Page 27

I ’m in hell. Brutal and tempting hell. Aubree is sitting at the counter with Daemon and Archer, looking like she was made to fucking ruin me. She is chatting away with Archer’s younger siblings, Aurora and Everest, and Everest’s two friends, Griffin and Harden. They all arrived earlier this morning and came and sat in on practice, before Arch took them all out for lunch. Now Aubree is listening to Griffin talk animatedly as the little fucker tries to impress her, while also cutting lingering glances to Archer’s little sister. Not that I can blame him, he’s not even eighteen yet, and with the way Aubree looks right now, every fucking single guy here is staring at her. She looks like nothing but pure temptation.

I mean, who am I kidding, she always looks like walking temptation, but right now I can’t take my fucking eyes off her. Not that she notices, no, her sole focus is on them, smiling politely, acting like she doesn’t even care if I’m here or not. I didn’t even know tonight was happening, too caught up trying not to die under Coach’s lingering wrath, so when I came downstairs earlier and found the house slowly filling up with half the team, I was mildly confused. Archer quickly filled me in, and before I could even pull out my phone and invite Aubree, Jake and Evie appeared with her in tow. She barely gave me a second glance when she walked inside, and all I could do was try not to gawk at her.

Tonight she is wearing a backless, purple silk top from my mother’s collection, paired with black leather pants that hug her curvy frame like a second skin. The stilettos she included only add to her appeal, and I fantasize about stripping her bare of everything but said heels, and taking what she has never offered anyone. Since she kissed me last week, I have jerked off more times than I can even count, coming to the sound of her little moan every damn time.

I toss back the remnants of the cocktail I made, not taking my eyes off the object of my obsession, and then storm into the kitchen so I can get myself another drink. I feel Aubree’s gaze on me when I enter, but as soon as I turn around, her eyes are back on the others. I grind my jaw, noting her almost empty glass, before moving to make her another drink too. I say nothing as I mix them up, listening to Griffin talk about his acceptance into Fairfield. He, Everest, and Harden, will all be starting here in the fall once we have left.

“Well, I’ve only been here a couple of months, but I love it already.” I catch Aubree saying. “I’ll look out for you guys in the fall,” she adds, reminding me that she will still be here when they arrive, and the look on Griffin’s face has me wanting to smash his head into the marble kitchen counter.

“Well, I look forward to it even more now,” Griffin flirts, and I accidentally, on purpose, knock his shoulder as I move past him to pass Aubree a fresh drink.

She looks between me and the glass in confusion, but takes it with a gentle smile, letting her eyes appraise me fully for the first time since she arrived, and my dick jumps in my pants. “Thank you, Alexander,” she says softly, and I just nod in response, cutting Griffin with a warning glare, but the little dick only smirks.

“Reign, I hear you killed a pastor,” he says casually, sipping his drink, while looking between me and Aubree and noting our dynamic.

As if I haven’t noticed his own with his best friend’s little sister.

“Not quite, unfortunately,” I toss back, taking a sip of my own drink, as I come to a stop at Aubree’s back, too close to be casual, hoping every sorry little fuck in here gets my message. “I hear Daemon had to defend your girl’s honor though,” I reply sweetly, making his smile drop, as I bring my hand to rest on the counter beside Aubree’s.

“She is not his girl,” Everest warns darkly, only delighting me further, as I flick my attention to him and then Harden, who is watching us all quietly.

“Might want to tell him to stop drooling over her then,” I state blandly, feeling bad for putting RoRo on the spot, but not caring enough to stop, not when it would be Aubree under fire instead.

Everest whips his head in Griffin’s direction, and I note the subtle step that Harden takes toward them, like he would step between them if he had to. Interesting.

“Reign, stop being a wanker,” Aurora snaps, quickly coming to their defense, and my smile only gets wider. Oh, Archer is going to have his work cut out for him with this lot.

“Sorry, little Gray,” I reply with a wink, but all she does is roll her eyes.

“How about we take this hangout down to the basement and fucking relax,” Archer suggests, snatching up some bottles and storming toward the door that leads downstairs, and nobody refutes.

We all start filing out, and when Aurora doesn’t move right away, I lean down and whisper, “Come on, RoRo, don’t want to keep your boyfriends waiting.” She punches me roughly in the arm, but follows after them anyway, and I switch my focus to Aubree. “Hey, Trouble, you okay?” I ask gently, and she finally lets herself truly look at me for the first time all night.

“That was mean, putting them on the spot like that,” she accuses, and I shrug, still smiling wickedly.

“It was you or them, and I’m always going to choose them,” I reply without remorse, and for a moment we are suspended in silence, before she exhales a deep breath.

“I’ll see you down there,” she rushes out, quickly slipping off her stool and following everyone else down to the basement, and all I can do is watch her leave.

I’m so fucking obsessed with her and I don’t think she even realizes it.

When I reach the basement I find Aubree sitting between Daemon and Archer, the latter glaring at me with a knowing smirk, and I refrain from giving him the finger. The chaotic little fuck is punishing me for what just happened upstairs, but I won’t give him the satisfaction of letting him win. Instead I move to the other sofa, taking a seat between Josh and Hallie, and Jake and Evie. Nova and Maddie are sitting together on one of the chairs, and Aurora has taken the other, with both Everest and Griffin sitting on the arms, and Harden half-leaning on the back, watching over everyone silently.

Once everyone is settled and more drinks are poured, Archer looks between us all with a smile. “So… Truth or Dare?” he asks, and my eyes snap to Nova and Maddie, the former glaring at me, the latter looking anywhere but.

“No!” Nova and I snap at the same time, and Archer zeros in on both of us, dissecting us with his stare.

“Hmm, firm denial there, is there something you want to share with the group?” he asks with a taunt, and Maddie shifts uncomfortably in Nova’s lap beneath Archer’s appraisal.

“Oh shit,” Evie gasps in delight, looking between us and then turning to Hallie with wide eyes, as if she just figured something out, but the three of us remain tight-lipped.

“You want to play Truth or Dare in front of your underage siblings and their friends?” Josh asks in a bored tone, and I can’t hide my smirk. The moody fucker would rather be anywhere but here, but as usual he is catering to his wife’s needs.

Archer waves him off. “Please, they’re all nearly eighteen, besides, they’re all family, it’s cool.”

“So you’re fine if I dare your sister to kiss the little flirt, who hasn’t stopped staring at her all night?” Josh asks, with a raise of his brow, openly taunting Archer more than he does any of us.

I guess he is never getting over the fact that Archer kissed his wife.

Not that I can say I blame him.

If anyone even tries to kiss Aubree tonight, I’ll pay someone to cut out their fucking tongue and make them disappear.

“Fuck no,” Everest snaps far too quickly, making Aurora roll her eyes, but it’s the small smirk tugging on the corner of Harden’s mouth that holds my interest.

“Truth or Dare, Daemon?” Griffin quickly asks, swiftly changing the subject to get off the topic of his best friend’s little sister, and Aubree’s stare collides with mine as if she is thinking the same thing as I am.

There is definitely something there.

“I think we’ve all had enough dares around here,” Daemon grumbles, sipping his drink, before looking around the room and eventually sighing, “Truth.”

Hmm not sure we want to open that can of worms, but hey.

Griffin isn’t deterred, as he smirks. “Who’s the top and who’s the bottom?”

Daemon rolls his eyes at the bullshit question, and I almost think he won’t grant him an answer, until he grunts, “Don’t ask stupid questions.”

I bark a laugh, as Archer looks completely offended. “I knew you gave off bottom energy,” I taunt him, and he cuts me with a warning glare.

“I do not,” he snaps, as we all laugh at his sulking face.

“Please, I hear you through the wall begging to be fucked every time you’re over at the house,” Josh drawls boredly, and I can’t say I blame him, I hear it every time they are here too.

“Kind of like your wife then, huh?” Archer snaps back, making Hallie blush. “Should I kiss her again, make her moan even louder for me instead? Or maybe we could join you next time, I hear we aren’t the only ones who like an audience,” he adds, and Josh tightens his hold on a now blushing Hallie in warning.

“Watch your mouth when it comes to my wife, Gray.”

Archer only smirks. “Oh, I’d love to, Peters.”

“Sounds like college is going to be fun,” Aurora chimes in, trying to lighten the mood, clearly a little tipsy, and Everest glares at her.

“You’re not fucking anyone,” Archer spits, pointing at her, as Aubree laughs, and he tilts his head between them. “In fact, get yourself a purity ring like Bree, lock that shit down until you’re fucking married,” he demands, and Everest nods in agreement, as Aubree laughs awkwardly.

“I’m not sure I’d recommend it,” she teases lightly, but Archer snaps his head in her direction.

“Is that right?” he smirks, staring at her knowingly. “Well, looks like you’re up, Troublemaker. Truth or Dare?”

Aubree’s eyes once again find mine instantly, like magnets, like she feels this pull between us just like I do.

“Dare,” she states boldly, still holding my stare, and a sense of dread settles in the pit of my stomach, because I know Archer Gray almost as well as I know myself. Which means I know exactly where this is going.

“Wonderful,” he beams excitedly. “I dare you to kiss Alexander.”

She doesn’t look surprised by his words, like she expected this just as much as I did, wanted it even, and fuck it tears me up inside, because I want it too, more than I have ever wanted anything, but not like this.

Aubree sits forward and places her drink on the table, at the same time I jump to my feet, and the slight frown on her face almost kills me. Yet still I turn and leave the room without looking back, because I didn’t lead her to see Ben’s true colors just so I could kiss her as part of a fucking game. No, I’ve made mistakes playing that game before, ones that didn’t have this high a price and were worth the gamble, but not this time. Not with her .

I rush upstairs, pushing past the other members of the team enjoying the low-key party and head out to the back deck of the house, but Aubree is there in an instant, calling my name.

“Alexander, wait,” she calls, panting a little as she joins me, searching my stare with her own, and I’m so close to the fucking edge that I am ready to snap. “Why did you leave? It’s only a kiss, it doesn’t mean anything, it’s just a game, right?” she asks, her words desperate, as if she needs my truthful answer more than anything, and I can’t deny it anymore.

“Is that what you’ve been telling yourself?” I ask with a scoff, my hands flexing with the need to fucking take hold of her and make her mine, and I can’t stop myself from grabbing her and slamming her into the side of the house. “That our kiss didn’t mean anything?” My hand snakes up around her throat, tipping her chin back so she can look at me, and her hand curls around it, holding me in place. “Are you saying that you don’t remember the feeling of my lips on yours?” I whisper against her mouth. “The taste of my tongue as it tangled with yours?” I breathe, bringing our lips just a breath apart.

Her heart is pounding against my arm, her pulse deep and heavy, as her eyes dilate. “So then why did you walk away?” she asks softly, searching my stare desperately, as if she wants this as much as I do, and I softly shake my head.

My eyes flick down to the purity ring on her middle finger, and I sigh, “I already told you, Aubree, I won’t kiss you again until you’re ready to be mine. Not in some game, and certainly not in front of all of our friends. So think about what you really want before you corner me like this again, because I only have so much restraint, and you’ve been testing it since the second I laid eyes on you.”

This time when I walk away I know she won’t follow, because the player never gets the fucking girl.