by C. A. Harms
I didn’t know if I considered Morgan a friend but the more time we spent together the more she seemed to accept me as one of her own. What started out as just being coworkers began to bud into something more. She was hard to figure out though, private on most occasions like many of us. She was always kind and helpful, showing me the ropes around work and helping me get settled. Marcus—I don’t think that man had an unfriendly bone in his body. He’d taken me under his wing and I guess I considered him my one and only true friend. He was like the brother I never had growing up, someone I could always count on, and who never missed the opportunity to make my life a little more interesting. He loved to tease me, which was all right because I knew he meant no harm.
My problem was I never let anyone get close. I was always too embarrassed and ashamed of the life I lived. Keeping a distance made everything so much easier than having to explain the events that took place at home.
Me: Something tells me you don’t need anyone to help you shine, you do that quite well all by yourself.
I imagined that sassy little tilt of his mouth as he typed out his response.
Marcus: True, so very true. I do however think that you could use a night out and I refuse to let you talk your way out of this one. I know where you live, part of the perks of knowing Pete and him having a thing for our girl Morgan. Getting your personal information would be oh so easy. Either you come to me, or I’ll come for you.
My heart began to race at the idea of Marcus showing up here.
Me: Okay I will meet you at the party at 8.
It wouldn’t be so bad to have a night of fun, and I knew the guys would keep it entertaining for sure.
Marcus: I’ll be waiting out front, buttercup.
I smiled at his nickname for me. I’m not sure why but he had referred to me as his buttercup since the very first day I met him and it made me smile uncontrollably. It was next to impossible to remain down in the dumps when Marcus was near.
Chapter Three
Elijah
Ever had this feeling like you’re being watched? Like each move you make is being analyzed, dissected, and documented for later use?
No?
Well, I have. It was a lingering feeling ever since the moment I’d been challenged by Clayton. Everywhere I turned there he was.
The guy was a god damned freak, watching me out of the corner of his eye, silently observing. It was annoying and if the asshole expected me to get a buzz he’d need to quit killing the effects of the tequila. With each shot his beady little eyes became an instant sober alert.
“Why are you watching the twin so closely?”
I looked down to my left into the curious eyes of Xavier’s girl, Morgan. It was part of being so much taller than everyone else, and it didn’t help that she was a short little thing either. “The twin?” I asked with a smirk.
“Yeah,” she shrugged, “I still have no clue how to tell which one is which.”
“Corbin has a freckle on his upper—”
She holds up her hand to stop me. “Truly, I don’t care. I’ll still call them twin one and two.” Did I mention she was a sassy little shit too?
I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, fully expecting her to gut punch me as I dragged her toward her boy. Xavier saw us coming and immediately stepped away from the group of people he was talking to in order to pull her away and out of my hold.
I chuckled, knowing just how much he hated for any of us to touch her, even if it was only the simplest of ways. Most of us did it often just to irritate the piss out of him.
“Occupy your girl, she’s getting nosy.”
I turned to walk away, feeling something collide with the back of my head. I looked back just in time to see an empty plastic water bottle bounce along the floor before rolling to a stop only a few inches away from Morgan’s feet.
X chuckled as Morgan crossed her arms, challenging me in what I could only assume was some form of some girly stand-off. She’d been around for some time now and was beginning to act like her man. “I’m not nosy.”
“What do you call it then?”
“Curious.”
“Same thing, and shit like that gets people thrown in pools.”
“Are you threatening me?” She uncrossed her arms and placed them on her hips.
I was just about to take a chance of being pummeled by my brother for throwing his crazy ass girl in the pool when I noticed another girl step closer to Morgan’s side. It was the brunette from Porter’s Pizza. The same brunette I’d seen in the place almost every time I visited, yet still didn’t know her name. I had seen her often, and fuck, the girl made me weak in the knees; that shit never happened to me.
I did, however, enjoy observing her from afar. I knew this—I’d consumed more pizza over the last few weeks than I had in the last few years combined. I also knew the way her cheeks reddened when a man openly flirted with her; I had done that a hundred times it seemed but still hadn’t been formally introduced.
I was intrigued by her, mesmerized even.
I was feeling a little free tonight though so that might change.
I watched as she continued looking between Morgan and me, and the last thing I wanted was for her to witness the pool dunk and think I was some dick. So instead I looked back toward Morgan and answered her question from earlier. “Clayton,” I say, pointing toward the beady-eyed fucker who was still watching me, “thinks he can outdo me. He’s the Sober Brother tonight and apparently he thinks that he can pull the mother of all pranks.”
“So he’s planning on coming up with something bigger than permanent marker dicks on someone’s face, nipple piercings, naked twins on front porches, and blue dye in body wash?” She holds up her hands, counting off each item she named on her fingers.
“The blue dye was me, babe,” Xavier corrected her and she waved him off.
“Yeah, that’s the plan.”
She looks behind her toward Clayton and he nods in agreement. “Well, this party may be worth staying at until the end just to see you suffer, Red. Payback is a bitch and these guys have a whole lot to give back.”
That they did, but I wasn’t worried.
“You actually pierced someone’s nipples?” The brunette asked that question as she wrinkled up her nose in confusion.
“Yep,” Xavier announced before I could and grabbed the hem of his shirt to lift it and exposed the piercings he still wore. That was a prank that backfired; who knew the guy would have loved them? It was almost the same situation I had with my Prince Albert when I let my best friend convince me to get it done after our high school graduation. It turned out to be one of the craziest and most pleasurable things I had done, or so I’d been told. It was a secret I’d managed to keep hidden so far.
“You did that?” I watch as the girl observed Xavier and suddenly I wanted to grab the shirt he still held high and pull it down.
“I did,” I said, regaining her attention. “Why? You want yours done?”
I watched as she swallowed hard and shook her head.
“Don’t torment her, Red,” Xavier said, finally covering himself back up. “Remember what Morgan said, you’d break her.”
Break her, mend her, heal her—fuck, I wanted to do them all. There was something about this girl. Something I noticed right off the moment I saw her at Porter’s. She just had this innocent look about her but I had a feeling, a strong one, that there was much more to this girl than the timid nature she displayed.
“I’d be gentle.” I said the words, suddenly wishing I hadn’t but I guess those tequila shots were working a bit. Normally I had no problem holding myself together, but a mixture of the raven beauty and the alcohol had me loose-lipped.
“Is that a promise?” I was a little shocked when she squared her shoulders and faced me head on. “Though I’m not entirely sure I’d want you to be gentle.”
“I’d be whatever it is you needed me to be.”
A loud whistle and a few hoots of approval sounded from my bro
thers who observed this exchange. She and I never once looked away from each other.
“You are so sure of yourself.”
I nod.
“What would you do if I told you to show me?”
I held out my hand to her and she simply looked down at it before lifting her gaze to mine once more. “I’d say let’s get going because we’re only wasting time, and for what I’m envisioning I need all the time I can get. There’s a long list of things I’d love to show you.”
When she laughed I sensed it was a nervous cover up.
“Sorry to disappoint you, Don Juan, but I’m not that girl.”
I thought she was wrong, in fact I could almost guarantee it. I could see the spark in her eye when I got a little playful with her. Hidden beneath the façade she masked who she truly was. There was a strong girl, one who knew what she wanted, but was afraid to go for it. It didn’t even matter that she pretty much dissed me in front of my brothers and whoever else was watching. The only thing this temptress managed to do was turn me on more.
“Okay, Buttercup.” Marcus, Morgan’s best friend, stepped up to the girl’s side. “You promised to be my wing-girl and standing here playing with Mr. Tall and Scary isn’t doing that.” He hooked his arm over her shoulder and began to drag her away. Only before he did I heard her say, “He’s not that scary.” That alone caused me to grin so wide my cheeks ached.
I watched until I could no longer see her and then turned back to find Morgan and Xavier watching me with curiosity. “What?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed him smile this much,” Xavier told Morgan. “Like ever.”
“It’s eerily scary, you know like that feeling you get when you see the Joker grin.”
“The Joker?”
“Yeah in Batman.” She rolled her eyes. “The guy is a freak and he smiles that weird, freakish smile just before he does the crazy laugh thing.”
“Hello,” I said, reminding them I was standing there listening to the entire conversation.
Morgan shrugged as if there was nothing wrong about comparing me to some disturbed villain.
“She wouldn’t survive a guy like you,” Morgan assured me. “I’m not entirely sure what kinda life she lives, but I get a sense that it isn’t a great one. She doesn’t need to be wrapped up in some guy’s fantasy about corrupting the innocent.”
“Who says I would corrupt her?” Okay fine, so I didn’t just want to corrupt her.
“Just go easy on her, please.”
Looking back toward where the brunette had gone, I wondered what Morgan meant by her life not being a good one.
Chapter Four
Catherine
“You want to tell me what that was all about?”
I accepted the Solo cup Marcus was offering me and took a sip. “What, what was about?” He didn’t buy my innocent act for even a second. All I got was an arched eyebrow and an unimpressed tilt of his lips. In a way it resembled a frown. “Okay fine, I was just playing.”
“That man is not one you play with.” He even used air quotes when he said the word play which made me laugh. Marcus was fun to have around. He actually made me forget for a short time what I would be forced to go home to later.
“Why does everyone say he’s scary, or intimidating? He seems harmless.”
“Harmless my ass.” His eyes widened and again I wanted to laugh. The man was so dramatic. “I’ve seen Elijah take out two of his brothers like it was the easiest thing in the world. I’ve watched him pulverize other players on the field and—”
“Wait, the field?”
“He plays football.” He waves his hand. “Keep up. He is not a gentle one. He would take a sweet little innocent like you and rip you to bits.”
“Maybe I’d be the one that would be doing the ripping.”
“Oh Buttercup.” He pulled me in close by placing his arm over my shoulder. “Maybe I shouldn’t be allowing you to drink, you’re already delusional.”
***
I’d been to parties, maybe not a lot of them, but I’d been to enough to know how they work. A large crowd of young adults got together, drank heavily, then made out even heavier. There was something this one had the others didn’t, though, they had a group of fraternity guys who got their thrills by tormenting each other.
In one room was a game involving balloons filled with pudding. The object of the game was to throw them at opponents on the opposite side of the room and see how many you could break. They called it shit bomb wars, and with the brown splatters, I’d agree the name was fitting.
In another room was a group of girls who willingly took off their bras and allowed themselves to get ditched with water. Yes, you heard me right. I backed away from that room quickly, only to bump into someone behind me. I didn’t have to turn around to know it was someone much taller and much stronger than me. I recognized the chuckle and my body went frigid in his arms.
“I’ve seen you dozens of times, I’ve offered a few flirty offers. I’m still waiting for you to break me, little one.”
“Little one?
He found humor in my attitude, which only made my attempt at being tough falter. I had absolutely no idea why it was so hard to hold onto my control around Elijah. I barely knew the guy, but something about him made me feel safe, almost. He was a gentle giant.
“You ever gonna tell me your name?”
When he asked me that question I closed my eyes and tried not to allow my body to sag back against his when his breath fanned out over my neck. He still hadn’t touched me, other than his chest pressing firmly to my back.
“Catherine,” I practically whispered my name before quickly clearing my throat. “But most people call me Cat.”
“Okay Cat.” I felt his hand rest against my hip. “Why don’t you allow me to get you a drink?”
I turned around and created a small amount of space between us. “I’ve always been told to never accept drinks from strangers at parties.”
“Good girl.” He seemed genuinely pleased with my response. “But you and I are no longer strangers, you’re Cat and I’m Eli. Now let’s go have ourselves a drink or two.”
I didn’t resist when Red led me toward the kitchen, but allowed him to take my hand in his as we weaved through that crowd of bodies. I ignored the curious stares we got as we passed. I wasn’t sure if it was me being with him that gained the attention or if it was him alone. Most of the staring seemed to come from the female figures.
“What are you drinking?”
Before I could answer Marcus stepped up to my opposite side and leaned over the countertop before us. “She is drinking Gombo.”
“What the fuck is Gombo?”
“Spiced rum, orange juice, and top it with Mountain Dew.” As Marcus disclosed the ingredients he was mixing them. Both Eli and I watched and when it was all blended Marcus held it out to me, smiled, and placed a kiss on my cheek. “You two play nice.”
The man practically skipped off happily, winking over his shoulder as he went.
“That guy is a rare breed.” Eli shook his head as he watched Marcus.
“He’s refreshing.”
I didn’t notice the silence until someone screamed out and I jumped in surprise. When I looked back toward Eli I realized he was watching me. “What?”
“Nothing.” I could tell it was most definitely something but I didn’t push him.
“Shots,” someone shouted and I looked behind the counter to see the same guy from earlier watching Eli like a hawk. “Line ‘‘em up for our friend Red here.” As he was saying this he was doing just that. Five tiny little Solo cups were placed out in a line, being filled to the point of overflowing, one after another.
“I’ll volunteer for body shots,” a blonde girl with obviously fake tits shouted. I began to back away, suddenly worried about what might take place and I didn’t want to watch. Only I didn’t get far. Eli hooked me around the waist and pulled me close. “If body shots are the deal then I get to pick who the
y are off of, and I pick my Cat.”
Hearing him call me his Cat shouldn’t have excited me but it did.
I was so wrapped up in the scorned look on Blondie’s face that I barely registered being lifted to the countertop. “Wait, what are you doing?”
Eli leaned in close, his mouth only inches from my own. “I’m putting you in place for these shots I’m about to take off your body. Unless you’d rather I use Dolly over there.” He didn’t look toward the girl he just referred to.
I should have said, “Feel free to use her,” and hopped down off the counter, only I didn’t. I remembered the earlier confidence I held and reclaimed it. “What is it I get out of this?”
“You’ll see.” There was a gleam in his eyes and a smirk on his face. I had a feeling I was in trouble.
Confidence don’t fail me now.
The shots were lined up on the far side of my body as Elijah eased me back. Once I was lying down he grinned sinfully and teasingly slipped his finger beneath the hem of my shirt. The moment the pad of his finger touched my stomach, chills covered my arms and legs. Ever so slowly he lifted my shirt higher, exposing my lower abdomen.
The sound of something clinking against the counter next to me made me jump in surprise. A bowl of limes cut in slices now sat near my head.
Looking back to Elijah, I caught the tail end of his banded hair behind his head, with only a few shorter strands hanging freely. Never had I ever felt the excitement I felt in that moment.
“Are you ready, Cat?” Again, he did that grin that conveyed so much sin; I should have honestly run away as fast as my feet would carry me. But instead I nodded and allowed my body to relax.
He reached over me, removed a lime from the bowl and lifted it to hover over my abs, allowing the water that they’d been rinsed in to drip onto my skin. With his opposite hand he sprinkled just enough salt to stick to the moisture. It felt like every movement he made was in slow motion. My body was humming with such excitement that my legs felt shaky.
