by Mj Fields
Every time their backs happen to be to me when I make my way to him, trying like hell to keep my cool when my flesh is heated, vibrating, pulsing. Every time he’s looking down at them with that brutish asshole, unimpressed look that he obviously knows makes many females try even harder to impress him. The shit I’ve overheard them say … it’s a wonder I haven’t punched a bitch in the face. But when I’m about ready to pounce, the vibrating stops, his eyes meet mine, and he leaves them standing there as he walks to me, presses his lips to mine, and whispers horrible, dirty things like, “I bet your pussy is dripping,” or “How badly do you want me to lick you right now?” and “If you come in front of all these people, you’ll never come on my finger.”
I’m not sure if all this is hot or if it’s cruel, but it seems more of the latter.
Exhausted, I look at the clock and see that it’s nearly eleven and realize I haven’t had one single drink tonight.
I walk toward the bar and notice that Quinn’s section doesn’t have anyone waiting, whereas the other two bartenders, Suds and Taz, have lines ten people deep.
Not wanting to talk to the girl who had Justice’s dick in her mouth two weeks ago, but feeling a bit dehydrated, I walk up to her and ask for a glass of water and a vodka on the rocks.
She doesn’t even look me in the eye as she sets the glasses on the bar.
“Thank you, Quinn.”
She looks at me then rolls her eyes ever so slightly.
“Jesus, you’re unbelievable,” I say as I lift the glass of water up and drink it down. Then I set it on the bar, lean in, and say quietly, “Tips would be better, and you may have a line, if you played the part.”
“Yeah?” she snarks. “Or maybe they would be better if you and your little asshole friends didn’t talk shit about me to everyone around.”
“My friends?” I laugh. “You seem to be more worried about my boyfriend than any of these people.”
“Contrary to what you and the rest of these assholes think, I want nothing to do with any teenage boy who—”
“Take a break, Quinn,” Tyler says from behind me.
“I don’t need a damn break, Ty. As you can tell, this little b—”
Tyler steps behind the bar and grabs her elbow. “Let’s take a fucking break, Quinn.”
She looks at me with disgust and mumbles something under her breath. I feel it’s safe to assume it’s not a delayed thank you or a compliment on my dress or shoes.
“Please tell me the hot Baysider is taking her out like he does the trash after the parties,” Nina says from behind me.
I look back at her, still pissed that she’s here but understand the politics of it, and grab my vodka, tossing it back before trying to step around her as she steps in front of me.
“Nina, move out of my way or—”
“You remember what she did, who she is, or did Justice convince you she was a good person, too?”
“Not that I owe you any sort of explanation, but how about you open your eyes and see that she’s doing what she has to for her kid and hasn’t gone after whichever one of those two you’re fucking for a damn thing,” I whisper loud enough for only her to hear.
“You are fucking gone, aren’t you?”
“I’m not the one taking it in both holes for those two. Maybe you should question your own moral compass before you question mine or Quinn’s.”
She rolls her eyes. “You do get she’s not making the cut here. No one has ordered a drink from her all night. Don’t the bar staff depend on tips?”
It hits me that they did this—the four of them—to try to fade her out. And they did it knowing she’d assume it was me.
I turn around and walk behind the bar.
“You need a drink, Gabrielle?” Suds laughs.
“Can you do that two-finger whistle thing and help me up on this bar?”
He looks at Taz, as if asking his permission.
“Did you really just seek his approval?” I laugh. “Fine, but if I show my ass or fall, you two get to deal with Tobias and my boyfriend.”
I bend down to take off my shoes and hear Taz say, “You heard the lady, Suds.”
Taz walks to my other side, and they both squat down and grab an ankle as I grab their shoulders to steady myself while they lift me up. As soon as my feet touch the bar, they both whistle and the room falls silent. Except the music.
“Listen up, everyone. These lines get uneven like this again, and I have to hire someone to direct traffic or hand out numbers, the covers going up and frequent violators will be asked not to come back. With summer parties coming up, and the VIP invites having yet to go out, I better not see the bar look uneven again.”
“You tell ’em, Gabs!” Patrick yells.
“Don’t forget there’s always the country club!” Kai yells from the back of the room.
“Oh, yeah, that’s right. I almost forgot that option.” I force a laugh instead of doing what I want to and kick his ass out. “You could all go hang out with Kai and his parents at the club.”
The room erupts in laughter.
“At least we wouldn’t have to worry about that changing.” Nina laughs. “Next thing you know, there will be pools filled for mud wrestling in the foyer.”
“I don’t think that’ll ever happen, but I may consider setting up a Jell-O wrestling pit, if I could have a go at you first.”
“Not gonna happen, Queenie,” Justice says from behind me.
I turn and look at him. “Says who?”
“Says your man.”
“Why not let them have a go?” Harrison calls out. “Hell, throw your sister in on that, too.”
“You know what they have in common, Harry?” Justice says, tone cool and even, shocking the hell out of me.
“Best ass number one and two at Seashore?”
“Checking my sister’s ass out is a no-go where I come from. Then again, my blood is a little less blue than yours. I was thinking more along the lines of asses you’ll never be able to touch.”
“Touched one of them already.” He laughs.
“For all of two minutes before you lost control.” I shrug and look around. “Does that even count?”
Again, the room erupts in laughter.
Harrison raises his glass. “Touché, Gabrielle, touché. But in my defense, that’s all I needed or could stand.”
When I see Harrison’s eyes widen, I look over my shoulder and see Justice coming around the bar.
“Hey, Justice!” I yell, and he looks back at me. “You wanna catch me?”
“Yeah, Queenie, sure do.”
He steps to the bar, and I put my hand on his shoulder. “Thought you were jumping?”
“Yeah, until I remembered a little something.”
He smirks, realizing I’m talking about my second week fucked-iversary present.
“Good call,” he says as he helps me partially down then sweeps one arm under my legs, cradling me.
He presses his lips against mine and whispers, “You do that again, and I’m going to bend you over my knee and spank that ass while making your panties dance.”
I laugh against his lips, and he laughs … against mine.
When he sits in the chair in the corner, same chair he sat in two weeks ago, holding me on his lap when I attempt to stand, I look at him quizzically.
“You did a good thing, Queenie.”
I roll my eyes. “I do lots of good things.”
“Counting on it when everyone leaves.”
“You think you can be an ass, and I’m gonna let you fuck me?”
He shakes his head. “I think I can be pissed because you didn’t tell me shit, knowing I’d be pissed, and now I’m gonna fuck your throat.”
“Oh, wow, how very kind of you.”
“You do it in this chair, feet up on the back, head hanging down, I’ll finger-fuck you into oblivion.”
Trying to hide my laugh, I press my face into the crook of his neck. “You’re such an asshole.”
&n
bsp; “Pretty sure you’re okay with that.”
And sadly, he’s right.
“On one condition.”
“You don’t get to make conditions.”
I sit back, feeling his erection growing beneath me, and grab his face. “Stay with me tonight.”
Before he can answer, I kiss him, and when I feel his tongue press against my lips, I pretend, just for a moment, that means yes.
His hands now on either side of my face, he turns my head slightly, deepening the kiss. I whimper into his mouth, and he groans into mine. He licks my tongue softly as he strokes my cheeks. He tastes like mint and whiskey, and smells like clean air and a hint of musk mixed with rain. The mix of his taste, touch, smell, and the sound of my blood rushing as my heartbeat increases makes me feel a bit dizzy. When he pulls away briefly, I feel his tongue trace my lips.
He again strokes his thumbs along my cheeks as he presses his lips lightly against mine once, twice, then a third time before he presses his forehead against mine and, just like every kiss before, his eyes stay closed as he inhales. Everything has changed, but in this moment, it feels like nothing has at all.
When he opens his eyes, I see wonder, I see him seeking the same in mine, and when I close my eyes, answering him nonverbal yes, I feel a tear fall.
“Don’t do that,” he says softly as he wipes it away with his thumb.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Doesn’t change shit, so don’t be.”
I open my eyes, and a scowl is beginning to form. “I’m pissed at you.”
His hazel eyes widen in shock. “For what?”
“For being a shitty driver.”
“Oh, well, then you win. My bad,” he huffs in annoyance.
I lean in and rest my chin on his shoulder, facing the wall. “I wish that were true.”
“Are you being serious right now?” he whispers harshly.
I don’t answer.
“If my dick wasn’t steel, I’d be pushing you off my lap.”
I sigh. “Guess I win again.”
He sighs back. “Guess you do.”
And I just stay here like this, content, as I feel him slowly soften beneath me.
Uncrowned
Justice
When my dick softened, she was up and off my lap before I even had to put her that way.
I fucked up. That kiss wasn’t for show. That was all for her, a reward of sorts, and it ended up being for me.
She wants me to stay tonight. I could easily do that. Just hand my phone to Patrick after texting Dad that I’m staying with him. With my laptop in the vehicle, I could still send and receive messages. But staying with her would lead to a fuck of a lot more than I’m ready for. Can’t even bullshit myself that she needs me here. She’s got Tyler tonight.
I look at my watch and see we’re nearing midnight and can officially close this place down.
Needing a drink, I make my way through the crowd and toward the bar when I see Quinn smirking as she watches some sort of interaction between …
“Fuck that,” I sneer as I step forward to get to Reeves and break up whatever conversation is going on between he and Queenie.
When I feel a hand on my shoulder, stopping me, I swing my gaze back and see Tobias is the one I’m two beats from rounding on.
“She’s fine.”
“He’s pushing—”
“And she’s handling it. Let her. It proves to him that she’s stronger than he thinks.”
“She shouldn’t—”
“Unless you’re into her fully, you might want to rethink that. She needs this. She puts him in his place enough without intervention, he’ll eventually stop.”
“I don’t fuckin’ like you very much right now.”
He chuckles. “I’ll take that.” Then he walks away.
I walk closer so I can intervene, if need be.
She laughs and shakes her head. “I’m so sorry I hurt your feelings.”
“I don’t have feelings, Gabrielle. Feelings are for weak-minded nothings. I thought you of all people understood that, in order to be on top, you needed to stomp out those pesky, little things.”
“You do understand that your feelings are causing you to act like an errant toddler, right?”
“You think this has anything to do with you and Justice Steel, you’re sadly mistaken. I actually feel bad for him that he has to endure poking at that cold, lifeless body of yours for any more than two seconds.”
I expect her to slap him, but she laughs and shakes her head. “That’s the thing, Harrison; I actually like him. I like who he is, what he’s about.”
“Well, next time your parents are in town, I’m sure they’ll be pleased with your choice of bedmates.”
Her smile gets softer. “Well, maybe I don’t care what they think. Maybe I care that I’m going to be a senior in high school and don’t want to worry about building partnerships based on whose wallet is fattest, or whose dress is more expensive, or who’s nice to my face but would shove a knife in my back when I turn it. Maybe I don’t care about what other people think. Maybe I want real. Maybe, instead of just focusing on SATs and padding my resumé for college, I can enjoy this. I can make friends, real friends that, in ten years, when I have a career and two point five kids driving me insane, I’ll smile when I think of them. And maybe, just maybe, they’ll still be my friends.”
“Maybe you’re delusional.”
“Maybe I don’t care.”
“Maybe you should.”
“Maybe.” She shrugs. “And maybe not.”
“I’d be that girl’s friend.” Quinn shrugs.
Harrison shakes his head. “Doesn’t come as a surprise to me that you’d try to attach yourself to someone above your station in life.”
I step forward and get jacked back. “Easton, I’m gonna drop you.”
“But you won’t hit a girl,” Tris says as she slides in front of me, blocking me—well, attempting to.
I watch Queenie in mid-slap when Quinn grabs her hand.
“Not on my account, you don’t.”
“Trust me; it’s not just on your account,” Queenie hisses.
“Straight up, Gabrielle, I don’t give a damn what little, entitled pricks think of me. I’m here to make a buck to keep a roof over my family’s head. Someone like you and Harrison won’t ever understand that.”
“Didn’t expect that, did you, Gabrielle?” Harrison chuckles. “That backhanded comment sting?”
“No more than the truth often does.” Gabrielle pulls her arm back from Quinn’s hand.
“Fuck this,” Tris grumbles as she steps sideways between Harrison and Gabrielle, whispers something into her ear, and then hands her her cell. Then Tris turns and looks Harrison up and down, and I watch as Gabrielle reads Tris’s phone. Meanwhile, Tris grabs two handfuls of Harrison’s hair and smashes her lips against his.
Truth and Brisa move in front of me, blocking me from intervening, as Tris turns him so his back is to the bar, pulling his hair so he’s forced to squat down, moving her hand to the back of his hair and yanking it back as she dominates the kiss before pulling away and stepping back.
Harrison looks shook and as pissed off as I am at Tris, that look on his face is fucking comical.
“What the hell was that?” he sneers.
“That was you kissing a girl two, almost three, years younger than you. Jailbait, if you will. But that reality won’t stop you from jerking off when you think about the hottest kiss of your fucking life. It won’t stop your tiny, little dick from plumping up when you see me in the halls at school, and it won’t stop you from taking my hand and letting me lead you into a dark room, telling you to drop your pants, and have you bent over so I can peg your uptight, little asshole with my heel. The pain will subside a bit, and you’ll be shocked when it takes all of thirty seconds to blow your load. I’ll leave the room, giving you some much-needed time alone to get yourself together as you rock in a corner, wondering why you let it happen, and cry
ing because you’re confused as to why you want it to happen again.” She steps into him. “And it will happen again. You’ll beg for it like a little bitch, and I’ll have you on all fours, collar around your neck, leash in my hand, and a dildo the size of Texas stuck in your ass.” Then she steps back, turns, and looks at Gabrielle, whose jaw is just about hitting the floor, just like the rest of ours.
She takes the phone, nods— “Thanks, Gabs”—and walks away.
“She’s fucking adorable.” Harrison forces a laugh as he looks around and sees that no one but our crew even noticed what just went down, and every one of them starts to laugh. Hell, even I have to fight mine back.
Truth is hysterically laughing as she grabs Brisa and Gabrielle’s hands. “Jesus, let’s go find her before she corrupts anymore unsuspecting uptight assholes.”
I look at Harrison and nod to the side door leading to the gardens seating area. “Let’s you and I have a talk.”
Patrick and Tobias fall in step behind me, and I shake my head. “This is between him and me.”
Outside. I sit on the stone half-wall as he stands in front of me, clearly waiting for me to flip my shit.
“This taunting ends with Gabrielle and everyone else, including Quinn.”
“You have no idea—”
“I have an idea. I also know that she’s not going after her baby’s daddy, because she’s gonna keep raising the child on her own, as best she can, and do it right.”
“That’s lovely, but you’re stepping into something you know nothing about two years too late.”
“From what I understand, Reeves, you, me, and the others have to work together, so how about we treat this just like I’m treating the information at my fingertips—like it means shit. You and I won’t ever be friends, but not wanting to kill you is the place I’d like to settle in before Tobias leaves.”
“Information you haven’t looked at, Steel? Please don’t patronize me.”
I smile. “I haven’t buried your family yet, have I?”
He narrows his eyes as I push off the wall and stand in front of him.
“Where I come from, a handshake seals the deal, and I’m only deferring because Gabrielle seems to have some sort of loyalty in that regard to all of you. Need proof? You’re here. That wasn’t because of me.”
