by Becca Steele
“On a scale of one to stupid, this is the worst idea ever,” I whispered, dread filling me.
“Don’t worry,” Weston breathed from behind me, his face close to mine. “He won’t hurt you. And if he starts anything with any of us, we can take it.”
In what world did it seem like this would be a good idea?
They were fucking insane.
I gritted my teeth and prepared for the worst.
TWENTY-ONE
The boys melted into the shadows, and it was just us.
Tension grew thick in the air as Caiden stared at me. His hood was partially obscuring his face, but his bandana was pulled down, and I could see the tight set of his mouth as he prowled towards me. I took a step back, then another, suddenly afraid. My back hit the cold stone wall, and suddenly there was nowhere else to go.
His hands hit the wall either side of me, and he leaned his body into mine.
“What the fuck, Winter?” His whole body was vibrating with anger.
I swallowed hard, trying to stop my voice from shaking. “Do you have any right to be angry?” I whispered.
“Yes, I fucking do,” he snarled.
“Why?”
“Because you’re not theirs.”
Fury replaced my fear at his harshly spoken words. “You sound like a broken record, Caiden. I told you that I couldn’t deal with this anymore. Leave me alone, please.”
I pushed against his chest and ducked under his arm, running blindly, needing to get away from him. I tripped over a loose cobblestone, and I was falling, the ground slamming up to meet me.
Arms caught me, and he spun me around, pulling me to his chest. “Stop fucking running from me. You didn’t let me finish,” he gritted out through clenched teeth.
Manoeuvring my arms from his grip, I reached up a shaking hand and pushed his hood back, needing to see his face. In the dim moonlight, his eyes were hard, angry, black and fathomless like the ocean below us. “Finish, then.”
“You’re not theirs,” he repeated, glaring at me.
“Yeah, I heard you the first time. Do you have anything else to add?”
He stared silently at me for a long time.
He let go of me.
He let me walk away.
Tears filled my eyes as I reached the castle wall once again, and I slumped against the stone, defeated, hidden by the shadows. He was never going to change. He was too fucking stubborn.
I sniffed, wiping a tear away, furious at myself for crying over him.
“Snowflake.” I nearly jumped out of my skin at his voice, right behind me. I let him turn me around to face him, and our eyes met, his face blurry through my tears.
He let out a pained groan and grasped my face in his large hands.
The sob ripped from my throat.
“I’m not my mother. I wish you would see me when you look at my face. Not her. Me.”
“Winter.” He kissed away a tear trailing down my cheek and wiped the tracks with the pads of his thumbs. “I know I’m fucked up.”
“I can’t do this with you anymore. It hurts too much,” I whispered brokenly, shaking my head, attempting to move away from him.
“Don’t go.”
“Why?”
He was silent for a long moment.
“Because I want you, okay?” His voice was rough, low, and he wouldn’t meet my eyes.
My heart stuttered.
“Look me in the eyes and tell me that.”
I wasn’t sure if he would. My heart was racing, and I could feel his own heart beating wildly against my chest. I kept my arms pinned to my sides, needing him to do this of his own accord.
I held my breath.
His stormy eyes met mine.
He took a deep breath, moving his head closer.
“I. Want. You.” He rasped the words against my lips, his grip on my face tightening.
“Cade,” I breathed and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling his face to mine.
I could taste the salt of my tears as he claimed my mouth, taking what he wanted, pressing me into the wall. I moaned into his mouth, his kisses sending need throbbing through me, straight to my core.
He released my lips and buried his face in my neck, raising my hoodie and sliding his hands across my stomach. “You’re wearing too many fucking clothes.”
I shivered violently, both from his words and the cold sea air that hit my bare skin as he exposed it. “Take me home. Or somewhere warmer.”
I felt his words vibrate low against my throat. “Home’s too far. I’ll keep you warm.” He picked me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me around the front of the castle. Lowering me to my feet, he grabbed my hand. “Come on. Climb over here. Careful.” I let him guide me over a teetering pile of rubble, through a small gap, and then we were inside the remains of one of the rounded towers—open to the sky and the sea, but sheltered from the wind. We must have been close to the bonfire—the tower we were in was almost warm, compared to the temperature outside, anyway. I could see an orange glow coming from high above us, through the arrow slits, and hear music and the sound of people on the other side of the thick stone walls.
“You deserve to be punished,” Caiden growled, pushing me up against the wall and nipping at my neck, then pulling my hoodie and T-shirt over my head in one go.
“No, you do,” I told him, unzipping his hoodie and sliding it off his shoulders.
“You let them kiss you. Touch you.” He undid my bra, ripping it from my body and throwing it to the side, then took my breasts in his hands and caressed them, his touch alternating between rough and punishing, and gentle.
“They weren’t you,” I gasped out between moans. “You’re the only one who makes—” I stopped talking as he licked a line up from between my breasts to my jaw, then sucked my bottom lip into his mouth and bit it gently.
“Oh fuck,” I moaned, wrapping a leg around him, grinding myself against him. I lifted the hem of his T-shirt, pulling it off, and the bandana with it. I scraped my nails down his back, and he shuddered, pressing his hard cock into me.
“I’m the only one who makes what?” He released my mouth, rasping the question against my lips.
“The—the—” I couldn’t think. “The only one who makes me feel this way.”
“What way?” He ran his teeth down the side of my neck, sinking them into my flesh as he bit me.
“Ow.” I bit him back, digging my nails into him, and he hissed. “Like I’m on fire. All hot and burning up.”
“Good.” He rewarded me by slipping a hand into my leggings, and then his fingers were inside me, and on my clit, and I was riding his hand, desperate for more.
“I need you, now,” I moaned, and he responded by dragging his fingers out of my wetness and using both hands to tug my leggings down.
“Get these off,” he commanded hoarsely, and I kicked off my boots, ripping my leggings and underwear off, careful to stand on my hoodie rather than the stone floor.
I slid my hands up to his powerful shoulders, then down over the hard planes of his muscles, following my hands with my lips, kissing across his golden, inked skin. I licked across his nipples, and he jerked under my touch, groaning.
“Your body’s so fucking hot.” My voice came out husky and breathless, as I undid his jeans, impatiently pulling them down, along with his boxers. I wrapped my hands around his cock, and he groaned again, so loudly that it seemed to echo all around us. “Caiden.” I stroked my hands up and down, and he thrust into my grip, pulling me closer. “I really want to suck your cock.”
“Not now,” he ground out. “Later. Now, I’m going to pound my dick into you until you forget your own fucking name.” With that promise echoing in my ears, he reached down into his pocket, pulling his wallet out and extracting a foil packet. He rolled on the condom, then lifted me and slid me down onto his hardness. I closed my eyes, crying out as he filled me completely.
“Fuck me, hard,” I begged.
He ke
pt his promise. We fucked hard and fast, up against the wall, his hands mostly protecting me from the stone; then he spun me so he was behind me and I was supporting myself on a stone boulder, his fingers working magic against my clit. He sent me spiralling higher and higher until I came, the blinding orgasm tearing through me, obliterating all thoughts. As I fell apart, I felt him coming hard inside me, digging his fingers into me, pressing my arms into the stone as he held me in place.
“Wow.” That was the first thing I managed to say as he slid out of me and I tried to catch my breath, my heart pounding.
We both started pulling our clothes on, and he gave me a smile that was nothing like the usual expressions he sent my way, and it made my heart skip a beat. “Yeah.”
I dropped my gaze. Swiping my T-shirt and hoodie from the floor, I pulled them over my head. Once I was fully dressed, I turned back to him, unsure how to react, hoping he wouldn’t act like we’d just made a mistake.
He stared at me for a moment, biting his lip, then pulled me into him, wrapping his arms around me, and kissed my forehead. “Come on. Let’s get back to the others.”
Relief filled me. We made our way back to the main party, where the bonfire was now roaring, the smell of burning wood heavy in the air, smoke drifting towards us. Cade kept his hands shoved in his pockets, and we didn’t speak, but the silence was comfortable rather than hostile. It wasn’t like things were going to magically change overnight, but he’d admitted he wanted me, fucking finally, and that was good enough for now.
He spotted the boys over by the bar, surrounded by their usual groupies, and we made our way through the crowds to them.
“Did you fuck the hate out of each other, then?” were the first words out of Cassius’ mouth, accompanied by a smirk. The girl hanging off his arm gave us a quizzical look, but no one bothered to explain anything to her.
Cade just rolled his eyes, ignoring the question, and headed round the back of the bar to help himself to a drink. Because of course the Four wouldn’t wait in line like everyone else.
“Here.” He pushed a drink into my hand. “There’s only beer left.”
“Thanks.” I couldn’t help the huge smile that spread across my face. I gulped the beer gratefully, purposefully ignoring the smirks and knowing grins that were coming from the others.
“You’re so immature, sometimes, you know,” I told Cassius, when, after about five minutes had passed, he still continued to wink, nudge me, and basically act like an annoying boy.
“Let me have my moment.” He grinned, and I sighed, moving further away from him. Thankfully at that point, the DJ announced that the fireworks were about to begin, and everyone’s attention turned to the sea. The fireworks were set up on a group of boats that were anchored just off the coast, so as they began to explode, their reflections danced across the water, throwing sparkles of colour all around.
I forgot where I was, my entire focus on the bursts of light in the sky, showering down on us. When a hard body pressed up against my back, I jumped, so engrossed in the fireworks that I’d tuned out everything else. Caiden’s arms slid around me, into the pockets of my hoodie, and I leaned back against him.
“I see you.”
There was a roaring in my ears, and the loud bangs of the fireworks echoed all around us, and I wasn’t sure if I’d imagined his words.
“What did you say?”
He lowered his head and skimmed his lips over my ear.
“When I look at you. I see you. Not her. You.”
TWENTY-TWO
I knew it would take a while for me and Caiden to act normally around each other, to find new footing after all our animosity. After the fireworks display, he released me with a muttered goodbye and headed off with the rest of the Four while I met up with Kinslee and the other girls I’d come with to walk back to our apartments.
Kinslee was acting shifty and avoiding me, so I cornered her when we were finally alone in our own apartment.
“Kins.” She paused in the doorway of her bedroom, her shoulders slumped. “Talk to me. What’s wrong?”
“I did something. Something I regret.” She turned around to look at me uncertainly. “And I’m not sure how you’re going to feel about it.”
“Just tell me what it is.”
“Um. I kind of kissed James. Well, more than kissed. We might have fooled around a bit, too.”
“James Granville?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah. I’ve always thought he was hot, but he wasn’t my type. At all. Then, I don’t know, something about him tonight, all dressed down for a change, and the atmosphere and everything…he caught me in the game we played while you were busy with Caiden… Ugh, maybe it was the cocktails we drank before we turned up—”
“Kins. You really don’t need to worry. I have no problem with it. I slept with him like one time, and we had zero chemistry. We’re purely platonic friends now. Well, we were until Cade and Z threatened him.” I rolled my eyes, although, inside, now Cade had admitted he wanted me, I kind of liked that he’d done that.
Not that I’d ever admit it to him.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. Just stay away from Cade, and we’re all good.” I smirked at her.
“Ha ha. Everyone knows that he’s yours. Even his fangirl groupies. Why do you think they try so hard to get his attention when you’re around?”
“Because he’s fucking hot? And one of the four most influential people on campus?”
“Well, there is that, too.” She grinned. “But back to James. There won’t be a repeat, I can promise you that. The more I think about it, the more I think it was a temporary lapse in judgement.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. It happens to all of us.” I walked over to the kitchen area. “Want a cup of tea?”
My phone buzzed as Kinslee and I were curled up on the sofa, catching up on trashy reality TV.
Cass: Pack a bag for tomorrow. Four business. AKA Operation Snowflake.
Me: WTF is Operation Snowflake?
Cass: Codename for our project. Cade’s nickname for you.
Me: Right. Who came up with the codename?
Cass: Me. Obvs.
Me: Original. How about NO.
Cass: Better than West’s suggestion.
Me: Do I even want to know?
Cass: No.
Cass: We’ll work on the name.
Me: *eyeroll emoji* WE won’t work on it. What is it you want me to do?
Cass: Just get a bag packed. We’ll be at your place at 10.
Me: Fine. See you then.
Me: P.S. I really don’t get your obsession with codenames.
“Looks like I’ve been summoned by the Four.”
Kinslee sighed. “Your life is so much more exciting than mine.”
“Exciting is overrated. You have no idea how much I’d love a normal life.” To have parents that were both alive and loved me, to be able to go to university and get my degree, and enjoy student life without having all this drama hanging over me.
I missed my dad, so much.
As I walked into my room to get my stuff together, my eyes went straight to the collection of star charts and posters of constellations I’d tacked up above my desk, picturing my dad in his work office, poring over the latest research papers while the posters surrounded him. I had so few tangible things to remember him by; these posters had become some of my most treasured possessions.
Below the posters I’d arranged the framed photo he’d had of the two of us in his office and his crystal ball model with the solar system suspended inside it.
I turned away and quickly packed my bag, before I could be overwhelmed with memories. I couldn’t afford to fall apart—I had to stay strong so that I could get to the bottom of whatever was going on in Alstone.
Nine fifty-eight. My phone buzzed.
Caiden: Outside.
This was the first message he’d ever sent me, and seeing his name on my phone gave me butterflies. Why, whe
n it was a one-word message, I couldn’t say. Last night felt like it had been a dream; the whole thing was so surreal. I wasn’t sure how he was going to act around me today, but I guess it was time to find out.
Outside, I saw him leaning casually against his R8, hood up, his legs encased in dark jeans and black boots.
I licked my lips, nerves and those fucking butterflies racing through me again. “Hi.”
His eyes met mine, his expression completely unreadable, and opened his door. “Let’s go.”
I slid into the cool leather interior and snapped my seat belt into place, sighing as the engine purred to life.
“Did I ever mention how pretty your car is?”
He gave me an unamused sidewards glance as we smoothly slid out onto the road, one hand relaxed on the wheel, the other on the gearstick. “It’s not pretty.”
“Oh, it is.” I smiled and sat back in my seat, stretching out my legs in front of me. Cade huffed but didn’t say anything else.
“So what’s going on, anyway?” I ventured, as we shot down the winding road towards his house.
“The boys decided we’re going to the hotel to check it out.” He continued staring straight ahead, his hand brushing my leg as he changed gear. I shivered.
“The hotel from the photo of my mother? All of us?”
“Yeah. No. You. Me. The boys are checking out other places of interest.”
“What places?”
“Talk about it later.” His tone was clipped.
“Why not now?”
“Leave it.” He glanced over at me, and his expression softened slightly before he sighed. “We’ll talk later, okay?”
I nodded, and we lapsed into silence for the rest of the journey.
We pulled up on the driveway, and Caiden beeped once. The door opened and Cassius, Weston, and Zayde piled out of the house, throwing last-minute instructions at each other. Cassius strolled over to us and leaned in my open window.
“Morning, babe. You okay? Recovered from last night?” He smirked at me.
