by L A Cotton
“Come on, we should go,” Hailee started toward my car but paused when Thatcher appeared. He leaned casually against the hood, throwing a wolfish grin in our direction. I glanced back, hoping the team buses were still there, but they were already disappearing down the road.
Crap.
“Hmm, Hailee, what do we do?”
“Just play it cool,” she said. “He won’t do anything. He just wants to use us to get to the guys.”
Which is exactly what I was worried about.
“He really doesn’t know when to quit it, does he?” Mya asked as we inched closer.
“Ladies,” he drawled just as his friend and another guy stepped out of the shadows.
There were still a few people in the parking lot, but they were all heading back to their cars, paying the three of us no attention.
“Should we shout for—”
“No,” Hailee said, rolling her shoulders back. She was used to Jason’s games; his cruel pranks. But this felt different. It was different. Hailee was no one to Thatcher, but she was someone to Jason and Cameron, and he knew it.
“What do you want, Lewis?” she said as we reached them.
“I want a lot of things.” He let his eyes run down the length of her body.
“Yeah, well, so do I, but we can’t always get what we want. You should probably leave.”
“Or what?” He pushed off the hood. “I saw the buses leave. Your brother and boyfriend are on their way back to Rixon and you’re here, all alone.”
“She’s not alone.” Mya stepped forward.
“Yeah, she has us,” I added, digging my hand in my pocket, my fingers grazing the corner of my cell.
“Ooh, I’m scared.” The three of them burst into laughter. Until Gallen’s eyes homed in on me... and my hand.
“What you got there, cutie?” He approached me and I backed away, my heart galloping in my chest.
“N- nothing,” I cried, staggering back until my back hit the side of a truck. But Gallen didn’t stop. He kept coming until he’d caged me in, his hands pressed flat either side of my head.
“You aren’t trying to call for reinforcements, are you?”
“Fuck you,” I seethed, my defenses working overtime.
His eyes flared, “Oh baby, I’d love nothing more than to fuck you.” He trailed a finger down my neck and between the valley of my breasts. My chest heaved with a shaky breath as I turned my head away from him. But he grabbed my face roughly, pulling me back to him.
“Just one taste,” he groaned, grinding his hips into me, as his tongue snaked out across my lips.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
He grunted with pain, the unwelcome pressure of his body against mine disappearing as he stumbled away. “What the fuck?”
Mya advanced on him, her fist clenched.
“Fuck’s sake,” Thatcher grumbled. “If you want something done...” he trailed off, leaving Hailee to come up to me. “You,” He jabbed his finger at Mya, “Keep your fists to yourself.” He gave the other guy a nod and he grabbed Mya’s hands pulling them behind her back.
“You can’t do this,” she thrashed against his body. But her fight only made the guy smirk.
“Now where were we?” Thatcher’s eyes darkened. “What I’m trying to figure out is are you Bennet’s girl or Ford’s?”
“W- what? I’m not...”
Thatcher lowered his face to mine; so close I could feel his warm breath dancing over my skin. My stomach churned.
“Bennet wants you. I’ve seen it. The way he watches you, touches you. And Ford doesn’t like it. I saw him tense just now.”
He’d been watching us? Waiting for them to leave?
Oh God.
“I’m no one. I’m Hailee’s friend, that’s all.”
“So you haven’t given it up to Bennet or Ford? Maybe both of them?” His brow rose. “Maybe under this little miss innocent act you have going, you’re nothing more than a dirty little slut.”
I pressed my lips together, trying to swallow some of the fear and panic rushing through me. Not to mention the truth.
Thatcher narrowed his eyes, assessing me. “You’re lying,” he said. “You’re someone all right and my money is on—”
“Shit, Cap,” Gallen said, not so cocksure now. “Security. We need to go...”
“Yeah, okay.” Thatcher stepped back, running a hand down his face, his eyes still fixed on me. “Until next time.” He grinned.
Silence stretched out before us, the air turning icy cold. Then he said, “Oh, and tell Ford I’m coming for him.”
Jason
“Who the fuck are all these people?” I grumbled. I’d gotten to Asher’s house an hour ago and grabbed a six-pack before taking my usual chair out back, but there were people everywhere.
“It’s a party. We’re celebrating, remember?”
Of course I fucking remembered. We were in the play-offs. But after a disastrous dinner post-game, with my father and Denise, I wasn’t exactly in a people kind of mood.
“Did you invite the whole fucking school?”
Asher grinned. “Only the bright and beautiful. Who’s beautiful?” he yelled and everyone went nuts, screaming and cheering. Always the showman. I rolled my eyes.
“Where’s Chase?” I asked.
“Inside with Hailee, but I’d steer clear of them if I were you, seems like there might be trouble in paradise.” Asher took a long pull on his beer.
I was already out of my chair though, stalking toward the house. The last thing we needed was our star wide receiver to lose his cool over some shit with my step-sister. The team needed Cam in the play-offs.
I needed him.
“Your funeral, man,” he yelled.
Inside wasn’t much better; bodies packed into every corner of the Bennet’s huge house. They were rich—filthy rich compared to the rest of us—and they didn’t mind Asher using the place for party central given they were out of town a lot. I couldn’t figure which was worse: having parents who cared but were never around, or having a dad you didn’t see eye-to-eye with who refused to stay out of your business. It seemed like parents were a pain in the ass whichever way you looked at it.
I searched the ground floor for Cam and Hailee before moving upstairs. Cam hadn’t always had it easy growing up, and since the Bennet’s had enough guest rooms to open a motel, they had given him his own room. He didn’t use it much anymore, but I knew if they were anywhere, that’s where they would be.
Raised voices made me pause when I reached his door.
“Tell him, Cameron.”
“And then what? What do you think telling him will do except incite war?”
I crept closer, straining to hear, the hairs along the back of my neck standing to attention.
“So what do we do? Wait until Thatcher really hurts one of—”
I burst into the room, my eyes narrowed to slits. “Tell me what?”
“Jase, man, we didn’t know—”
“Tell. Me. What?” I focused on Hailee since she was the only one who thought telling me whatever the fuck had happened was a good idea.
“Thatcher was at the game last night.”
“What the hell did you just say?” I saw red, my fists clenched, liquid fury coursing through my veins.
“We saw him before the game and again after...” Hailee’s eyes slid to Cameron who was deadly still.
“And why the fuck am I only just finding out about this?”
“Hailee only just told me. I swear, man.”
“It’s true,” she added. “I didn’t know what to do and Flick—”
“What does she have to do with all this?” Hearing her name set off my pulse, my heart jack-hammering in my chest.
“Thatcher’s friend...” She hesitated, my mood darkening by the second. “He...”
“Hailee, spit it out or so help me—”
“Jase, man, you need to calm down,” Cam offered, but I levelled him with a cold look.
I couldn’t hear anything over the roar of blood pounding between my ears.
“You okay, man, you look a little white?”
“H- he touched her?” The words almost choked me.
“Not like that, but he grabbed her and said some things. And his friend held Mya back after she punched him.”
“She did what?” I rubbed my temples, this was getting worse by the second.
Hailee nodded. “She hit him and he left Flick alone but then Thatcher—”
My fist slammed into the wall beside me, the crack of bone against drywall reverberating through me. But I barely felt any pain, too consumed with the idea of Thatcher anywhere near Felicity.
“He knows she’s someone, Jason.” Hailee let the words hang between us, the insinuation like a slap in the face.
“Where is she now?” I asked, barely able to see straight.
“At home. She didn’t want to come. I think it’s affected her more than she wants to let on. She’s been holed up at her house all day.”
“And you? You’re okay?”
If Hailee was surprised at my concern, she didn’t show it. “I’m okay,” she said, reaching for Cameron’s hand. “I know this gives you reason to go after Thatcher, but it’s what he wants. You’re in the play-offs now. If you put one step wrong off the field, Principal Finnigan could pull you for the rest of the season.”
Didn’t I know it.
“You don’t need to worry about me,” I said, “I’ll be fine. You two going to be okay if I go?” I lifted a brow at Cameron who gave me a tight nod.
“He isn’t worth it,” he reminded me. “Don’t play into his hands.”
“I don’t plan on it.” But Thatcher would get his, one way or another he would pay for all this.
But right now, I had bigger things to worry about.
Felicity’s house was steeped in darkness when I pulled up outside. Cameron and Hailee had tried to warn me about coming here, but as soon as her name left my step-sister’s lips, all rational thought went out of the window.
I had to know she was okay.
Maybe it was guilt over the fact she wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for me, or maybe it was because she meant more to me than I cared to admit. Whatever it was, I wasn’t leaving until I saw her with my own two eyes.
So why had I been sitting here for the last ten minutes unable to get out of the damn car?
“Fuck it,” I mumbled, shouldering the door and climbing out. I’d never called on a girl before; never stood on the doorstep and waited for them to appear. It wasn’t my style. Wasn’t something I ever imagined myself doing... yet, here I was.
But the second I hit the Giles’ porch, I froze. It was late on a Saturday night. What if her parents were home? What if her old man answered the door and saw me standing here? He’d recognize me; everyone in town did. Then there would be questions, assumptions… Fuck.
There was no car in the driveway unless you counted Felicity’s ugly sunflower yellow Beetle.
Retrieving my cell, I sent a quick text to Hailee.
Me: Are her parents home?
Haile: How the hell should I know? Is their car there?
Me: I don’t think so.
Hailee: You should be good then. I hope you know what the hell you’re doing.
I ignored that, not wanting to admit I didn’t have the first clue what I was doing.
Knocking gently, I waited. And waited.
And waited some fucking more.
There was every chance she was asleep. But it wasn’t good enough. I needed to see her, to hear her side of what happened.
I needed to know she was fucking okay.
Me: I need her number.
Hailee: No way.
Me: Please. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.
Hailee: If I do this, and I haven’t decided I will yet, you have to promise me not to hurt her. Ever.
Shit. How could she expect me to agree to that?
Hailee: So.... what’ll it be?
Me: I promise to only ever do what I think’s best for her...
Hailee: Jason, that isn’t the same thing.
Me: It’s all I have right now. What’s it going to be, little sis? Am I getting her number or am I breaking and entering your best friend’s house?
Hailee: JASON!!! Don’t you dare...
Me: I’m joking.
For the most part. Because I wasn’t leaving without seeing Felicity. Another text came through with a cell phone number. I added it to my contacts and opened a new message chat.
Me: Open your door.
Felicity: Who is this?
Me: Come find out...
A couple of minutes passed, and I was beginning to think she’d barricaded herself inside while she waited for the authorities to arrive. But then the curtain twitched and a couple seconds later, the door creaked open. “Jason?” Felicity yelped. “What are you—”
“Don’t I get an invitation inside?” I forced my eyes to stay on her face and not her bare legs.
“Why would I invite you inside?” She glared at me. “And what are you doing at my house anyway? It’s late. I was asleep.”
“Just open the damn door, Felicity,” I breathed out. “Hailee told me what happened last night with Thatcher.”
“So you came over here to do what exactly?” Her lips pursed, taunting me. Her eyes daring me to admit it.
“You’re really going to make me say it?”
Silence stretched out before us while Felicity waited for me to make my choice.
“Fine, woman. I came because the second I heard he had his hands on you, I wanted to kill something.” Preferably him.
Bitter laughter spilled out of her soft lips. “So you’re jealous? That’s it?” Her brow shot up in challenge.
“Jealous of Thatcher?” I seethed. “I’m not fucking jealous.”
“No? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you are. Didn’t you like hearing Thatcher and his friend had their hands on my body? They were so close to me, I could feel the warmth of their breath against my skin.” My body began to tremble with rage as she kept talking. Kept describing what Thatcher and his guy had done to her.
“Felicity...”
“What, Jason?” she said, sharply. “Does it hurt to hear they wanted me? That they wanted to hurt me? Because I think he would have. I think he would have taken me right there—”
“Stop, okay,” My chest heaved, and I rubbed my breastbone trying to ease the tightness. “Just stop.”
“Why? Why should I?” Unshed tears collected in the corners of her eyes and I suddenly realized she wasn’t baiting as much as unleashing her own anger at the situation.
“Let me in, Giles,” I said, sliding my foot into the gap.
“No.” A single tear escaped, rolling down Felicity’s cheek. “You need to leave. Just go, Jason.”
“Come on, babe. Let me in.”
“You don’t care about me,” she whispered.
“I care,” I admitted. “I wouldn’t be standing here if I didn’t.”
Her eyes flew to mine, searching. Looking for answers I didn’t have. It was a battle of wills and I didn’t know who would break first.
“Fine,” she eventually relented, “but you can’t stay. My parents are—”
“Who said anything about staying?” I smirked as I stepped inside earning me one of her trademark eye rolls.
The door clicked shut behind us and I flinched, the sound like a gunshot to the chest.
What the fuck was I doing? She was okay, I could see that. Maybe a little shook up and angry, but she’d sassed at me the way she usually did. The fight sparking in her sea-green eyes.
“Nice place,” I said, filling the awkward silence.
“It’s not much different to your house.” She smiled faintly, leading me down the hall I knew would open out to the kitchen.
; “You didn’t come to the party?”
“I didn’t feel much like socializing.” Her shoulders lifted in a small shrug as she went to turn away from me.
“Hey.” I grabbed her arm and pulled gently, backing her up against the counter. Her breath hitched, her eyes alight with so much emotion I felt winded. How could one girl—one quirky, no-filter, pain-in-the-ass girl—affect me so much with a single look?
“You okay?”
“I...” Felicity slid her hands up my chest, her touch like wildfire, blazing a trail of heat. “I think so.”
“Thatcher just wanted to scare you.”
“Yeah, well, it worked.”
My chest squeezed again. Too many people were being dragged into this thing between me and Thatcher. First Hailee, then Cam, and now Felicity. If I wasn’t careful, soon there would be too many moving pieces for me to keep tabs on.
“What did you do that was so bad?” Her voice was quiet even in the silence.
Shit. She could have asked me any other question and I probably would have answered... but this was the one thing I never wanted her to know about me.
But instead of clamming up and distracting her with kisses and touches, I found myself saying, “There was this girl.”
Felicity tensed, her eyes full of bewilderment. “A girl? Like Jenna?”
“No, not like Jenna.” I grimaced. “Jenna is no one.”
Felicity arched a brow at that.
“She’s just someone to pass the time. A willing body.” Jesus, it sounded so fucking awful out loud.
“Ew, gross,” she mumbled, dropping her eyes.
“Hey,” I slid my fingers underneath her jaw and tilted her face up, “you asked.”
“I know, I just... ugh, I hate her.”
“You sound a little jealous, Giles.” The idea had me feeling a little smug.
“It’s not exactly on my list to watch the guy I’m...” She stopped herself and I found myself wanting to pull the words out of her but I wouldn’t. “It hurt seeing the two of you together is all.”
