by Nora Cobb
“We won tonight!” she shouts, then hugs me.
I’m laughing, too, until I catch the look on Bryce’s calm face. I freeze, staring at the hate deep in his eyes as he turns away and disappears down the catwalk.
Chapter 21
Astrid
“I’m heading home.” Nova glances at Teeny as we step outside. “What are your plans?”
Bryce took off early. I’m relieved not to have to sit in his car with him in a mood, riding back to Stonehaven in silence. I wonder if I should screw curfew and head back to the apartment. Mom’s still in rehab without a cell phone. I’d like to know how she’s doing, but I have no way of contacting her. I only just found out the address of the place in Massachusetts. I only recognized the name when I saw a story online about a celebrity admitted to the same place.
“I’ll hang for a bit, then head out.” I give her a kiss, and she walks toward Teeny.
I’m still hanging outside the warehouse when Wyatt walks out, carrying his gym bag. I wondered if he wore the mask all the time while he was here, but now I see that he doesn’t. He looks shocked to see me still here.
“How are you getting back to Stonehaven?” he asks.
“I wasn’t planning on going back tonight,” I answer, averting my eyes. “I left my bike at my mom’s apartment. I plan on riding back to Stonehaven in the morning.”
“You can’t do that.” He leans against the battered brick wall, and I do the same. “Breaking curfew will get you in trouble, but leaving campus without permission will get you expelled.”
“I’m a fucking adult.” I kick the ground with my toe. “I took care of myself for years. I don’t know why I need help doing it now.”
“Little Miss Independent,” he teases.
“Shut up, Lone Ranger,” I sass back. Wyatt doesn’t care when I sass him. He isn’t peevish like the other boys at Stonehaven. He can take a joke.
Teeny watches the door until everyone leaves. I can’t see Wyatt in the shadows, but I know he can see me. I stroll around the corner of the building, searching for some privacy. I carry a tiny purse that hooks onto my jeans and dig around for a lighter. I bummed a cigarette off of Teeny earlier. I never smoke around Mom, but my nerves are fraying. I light it, and the flame illuminates my features as Wyatt watches me. I take a puff and let a stream of smoke out, leaning back on the ragged brick.
“You shouldn’t smoke.” He leans on the wall beside me.
I hold out the cigarette between my fingers. “You want a drag?”
“Yeah,” his fingers brush mine. I glance at him. His dark hair falls into his eyes as he exhales, the smoke circling his profile.
I picture Wyatt in the ring again. Those hands striking a man twice his size and bringing him down into submission. A primal feeling makes my breathing deepen, standing near a man with physical force combined easily with grace. I can’t stop staring at him as my body starts to respond. The heat rises off my skin, and I flex as my pussy demands some attention.
“Why are you staring at me?” he asks, shoving the lit cigarette into a crevice in the brick.
I face him, moving my body closer. “Why don’t you have a girl?”
Wyatt looks me in the eyes, and a wicked grin spreads across his face. “Haven’t thought about it until now.”
He pulls me into his arms, and his mouth takes mine. Wyatt opens my lips with his demanding mouth as his hands grip my waist. My body presses hard against his as if I could melt into him and release my pent-up pleasure. He moves his mouth recklessly down my neck as his hands caress every curve on me. I moan, feeling him hard and stiff against my leg. Groaning, I wrap my arms around his shoulders and move my body against his, trying to get even closer. I want to feel him spread me apart.
“You like watching me fight,” he murmurs against my ear, “It turns you on.”
I bite my lip. “I thought I was going to cum when you won.”
He pauses for a moment, staring into my eyes, and I wonder what he thinks of me. I’ll never be like those Stonehaven princesses, but he’s not a stuck-up boy. Wyatt’s not scared of talking dirty, and I know he’ll tell me what he needs.
He pulls the zipper open on my jacket, and his hand snakes under my tight T-shirt. His thumb runs over my thin bra. My nipples are hard before he touches them, and I moan as his other hand greedily grabs my ass while his mouth nuzzles my neck with hot kisses.
“God, I want to take you now,” he moans.
I freeze. We can’t, especially not here. The thought of being caught with a Stonehaven boy on Monarch territory cools my heat. I push Wyatt away, and at first, I don’t think he’s going to stop, but he looks at me, narrowing his eyes. I yank my top down.
“Not yet,” I whisper. I glance around the corner. We’re in the shadows, but that doesn’t mean we’re hidden from view.
Shrugging his shoulders, Wyatt sighs. “I’ll give you a ride back to Stonehaven.”
I press my lips together, knowing what that might mean if we get into his car. “No, I’ll go back to my mother’s.”
“What’s wrong?” he asks, a mix of frustration and confusion on his face.
“I don’t want to get caught,” I tell him plainly, “and contrary to what people think, I’m not a slut.” I hold my breath, wondering if Bryce ever talks about other topics besides money.
Wyatt runs his hand over his head but takes a step back, giving me space.
“I’m not a tease,” I tell him.
“I didn’t think that,” he snaps and then changes his tone, “I got carried away. That’s all.”
I stub out the cigarette and start walking away. His footsteps crunch on the gravel behind me. I turn around and keep walking backward.
“My car is over there,” he says, pointing, “You can ride with me back to school.”
I must look surprised because Wyatt laughs. “I’m not going to make you put out for a ride in my car.”
“Good, because I don’t put out for that.” I walk beside him. “And you have to beat up more than one man to get into my pants.”
Wyatt doesn’t try anything on the ride home, and slumping in the passenger seat, I’m relieved. It was the adrenaline that made us paw each other. Maybe I wanted to. But he saw me alone with Justin, and I was feeling guilty about Bryce. I moan, thinking about what he must be doing with my panties.
“You all right?” Wyatt asks, riding past the expensive homes lit up with spotlights.
“Yeah, just thinking about school.”
Wyatt’s car isn’t as flashy as Bryce’s, but it’s a vintage Dodge Viper. That’s hot shit. This car hasn’t been produced in decades. I watch Wyatt as he drives, and he could fit in anywhere. I wouldn’t mind if people thought we were dating, but I don’t like people thinking I’m with Bryce. No one will ever believe Bryce is dating me because he sees something deep inside under my rough exterior, my potty mouth, and my zero trust fund.
Wyatt keeps his eyes on the road as he rests his elbow on the open window. But Wyatt knows I’m watching him by how his whole body is alert and ready to react. I can’t talk to Bryce, but maybe I can talk to Wyatt.
I sit up. “Can I ask you something?”
He tilts his head quickly in a nod.
“It’s about the Investors Club. I’m not sure if I’m in or not.”
Wyatt’s jaw tics, and then he presses his lips together. He concentrates on the road and won’t dare look at me. “I would consider helping you if you do something for me,” he replies.
Fuck. I sigh in disappointment. I thought we had an understanding back there. “I’m not ready to have sex. I got carried away. I’m sorry.” I fold my arms.
His grin shifts into laughter—a little too hard. “Sex with me would be your reward.”
I scowl, then suck my teeth. “You aren’t that special. You’re good, but I’m sure I’m better.”
We laugh, kidding about stuff that would make other people feel ill at ease. When you win in the Pit, you get additional prizes. It’s
not unusual to walk into the changing room and see the triumphant guy getting a blow job or more while leaning against the lockers. And girls who win have their pick too. Wyatt hasn’t approached any girl who’s offered. Sex doesn’t make him uptight. He knows he can get it when he wants it.
I lean back in the seat and relax, wishing the ride back was a little longer. “What do you want me to do?”
And he stares straight ahead. “I’m going to pick the next girl you fight.”
That kills the mood. Bryce must not talk to Wyatt, or he’d know that Bryce and I have a deal. But that’s not my problem. I hope they never speak.
“Okay, just let me know when.”
Chapter 22
Astrid
Class ended at three, and it’s almost four thirty. I wait in the stacks for Bryce and check my phone multiple times. The stacks are empty as I pace by the elevator. I look in the direction of every sound I hear, but I don’t see Bryce. I pull out my phone.
Astrid: Where are you?
Bryce: Wait for me.
Asshole. The doors to the elevator start to open. I march over, ready to glare at Bryce, but it’s Pierce. He frowns when he sees me, and I’m not having his shit mood. I move past him for the doors, but he grabs my arm and hauls me back.
“Let me go,” I snarl. “Or I will beat your stuck-up ass into the ground.”
Pierce stares at me as if I’m crazy. His short hair is freshly cut, and his tailored clothing fits perfectly. Roni says his uniforms are custom-made. But his lips are thin, and when he frowns, they curl into an unkind sneer. I doubt he fights fair.
He thinks I’m complete bullshit, but I know moves that would bring him to his knees. His grip tightens on my arm, and he takes pleasure in causing pain. Pierce Vanderbilt is the worst type of bully, without a predator to humble him.
“Bryce wants me to talk to you,” he says.
“Let go of me first.”
“Not until we talk,” he replies.
“I’m not staying here with you alone.”
He laughs. “You’re not scared of me. Not with that right hook.” He glares with his eyes that lack sympathy. “I have no interest in your type. I’d jack off in the shower before I’d touch you.”
I look at his hand firmly on my arm. “You’re touching me now.”
Pierce screws his face up as if my arm feels like slime. His grip releases, but he blocks me from running to the stairs. “Astrid, you don’t belong here, which you already know. And you’re soon to depart.”
I maneuver myself near the elevator. “What does that mean?”
“You won money over the weekend that wasn’t intended for you.”
I point my finger in his face. “What do you mean? I placed a bet. Mask won the fight.”
“I told Bryce you were uneducable.” He looks down at my skirt with the hacked-off hem. “No redeemable qualities worth wanting.”
“I’m not sticking around to listen to your piss-poor opinion of me. Who the fuck are you anyway, other than spoiled?”
Pierce blocks my way but doesn’t try to grab me. “Wyatt owes Bryce a cut from his earnings, and he hasn’t paid him. You’re to collect Wyatt’s payment from his room.”
I know what Pierce means though he danced around it. “I’m not stealing. Bryce can ask for it himself.
“He wants you to do it,” Pierce states coldly, “Bryce expects loyalty, and you’ve been everything except loyal.”
“What are you, his messenger?” I ask him.
Pierce smiles with pleasure. “Try blackmailer. If you don’t do this task, I will inform Dr. Rawlins of your involvement in the fight club and of your indifference toward curfew.”
“But I’ve seen you at the fight club,” I protest, “I can tell her that you’re also there.”
He scoffs. “Rawlins won’t believe a tramp. She’d never believe that someone like me would ever go to Weymouth and watch rough people drink and fight for entertainment. The thought would not register in her patrician brain. But I have video of you sneaking back with Wyatt.”
A sick feeling washes over me and settles into my stomach. Not only am I going to get in trouble, but so is Wyatt. I don’t care if they kick me out. I’ll be pissed, but I’ll get over it quickly. But Wyatt, no matter how much I look for proof, Wyatt belongs at Stonehaven.
Pierce knows I’ll do it when I stare at the floor. “You are to enter Wyatt’s room and take it from his bag on the top shelf of his closet. Bryce will leave the door slightly ajar so you can sneak in while Wyatt is in the shower. He always takes a shower in his dorm after his workout. He doesn’t think we all know he has tattoos.”
I look up. “Then after I do the task. Will I be in the Investors Club?”
Pierce shakes his head with an insincere smile. “No, but your theft will be forgiven. And you can try again.”
Chapter 23
Astrid
I decide to use my winnings to pay off Bryce so I won’t have to take Wyatt’s money. It doesn’t sit well with me to steal from him. None of it does. Many times I want to look for him and tell him what Pierce said, but I don’t. How can I tell Wyatt without pissing him off? I’d have to tell him that they know he’s Mask. Then what if he accuses me of squealing? And then he would be furious when I told him about the money.
No, my plan is better. I’ll count Wyatt’s money and then use mine to pay Bryce the difference, and then no one will know.
After school, I watch Wyatt leave the gym and head in the direction of the boys’ dorm. There are several dorms on campus, and Wyatt and the boys stay in the senior boys’ dorm with single rooms. I haven’t been inside before, but Pierce says it’s the same setup as the girls’ dorm, meaning I can go through the basement. I give Wyatt a lead, and then I follow slowly after him.
There’s an old broomstick propping the basement door open in the back of the dorm. Who knows who left it there? Probably Pierce. I slip inside after kicking the stick out and hurry upstairs using the back stairwell. Wyatt’s room is on the top floor at the far end of the hallway, opposite the stairs. I wait by the exit door until the voices disappear, and slowly I open the door, peering into the empty hallway. There are six doors, three on each side. The rooms must be huge inside. Tiptoeing, I pass each door, only hesitating when I hear a sound, but no one comes out into the hallway. I’m sure I’m not supposed to be in here.
A brass number six is nailed to the last door, which is slightly open, just like Pierce said. With sweaty hands, I slowly push the door open; my stomach twists, and then I feel a little nauseous as I creep into the room. I’ve never broken into someone’s home before to steal anything. But these boys probably think I do it all the time.
Wyatt’s dorm room is empty, and the door to the bathroom is shut. I tiptoe over as if I’m walking across slick ice, and then I hold my breath until I’m almost dizzy. I listen, but no water is running. I take a step back, wondering if I took a detour. If Wyatt walks in, I’ll just tell him the truth.
Looking around, his room is minimal except for a collection of old photos in heavy silver frames on a wooden bookshelf. I pick up one photo and admire the dark-haired woman holding a rosy-cheeked baby. Her pale skin contrasts sharply with her dark eyes, and her broad smile is kind and inviting. The baby looks like a newborn, and I wonder if it’s Wyatt. I don’t know much about his family. I just know I like him. I put the photo back then run my hand along his desk where he keeps his laptop and books. I peek at his scratchy handwriting in his notebook. Maybe I should just wait for Wyatt outside?
But if Bryce figures out that I’ve lied, it somehow will be worse. How did I get tangled up with that dominating bastard? I enrolled in Stonehaven.
Waiting to be caught isn’t the wisest plan. At least I should check. I hurry over to the closet and open the door carefully, hoping the hinges won’t creak. There are two duffel bags on the top shelf, and I recognize his gym bag, so it must be the navy one with the leather straps. Using both hands, I take it down gradually, but it fe
els too light. Inside, there’s no money, just a few dress shirts I doubt he wears. I don’t understand. Maybe it is the gym bag? I shove the navy bag back and lift the other one over my head, lowering it gently. But there’s nothing in it except for his Nikes.
The door creaks behind me, interrupting the quiet, and I freeze and listen. Someone in the hallway says, “She’s in there.”
I don’t have enough time to hide inside the closet before Bryce walks into the room with Justin. Quickly, I move toward the bathroom door, but Pierce steps out and blocks my path. I look behind him, but the bathroom is empty, and there’s no water or steam.
“Where’s Wyatt?” I ask, “I know it’s his room.”
