Rival

by Penelope Douglas

  Now she was lethal. Despite her pale Irish ancestry, her skin was golden with the most beautiful sprinkle of freckles across her nose and under her eyes. Her hair had been colored. Whereas before it was a dull, light brown, now it was about three different shades of brown with some modest chunks of blond blended in.

  Her green eyes stood out more than I remembered, and it took clenching every muscle in my body this morning to look like I wasn’t checking her out. Seeing her walk into the kitchen in her pj’s, looking like she’d been blissfully fucked all night long, made me hot.

  But what-the-fuck-ever. That ship between us sailed long ago, and there was no way she’d redeem the damage she’d done.

  “No one drives.” Addie pointed a finger at me as I set up my laptop and hauled my speakers outside onto the patio in preparation for the party.

  I gave a halfhearted salute and shooed her away. “Go watch your reruns of The L Word.”

  She rolled her eyes before walking up the stairs to her bedroom on the third floor.

  We weren’t that pretentious that we kept the servants so far away from us. It was just that Addie was our only live-in, and the third floor was like an apartment in itself, complete with a kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living area. It wasn’t always like that, but my father had it converted for Addie when he realized he wouldn’t let her go in his lifetime.

  Fallon had taken off on her sport bike late this morning and had come back around one. Other than that, I hadn’t seen her. And by three thirty, my house was slammed with just about everyone from my graduating class. Jax arrived early on, helping me set up and put out the food I had had delivered. I saw Jared’s car parked on the side of the house, which meant Tate and he were in their room—the one I gave them so they could have “alone time” without her dad on their case.

  Screw him. They’re in love, and I loved them like family, so mi casa es su casa.

  “Come on, dude. Hurry up,” Jax pressed, carrying the tap for the keg while I grabbed the cups. Everyone filtered in and out of the house and in and out of the pool, enjoying the balmy afternoon.

  “Jamison,” I called out to Ben, who was in the pool hitting on Kendra Stevens. “Don’t even think about it, man. I’ve already been there,” I teased.

  “Shut up, Madoc. You wish,” she shot back, flying her hand across the water, trying to splash me.

  “Hey, you were good, baby.” I shrugged, following Jax to where the keg sat. “For a fat chick, you didn’t sweat much.”

  Ben’s eyes bugged out and Kendra screamed, “Madoc!” She kicked her skinny legs on the raft, spilling her drink.

  I turned back to Jax, who was silently laughing so hard his face was turning red.

  Pulling the seal off the keg and plugging in the nozzle, Jax poured about five bags of ice into the bucket around the keg, while I began pumping and pouring out the first few cups of foam.

  “Hey, Madoc.” Hannah and her friend Lexi came up to my side. “Jax.” They nodded to him while he did no more than nod back.

  “What’s up, ladies?” I asked, taking a gulp of beer.

  “Are you having a good summer, Madoc?” Hannah asked as if we hadn’t just seen each other last night.

  “Absolutely. You?”

  “Pretty good so far,” she answered and put her hands on her hips, making her chest more prominent. “How’s your summer, Jax?”

  “Couldn’t be better,” he mumbled, still loading ice.

  “Oh, I think it’s going to get a lot better.” She trailed a hand down his back, and I saw him stiffen. Her meaning was clear. “See you around,” she taunted, and she and Lexi walked off.

  I laughed again under my breath and took another gulp.

  Jax was getting a lot of attention at school, and with Jared off the market and me leaving for college, I was pretty confident Jax could handle the workload. It really depended on his mood, though. Sometimes he went all predator with a seek-and-destroy mentality. Other times he acted like he’d rather pull out his toenails than talk to certain girls.

  “Resistance is futile, Jax.” I slapped him on the back. “Don’t let them scare you. Just enjoy the ride.”

  “Give me a break.” He stood up straight, throwing the empty bag aside. “I’ve been having sex longer than you. I just don’t like women like that.” He stared off into the crowd across the pool. “They see me as a toy.”

  I handed him a beer. “And what’s wrong with that?”

  His jaw twitched, and his voice was quiet. “I just don’t like it.”

  Jax wasn’t scared of women by any means, and while I knew he’d had a hard life, I often wondered if I really knew what the hell “a hard life” was like. I’d caught on after more than a few clues that Jared and Jax’s dad—who was currently in jail—had abused them physically. Jax more so, because he grew up with the man, whereas Jared had only spent one summer with him.

  Jared’s dark moods tended to be more noticeable and more volatile than his brother’s. Jax had them, too, but we rarely saw them. He’d disappear for long hours, stay out half the night and still be up for school early the next day. The brothers both had a lot of anger, but they had different ways of dealing with it.

  When you stepped on Jared’s toes, you’d get punched in the gut. If you stepped on Jax’s toes, he’d hack into the county database and issue a warrant for your arrest.

  If you hit Jared, he’d pound you into the dirt.

  No one hit Jax. He carried a knife.

  “Now her on the other hand,” Jax piped up, gesturing with the beer in his hand. “She looks like a librarian in a porno bookstore. Who the hell is that?”

  I followed his gaze across the pool to the patio doors where Fallon had just appeared.

  Jesus Christ. What the hell?

  Fallon didn’t show skin, she didn’t wear makeup, and she didn’t tame her hair.

  So why the hell was she doing it now?

  Tate walked up to her, taking her hands and smiling. Leading her over to one of the tables, she looked like she was introducing to her to Jared.

  But Jared knew Fallon.

  How did Tate?

  CHAPTER 6

  FALLON

  “Now I’m in the twilight zone,” I blurted out when Tate introduced me to her boyfriend. “You’re dating him?” I asked her.

  First the girl is friends with my stepbrother, and now she’s sleeping with the other half of the Dipshit Duo.

  I mean, I get it. Kind of.

  Madoc has a winning personality, and he’s hot. But Jared is just hot. At least Madoc has more going for him. Was she on a mission from God to reform assholes?

  “Well,” Tate snipped as she sat down at the table across from Jared, “she obviously hasn’t slept with you if she’s not a fan. That makes me feel better.”

  Jared slouched in the chair looking every bit like he owned the place. Dressed in knee-length black swim shorts, he ran his index finger across his lips as he studied me.

  Not bothering to hide my feelings, I crossed my arms over my chest and tried not to snarl. “The last time I saw you two together, you were making her cry,” I pointed out, looking at Jared and waiting.

  I heard Tate snort to my right, and Jared’s smile peeked out of his fingers.

  “My personality has improved, Fallon. I’m not sure yours has, though. Care to start over?” He held out his hand, and I hesitated long enough to make everyone feel awkward.

  But I took it.

  What the hell? If the girl was happy—and she looked happy—then it was none of my business.

  And they did make a good-looking couple. He still looked the same, only bigger, and she was dressed as cute as hell in red bikini bottoms and a short-sleeved black rash guard.

  “Hey, man.” Jared nodded behind me, and I felt pressure hitting my back. Not that someone was touching me.

  “Tate,” Madoc said behind me, “how do you know Fallon?”

  “We met jogging yesterday. I invited her to the party. Hope
you don’t mind.” Tate smiled at me and continued. “She never texted, though, so I didn’t know for sure if she was coming. How do you guys know her? From school?”

  “Fallon lives in my house,” Madoc taunted me.

  “Our parents are married,” I explained and turned around to face Madoc. “But we’re not close. Never have been.”

  Madoc’s eyes narrowed as if he was trying to figure something out.

  “I can see your bra, Fallon.” He sighed and looked away, appearing bored.

  I knew he could see my bra. I knew everyone could see it. It’s what I wanted. I had no plans to go swimming, so I wore a black bra with elaborate straps stretching from the front of my torso to my back and down over my shoulders from my upper chest. It wasn’t meant to be hidden, so I wore it with a loose, deep V-neck tank top that showed it off. Paired with my black shorts and flip-flops, I only accessorized with my earrings and glasses. I’d already gotten some appreciative looks, and I knew that that would piss off Madoc.

  Whether or not he still wanted me, I knew he wouldn’t want anyone else to have me.

  “Does it bother you?” My lips twisted in a spiteful smile. “Tate, tell him it looks hot.”

  “I’d do her,” she backed me up, and I heard Jared laugh behind me.

  Madoc kept his eyes locked on mine in what I knew was a challenge. He wanted to play, but he also didn’t want to admit it.

  I leaned in to whisper to him, folding my arms across my chest. “You remember what happened the last time I showed up to one of your parties uninvited? You still think about it, don’t you?”

  The slow rise and fall of his chest quickened as he kept his mouth glued shut for once and pierced me with hard eyes.

  “Come on, Madoc!” I shifted to my right and walked backward toward the pool. “It’s a party. Don’t be a pooper.”

  And I turned around giving him my back, not wanting to admit how much I wanted to see his face right now. With my heart in my throat, I threw my tank top over my head and let my shorts fall to the ground. I took a moment to breathe as the chatter around me ceased and partygoers stopped what they were doing to look at me in my underwear.

  I was more covered than some of the other girls here. My bra was definitely made for sexiness, but it covered my breasts, and my hipster underwear was black lace. Yeah, I was more covered, yet I was the indecent one, because I wore lingerie.

  My hands shook. What am I doing?

  I didn’t want to make a spectacle of myself. I wore the outfit to get his attention, not everyone else’s. But it was a necessary step if I wanted him to react the same way he did two years ago when I showed up to his party. I wanted him angry and out of his mind. I wanted to trap him.

  “Tate.” I looked behind me, avoiding Madoc’s eyes. “Get your ass in the pool. Let’s talk Northwestern.”

  Her eyebrows shot up, and then she blinked as if unsure how to respond. “Um, okay.” And she pushed out of her chair, heading for me as I dove in.

  Tate and I didn’t really swim. We just caroused and laughed, while once in a while someone would cannonball into the pool or some idiot would let their boyfriend throw them in. I refused to search for Madoc, but I knew he was around. I caught sight of his ridiculously preppy gray-and-black plaid board shorts and immediately averted my eyes.

  Okay, so they weren’t that ridiculous. Madoc made things work that others couldn’t. I remembered how much I hated his attire two years ago. Safe. Conformist. From the Gap.

  But I found out that they were part of a façade that he adopted. When the clothes came off, so did Madoc’s mask. At night when he’d hang out in just jeans and nothing else, it was like I was seeing an entirely different guy.

  Strong. Powerful. Mine.

  Apparently others had seen his good side, too, if he could count Tatum Brandt as a friend. As far as I could tell, she was ambitious and levelheaded.

  And although her boyfriend and Madoc’s best friend could go piss up a tree as far as I was concerned, I had to admit that he seemed to have grown up. He had some nice ink, a gorgeous tree tattooed on his back, covering almost the entire area. My tattoos were smaller, but I had more. We might even have a thing or two in common now.

  As much as I wanted to know Jared and Tate’s story, I was more and more satisfied as the night wore on that he deserved her. He didn’t say one wrong word to her, or talk to any other girls, and always touched her when they were close. An arm over her shoulder, a hand at her back, a kiss on the top of her head.

  And these people were Madoc’s best friends. They were people that didn’t make me cringe or despise being around them.

  After I’d toweled off, I put my clothes back on and poured myself a beer from the keg, while Jared and Tate joined Madoc and some blonde over at the fire pit.

  The sun had set and while it wasn’t chilly, there was a nice breeze coming through the trees. The party was still loud and still busy, but people were spreading out. Some went into the house to watch movies or play video games, while others filtered out onto the grounds. I was sure there were several bedrooms already occupied, as well.

  “So how does Madoc have a sister?” A deep, velvety voice came up to my side.

  I tipped my head up from the tap and did a double-take, my mouth falling open.

  Holy crap.

  The guy—a young one, too—was entirely too beautiful for words. Who the hell . . .

  He had a smooth face, but a strong, angular jaw and high cheekbones. His eyebrows were straight and at a slant, making his striking blue eyes stand out even more against his tanned skin. Or maybe that was his natural skin tone. He wore his dark brown hair long, but it was pulled back into a ponytail.

  He had no tattoos, and he didn’t need them, either. With his height and toned build, why cover any of that up? Looking like that shouldn’t be legal. Hell, looking at him like I was probably wasn’t legal yet, either. I hardened my eyes, hoping my glasses obscured my gawking.

  “Madoc doesn’t have a sister.” I pursed my lips. “Who are you?”

  “Jaxon Trent,” he said lightly. “And don’t worry, I’m not trying to hit on you. I think I’d have to get in line, what with you showing the whole world how you look in lingerie.” He smiled with a twinkle in his eye. “I like your spunk. Just wanted to say hi.”

  “Trent? As in Jared Trent?” I took a sip of my beer and peered up at him.

  “Yeah, he’s my brother.”

  He looked so proud saying it I didn’t have the heart to be sarcastic.

  “I like your piercings.” He motioned to my ears. “Are you the one that inspired Madoc’s?”

  “Madoc’s what?” We started walking toward the fire pit, my flip-flops sloshing through puddles on the now drenched pool deck.

  “Piercing,” he answered, leaning in to whisper. “Rumor is that he has one somewhere, but we can’t see it. Tate thinks it’s a Prince Albert. I’m going with a Jacob’s Ladder. Madoc’s either all in or all out.”

  Madoc with a piercing? And that asshole gave me so much shit about mine. I let out a bitter laugh. “Well, I wouldn’t know.”

  “Yeah, it’s driving us all nuts,” he joked as we sat down in the circle surrounding the fire.

  The pit, along with the Jacuzzi, helped make the outdoor area usable all year long, even during the bitter-cold Midwest winters. It was a large copper bowl stretching about four feet in diameter, and it burned real wood. Not only did it create substantial flames, but it also generated a lot of heat.

  Since the evening wasn’t nearly cold enough, there was only a small amount of wood burning. The soft glow kept the area dim except for our eyes that were brightened by the dance of the flames across our faces.

  Jared sat on the ground, leaning against a rock, with Tate between his legs and her back pulled up to his chest. Madoc was in a similar position; however, he sat on a chair across the fire from me with a girl on the ground between his legs.

  Figures.

  He had his hand around her neck,
but not in a threatening way. His fingers lightly caressed her while his thumb moved in circles. She stared into the flames, closing her eyes every so often, clearly enjoying the attention.

  I watched his fingers, mesmerized by how she was putty in his hands. He was soft and slow, gentle and attentive. Possessive. Pressure built low in my belly, and I clenched my thighs, feeling the long-forgotten burn.

  And then I looked up. My chest heaved.

  His eyes were on me. Pinning me with the absence of everything they usually held. The amusement was gone. The mischief had disappeared. The game was silent.

  The mask was off.

  In This Moment’s “Whore” poured out of the speakers, and I stared into his hard eyes that were hot and urgent on my skin. My tongue moved around my closed mouth, trying to quench the dryness in my throat.

  He touched her with his hands but held me with his eyes, and every time he stroked her jaw or ran his finger across her cheek, I could feel the tingle on my skin.

  I closed my eyes, then opened them and blinked hard to break the contact.

  “So do you still skate?”

  I blinked again, registering thunder in the distance. “What did you say?” I asked, looking over at Jax. Just breathe, Fallon.

  “The skateboard tattoo on the inside of your wrist.” He gestured. “Is that your half-pipe with the severe incline in the basement?”

  My half-pipe? He’d seen it?

  “It’s still there?” I asked, incredulous. I couldn’t believe it.

  He nodded. “Yeah, next to the piano.”

  I dropped my eyes immediately.

  That was strange. With all of my other belongings tossed out with the trash, why would they keep a huge half-pipe that took up space? A lot of space. I was about to ask Jax if there were any skateboards around it, hoping against hope that maybe Madoc or one of his friends salvaged those to use for themselves, but he had started up a conversation with some guy across the fire pit.

  Tate brushed my arm, and I looked to my right. “So what’s with you and Madoc?” She looked like she was trying to keep her voice low, but Jared’s eyes flashed to mine when he heard her question. “Seems like there’s bad blood between you two,” she added.