Page 34

T he night’s shadows drape over the hallway as I swipe the keycard, the lock disengaging with a soft click. Nudging the door inward, I allow Briar to slip through first, her heels scuffing lightly against the hardwood.

Trailing behind, my hand gently pushes the door shut as my gaze lands on the other three seated in the living area. Jace is already well on his way to inebriation if his flushed cheeks and bleary grin are any indication. Figures. Any excuse for that tosser to get well and truly sloshed.

“If it isn’t our lady of the hour!” He crows, swaying upright with a borderline manic energy. Lurching towards Briar with that infuriatingly impish grin, he shoves a plastic cup brimming with an ominous dark liquid outwards in her direction. “You simply must join us for a nightcap, love.”

Briar eyes the proffered drink with naked scepticism as we cross over to the sitting area, wrinkling her delicate nose in distaste. “Think I’ll pass, thanks. Don’t quite trust letting my guard down around you lot. Where’s Sid?”

The exaggerated pout that splits Jace’s features is damn near comical. “Oh, you wound me, kitten! And after I went through such trouble preparing this very special concoction myself…” He trails off with an impish wriggle of his dark brows.

A low chuckle rumbles from Hayes’ direction as he lounges indolently against the arm of the sofa. “Don’t bother arguing, Briar. Once Jace gets an idea in his fool head, there’s no deterring the cheeky bastard. Sid went back to her dorm a couple hours ago, so you missed her. But she brought back the clothes you left over there.”

Unable to resist the faint curl playing at the corners of Briar’s lush mouth, I find myself somewhat mesmerised by the faint creases fanning out from the corners of those exotic eyes. The husky rasp of her laughter as it bubbles up is almost transportive. As if it was satin brushing against my very fucking soul with its dulcet cadence.

Seemingly unaware of the effect she’s having on me, Briar raises her palm to her lips, laughing with rich abandon. Pearly teeth flashing in the low amber lighting as her hand drops away back to her side. For a fleeting moment, I glimpse an utterly carefree side to her that defies all her usual sullen cynicism and perpetual scowls.

Bloody fucking hell. I wish she’d laugh like that more often.

Fighting the urge to simply stare, transfixed by the tantalising display, I gently place my palm against the warm silk of her lower back and apply the barest hint of pressure. A silent nudge urging her toward the sofa where the others are sprawled. “You may as well enjoy yourself tonight,” I murmur, just loud enough for her to hear over the raucous din. “I’ll keep these reprobates in line.”

Glancing up at me through the dense fan of her lashes, those lush lips curve into a sly smirk that does delicious things to my cock. “Don’t need your permission to do anything, Whitlocke,” she retorts, voice laced with playful insolence as she finally takes the drink still dangling from Jace’s fingers.

Unable to resist matching her saucy tone, I duck my head in a subtle nod while battling back my own rakish grin. “No, drahu?ka. You don’t… but you have it nonetheless.”

With an exaggerated roll of those exotic eyes, Briar huffs out a chuckle as she finally relents. “Whatever gets your dominant rocks off.”

Lifting the dubious cup to her lush mouth, she swallows a mouthful of the mystery liquid. That petite face contorts into a grimace, nostrils flaring as she undoubtedly feels the fiery burn of cheap spirits scorching its way down her gullet. Yet she utters not a single whimper of complaint before parting completely from my side to join the others splayed around the den.

I watch as Briar settles onto the sofa, her lithe form sinking into the plush cushions. She takes another sip from the cup, her face scrunching up adorably as she swallows. “Christ, Jace. What the fuck did you put in this? Lighter fluid?”

Jace’s eyes sparkle with mischief as he leans forward, elbows resting on his knees. “That, darling, is a closely guarded secret. But I can assure you, it’ll do the trick.”

“The trick of what? Burning a hole through my oesophagus?” Briar retorts, but there’s no real heat behind her words. She takes another swig, grimacing less this time.

I chuckle, moving to sit in the armchair across from her. “Don’t let him fool you. It’s probably just cheap vodka mixed with whatever fruit juice he found in the fridge.”

“Oi!” Jace protests, clutching his chest in mock offence. “I’ll have you know I put a lot of thought into that concoction. It’s a delicate balance of flavours.”

Hayes snorts, reaching over to ruffle Jace’s hair. “Yeah, a delicate balance of ‘shite’ and ‘more shite’.”

The room erupts in laughter, even Briar joining in with that husky chuckle that sends a shiver down my spine. I find my eyes drawn to her, watching the way her cheeks flush with mirth, the slight bounce of her breasts as she laughs.

“So, Briar,” Rhys pipes up, leaning against the wall with his own drink in hand. “How’re you finding classes so far? Settling in alright to the prim and posh?”

She shrugs, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s… different. Definitely not what I expected when I applied here. Didn’t think I’d be studying how to fucking curtsy.”

“Let me guess,” Jace interjects with a smirk. “You thought it’d be all posh twats discussing literature over tea and crumpets?”

Briar rolls her eyes, but there’s a hint of a smile playing at her lips. “No, I expected to be getting a legitimate education. And I didn’t expect to be living with a bunch of delinquents either.”

“Delinquents?” I raise an eyebrow, leaning forward in my seat. “I’ll have you know we’re very respectable members of society.”

Hayes lets out a bark of laughter. “Yeah, right. And I’m the bloody Queen of England.”

“Well, you do have the arse for it,” Jace quips, earning himself a playful shove from Hayes.

I watch as Briar’s eyes flit between us, a mix of amusement and curiosity in her gaze. It’s clear she’s still trying to figure us out, to understand the dynamics at play. Part of me wants to keep her guessing, to maintain that air of mystery. But another part… fuck, another part just wants to pull her close and show her exactly who we really are underneath the suits and blood.

“Alright, enough chit-chat,” Rhys announces, pushing off from the wall. “Who’s up for a game of Never Have I Ever?”

A chorus of groans fills the room, but I can see the excitement in everyone’s eyes. Even Briar looks intrigued, though she tries to hide it behind another sip of her drink.

“Really, Rhys?” I drawl, feigning disinterest. “Aren’t we a bit old for that?”

“Speak for yourself, grandpa,” Jace retorts, already refilling everyone’s cups. “I, for one, am always down for a bit of debauchery.”

Briar snorts, holding out her cup for a refill. “Why am I not surprised?”

As Jace pours, his fingers brush against Briar’s, lingering just a moment too long. I feel a flare of jealousy in my gut, which I quickly tamp down. This isn’t the time nor the place for that shite.

“Alright, rules are simple,” Rhys explains, settling onto the floor beside the coffee table. “Someone says ‘Never have I ever’ followed by something they’ve never done. If you’ve done it, you drink. Last one standing wins.”

“Wins what exactly?” Briar asks, eyebrow raised in challenge.

A wicked grin spreads across Rhys’ face. “Bragging rights, of course. And maybe a little something extra, if you’re lucky.”

The suggestive tone in his voice doesn’t go unnoticed, and I see Briar’s cheeks flush slightly. Whether from the alcohol or the implication, I’m not sure.

“Right then,” Hayes chimes in, raising his cup. “I’ll start. Never have I ever… skinny dipped in the campus fountain.”

To everyone’s surprise, Jace takes a long swig from his cup. “What?” he says defensively as we all stare at him. “It was fresher’s week, I was drunk and I lost a bet.”

“Fucking hell, Jace,” I laugh, shaking my head. “I’m surprised you didn’t get arrested.”

He winks, a cocky grin spreading across his face. “Who says I didn’t?”

Briar leans forward, curiosity getting the better of her. “Okay, I’ve got to hear this story.”

And just like that, the tension in the room dissipates. We fall into an easy rhythm of storytelling and laughter, the alcohol loosening our tongues and lowering our inhibitions. I find myself relaxing, letting down my guard just a fraction as I watch Briar interact with the others.

She’s quick-witted, matching Jace’s sarcasm beat for beat and holding her own against Hayes’ dry humour. But it’s the way she looks at me when she thinks I’m not paying attention that really gets to me. Those piercing blue eyes, filled with a mix of wariness and intrigue, like she’s trying to solve a puzzle.

Little does she know, she’s the biggest fucking mystery of all.

As the night wears on and the drinks keep flowing, I can’t help but wonder how this will all play out. The lines between us are blurring, the carefully constructed walls we’ve built starting to crumble. And fuck me if I’m not looking forward to seeing them come crashing down.

“Your turn Briar,” Hayes drawls, lazily swirling the contents of his cup. “Let’s see what juicy secrets you’ve got hidden away.”

Briar purses those full lips, eyes narrowing as she ponders her next move. “Never have I ever…” A mischievous grin tugs at the corners of her mouth. “… fucked a professor for better grades.”

The room erupts into raucous laughter and a chorus of groans as Jace and Rhys begrudgingly take a drink.

“You fucking slag,” Jace cackles, sloshing amber liquid down his chin as he swigs from his cup. “Should’ve known you were that type.”

“Oi, watch your mouth,” Rhys snaps, though there’s no real venom behind it. “Don’t act like you weren’t gagging for that senile old bint’s attention all term last year, and exams were fucking brutal.”

“Please, Konig isn’t even that fit,” Jace scoffs. “Just had a decent set of tits on her, is all. And I really needed that fucking score, mate. Hansley was going to ream me if I failed.”

I roll my eyes at the pair of them, catching Briar’s gaze from across the room. There’s a knowing glint in those blue depths, a silent acknowledgement passing between us of just how utterly shameless these wankers can be.

“So what’s the story then, lads?” she prods, leaning forward with her elbows resting on her knees. “Go on, I’m dying to hear all the sordid details.”

With an exaggerated sigh, Rhys launches into the no-doubt highly embellished tale while the rest of us snicker and jeer at all the appropriate moments. As he gets to the more salacious bits, I can’t resist letting my gaze drift over to Briar, taking in the way her chest shakes with silent laughter and the curve of those lush hips shifting against the cushions.

Christ, she really is a bloody gorgeous creature, isn’t she? All lithe limbs and soft lines packaged up in one delectable little frame. I find myself picturing those thighs wrapped around my waist, that sinful mouth parted in breathless gasps as I bury my cock into—

“Oi, earth to !”

Jace’s obnoxious bellow snaps me from my reverie, and I blink owlishly to find the rest of the group staring at me expectantly.

“What? Did someone ask me a question?”

My attempt at nonchalance is piss-poor at best, and Briar’s knowing smirk makes it clear she caught me ogling like a bloody schoolboy. Feeling heat creep up the back of my neck, I clear my throat and straighten in my seat.

“Just thinking about my turn is all,” I deflect, buying myself a moment to collect my wits. “Right, let’s see… Never have I ever sucked dick in a public place.”

The reaction is instantaneous, with Hayes choking on his drink and Rhys doubling over in a fit of coughing. Even Briar’s delicate brows shoot up to her hairline as she stares at me incredulously.

Only Jace seems utterly unperturbed, a wicked grin splitting his face as he leisurely takes a long pull from his cup, holding my stare the entire time.

“You lying bastard,” Hayes wheezes once he catches his breath. “There’s no way in hell you’ve never pulled that shite.”

“Oi, I never said I didn’t do it,” I shoot back with a shrug. “Just that I’ve never done it in public. Wouldn’t be much of a game otherwise, now would it?”

An appreciative chuckle rumbles from Briar’s direction, and I find myself practically preening under her approving gaze. There’s something intoxicating about having her undivided attention focused solely on me, her sharp tongue and quick wit constantly keeping me on my toes.

As the game continues and more drinks are consumed, the banter grows progressively more crass and the dares more risque. At one point, Rhys ends up with Briar straddling his lap, their mouths fused in a searing kiss until Jace wolf-whistles loud enough to make the windows rattle.

Rather than shying away or feigning embarrassment, Briar simply winks at me over her shoulder before sliding off Rhys’ lap with a throaty laugh. The blatant invitation in her gaze sends a jolt of molten desire straight to my cock, and I have to shift awkwardly to alleviate some of the sudden tightness in my trousers.

Bloody fucking hell, this girl will be the absolute death of me.

Before long, the early hours of morning are creeping in, and one by one the lads start dropping off into a drunken slumber around the den. Briar is the last one awake besides myself, lounging with her head pillowed on the arm of the sofa and those oceanic eyes glazed but still alert.

“Well, I must say…” She breaks the comfortable silence with a raspy murmur. “You lot certainly know how to show a girl a good time.”

Chuckling softly, I lean back in the armchair and regard her with an appraising look. “You say that like the night’s already over, drahu?ka.”

One pale brow arches in a silent challenge as she props herself up on an elbow, chin cradled in her palm. “Is that a promise, Whitlocke?”

The low, sultry purr of her voice hits me square in the gut, and I can feel my cock twitching with renewed interest at the blatant invitation. Before I can overthink it or second-guess myself, I’m on my feet and closing the distance between us in three long strides.

Briar’s eyes widen almost imperceptibly as I loom over her prone form, one knee sinking into the plush cushions beside her hips. She doesn’t flinch or scramble backwards—if anything, her gaze grows darker, more heated the closer I get.

“You’d do well to be careful what you wish for, srdie?ko,” I rumble, allowing one hand to brush a stray lock of wavy silk away from her face. “I’m not nearly as charming as these reprobates when I’ve had a few too many.”

“Good thing I’m not looking for Prince Charming then, isn’t it?” she shoots back, all playful bravado even as she leans fractionally closer to my touch.

With a low growl, I loop my fingers through her hair and tug gently until her throat is bared in a silent offering. “Such a cocky little brat,” I murmur, lips ghosting along the line of her jaw. “I’ll have to teach you some manners.”

“Was that one meant to be a threat?” she croons with a breathy gasp.

That’s all the encouragement I need before I’m crashing my mouth against hers in a bruising kiss.