Spiked by Love: Bellevue Bullies

by Aleo, Toni

  “Heck yeah. If she had just been honest and told him, she wouldn’t have needed to hide. They spent so much time apart, all because she wouldn’t tell him.”

  I start to rub my temple. “Right?”

  Asher looks at me, playfulness in those gray depths. “Don’t catfish me, okay?”

  My eyes almost bug out of my head, and my heart stops. “Huh?”

  He laughs. “I’m kidding!”

  I force a laugh. “Yeah, duh.” I squeeze my eyes shut as I lean my head on the back of the couch. I can’t do this anymore. I gotta go to bed to get away from him. I could just go home, but I don’t want him to suspect anything. “I’m tired.”

  “Me too,” he says, shutting off the TV and then standing. “Aiden said the sheets are new, so we’ll be good.”

  I open my eyes, staring at the ceiling. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

  “What? Why? There is plenty of room in that bed, and this couch is not comfortable. I’ve slept on it before.” He stands over me. “Don’t be a weirdo. Come on.”

  I’m not trying to be a weirdo! I’m trying to resist you, you big lug! “You don’t think that’s weird?”

  His brows touch. “Huh, what?”

  “Us in the same bed.”

  “No. Why would it be?”

  Duh, Ally. He doesn’t want to bang you, remember? I get up and follow him into the bedroom while he shuts off the lights. As I crawl into bed, he kicks off his jeans, showing off some incredibly thick, hairy thighs. His T-shirt is long so I can’t see anything, but man, I wish I could. He climbs into bed and covers up as I cling to the edge so I don’t touch him. If I do, I cannot be responsible for my actions.

  I know for a fact that I’ll hump every inch of him.

  I let out a sigh, and he asks, “You okay?”

  “I’m tired.”

  “Oh, okay,” he says as he cuddles deeper in the bed. Each movement he makes shakes the whole bed, reminding me that he is very much beside me in his boxers. This isn’t new for me; I’ve shared a bed plenty of times and even a few nights beside him, but it was always with our parents in the house or our siblings or friends. Also, my feelings weren’t firing like crazy for him back then.

  Back then, I didn’t know what I wanted in a guy. Now that I know, it’s a whole different story. I squeeze my eyes shut as I bury my face in my pillow. I’m forcing myself to ignore the man beside me and go to sleep.

  Right before I drift off, the soft timbre of his voice runs down my spine. “Hey, Ally T?”

  I swallow past the lump in my throat as my pussy clenches. “Yeah?”

  “Break up with Taco.”

  “Ash—”

  “Hear me out,” he says, and I snap my mouth shut. “He isn’t good for you. You need someone who worships you. Who knows your worth and wants to make you smile. Who wouldn’t have given you a chance to leave the party without them knowing. Someone who gives you their full attention because they can’t think of anything but making sure you’re good. You need a man who sees you for you, not just how hot you are.”

  His words surprise me, and I know I have to see his face. I turn to my stomach and prop myself up on my forearms as I look over at him. His eyes are shut, and he looks blissful and perfect. “Why does it bother you so much?”

  His eyes open slowly, his gray gaze capturing mine in the dark. “Because it does.”

  “Why? Why can’t I be with Taco? Why do you care?”

  His eyes search mine. “Ally, that asshole doesn’t look at you and see your worth. He looks at you for ass and nothing else. He isn’t good for you. I want nothing more than for you to be completely and utterly happy.”

  “What if I am happy?”

  “You’re not,” he says simply. “I know you, just as you know me. I love you, and you deserve the world.”

  I swallow as I turn my face back toward the wall, and I squeeze my eyes shut once more, holding back the tears. Everything he said could be true. Is true if I really accept it, but I allow myself to stay in this cycle with Taco, and it isn’t helping me grow. I know Taco is bad for me, and I know I shouldn’t be with him. I allow myself to be with him because I don’t want to feel what I feel for Asher. I don’t want to be a prisoner to my own feelings, and if I’m with someone else, I kind of convince myself I can get over him.

  But then he says something like that, and it’s like being slapped in the face with my feelings.

  Because all I want, all I need, is for Asher to love me the way I love him, and then I’ll be happy.

  Chapter Twelve

  Asher

  Elli wraps her arms around my waist and squeezes me tight.

  Even in her heels, she doesn’t reach my height. Her long, flowy dress hides the heels well, but I know Elli Adler doesn’t leave the house without her ass-kicking red-bottomed heels. She’s known for them, rocks the world with them, and everyone respects her, no matter what. As she beams up at me, she cups my jaw, and her green gaze says it all: She loves me, she’s happy I’m back, and of course, the job was mine before I even showed up.

  “Artie is a good guy. He’ll take good care of you,” she says, speaking of the jumbotron supervisor. He’s a cool dude, been with the Assassins as long as I’ve been alive, I think.

  I nod as I wrap my arms around her shoulders. “I know. I’ve met him a few times.”

  “Good. I’m very excited to have another Brooks in the organization. I’ve got my scorer, my scout, and now my jumbotron guy. I just have to think of something for Stella and Emery. Make it a family affair.”

  She says it so animatedly that I grin. “Stella could do marketing all day, but there is no job for Emery, unless it’s as a hired hit woman against the opponent.”

  She snorts. “Leave her be. I love that feisty girl.”

  “Feisty…that’s putting it kindly.”

  She beams at me. “Are you happy to be home? Adjusting?”

  “I am. I missed my family and my friends. I’m moving in to Aiden’s place this weekend.”

  “Good. It’s a nice condo.”

  “It is,” I agree as we walk down the hall. “I haven’t seen the new house.”

  “To my surprise, it’s actually modest.”

  “Really?”

  “Yup. It’s on the smaller side, which means one of two things. Either they won’t give me grandbabies, or we’ll have to move them again when they decide to have kids.”

  I chuckle. “You want grandkids now?”

  She shakes her head. “Yes and no. All my babies are grown, Quinnie will be leaving for college soon, and I’ll have no one to fuss over.”

  I squeeze her close. “You can fuss over me. And let’s be honest, Shea needs all the fussing.”

  She cackles. “He sure does, and I’ll still fuss over all of you. While I’m so excited for Shelli and Aiden’s wedding, I think I could wait. She won’t be my baby anymore. She’ll be his.”

  “Elli, she’ll always be your baby.”

  She smiles sweetly at me. “You’ve always been my favorite.”

  I laugh. “All of us are your favorites.”

  “This is true,” she agrees as she leans her head into mine. “You wouldn’t happen to know who Posey is dating, would you?”

  I scoff. “Don’t put me in that evil spot. I love you, but I’m terrified of Posey.”

  “That’s what everyone says,” she pouts. “I’m just worried she’ll get her heart broken again.”

  I shrug. “I don’t think she will. I saw them together. He seems pretty into her.”

  “Well, of course. She’s absolutely perfect.”

  “You aren’t wrong,” I agree.

  She beams up at me. “I always wished you two would have ended up together.”

  I raise a brow. “That would be really weird, but totally something you’d want. All your kids married to all my mom’s kids so you guys can so further intertwine our families and no one could tell any of us apart.”

  Her eyes are bright with happiness. �
�This is all true.”

  I laugh along with her before I kiss her temple. “Sorry for messing that up for you, but I’m pretty sure the guy Posey is with will impress you. He is really attentive to Posey, and when Ally and I saw them out, he gave me the look that said Posey was his.”

  She eyes me. “Really?”

  “Really. I feel good about them.”

  “Well, that makes me feel better,” she says softly. “As for Ally—”

  I hold up my hand. “Let me stop you there. If you are suggesting that Ally and I should get together, don’t. Everyone already has.”

  She blinks. “But you two are so cute together! There has to be some kind of attraction there.”

  There is. I realized last night that it’s stronger than I believed. Sleeping next to her all night was torture. I hadn’t even considered that it would be until she asked if I thought it was weird to sleep together. I get it, we’ve never really shared a bed on our own, and usually, we’re with friends or family, but I didn’t care. I was tired, and I didn’t want my friend to leave. I didn’t want to be alone. But I’d never thought of the agony that would ensue being so close to Ally. Let’s be honest, I haven’t gotten laid in months, which means I’m beyond horny. At one point in the night, my knee brushed against her ass, and I almost came. Seriously. I’m unsure at what point in the night she became irresistible, but one thing is for sure, I’m fighting tooth and nail to keep my need for her in check.

  “She’s my best friend. Don’t want to mess that up.”

  “Shea is my best friend—”

  “Nope,” I say, shaking my head. “You two started off as strangers, then went to lovers to best friends. It would be detrimental for Ally and me to cross that line. We’re too good of friends. We’re only friends. Seriously.”

  Which is the only reason I keep my feelings buried deep down inside me. I wish I could go a minute without someone trying to smush us together and make something out of nothing. I can be attracted to her all day, but she doesn’t think of me that way. I know why everyone does it; they want us to be happy. We really are good together, but I won’t make a move again. Now, if Ally were to make a move, I sure as hell wouldn’t stop her. I might pause and try to think it through, but it would be pointless.

  Pretty sure she’s one hell of a kisser.

  “I think you two could be more.”

  “No. You want us to be more because, again, you want to keep all us kids in a tangled web of Assassins insanity. God forbid anyone bring in an outsider.”

  She snorts. “You make me sound crazy.”

  I shrug. “If the shoe fits.”

  She smacks me playfully, and while I know she tells us all we are her favorite, I think I’m top three. Emery and Posey might have a slight advantage on me. She hugs me once more and then pats my chest lovingly. “Well, this was fun. Go on down to see HR, get a badge made, and then go find Artie. He has some work for you.”

  “Man, you don’t wait to put me to work.”

  She smiles as she puts her hand on her hip. “I’ve been waiting for you to start working here since I learned of your major.”

  I send her a grin as I walk away. Elli has a way of making me feel like a million bucks. It’s nice to have extended family like her in my corner, but I can’t shake her words about Ally. I really don’t understand what everyone’s deal is. Don’t they see we are only friends? Yes, she’s hot and funny and simply amazing, but you can’t make something happen when the other person isn’t down.

  When Ally asked me why I cared if she was dating Taco or not, it took everything in me not to scream at her that I want her to find someone to love her the way I can. I want her to find a man who will automatically know she is it. See that she can move mountains, and he better strap in for the ride because Ally will keep him on his toes. I only want for her to be happy and to always love herself. That’s it.

  Not too much to ask of a guy, I feel.

  * * *

  The rest of the morning, I spend in HR, and then I work with Artie for a bit, learning the ropes and what he expects of me. Unlike at Bellevue, I will answer to him, and he knows what he wants. I feel like Tony just wants things done and for it to look better than it does now. He doesn’t care how I do it. That’s not the case with Artie. He has standards, and it excites me to meet them. When he gives me my schedule, it’s actually lighter than I expected, so I’m glad I have the other gig at Bellevue. Especially if I plan to take over the lease for Aiden’s condo. Everything is starting to fall into place. Got my condo, my jobs, and next is my car.

  My mom wakes me at the butt crack of dawn to go car shopping since we have to meet later at the bridal shop for fittings. As soon as I pick out my car, I wish I had gone with my dad, but he’s traveling at the moment. Mom wanted me in a sensible, safe car apparently, so when I picked out what I did, she complained I’d chosen a “small-dick syndrome” ride. I don’t care, though. I feel like a badass in it, and I’m damn sure I can be an extra in the Fast and Furious franchise while I drive it.

  I just need to send in my audition tape.

  I head to Bellevue to get Ally since I offered to drive us to the bridal shop. She’s been my chauffeur lately, and I figured I’d repay the favor. I might even buy her lunch. Plus, I want to show off my car. I pull up to her dorm and park behind her car.

  Me: Here.

  Ally T: Coming. Two seconds.

  She’s a liar and I know this, but I don’t say anything. I set up my radio, play with the navigation, and adjust the colors of the interior lighting while I wait. Two seconds is actually ten minutes, and by the time she comes out the door, I’m annoyed. Mainly because there is nothing else for me to play with in my car. I get out of the car as she raises her brows and takes in my bright yellow Mustang.

  “Aw, Ash, I didn’t take you for the kind of guy that needed a car like this to make up for your small penis.”

  My grin falls, and I glare. “Rude.”

  She looks the car over and then glances back to me. “Trying to be the broke-down version of Shia LaBeouf with this Bumblebee-looking monstrosity?”

  “Get it out now. Please,” I say, waving my hands to her.

  She fights back a grin as she looks at my badass Mustang. Her hair is up in a messy bun, and she’s wearing her volleyball jacket since she’s coming from practice. Her purse hangs loosely on her arm, and when her gaze meets mine, I wait for it. “You know you won’t make it in Fast and Furious, right? No matter what you do in your audition video.”

  “I was going to flex, show off my muscles.”

  She nods. “Exactly. You won’t make it.”

  “You’re crazy. This car is a total babe magnet.”

  She perks a brow. “If you need a car to draw babes to you, you need to reevaluate life.”

  I laugh as I walk around, opening her door. She looks over at me and then holds out her hand to the door. “See, this attracts the babes.”

  I scoff. “Who said you were a babe?”

  She cracks up. “Good one.”

  “Well, you’ve come at me with an arsenal of insults.”

  She beams up at me as she sits down in the black seat. “I’ve been thinking of them since your mom sent me the picture of you and DumbleDee here.”

  I glare as I pet my car. “Hey, his name is Rocket. Be nice. He has feelings.”

  Ally scoffs. “Naming your car after your penis won’t make it grow.”

  “Wow.”

  “I know. That was off the top of my head,” she says happily, and I roll my eyes exaggeratedly as I shut her door on her laughter.

  Once I’m in the car, I back up, and she’s on her phone texting. I’m pretty sure I know who she is texting, but I don’t want to actually know. So, I don’t ask. When she tucks her phone into her purse, I feel her gaze on me as I turn out of the dorm parking lot. “I’m worried about Angie.”

  “Really?” I ask, bringing my brows together. “She’s still acting weird?”

  “Yeah, really w
eird. She won’t even look at me, and on the court today, she was not herself. We weren’t clicking.”

  “Huh. That’s not good.”

  “My thoughts exactly. I was going to take her out tonight, try to get her to talk to me. But when I asked her to, she said no. I don’t think she wants me to cancel my date with Taco.”

  When I hold in my groan, I’m proud of myself. “I would think your friend is more important than that asshat.”

  She shrugs. “Of course she is, but she said no. I think I’m going to get us lunch tomorrow and go on a picnic. It’s supposed to be a beautiful day.”

  I nod. “Good plan. And for real, seventy in the middle of winter.”

  She flashes me a wide grin. “Welcome back to Tennessee, DumbleDee man.”

  “WTF, man. WTF.”

  She makes a face. “Did that new phrase come with the car? You know you can just say ‘What the fuck,’ right?”

  A chuckle tickles my throat. “Shut up! You know you love my car.”

  She laughs. “It’s pretty sexy, but I can’t let go of the fact that I fear you may start wearing muscle shirts and get a spray tan. You’ve already got the ’roid muscles and tats.”

  I holler out with laughter. “You’re on a roll!”

  She giggles, and I love the sound. I especially love how her nose wrinkles when she laughs. “I know. Your mom set me up good. I’ve had hours to think these up.”

  Our laughter fills the car as we drive to the shop. Any other guy would be offended by Ally, but I happen to love her sense of humor. It matches mine. “I’ll have to thank my mom for that.”

  “She really is the MVP of today.”

  I shake my head. She crosses her legs as she keeps laughing. Of course, I notice since all I can see are her milky white legs and the definition in her thighs from her muscles. Her shorts are short, but her warm-up jacket is long. Usually, it would cover the part of her thighs that is showing, but thankfully for me, it’s not at the moment.

  Which makes the drive to the shop real, real hard.

  We arrive sooner than I expected, thankfully. Don’t think my cock could handle those thighs much longer. As we get out, I lock up and start to walk toward her. She adjusts her shorts, which show way too much of the back of her thighs for my uncontrollable cock to handle. On an exhale, I ask, “Could your shorts be any shorter? I thought you couldn’t wear your Spanx outside?”