“Motherfucker,” I shout.
“Keep your fucking voice down. You think I’m good with advice? You wake Brit and she’ll give it to you all fucking night.”
“Oh yeah?” I ask, my eyebrows wiggling suggestively.
“You want me to fucking hit you?”
“I’d like to see you try.”
It’s in that moment when we’re staring each other down that a figure appears in the doorway, clad in only one of Jake’s jerseys and looking as happy as Jake was when I first arrived.
“You two need sleep. Your game is only hours away.”
“Two days,” I argue, and she narrows her eyes at me.
“Jake?” She holds her hand out, and the pussy-whipped motherfucker immediately gets up and walks over.
I’m still shaking my head at him when he looks back over his shoulder. “Listen to the master, Savage. There’s no hotter sex than with someone you think you hate. Maybe you should give it a try.”
My teeth grind, but any argument I might have dies on my tongue because I already know from the tastes I’ve had that it will be fucking mind-blowing. She’s feisty, brave, unbreakable when she’s clothed. But strip her bare and there’s an innocence about her that I’m not sure she realizes comes off her in waves, and it’s so fucking sexy.
Fuck.
I end up crashing on Jake’s couch. Thank fuck they both go back to bed and seemingly go back to sleep, the last thing I needed was to lie there listening to them have a fuck fest and reminding me what I potentially walked away from.
Jake has me awake at the crack of dawn so he can get a quick workout in before our morning practice, crazy motherfucker.
Reluctantly, I head home to change and grab my stuff. My heart’s in my fucking throat as I climb the stairs and prepare to look into her wide, dark eyes once again, but to my utter shock, when I get to her room, her bed is made and she’s nowhere to be seen.
A mixture of relief and disappointment hits me, and I fight to keep the latter at bay. There’s no way I should be disappointed about not seeing her. I should be glad.
I have a quick shower, drag on some clean clothes and head for school, ready for Coach to put us through our drills for the first time today.
Her bedroom taunts me as I make my way back downstairs, and I start to wonder if taking the fucking door off was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. For easy access, I said. But fuck, easy access to her has only led to my head being even more fucked-up.
Trying to push her to the back of my mind, I make my way to school via a protein shake from the kitchen and focus on the task in hand. Friday night’s game. Coach deserves for me to be on the ball—hell, Jake and the rest of the team deserve it. We’ve worked fucking hard for his opportunity, I’m not going to let ‘a bit of skirt,’ as Coach would put it, distract me from my main goal: seeing Jake lift that motherfucking trophy.
I don’t see her all day. By some miracle, she’s not in any of my classes, and she must avoid the cafeteria at lunch because every time I casually look around I don’t spot her. It’s a relief, don’t get me wrong, but there’s this little nagging part of me that wants to know she’s okay. That she’s not as fucked-up as me after last night.
It was fucking hot though… my mind starts drifting over the events on her balcony the night before while I sit in last period. Watching her come undone and knowing we could have had an audience was a huge fucking turn on.
I shift in my seat, rearranging myself.
“Get her out of your head, bro,” Jake warns, leaning over and winking at me. Motherfucker.
“She doesn’t exist.”
“Right,” he says with a laugh. “That’s why you’re squirming around like a bitch in heat.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Focus, remember. F-O-C-U-S,” he says slowly, enunciating each letter.
I flip him off, but right at the same second our teacher turns around and stops what he’s explaining to rip me a new one. Fucking great.
Practice is fucking painful but no less than I expected, and before I know it, I’m dragging my ass back up the stairs toward my bedroom. One look at her still empty and open bedroom and I know what I need to do.
After dumping my stuff, I eat the fish that Rachel left and then I go and find her door that I dumped in the garage. I make quick work of putting it back on. Fuck easy access, what I need is to stay away from temptation. Nothing good can come of things going any further between us, so I need to put a barrier up.
I’m aching like a motherfucker by the time I take the tool bag back to the garage. The sight of the water glistening in the garden catches my eye, and the relief of the jacuzzi becomes too much to resist.
I strip down to nothing, not having the energy or the care to head back upstairs for some swim shorts, and I lower myself into the soothing water. This is my fucking house and no one is home, so I tell myself that I can do as I fucking please.
I twist the top off the bottle of water I brought out with me and drink down half before resting my head back and allowing the bubbles to take away the ache in my muscles.
It’s not until I hear a bang that I realize I must have fallen asleep. I sit up with a start, my heart racing as I try to figure out if I’d managed to drown myself or not, but thankfully my head’s still above water and aside from the moon and stars twinkling brightly above me, everything else is the same.
I rest my head back once again and stare at the stars.
Focus, Ethan. Focus on the game. Block everything else out.
Movement above me catches my eyes before she rests her arms on the railing of her balcony and looks out over the beach beyond. My cock immediately hardens as I think about what the view from down here might have been like this time last night.
Reaching down, I take my length in my hand. I’ve resisted this long, but my need for release is becoming too much and I’ve told myself time and time again today that she won’t be the one relieving it.
I keep my eyes on her, wondering if she’s reliving last night once more as well. What I wouldn’t give to know her thoughts right about now. I wonder if she’ll write them in her diary.
My hips thrust up as I remember just how she tasted last night, just how tightly she squeezed my fingers when she came. My grip tightens as I near the end, a low moan ripping from my throat. She turns as the noise hits her, and she finds me immediately. Her mouth parts as her eyes drop to the water. The bubbles finished long ago, and I have no clue if she can see exactly what I’m doing or not, but I’m so close to the end that I really don’t give a fuck. With her eyes back on mine, my balls drag up and I groan out as my release hits me. My eyes are desperate to shut, but I fight it and keep them on her instead.
“Fuck,” I pant, my heart racing as I come down from my high.
She doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t move. We’re locked in our stare.
Something’s different. I’ve no idea what it is. The tension that’s always between us crackles like normal, but there’s been a shift and I worry it’s me after my realization last night.
I desperately want to look away, to break whatever connection there is between us, but I’m powerless to do so. So instead, I push myself from the water and sit on the edge. I forget all about the fact I’m stark naked—not that I really care, she’s already seen everything. Her eyes drop and release me from the daze I was in as she takes in my body. My temperature spikes and my cock twitches once again, knowing it’s receiving attention from her.
Pushing myself to my feet, I turn my back on her. I know that if I continue looking at her dark come-fuck-me eyes as she stares at my body with desire oozing from them that I’ll march straight up to her room and do just that. But I can’t.
Instead, I scoop up my clothes, go straight to my own bedroom and lock myself in my en suite as I shower. The whole time thoughts of her rattle around my head, but at no point do I leave my room or see her, and that’s the way it should be.
Between classes and pra
ctice, Friday seems to pass by in an exhausted blur. The excitement for our first playoff game has exploded to the point it’s all any of us can think about. It’s welcome relief from having her front and center of my mind, that’s for fucking sure.
She hasn’t paid me any attention since I was in the jacuzzi last night. Any crazy thoughts that she was going to appear in my room and do good on our bet were soon smashed when she didn’t so much as knock on my door, let alone step inside. She just seems to be getting really good at avoiding me. It’s something I’m allowing for my own sanity but equally something I’m intending on putting an end to very soon. She might think she’s lost my attention but it’s very much the opposite. After lying in bed for hours after my late night nap, I managed to convince myself that I didn’t really feel how I did when I had my head between her legs. My need is still there, still as strong.
I watch her in the couple of classes we share together, trying to figure her out, trying to figure out my game plan when it comes to getting her out of my life.
I know that Amalie and Camila tried reaching out to her the other night, despite the fact I told them not to, but other than the odd smile in their direction, it doesn’t seem like she’s making any effort to make any friends. It makes me wonder if she really has as much intention of hanging around in Rosewood as she claims.
I shake my head, focusing on what tonight is going to bring. The whole day has been a buzz of excitement. All anyone can talk about, including the teachers, is how we are going to smash the Beavers’ asses tonight and move on to the next round.
I stand in the locker room, surrounded by the team with Jake beside me. He’s fucking pumped, there’s no other way to describe him. His eyes are firmly set on the end goal, and he’s not letting anything slip until he has that trophy in his hands.
“This is it, boys,” he says, taking over from Coach’s pep talk. “This is what we’ve worked our whole lives for. We are so fucking close I can almost feel that cool metal in my hands as we take victory. This fucking season is ours, motherfuckers. Who’s with me?”
A loud roar of agreement echoes around the locker room. We bump fists and slap each other’s shoulders in excitement before Jake leads us out on the field.
The roar from the crowd is deafening as we run out to the cheer squad shaking their pom poms in delight.
This is the biggest crowd we’ve ever played for, I swear. The stadium is filled to the rafters. I can only imagine how epic it’s going to sound in here when we pull off our win.
I glance over at the bench to find Mason watching from the sidelines, and my heart sinks a little. He keeps telling us that he’ll be back for the final. I know that six weeks’ rest should be okay after broken ribs, but shit, he almost died. The last thing I want is for him to push himself and do more damage than necessary after everything he’s been through.
I nod at him and he gives me a weak smile in return. I’m pretty sure he’d give anything to be standing with us right now.
I quickly glance around at the rest of the crowd. I spot some of the guys’ parents cheering them on, but as expected, I don’t find my own. Even she’s not bothered to turn up, instead preferring to work instead of support her new school team.
I blow out a breath before Coach pulls us in for our final pep talk.
23
Raelynn
“Shouldn’t you be at school right now, getting into the spirit of things?” Cody asks as I lean my hip against the counter. Aces is dead tonight. We’ve had no more than three customers all night. Bill may as well have shut the place instead of paying both Cody and me to be here.
“Do I look like the kind of girl who’ll wiggle her pom poms for the football team?”
Cody snorts with a mouthful of soda. “I wasn’t suggesting you join the squad. Just thought you might want to—”
“Want to what?”
“Try to fit in.”
“Meh, fitting in is overrated. I much prefer to be a social outcast. Makes things more interesting.”
“I’ll have to take your word on that.”
“Oh god, you’ve always been the popular one, haven’t you? Should we end our friendship now so I don’t ruin your rep?”
“I wouldn’t say I was in the popular crowd. That was reserved for the football and basketball players at my school, but I was never as disliked as…” He trails off. We both know what the end of that sentence is but still, because I’m a bitch, I gesture for him to continue.
“As who?”
“Err… you.”
“It’s really quite a skill, but by the time you’ve done ten schools in almost as many years, these things get easier.” Cody pales slightly at my admission.
“Ten schools in ten years?”
“Not quite. More like eight, I think.”
“You think?”
“Lost count after six.” I shrug like it’s no big deal, but really it is. A lot of my issues stem from my lack of a stable home. If I stayed anywhere for any decent time, maybe I’d have actually made some friends, have someone other than myself that I could rely on. But that’s not how my life is, so I don’t dwell on these kinds of thoughts. Well, I don’t anymore.
Cody and I keep ourselves busy filling up the condiments and rearranging the cutlery tray, anything really to make the time pass. He offers time and time again for me to go and enjoy my evening but each time I refuse. I’m more than happy there with him, and I feel much more at home than I’m sure I would at school with the others right now. I even feel more comfortable here than I do at home. Ever since Ethan walked out the other night, I can’t settle. I’ve no idea where he went. All I do know is that he didn’t come home. I can only imagine that he went to find a cheer slut after deciding I wasn’t worth it. I still have no idea what went wrong, but I’m trying not to think about it. I shouldn’t care. I should be glad that he seems to have given up on me, left me be to get on with things.
I blow out a long breath. Cody looks up, and I’m expecting him to tell me to leave once again, but as he opens his mouth, his eyes flick over my shoulder. “Looks like the game must be finished.”
My stomach drops. The last thing I was expecting was for them to all turn up here. I thought they’d go straight back to the house to start on the insane amount of alcohol that’s been delivered. I’ve no idea how Eric allows Ethan to just do whatever he pleases with an open credit card.
Unable to resist looking, I glance over my shoulder. Only, I’m not met with either the exuberant or disappointed members of the football team like I was expecting, there’s just one girl who pulls the door open and steps inside. She glances around, noting that it’s basically empty before walking right up to me.
“Hey, Rae. Do you have five minutes?” I want to hate her, but her soft accent tugs at something deep within me.
“Um…” I hesitate, looking back at Cody for support, but the fucker doesn’t help one bit.
“I think I can cope,” he says, nodding toward one of the empty booths. “I’ll bring you both a milkshake to give me something to do.”
“Thank you.” Barbie flashes him her megawatt smile and glides over to the seat. I’m not nearly so elegant as I follow behind.
“So to what do I owe the pleasure? Shouldn’t you be sitting on the sidelines screaming as we take the win?”
I stare at her. Her lips twitch as if she’s trying to keep her excitement locked inside, but it doesn’t seem to be a fight she’s winning. “They’ve already done it. They fucking smashed them. It was incredible.” Her excitement is palpable, and her eyes go all soft as she most probably thinks about the captain.
“Okay, so you should be celebrating then, right? I assume that’s what the brewery’s worth of beer is for at the house.”
“Yeah, I’m heading there in a minute. I just thought that maybe we could have a chat first.”
“Why?” I ask, surprised that she’s taken time out of such a big night to talk to me.
“Ethan’s…” She pauses as sh
e tries to find the right words.
I have a few choice ones that I could fill in for her, but I keep my lips sealed, preferring to wait and see what she's got to say.
Cody appears at my side before she gets a chance and delivers two strawberry milkshakes that Barbie instantly reaches out for. I watch as she purses her pink lips around the straw and sit back to wait for her.
“You were saying?” I ask, ensuring it sounds as bored as I’m beginning to get.
“Ethan’s a mess.”
I snort. “You’re telling me.”
“No, I don’t think we mean in the same way. Look, I’ve not been here all that much longer than you have, but those guys are already like my family. Yeah, they have their quirks, like everyone, but deep down, they’re really good guys.” I open my mouth to argue, but she cuts me off. “Ethan too. Ethan’s this larger-than-life character who just wants everyone to be happy. He thought he had everything and then suddenly, his dad pulled the rug from under him and he’s not stopped falling since.”
“We all have shit in our lives. Why should he be given a pass because he can’t handle it?”
“I’m not saying he should. I’m just saying that…”
I cross my arms over my chest and wait.
“Okay, look. When I first turned up here, Jake hated me. And I mean hated me.”
“Please, that boy looks at you like you’ve just hung the moon.”
A smug smile curls at her lips.
“Now, maybe. Then? He wanted me gone. He was hurting, badly, and he projected that onto the wrong person. Luckily—or maybe unluckily, I guess it depends on how you look at it—I gave him shit right back. I pushed harder when he tried to hurt me. I could see more. I could see the broken boy beneath who was desperate for love. Shit,” she says, glancing away. “I probably shouldn’t be telling you all of this.”
“No, it’s okay. Go on,” I encourage.
“All I’m saying is that, in my opinion, Ethan is in a similar place to Jake back then. He’s been hurt and he can’t deal with it, so he’s lashing out. He doesn’t really hate you, Rae.”
SAVAGE: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rosewood High Book 3) Page 18
