Page 47 of The Sweetest Cruelty: Hudson (A Sawyer Brothers Story #1)

The next week of school sailed by. I saw Hudson a few times, but his brothers always surrounded him.

Almost like they were his security detail.

Harper had also been distant. We’d messaged a few times, but didn’t speak about what had happened at Straker's party.

Her texts were mostly about Nick and how he was now ghosting her.

I knew that would have something to do with the fight.

Hudson was her foster brother after all.

Maybe Xander had warned Nick to stay away from her.

After making a few enquiries here and there, Mark explained that there were rumours that the Creed family were into some dodgy stuff.

I wasn’t sure what to believe, but I knew I didn’t want to involve myself in anything like that.

Now that I appeared to be accepted at school, I just wanted to sink into my studies and build on my relationship with my father.

Whatever was going on with Hudson would have to wait. I certainly wasn’t going to chase after him. I knew he still watched me when he thought I wasn’t looking.

Storm was still playing nice, and a couple of the other cheerleaders started talking to me. This resulted in me eating my lunch on the bleachers, whilst ogling Hudson at practice.

We messaged back and forth, but it was just the usual banter. Gentle flirting without substance, in my opinion. One afternoon, whilst I was watching the boys practice, Courtney, one of the cheerleaders, walked over with Storm.

We hadn’t officially been introduced, and Storm explained that Courtney was the choreographer. They encouraged me to attend the cheer auditions, which were being held the following week. A free space had become available due to Sasha dropping out of the squad.

My first two periods had been track and field, which I was useless at. I was wearing a black skort, a white cropped top, socks, and plimsolls when Courtney cornered me.

She offered to take me through the moves for the auditions to give me a head start. After numerous attempts to explain that I wasn’t very coordinated, I gave in.

I wondered if it would get Hudson’s attention. The squad and the football team were like a set, and I wanted to be part of that set, so I agreed.

So, one lunchtime, I spent the latter half attempting to follow Courtney and Storm’s guidance. Tate wasn’t in school that day, thank goodness. I probably wouldn’t have given it a go if I’d had her giggling behind her hand. The other girls were encouraging, which spurred me on.

“You must join us, as with your accent and looks, you’ll drive the boys on the other team wild. We’re playing our old rivals next, St Andrew’s High.” I remembered that was the school Nick went to.

At first, I was useless, and it took me ages to pick up the moves. During one tricky bit, I bent forward before snapping back and my boob almost fell out of my top. Great.

A large whoop from the boys across the field told me it hadn’t gone unnoticed.

Just before the end of lunch, we all went through the routine together.

I bent over to tie my lace, feeling hot and bothered, when I straightened, I spotted Hudson.

He was so fast and strong, and my mouth almost watered.

Most of the girls kept stopping to watch the players.

Once Hudson had finished the drill, he lifted his top, revealing his muscled abs as he wiped the sweat from his face with his practice jersey. Oh, sweet Jesus.

“You’re overrunning your mark, Gage; it makes it tougher on your QB. Get your head in the game. You can’t afford any distractions,” Coach bellowed. I wondered if I were the distraction, and it made me hide a smile. I found it hard to focus on the dance after that.

Once the routine ended and we froze in our finishing poses, there was a cheer from a couple of the girls who were watching and wolf whistles ensured from the staring jocks.

“OK, guys, knock it off. Let’s try some slant routes,” Rutherford shouted, his attempt to get the guys back on task.

All the girls congratulated me and said that I was a natural.

I thought about what being part of the cheer squad would mean.

Would it make my father proud or not? I had no doubt it would cement me with the popular crowd.

I just needed to get my head around their constant bickering over the jocks.

I suppose I should have expected it. Storm said cheerleaders and football players went together like clam cakes and chowder. I said I’d think about it.

I was in the middle of the girls as they praised me again, and I couldn’t help but smile. Storm even pulled me in for a huge hug. That happened just as Harper appeared at the side of the bleachers with her headphones on.

Two girls started cackling as they spotted her, calling her Foster Care, and I didn’t like that .

Pulling my gaze away from Harper, who hadn’t seen me, I cast my eye around the girls. They were all as plastic as hell. Fake.

What the hell was I doing? Trying to be something I wasn’t, and for what? A boy whom I would probably never understand?

Turning back to Harper, I swallowed, hoping she wouldn’t spot me. And then she did.

Harper looked between Storm and me before turning and walking back towards the school.

I went to move after her, but Storm’s hand on my arm stopped me. “Just leave her. She’ll get over it.”

“But she’s a friend.”

“If she’s your friend, she’ll want to see you happy. Besides, being in the squad would give you more chances to see Hudson.”

“What are you talking about, Storm?” Reed suddenly said from behind her. He’d spoken with his mouth guard in, and so his words were partly muffled before he removed it and started to yank his helmet off. He looked huge in the protective body gear.

“Go away, Reed,” Storm waved him off, flicking her hair over her shoulder. “You should focus more on your shitty pass plays with your receiver and less time eaves dropping. This is girl talk. Your stupid jock-ass wouldn’t understand anyway.”

“My stupid jock-ass?”

They then started to argue.

I stepped backwards with a roll of my eyes, my shoulders hitting a hard chest.

As I spun around, I lifted my chin to see Hudson. Shit, it was good to see him up close again. Awareness ran through my entire body, and the memory of those lips on mine gave me goosebumps.

Backing up another step, I glanced down towards his hands. He was holding his helmet and arranging his gloves inside it. Those dark eyes were roaming over my stomach. I didn’t need to read that smirk on his face to establish he hadn’t approached me for friendly reasons. Here we go again.

“Gage?”

“Miller?”

Hudson moved past me and placed his helmet on the bottom of the bleachers where I had put my mobile phone.

“I thought you were ignoring me,” I accused, tugging down my skort, feeling aware of my thighs on display.

Scratching his jaw, which he hadn’t shaved recently, he asked. “Why would I be ignoring you?”

I wrapped my hands around my stomach, “I don’t know. Maybe due to what happened at the party?”

Hudson wiped his hands on his game pants. His thighs were thick with muscle. I kept my gaze away from his crotch. “I apologised for that and you accepted it, remember. Besides, it wasn’t how it looked.”

Interesting. “And how did it look?”

Hudson shifted on his feet, clearly uncomfortable. “I don’t know. Like I was jealous or something.”

I gave him an ‘are you for real’ look. “And you’re saying you weren’t?”

“Yep. The day doesn’t exist that I would be jealous of that drug dealing douche. British translation being prick.” Hudson stepped toward me, his large body shadowing me from the others. Now Storm, Reed, and a handful of others were all kicking off.

“I know what a douche is.”

“I watched you dancing.”

“And?”

Hudson took a step forward and ran one finger down my cheek. “Molly Miller, are you fishing for compliments?”

“Maybe I am,” I replied with a shrug.

He glanced over towards the group. “Well, you certainly got the seal of approval from the team. Did you enjoy shaking your ass and tits for the boys?”

A shard of fury shot into me. “That wasn’t what I was doing, Hudson.”

“Whatever, why would you want to join the cheer sluts, unless it’s to get attention from the team?”

“Fuck, Hudson. Does every conversation have to be such a struggle with you?”

“If you want to know if I enjoyed the show. Of course I did. I’m not made of stone, plus I know how you taste.”

The bad feeling churning in my stomach continued to do its thing. “I thought we were done with this shit?”

“What shit is that, kitten?”

“You, being mean to me,” I explained, ringing my hands together in frustration .

His brow pinched. “Why would you think that?”

“Well. You appeared to have called off your dogs,” I said with a wave of my hand towards the cheer squad and jocks.

“Nope. Not me. They heard about the kiss, then put two and two together and as for being mean. I’m a treat them mean keep them keen type. You know that.”

My stomach dropped.

“I remember your deranged system of pushing people away.” I took a deep breath as I made my decision.

I too had shit to deal with and I remember my mother saying that you cannot help someone who does not want to help themselves.

“Well, as far as I am concerned, that’s one way to put me off. I prefer normal, nice guys.”

“Then you’re looking in the wrong place with me, English.”

You think? I wanted to shout, but it was no good. It was like there were two sides to my mind, and they were not in agreement.

My shoulders slumped, and I felt drained of all energy.

Hudson took in my body language, his nostrils flaring, and he pinched the bridge of his nose.

There was a short silence as he inhaled, his large chest moving in and out. He then dropped his hand and gave me a hooded look.

It felt like he took forever to respond. “Maybe I don’t want to be the first boy to break your heart? I’m certainly no deflowerer of virgins.”

I glared at him like he’d spouted another head. “You're disgusting.”