Page 45 of Filthy Little Pretties

I feel her sigh against my chest.

“I wish it was like that, Liam. It was more hands-off. But I don’t want to talk about it because it’s a downer, and I came to party.”

She doesn’t have time to keep the sorrow in her eyes because Liam jumps to attention. “We need shots. That’s the answer. It’s back to shore for us, beautiful.”

I nod and pat her leg, so she pushes up to the arm of the chair, saying, “I’ll pour. You guys drink.”

“That might be a worse idea,” I laugh as Liam pulls up the end of a thick black rope with a sailor’s knot at the end.

“Bad ideas seem to be tonight’s trend.”

I grab the heavy rope in my right arm, taking point, and yell to the night sky, “Let’s get this.” Liam growls and flexes a muscle at Donovan.

“You’re both nuts.”

But her laughter drops off the side of a cliff the minute we start pulling. We made this system one summer as a workout to increase our back and arm strength. We’d float and row the deck out, then pull it back until our arms wouldn’t work anymore. It wasn’t intended for putting on a show, but Donovan seems to be enjoying herself.

“Who’s the perv now?” I grunt out, every muscle in my back rippling and flexing as I pull one hand over the other.

“Me.” She grins and lets her eyes roam over our bodies. “It’s like watching gladiators in real life.”

The yells off in the distance get louder and louder as Liam and I work in tandem, dragging the dock with our brute strength, grunting and gripping the rope with ferocity. Whistles and claps sound out from the drunk assholes watching us from the shore, making Donovan laugh and drumroll her feet against the deck.

“Come on, boys, you’ve got fans. Do some work.”

We pull two, three, four more times and let go with a roar. My head falls back as I stand breathing heavy. Donovan stands slowly as the dock rocks gently against the shore. Shedding her blanket, she keeps the towel tucked around her and grabs all three of our beers. “I got these. It’s the least I can do. And thanks for the show.”

I swat at her ass weakly before Kai meets her at the edge of the deck and helps her down. We follow close behind, but she’s about four feet ahead of us when I see Caroline lean over and whisper into the ear of one of our crewmates from the porch. He smiles and jumps off the railing, walking toward us, but as he passes Donovan, her towel is snatched from her body. Gasps and laughs accompany her face as it shoots down, and her hands come up to cover herself. My eyes blink slowly, the realization setting in that everyone can see her naked chest.

Everything goes black.

The next thing I know, I hear Donovan screaming for me to stop and feel Liam throwing his arm around my neck, tugging me backward. Spit flies from my mouth as I stumble over my feet, none of the words I’m trying to say making it out from the vice grip around my neck.

I’m pulled further away from Doug’s kneeling body and bloody face. My head twists as much as it can, to Donovan, seeing she has the towel back around her. Tapping Liam’s arm, I let him know I need air.

“You good? I’m not letting go until you say you’re good.”

If I wanted out, he wouldn’t be able to stop me, but I am good, so I need him to relax.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m good.”

He releases me fully, and I beeline to Donovan, picking her up at the waist, her hands land on my shoulder as her worried face takes me in. I hoist her up and wrap my arms around her, keeping her in place with her chest against mine, and start to walk inside.

“What the hell happened? Are you okay? “Did he land a punch?” she questions into my cheek.

It doesn’t feel like he did, but I’ve never gotten so immediately angry that I blacked out.

“No. You went crazy. He never got a chance.” I feel her looking over my shoulder. “We need to make sure he’s okay, Grey.”

“Fuck him. He should’ve never laid a hand on you.”

Donovan’s shaking her head when Caroline’s scared face reveals itself behind the crowd. I walk up the porch and search out my vile little step-burden, holding Donovan in one arm as I stab a finger in Caroline’s direction.

“And fuck you. I should make you walk home. Get out. You and your used-up friends aren’t staying here tonight.”

“Hey.” Donovan’s hands tug at my face, but I won’t look at her. I keep my eyes on the traitor to the right of me. Because that’s what she is. If she’s against Donovan, then that makes her a traitor to me.

Donovan leans over, putting her face in front of mine. “Grey. Hey. Look at me. Stop it. Take me upstairs. Let me clean you up.”