or imperfect, but had I not heard it with my own two ears, I’m not sure I would have believed it. All I ever was to Owen was a means to an end. Ironic because that’s sort of what he started out as for me. I hate the irony. I hate everything that’s transpired.
“I guess what comes around goes around.” I push the menu away from me. The last thing I want is food. “Karma is a real butt-biting bitch today.”
“Oh, hon!” Cassidy scoots her chair in close to me. “What you need is a steady order of grilled cheese sandwiches.” She flags down Baya.
“Hey.” Baya looks genuinely sorry for me. “I don’t know what the heck is going on, but just know that I’m here to listen anytime you need me. You know I had my own bout of insanity when I tried to get into Alpha Chi. I have no doubt they set you up.” She grimaces. “Although, they really did a bang-up job. It looks pretty bad.”
Cassidy sucks in a quick breath. “Look, sweetie, you’re not helping. Get us all a round of grilled cheeses with a side of mac—and keep them coming. We’re going to need comfort food, and lots of it.”
“Got it.” Baya takes off.
“I’m fine.” I groan. “I’m also a liar at the moment, but all I really want is to crawl into bed. My insides are still sore from Owen loving me last night—or more to the point—earning his rent money. The thought makes me sick to my stomach.”
Scarlett and Daisy moan in tandem.
“Guys are assholes,” Scarlett is eager to point out. “And, if it makes you feel better, both Daisy and I rejected Jules’ and Lucille’s bids to join the sorority. We’re out.”
“Me, too.” Cassidy shrugs. “Even though I didn’t make the cut.” She rolls her eyes. “I didn’t get the part in the play either. But, hey, that’s just more time to spend with my new besties.” Her gaze lowers to the table for a moment. I can tell she’s pretty down about not getting the part.
Daisy leans in. “We should swear off guys forever.”
Laney comes by and plunks down four red fruity drinks. “Virgins, on the house.” She offers a despairing look. “I’m hoping there’s a very good explanation. Owen is a really good guy. He doesn’t deserve to be treated this way.”
“Oh, really?” Scarlett isn’t amused. “Did you know this ‘good guy’ bet his buddies he could sleep with Piper for five grand—plus, some stupid bonus? Turns out, he needed some quick cash, and her squeezebox was the road to riches.”
I cringe when she says it. The words sting just hearing them out loud.
“What?” Laney takes a step back, clearly as blown away as I was. “Says who?”
“Says the ass himself,” Cassidy offers. “We caught the money changing hands.”
Daisy smirks. “Looks like he won’t have to hit the dirty dance floor for a while. Bedding Piper was worth a pretty penny.”
“I can’t believe this.” Laney staggers away, and good riddance. I don’t want to be around anyone tonight. It’s as if all the humiliation I’ve ever felt has grown, metastasized like a cancer and has eaten everything I thought was good in my life. Owen and I have been regurgitated, vomited up all over Whitney Briggs for the entire student body to gawk at while holding their noses. I don’t want to be here anymore. A part of me wants to run all the way back to New York. Not that I did any better there. Face it. I’m a walking disaster. Taking down cities, entire schools, and reputations wherever I go. I should take up residence in the barn with Wyatt’s horses. That’s all I should ever do. Shovel horse shit for the next eighty years. That’s about what my life has amounted to.
We head into three solid rounds of grilled cheeses and mac—shockingly, I can eat through this trauma after all. And good thing. How else would I have ever found my freshman fifteen? Make it fifty. I don’t really care if I go up twelve jean sizes. Without Owen—old Owen—it all feels like crap to me.
Wyatt, Blake, Ryder, some dude that’s holding Roxy, and Bryson head over, and along with them, Baya, Laney, Annie, and Marley. There’s a bartender behind the counter who looks eerily similar to Bryson, and I know for a fact it’s his twin, Holt. I’ve seen all these people at Wyatt’s home many times. Now that Annie and Blake are practically married, living together with a baby, it’s as if we’re all one big giant family. Normally, I’d appreciate it, but, right now, I don’t want some extended faux family meddling in my business. Especially now that the world knows my virginity was lost at an exorbitant price tag.
“Not without me.” I look up to find Cade making his way over, good and pissed. I stand up and leap into his arms. As close as I am to Wyatt and Blake, it’s Cade that feels like my other half. It takes everything in me to hold back the urge to cry. Cade is the only person in the room who knows what happened to me last year—well, very, very minute parts of it.
“It’s okay,” he whispers into my ear. “Be strong, baby girl. I’ve got you.” He presses his lips against my cheek and sits me back down. “Start from the beginning.”
I try to, I really do, but as much as I want to spill the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, I can’t seem to tell them about that letter Jules and Lucille handed me—the real one, not the falsified piece of fiction they’re propagating. So I leave a few little dirty details out. But I tell them about needing to spend some provocative time with Owen and the fact I did take those pictures and sent them to Jules.
“Privately. I never posted any of them. And those captions were bogus. I didn’t pen them.” God, I would never. But once you matched them up to my ridiculous expressions in those photos, the captions read totally believable. I can’t believe how well I was set up.
Cade shakes his head, pissed, and it’s like looking at myself in the mirror. We look so much alike it’s frightening, as does Wyatt. Our black hair and sapphire eyes have always garnered us attention, and tonight I wish there wasn’t a thread of scrutiny cast my way.
“Anyway, I cared about him.” I glance to Ryder. “I fell for him—hard.” I try to shrug it off. “I thought we had something real, and then tonight…” I choke up, and Scarlett generously steps in and tells everyone about the bet, how we found Owen with a handful of disgusting dollars.
“I’m going to kill him.” Cade nods calmly into this admission.
“Don’t even joke like that.” Ryder closes his eyes. “Look, I think we should confront him.”
“Well, speak of the devil,” Cassidy strums it out in her singsong voice as all eyes shift to the front of the establishment.
“Hang tight,” I say, rising to my feet. “I get the first shot.”
Owen
I knew that coming to the Black Bear might spell trouble, but I had no idea there would be an entire mob ready to lynch me.
Piper strides over with her hair flowing behind her like a black flame. No ponytail, just a beautiful raven-haired mane with a few wild curls, and my dick twitches approvingly. It’s true. I haven’t broken the news to my dick yet. Neither he nor I will ever taste Piper James again. My heart aches over this, and I want to rip it out of my chest. I don’t have a need for a beating heart if I can’t give it to Piper.
Just as Piper is about to confront me—Winston, the ever-present preppy prick makes himself known.
“You don’t need his bullshit.” Winston tries to coax her away, standing steadfast in his expensive Italian shoes, his silk tie loosened just enough as if he’s had a rough day on Wall Street. I’d like to give him a rough day right about now with my fist.
“You like to think for the ladies, don’t you?” I’m looking for a fight, and Winston’s jaw looks like it needs a good cracking. My knuckles have been craving to hear that pop ever since I laid eyes on him.
“I don’t play games with girls. That’s your job, literally.” He goes to pull her away, but Piper resists. Our eyes remain locked, glassy and stoned from a day full of mindfucks that neither of us saw coming.
“You hurt me.” Piper stabs the words into my chest before biting down hard over her lip.
“I’m sorry.” I shake my head, my body aching to hold her.
Winston steps between us. “Why don’t you get the hell out of here? It’s over. She was never that into you. It was a game. You lost. Someone like you will never win a girl like her.”
Piper looks to him, and her mouth falls open. Before she can say anything, her brothers, along with Bryson and Ryder, surround her and give me the evil eye. It’s clear where everyone stands—with Piper. That’s okay. I want it that way.
Ryder steps in. “Owen.” He shakes his head. “You made a fucking bet?” His voice reeks with disappointment.
“I’m going to kick your ass,” her brother Cade says it so matter-of-fact, it’s hard not to believe. “Prepare to be punished. The irony is going to be a real ballbreaker.”
Shit. I’d do the same if anyone bet to bed Ava. What the hell was I thinking? It was Jet’s way of helping me out, but I should never have entertained the idea. Never let it manifest into this nightmare unfolding before me—this nightmare I dragged the girl I love into.
“Piper.” My body shakes, just having her so close and not being able to hold her, knowing that very thing might never happen again. “Can we just—can we talk? Just you and me?”
Cade jumps over and knots up my shirt, bearing his teeth as he shakes the shit out of me. “You want to talk to my sister? So you can fucking feed her more lies?”
Wild Kisses (3:AM Kisses #7) Page 20
