by Rebel Hart
John chuckled. “Oh shit. Better back off, Benji. This sounds personal.”
My brother limped from around the corner and took up residence in my doorway, too, so that the two of them were preventing me from going anywhere.
“You know, it’s not every day you have a girl on your bike, but wake up alone the next morning.”
Benji smiled. “No, it isn’t.”
John smirked. “She turn you down or something?”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Ever heard of a girl saying ‘no’ to me?”
Benji paused. “Well, no.”
I nodded. “Then what makes you think I didn’t turn her down?”
John barked with laughter. “Max, you don’t turn anyone down.”
Benji thumbed over his shoulder. “He’s right. I mean, no offense or anything, but you don’t have the highest standards when it comes to women.”
“Remember the girl that kept coming back over? You know, the one with the armpit hair?”
I shrugged. “Body hair doesn't bother me.”
“Or the one who interrupted a club meeting just to see if you were feeling better because you kept dodging her by saying you were sick?”
“Oh, oh, oh! What about the one who flattened his tires at her place?”
“Yeah, that girl was a fucking psychopath. She would’ve been better off with your father.”
“Come to think of it, I don’t think she shaved her legs.”
John laughed. “I hope this new girl shaves her everything. You need some sanity in your life right now.”
I glowered. “That’s enough.”
Benji rolled his eyes. “You’re welcome for the coffee.”
“Get your ass to class before you’re late and flunk out.”
He grinned. “I never flunk. I’m too smart for that shit.”
Just like you’re too smart for this club. “Out.”
John patted his shoulder. “Come on. I’ll walk you out and let Groucho here catch up on his caffeine intake.”
Benji shot me a glare, but he followed John out of the house. I chugged back the hot liquid, trying to erase the taste of Dani’s tongue from the back of my throat. She haunted me like a nightmare. And yet she was quickly becoming the most gorgeous girl I’d ever had anywhere near me. The guys were right. I didn’t have standards when it came to women. Mostly because it was about getting my dick wet. Nothing else. I didn’t lead the kind of life that did relationships. Or love. Or marriage. Or romance. Or any of that other shit.
Dani was in a completely different league, though.
And I wasn’t sure I was the man to step up to the plate for it.
“Still daydreaming about her?”
John’s voice snapped me out of it. “Benj gone?”
My brother grinned. “So you’re really not going to talk about this girl?”
“Nothing to talk about.”
“I’d beg to differ.”
“Well, you’ve been wrong before.”
I nodded to the cane he now held in his hands and he scoffed.
“Always with the cheap shot, huh?”
I shrugged. “It puts you in your place when I need it to.”
He sighed. “Fine. Want to talk about why you’re being a dick to Benji?”
“He complaining to you now?”
“He says you aren’t giving him a fair shot at the crew. And bitching about how he hasn’t gotten paid yet.”
“Join the club.”
He chuckled. “That’s what Benji’s wanting to do.”
“And I won’t let him.”
I shot John a look before I set my mug onto the bedside table.
“I take it you won’t talk about that, either?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
John sighed. “Fine. Then let’s talk about Dad.”
“Are you fucking kidding me with this shit right now?”
“He called me last night.”
“Yeah? Well, what did the asshole want? Because I don’t have any missed calls from him.”
He smiled playfully. “Because I’m the favorite.”
I snickered. “And you can have that title, as far as I'm concerned.”
“He wants me to keep an eye on you.”
My eyes found his. “What?”
He limped into my bedroom. “Max, this is getting serious. You need to watch yourself. If he thinks, for any reason, you’re straying from the crew, he’s going to test your loyalty in ways you can’t even imagine.”
“I’m not straying. He’s got no fucking business having you spy on me. For fuck’s sake, he’s the one not paying us for a job we took from him without a risk assessment!”
“You know how Dad is. You know his reasoning is always screwed up.”
“Do you think I’m straying from the family? From the crew?”
He furrowed his brow. “Of course not. I know you’re not that stupid. But Dad is a paranoid bastard. It’s how he got to where he is. It’s how he keeps his millions and his status in the underworld. Keep your head down, Max. Finish the next job right. No mess ups. No fuss. And no Benji, if you don’t want him around this shit. Show Dad he doesn’t have to worry about you.”
I didn’t like John’s tone of voice. It hadn’t been full of this much worry since he woke up in the hospital after the turf war.
The one that almost killed him when he was president of this club.
“You know you can count on that.”
He nodded. “Good. Because I am counting on it.”
Then he turned around and limped out of my room.
But not before peering at me from over his shoulder first.
25
Dani
My last class of the afternoon dragged on and on… and on. It seemed as if the professor had nothing better to do except tell us personal stories of the stuff he’d been through as a child. At this point, his stories didn’t even have anything to do with the lecture material. He was just talking to hear himself talk.
I couldn’t wait for this class to be over.
I already had my swimsuit on. I had a towel and my goggles stuffed down into my backpack. I wanted to race to the pool and swim laps until my head was clear again. All night, I’d dreamt of Max. Of his touch. His kiss. The way he pinned his body against mine. The way the smoke of his cigarettes played against my tongue. It was a smell and a taste I never thought I’d enjoy. And yet, I adored it on him. It suited him, with the leather and the motor oil and the cologne.
I knew it was cologne now.
I’d been close enough to him for long enough to pinpoint it.
The more my professor droned on, the more I thought of Max. I had questions. So many questions I wanted to ask him. But one question kept popping up into the forefront of my mind, haunting me all throughout my morning while I tried to study. To focus. To get prepared for my afternoon classes.
What is our relationship to him?
His comment about not kissing other guys really threw me off. Were we a thing? Had we gone on a date last night? Was this the beginning of a thing? Is that how this kind of thing worked?
I cursed myself for not having any experience in the area. Because not having the answers to these questions was maddening.
I mean, sure, I could talk to Hannah about it. If I wanted to endure relentless teasing and jokes about my virginity before she gave me any advice. I swear, she and Benji would be perfect for one another. They enjoyed teasing people more than anything else. I leaned back in my front-row chair and sighed, tuning back in to the professor long enough to hear him wrapping up some story about how he met his wife.
What that had to do with talent sourcing and acquisition, I’d never know.
“All right, class. Make sure to read the fifth chapter in your textbooks and come prepared for a round-table discussion!”
I couldn't gather my things up quickly enough.
I raced out of the room and barreled down the hallway. I could almost smell the chlorine of that pool, rea
dy to wash me clean of my sins. With all eyes on me, I barged through the glass double doors and hopped down the concrete steps. The pool was clear on the other side of campus, but I knew a shortcut. And hopefully, the safety of the pool locker rooms would shake away the feeling of being analyzed by everyone around me.
I ran past the parking deck and cut through the grove of transplanted trees. I rushed up the brick pathway and ran between a couple of the dorm buildings on campus. Through the main campus square, past the cafeteria, until I saw the onyx black steps of the indoor pool on campus.
A figure came out of nowhere and I ran straight into them.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I? I wasn’t looking where I was--”
“Where ya goin’ in such a hurry, Bambi?”
Benji’s voice prickled the nape of my neck as I paused. With my stuff sprawled out at my feet, I traced my eyes up his skinny legs, past his baggy shirt, all the way up to his menacing eyes. I looked around me, wondering if Max was with him, if they were walking campus for some reason. Maybe looking for me?
“Aww, don’t look so disappointed. Max has better things to do some days.”
I reached for my things. “I have to go. I’m sorry for running into you.”
Benji knocked my backpack to the ground again. “Stay for a while. Let’s chat.”
“I’m late.”
“For what? Isn’t this your last class of the day?”
I paused. “How do you know that?”
A wild smile spread across his face. “I know a lot about you, Bambi.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Bambi.”
“I said stop calling me that.”
He snickered. “Okay, Daddy’s girl.”
“Not that either.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Why? Because they’re only for Max to call you?”
My brow furrowed. “Why in the world would you care anyway?”
He shrugged. “He’s family. I’m his cousin. And you distract him.”
“So?”
“So that’s not good for business, Bambi.”
I pointed at him. “I said stop it.”
“Or you’ll what?”
I bent down to pick up my things again. But Benji stepped on the strap of my backpack. I’d had enough of this asshole. Enough of this--this needless scrap of human flesh. Without thinking, I pressed my hands into his chest, shoving him with all my might, causing him to stumble back. And as my eyes widened in shock, his filled with fury.
“Looks like Bambi’s got a bit of fight in her.”
I quickly gathered my things. “I have to go.”
He gripped my arm. “Not so fast.”
I ripped away from his grasp. “Touch me again, and Max will know about it.”
I hustled away from the boy, holding my backpack close to my chest. I felt his eyes burrowing into me from behind, but I didn't stop to look back. I tried my best to ignore him. Ignore his words. Ignore his stare. However, when I got to the top of the onyx steps, I caved.
I turned around and searched for him. Wondering where he was and what he was doing.
He was nowhere to be found.
“Okay. This isn’t terrible. You’re good. Everything’s good. Let’s go swim.”
I pep-talked myself all the way inside the building. I scurried to the locker room and picked one toward the door. Not back in the back, where I usually resided. Because if Benji came to look for me again, I wanted the greatest chance at getting away. What in the world was it with him? Why did he hate me so much? I didn’t even know the guy. I hadn’t done anything to him!
What business was I distracting Max from?
More questions to haunt me with no answers in sight.
I stripped my clothes off and shoved them into the locker. I pulled out my goggles and my towel before shoving everything else in, too. And after closing the metal door, I made my way to the pool. I was ready to swim until I couldn't move any longer.
The water felt wonderful against my skin. From the second I dove in, I felt it washing me clean. My slick body glided down the lane like a mermaid in the depths of the ocean. My arms pumped, pulling me forward. My legs kicked, propelling me toward the wall. And as I circled around before pushing off, everything finally fell away.
Lap after lap after lap.
Blood pumped through my veins. My heart surged to life. I moved faster. Swam harder. Until my sweat mingled with the chlorinated water, bleaching my skin of its dirtiness. Around and around I went. Butterfly. Freestyle. Backstroke. I’d loved being on the swim team in high school. The competition of it all. Spending time with friends and kicking everyone’s butt in the metered races.
I slammed both of my hands against the concrete wall before I looked up, sloshing water over the edge. I drew in a deep breath, flipping my hair back. As I panted for oxygen, I heard footsteps walking along the edge, squishing into the puddles of water I had left behind.
Then he bent down and showed me his face.
“Didn’t know you looked so good in a bathing suit, Bambi.”
The foolish grin Benji had on his cheeks made my blood run cold. There was something in his eyes I didn’t like. Had he been watching me this entire time? I quickly pushed off the wall and swam away from the pool’s edge. Anything to get away from this man. The sight of him made everything in my body run cold, despite the fact that I knew I was sweating from head to toe. I forced myself to tread water, even though my muscles screamed for rest.
I decided to swim to the other side of the pool.
“Oh, no you don’t.”
I heard him get up and race around the pool. As my hands touched down onto the concrete, I saw his shadow rounding the corner. I drew in a deep breath and pushed off again. Maybe I could wear him out and find an opening. I swam back across, but he kept up with me. Back and forth. Back and forth.
How in the world could I possibly feel cornered in a pool?
“I just want to talk!”
His voice echoed off the walls of the pool, rattling my ears.
“Get away from me, you freak!”
He chuckled. “That’s rich, you calling me the freak, Bambi.”
“Ah!”
I let out a frustrated cry and dove underneath the water. I used my feet to splash him, hopefully distracting him long enough to get to the shallow end of the pool. If I could get my legs underneath me, I knew I was faster than him. So even though my lungs screamed for mercy, I moved as fast as I could. I opened my eyes under water, feeling them burn as my goggles slipped off my face. I pushed the water behind me with my cupped hands, hoping and praying I had beat him.
But when I came out of the water, I felt a tight grip around my wrist.
“Let me go!”
Benji laughed. “No wonder you’ve piqued Max’s curiosity.”
He tugged me over to the steps as I tried to pull away from him.
“I said let me go. Now.”
He snickered. “You’re a feisty little thing. Sexy in a swimsuit. Those toned little legs of yours. Your tits are bigger than your shirts show, too. Lucky man, my cousin.”
“Help! Someone help me!”
“Aww, does Bambi need her father?”
I finally wrenched away. “Get the hell away from me. Now.”
“Oh, and she curses! Does that make you feel bad, Bambi? Did Max teach you one of those words, Daddy’s girl?”
I turned around to dive back into the pool, but I felt an arm wrap around me and hot breath on the nape of my neck. Benji. He had me. Panic rushed through my veins. I dug my nails into his forearm as I tried to jam backward with my elbow. But he was protected by the leather of his jacket. And the punch I delivered with my elbow didn’t seem to do anything but tickle him.
“Benji, put me down!” I shrieked.
He lifted me out of the pool. “And easy to toss around! Oh, Max is really going to like that.”
My legs flailed. “Stop it! Please! Someone h
elp me!”
“Oh, quit your shouting. I just want to talk to the girl who’s got my cousin’s dick all twisted up in knots.”
“We aren’t sleeping together.”
His lips pressed against my ear. “Oh, but you will, Bambi. You will spread those legs for him. All girls do eventually. And do you know who swoops in for another round once he’s done?”
I grimaced. “I would rather die.”
He chuckled. “Until I show you what heaven really feels like, huh?”
26
Max
I rode by Dani’s dorm room and frowned. All the parking spaces next to the damn place were taken up. So I throttled it around campus and found something much too far away. I had to get away from the house. After my talk with John, sitting around was doing nothing but making me feel fucking paranoid. I wanted something to distract me, lift my spirits. Because every time I crunched numbers to see if I could get the guys paid out of our own club fund, it pissed me off that I couldn't.
Not without some serious outside help.
As I parked my bike and walked across campus, that little voice in my mind nagged at me. It told me to stay away. To do what was good for me. To stay at the house and keep my head down, just like John told me to. It burned my blood that Dad called him. That Dad wanted my own damn brother to keep tabs on me like that. It took me damn near twenty minutes to just get out of the house without telling John where I was headed. And even then, we still fought over it.
In the end, though, I won.
I always fucking did.
Girls giggled and pointed. I felt them running their curious eyes up and down my body. I didn't care, though. For once, I didn’t give a shit. I had a final destination in mind. I had someone I needed to see. A girl I had become weak against. My own version of kryptonite.
The saving grace I didn’t deserve.
Something about this girl made me crazy in all the right ways. She captivated me in a way I’d never been before. I had to find out why. Uncovering the secret to her mesmerizing presence would help me wash her away forever. Maybe I had to sleep with her. Maybe I had to fuck her out of my mind. Maybe once I dove between those legs and visited that sweet place for myself, this would all go away.
