Page 8

Quinn

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the past few days over and over.

North was ignoring me.

No. Not just ignoring me—avoiding me.

Victor and Connor had already stopped paying attention to me. That was expected, and honestly, a relief. They were assholes, and I’d rather not be on their radar. But North? North was different. He was the one who kissed me, touched me, and made me feel something real. And now, after everything, he wanted to act like nothing happened? That pissed me off the most.

Three days had passed since the bonfire, and I was still confused about why the hell we’d gone so far. Was it the alcohol? Or something more?

I wish I knew. It would’ve helped if we could talk about it, but apparently that was too far-fetched despite the fact that we’d exchanged saliva and more at this point.

Today, at dinner, he hadn’t looked at me once. Not when I walked in, not when I sat down, not when I brushed past him on the way to grab a drink. He had barely moved, fingers drumming against the recliner arm, his usual sharp, cocky remarks nowhere to be found. I told myself I didn’t care, but that was a lie. It gnawed at me, deep and persistent, heating my skin and making it impossible to sleep.

After another hour of tossing and turning, I gave up. Slipping out of bed, I walked downstairs, my stomach grumbling. The house was dark and quiet as I made my way to the kitchen, only the faint hum of the fridge breaking the silence.

I wasn’t expecting to find Summer there, perched on the counter with a tub of chocolate ice cream in her lap. Her oversized sleep shirt slipped off one shoulder, and loose strands of hair framed her face. She looked relaxed, but there was something about the redness in her eyes that made me hesitate. Either she was high, or she’d been crying. Maybe both.

She grinned when she saw me. “Midnight snack?”

I grabbed a spoon from the drawer. “Something like that.”

She tilted the ice cream toward me. “Help yourself. Misery loves company.”

I didn’t ask what she meant, just dug in. The rich chocolate melted on my tongue, and I let out a quiet hum of satisfaction. Say what you want about rich people, but their snacks were top-tier.

Summer watched me, lips curling. “Men are such assholes, right?”

I nearly choked on my bite. “What?”

She scooped another spoonful, licking it slowly. “One minute, North’s circling you like a wolf, the next, he’s pretending you don’t exist.”

I stabbed my spoon into the ice cream. “Yeah. Noticed that.”

“You pissed him off or something?”

I hesitated. Almost had sex with him. That’s what happened. But instead, I shrugged. “Maybe he just lost interest.”

Summer snorted. “North doesn’t lose interest. He’s just mad that you got to him.”

I blinked. “Got to him?”

“North likes control. And right now? He doesn’t have it.” She smirked. “Poor guy probably doesn’t know what to do with you.”

Something sharp and electric curled in my stomach. North, notorious for always being in control, was unraveling. Because of me.

Summer must have seen the shift in my expression because she laughed. “Oh, you’re gonna be dangerous, aren’t you?”

I licked my spoon, a grin slowly creeping across my lips. “Maybe.”

She reached into the pocket of her sleep shorts and pulled out a neatly rolled joint, wiggling it between her fingers. “Wanna be more dangerous?”

I raised a brow. “Seriously?”

She grinned. “Oh, come on. We’re already up, we’re already talking shit, might as well make it more fun.”

I hesitated for a second. Then, with a smirk, I plucked it from her fingers. “You make a convincing argument.”

Summer took a lighter from the counter, flicked it, and leaned in close to light the tip for me. The flame flickered in her brown eyes, making them look even warmer. I inhaled, the smoke filling my lungs, then exhaled slowly, watching the tendrils curl toward the ceiling. A light buzz settled in almost immediately, softening the edges of my frustration.

“Why are you up so late anyway?” I couldn’t help but ask, my lips already feeling numb.

Summer took the joint back, hitting it before passing it again. “Connor’s an idiot.”

I laughed, the sound a little looser than usual. “Oh, for sure. But isn’t he supposed to treat you differently because you’re his friend’s little sister?”

“I wish.” She groaned dramatically. “He has all the makings of a heartthrob if he’d just shut the hell up.”

I cackled. “Seriously. Every time he opens his mouth, I lose a little more respect for him.”

“Right? Like, stop talking. Just stand there and be pretty.”

We giggled into our spoons, eating more ice cream between hits, passing the joint back and forth until everything felt a little lighter.

Then Summer sighed, tapping her nails against the tub. “Honestly, though? He could be a good guy if he let himself.”

I glanced at her, noting the shift in her tone. “You like him?”

She made a face, wrinkling her nose, but it was clear to see how her eyes softened. Summer had feelings for her brother’s best friend.

“Oh,” I whispered, smirking slightly. “You really like him.”

She groaned, dragging a hand over her face. “Shut up.”

I laughed, nudging her knee with mine. “I won’t tell anyone, but just admit it. You’re into him.”

She exhaled heavily. “Fine. Maybe a little. But he’s so stupid sometimes.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, raising an eyebrow thoughtfully as I considered their interactions at the bonfire. Even with him teasing her, I could see there were sparks. I didn’t really look any closer. Who the hell was I to judge, considering what was happening with North? “But I guess that’s part of the charm?”

She pointed at me. “Exactly. He’s stupid in a way that makes me want to—ugh, never mind.”

I snickered, taking another hit before handing the joint back. The warm haze settled deeper in my limbs, making me feel lighter, fuzzier. I swirled my spoon in the ice cream, thinking.

“You know,” Summer mused, licking melted chocolate ice cream off her spoon, “you’re playing a dangerous game with North.”

I stretched my legs out, flexing my toes. “Yeah?”

“Oh, yeah. You’ve got him all twisted up. He probably doesn’t even know what to do with himself.”

A slow smirk tugged at my lips. “Good.”

She cackled. “Oh, you’re evil.”

I shrugged. “He started it.”

“True.” She grinned, tossing the now-empty tub into the sink. “Just try not to completely break him. That boy already has issues.”

A small part of me wanted to ask what she meant, but I shrugged instead. “Not my problem.”

She gave me a knowing look, hopping off the counter. “Mmm. Maybe not yet.”

I rolled my eyes, watching as she walked out of the kitchen, and then I was alone again, the high settling warm and comfortable under my skin.

My gaze flicked toward the staircase, my thoughts twisting and turning until I couldn’t help but wonder if he was in his room. And if he’d play along if I went to visit him.

The attraction I had for him was so wrong, but it wasn’t as if we’d been raised together.

An idea slithered into my mind so smoothly, so naturally, that I barely realized I’d already made my decision.

Let’s see if North still wants to ignore me after tonight.

***

I blamed the weed for what I did next, and who knows? Maybe it was the weed, or just my fucking curiosity, but North’s room was dark when I slipped inside.

For a second, I thought he was there, sitting in the shadows, waiting. But the bed was empty, the sheets still crumpled, the air thick with his scent.

I exhaled slowly.

What the hell was I doing? I could still turn around. Could still pretend this was just some impulsive thought. But I didn’t. Instead, I climbed onto his bed.

The sheets were cool against my skin, the pillows faintly smelling of soap and something deeper, something him. The scent alone made my pulse quicken, heat curling low in my stomach. This was wrong. What was I doing?

A slow, wicked thought unfurled in my mind.

What if he walked in?

The image thrilled me.

I bit my lip, my fingers sliding down my stomach, slipping beneath the waistband of my shorts. I was already wet.

I pressed my fingers against my clit, arching slightly, a soft gasp slipping past my lips.

God.

It wasn’t enough.

I bit back a moan, my hips shifting, chasing more, my fingers moving faster, the bed shifting under me.

And then—

The door creaked open.

My breath caught.

A shadow stretched across the floor.

Then—

“The fuck do you think you’re doing, rabbit?”

North’s voice was low, dark, furious.

I froze, my pulse hammering, my body still thrumming with need.

Oh, this is going to be fun.

His gaze locked onto my bare thighs, my hand still between them. His jaw clenched, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths.

For a long, charged second, neither of us moved.

Then—slowly—North stalked toward the bed.

“Not like that,” he muttered, gripping my wrist, dragging my fingers to his lips.

Tasting me.

My stomach flipped, my thighs clenching.

“This isn’t how you get off, Quinn,” he rasped. “You know that.”

His hands pinned mine above my head, his knee nudging my legs apart. He was everywhere.

Then, suddenly, he stopped.

His expression shifted, something flickering behind his eyes.

Regret.

Guilt.

“You should go back to your room.” His voice was rough, strained.

I blinked. “What?”

His jaw tightened, his breath uneven. “Forget about this.”

Something inside me snapped.

“I see you, North.”

His head snapped up, his entire body going still.

Smack.

My breath hitched as his palm cracked against my ass.

His voice was low, dark, trembling. “Go. To. Your. Room.”

I smirked. “I doubt I’ll regret this.”

North growled, yanked me to him, and crushed his mouth to mine.

And just like that, it felt like I had him.