by KC Kean
I’ll come up with a plan for her, I always do, but tonight is Tobias’ birthday, and I promised I would try and have a good time. Which is why I’m sitting around the bonfire on the beach, down the steps from Archie’s house.
We won the game tonight by a long shot as always. A solid 42-3, even though my mind was distracted with all this shit. I need to try and relax, find a distraction to settle my mind, or more specifically, get Eden off it.
It might be Tobias’ birthday, but parties take place as they usually do. I can hear people splashing around in the ocean to my left, while others dance to my right. The rest of the crowd is split off into groups around the fire. Unless they’ve found a hidden spot to fuck.
Ninety percent of people are dressed in their swimwear since it’s so warm still, but not a single girl takes my fancy. All these people here, who only know the person I portray myself as, bore me. None of them know anything more than what I want them to see.
That thought alone pulls my gaze back to the balcony that taunts me. I can barely see her from here, but I know she’s there, my body sensing hers. Eden.
I fucking hate it.
The way she felt in my arms when I pulled her away this morning before practice only caused me more confusion. I want to toy with her, pull her apart piece by piece, and see if she knows how to mend herself. While another part of me wants to drape every inch of her skin with mine.
Raking my fingers through my hair, I lean back in my deck chair, trying to rid her from my mind. Or maybe it’s time to have a little play instead.
As if sensing my train of thought, Hunter glances in my direction from across the fire, and I signal for him to join me.
Searching out Tobias, he’s being blocked from the party by the one and only Roxy and KitKat duo, one on each side. I’m sure he’s enjoying the little strokes up his bare chest, but most definitely not from those two. Their asses are barely covered and their tits are close to hanging out, but we aren’t fools enough to ever go there again.
He can’t even seem to smile as he keeps his hands behind his back, looking around like a deer caught in the headlights. His eyes find mine, and I wave for him to come over, but he simply looks at me with pleading eyes.
Why can’t he just tell them to fuck off? I’m confused.
“Hey, KitKat, Roxy!” I shout over the music, making them whip their heads around.
I watch as KitKat actually lowers the neckline of her strapless dress, offering me a peek of the areolas surrounding her fucking nipples. How ridiculous. No class at all. She takes one step forward, and I raise my hand to pause her.
Like a damn puppet she does, and Roxy turns to stand beside her, offering Tobias the opportunity to slip from behind them.
“Fuck off,” I call out dismissively, turning away from them before they can even respond.
Bitches are lucky they are even here tonight. I’d have had them on house arrest for the rest of the month for that shit earlier today, but my mother apparently overruled me, so here they are. She runs the town of course, she oversees everyone’s fucking movements.
Taking a sip of my beer, I swallow down the bitter taste, along with my analytical brain over my mother’s interference.
So, here we are, laughing and joking on the beach late at night, with a fire roaring in the middle of us all. And out of all of the faces here, I only care to be around two of them—Hunter and Tobias. Archie too, just not on the same level.
That guy always has our back, even though we don’t let him into our little circle, but he never argues or complains and that’s what makes me like him more. But his sudden need to protect Eden from us, going as far as to make a scene earlier at practice when I carried Eden away from the girls, has surprised me. He’s not a yes-man, but he’s usually too nonchalant to give a shit, especially since his mom died.
“What’s on your mind, meathead?” Hunter asks, taking the seat beside me and pulling me from my thoughts.
I want to say the difference between having my hand wrapped around Eden’s throat and Roxy’s throat. One practically purred while the other cried like a little bitch, but I refuse to admit that shit.
Instead, I wait for Tobias to fall down in the seat to my right before answering.
“I think it’s time to play a game with our little Eden, don’t you? This party is questionable as shit with the same old boring people. Let’s spice it up.”
“Yes, yes, yes.” Tobias claps his hands instantly, while Hunter simply shakes his head. “But first, you have to let me try and hit that because you know she won’t want to fuck me after you’ve thought up one of your stupid games.”
He’s not wrong. “Convince her to come down with you, and Hunter and I will brainstorm.”
“Do I tell her about the phone?”
“No,” I respond instantly, and he’s up and on his feet in seconds, running straight past KitKat and Roxy as they try to single him out again, but Tobias doesn’t even offer them a backwards glance.
My gaze flickers back to the balcony, but she’s nowhere to be seen. My hands clench. For some reason, I like having her in my sight.
I can’t help but remember what Archie said about her dad being murdered, and that’s why she’s here. If you come across a Grady, it’s because I put them there. My mother’s words repeat in my mind, and I can’t stop the frown from marking my forehead as I contemplate her involvement in the matter.
“Fuck, Hunter. Entertain me, I’m fucking drowning in my mind,” I admit under my breath, and he’s quick to jump to his feet.
“Let’s go, asshole. Archie and a few of the others from the team are a little farther down the beach with a football. Let’s go play catch.” His words are sarcastic, but he knows the throw of the ball will bring me back to the here and now.
It’s exactly what I need. Then I can focus on the fun we can have with Eden.
The perfect distraction.
Eden
“This is my favorite part of the movie,” I murmur, face resting in my palms as I lie flat on my stomach across my bed with Charlie at my side.
“Your favorite part of the movie is when the Joker blows up the hospital?” she confirms, and I grin.
“Look how happy he is, though. And his little jump when the explosion actually goes off. It gets me every time.”
Shaking her head at me, she scoops more popcorn into her mouth as we continue to block out the party downstairs. Their taste in music is pretty decent, but the people down there are all pretty much assholes, except Archie of course.
Poor guy keeps texting and checking in on us like we’re children. It’s almost sweet, but I’m pretty sure it’s because he is interested in getting to know Charlie a little more. I’ve told her to go down and join him, but she refuses.
So here we are instead, relaxing with snacks, movies, and wine like pro teenagers in our tank tops and shorts since it’s so warm.
“Oh, I forgot to mention, I’m going to see my grandmother on Sunday, and if there is anything to know about in this town, Granny James knows it. So if I can pull any Grady name details out of her, I’ll be straight over.” She nods enthusiastically at her own words, and a slight tinge of hope warms me.
I need something, anything really, because right now, I have nothing at all to go on. I’ll never get answers and get out of this town at this rate.
“Thanks, Charlie,” I murmur in response, taking a bite out of my apple Laffy Taffy.
“Hmm, no problem. So are we going to talk about earlier?”
Scoffing, I shake my head, not pulling my gaze from the television. “Which part? Today has just been another shit show.”
“Roxy and KitKat are bitches. I can’t believe they took all of your belongings, what are you going to do without your phone?”
“I’ll get my phone back, whatever it takes. I have pictures of my dad on there.” My heart aches, but I refuse to let them tear me down. “Archie said he would ask around at the party, see if anyone knows what they did with it.”
“Fingers crossed,” she murmurs in response. “What’s going on with you and the Allstars?” she adds, catching me by surprise, and I finally turn to frown at her.
“The Allstars? You’re fucking with me, right? I show up here, and all they’re doing is causing shit for me.”
She tucks her hair behind her ear nervously as she pulls herself to a sitting position, crossing her legs as she stares me down.
“Yeah, but KitKat’s pulled that trick before, and no one stopped her. If anything, the last time someone was forced to walk naked through the halls, the Allstars encouraged all the verbal abuse thrown their way.” I don’t miss the surprise on her face at that statement too.
“Wait, what?” I ask, standing from the bed with my hands planted on my hips. Why would they have shielded me then?
“Honestly, everyone is way more shocked with how they protected you from view in comparison to you actually being naked.”
Pacing at the bottom of the bed, I try to let her words process in my mind, but I’m at a complete loss. It makes no sense.
Stopping to face her, I’m about to ask a question when a voice behind me makes me jump out of my skin.
“What are you girls up here talking about?”
Whirling around, I come face-to-face with Tobias as Charlie screams, followed by a thud as she falls off the bed.
“What the fuck, Tobias Holmes! You scared me half to death,” Charlie cries, coming to stand beside me with her hand on her chest. My heart is pounding wildly in my chest, but he simply grins at us.
“How the hell did you get in here?” I ask, moving past him out onto the balcony, since that must have been his only point of entry.
“I climbed up like a big boy, Eden.”
I turn to glare at him, stalling at the sight of his beanie in place and his chest on display, and even though my name on his lips sounds like a wet dream, I point over the side of the balcony.
“Well, you can fuck right off back where you came from, thank you very much.” My little outburst only makes him laugh, while Charlie continues to stare between us.
“Charlotte, give us a few minutes, will you?” Tobias says, glancing at Charlie with a gentle smile, but she gives him a pointed stare and looks back to me for guidance.
Walking back inside, I sigh. “It’s all right, Charlie. Why don’t you get us some fresh drinks and hunt down Archie for a few minutes? I won’t be long.”
“If you’re sure,” she mumbles, waiting for me to reconfirm as she glares at Tobias behind me.
“I am, honestly.”
“Okay, well, I know Tobias thinks he’s cool and all that, and he probably is, but I just want you to know that in second grade, I saw him pick his nose. It was completely gross, and I’ve never been able to unsee it.” She pokes out her tongue and is out of my room in a flash.
I glance at Tobias with raised eyebrows, and he shrugs. “I do not still do that.” He pouts with a wrinkle of his nose, and I can’t stop the snicker from passing my lips.
I have never ever seen a guy pout before, but why the hell does it make his lips look so good?
With a shake of my head, I fold my arms, covering my chest. “Are you going to explain why you climbed up the side of my balcony?”
Taking a step closer to me, I hold my ground, but his closeness only serves as a reminder of how he made me feel earlier pinned against the side of my G-Wagon.
“It’s my party, and you aren’t there.” He states it so matter-of-factly I don’t know how to respond. He arranges his beanie on his head like it isn’t hot as shit, while wearing a pair of swim shorts and nothing else.
The guy is a complete walking contrast.
“I never said I would be,” I finally answer, and he tsks me instantly.
“That’s not how this works around here. I say jump, and you ask how high.” He points a finger to himself before poking my chest, letting his finger linger against my bare skin, and that’s when I remember what I’m wearing.
It’s too fucking warm, even with the central air conditioning on, so I threw on a tiny, thin, white strappy crop top with a pair of gym shorts. I may not be dressed all pretty, but there’s a lot of skin on show right now.
His finger slowly creeps down my chest, but I smack his hand away before he can get to the swell of my breasts.
“What do you want, Tobias?”
“You.”
With that, he lifts me off the ground, pulling my thighs to his waist, and turns to march back towards the balcony.
“Tobias, put me down. I swear to god, put me down. What did we say about manhandling?” I yell, but I can feel his body shake with laughter.
“You, Eden Grady, are being a spoiled brat. Celebrate the team win with me,” he mutters as he balances my ass on the rim of the balcony.
My arms tighten around his neck as my legs squeeze his hips. I’m not afraid of heights, but I don’t trust him enough near the edge of the balcony with such a drop beneath us.
“Is this where you push me off? Murder me just like my dad?” I ask, my heart in my throat as the reality of those words play on my mind.
“What?” His brows knit together as he stares me down, shaking his head. “Not today, Xavier said I get to have you first.” He waggles his eyebrows, losing the confusion that was previously etched all over his face, but his words piss me off just as much.
“Oh, he did, huh? Screw you.” I push against his chest, but he doesn’t budge.
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about, bubble. You must have some magic pussy if Xavier didn’t even mention your little fuck session to us.” His crude words make me cringe, but it’s his nickname that has me intrigued.
“Why do you keep calling me that?”
“What, bubble?” When I nod, his grin is full of sex, and I already regret asking. “Because you have the finest bubble butt I ever did see. I did tell you that.” As if to drive his message home, he squeezes my ass, pulling me in closer to his body and bringing our faces within an inch of each other.
Locked in a stare off, I can hear my heart pounding in my ears as I find myself lost in his gaze. I remember him saying it, I just didn’t expect it to stick.
“Let me taste your sweet lips, Eden,” he breathes out, and like a magnet, my mouth slowly begins to move towards his. My eyes are fixed on his, his blue eyes holding my captive.
Just as my lips are about to touch his, a deep voice interrupts us.
“Let’s fucking go, Tobias,” Xavier growls out, his voice coming from below with what almost sounds like a hint of jealousy in his words, making Tobias sigh but hold me against his body even tighter.
“Come on, bubble. Time to go. I’ll even let you walk down the stairs like a normal person,” he offers as he lowers me to the ground, but I just roll my eyes.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I throw back, brushing my hands down my top, and he huffs.
“Fine, Xavier isn’t going to be happy that I told you this, but he managed to get your phone off Roxy before they destroyed it. Come have fun with us, and I’ll give it back to you.”
Fuck. The glimmer in his eyes tells me he already knows he has me backed into a corner. I need my phone, for the pictures if nothing else. Which is why I find myself nodding in agreement.
“Fine, let me just get changed,” I grumble, but he wraps his hand around mine and starts pulling me towards the door.
“No need, you look good as you are,” he states over his shoulder, and I try to dig my heels in.
“This top is made of nothing, Tobias, and my ass is close to hanging out of these shorts.”
“Exactly.” He winks, continuing towards the door, but I pull back.
“I am not—”
“Fine,” he says with a sigh. “Where is my jacket from earlier? You can throw that over.” Standing to search my room, he spots his jacket on the chaise lounge and releases his hold on me to run and grab it.
“That’s not what I was talking about,” I grumble, but i
t’s like he doesn’t hear me as he holds out his jacket for me to slip my arms in. “You’re an asshole, you know that?”
“It’s my middle name, bubble, now let’s fucking go already.”
Following his lead, I can feel myself stepping towards hell, but I promised myself I would do anything to get my phone back. Let’s just hope I survive the night to get it.
16
Tobias
I can feel every step she takes as she follows behind me. The sight of her in my jacket does more to me than I care to admit, but this is nothing more than a little fun. Once I get a taste of the new girl, I’ll get her out of my system and I’ll move on to the next.
We made a pact when we were fourteen, Xavier, Hunter, and me. No commitments and no ties to this place. Ever. Then the day we graduate, we give a huge fuck you to this town, leaving nothing but dust in our wake as we never look back.
Deep down, I think we know we’ll never be able to step out of the shadows of our parents, but nothing else forcing us to remain in this town will make our attempts easier at least.
Shaking away the darkness that always hangs over my head, I open the front door to Archie’s house wide, hinting for Eden to step through first, and with a wary look on her face, she does.
Shutting the door behind me, I instantly regret giving her my jacket. Now I can’t see her bubble butt sway as she walks in front of me.
“Where are we going?” she asks, peeking over her shoulder at me as she nibbles her bottom lip, and I have to refrain from squeezing my dick. So. Fucking. Hot.
“Does it really matter?” I counter, and she rolls her eyes. Walking side by side, we pass a few drunken couples and groups. They’re all having the time of their life in their own way. Some are stoned beyond repair, while others are drunk on the atmosphere alone, laughing and talking animatedly like they have no care in the world.
This is why Archie is the party king. I don’t know what he does exactly, but everyone always has a good time. The only time things get out of hand or fights start is if we start them.
