Page 16 of Whisper Pretty Lies (Lust & Liars #1)

Hawk

Damon wants to fuck over Chase Chadwick, who is a pretentious asshole and deserves fucking over. The best way to fuck with a guy is to fuck with his girl. And the best way to fuck with a girl is to fuck the girl.

I may be captain of our hockey team and used to leading, but this particular boat is steered by Damon. And add Annie’s mother happens to be a gold digger creeping in on Damon’s dad, and the target on poor Annie grows bigger.

Of course, she’s not innocent in any of this. She was there that night. It takes two to party like that.

Unfortunately, Annie isn’t like other girls. Most girls are crawling all over me the second I give them any attention. Not Annie. Fuck no, she practically told me off yesterday at lunch. And even though her eyes were screaming yes at me last night, she turned away when I leaned in to kiss her.

When I saw Brandt heading to Annie’s table in history, Evan sat there and accepted the inevitable. She obviously didn’t want him at her table. He’s her fucking nemesis for the showcase. But she was just going to take it. Fuck that.

Besides, I like the idea of having to complete a project together. I plan on seeing a whole lot more of Annie this year anyway.

Her new friend though...

Mia’s a wannabe puck bunny. She’s already laying the groundwork to make her way through the hockey team. I would say Annie is an odd choice as a friend for Mia, but then again, Annie is dating a manwhore.

When class is dismissed, it’s easy enough to follow them to lunch. Mia keeps up a running dialogue with both Damon and I, keeping us attached to her and therefore Annie. She looks mortified we’re anywhere near her.

I should have kissed her last night. Would she have gone running to her boyfriend? How far would she have let me get? We were in her bedroom. The others would have waited for me, or they could have taken off and I would have had Annie to myself.

If she told Chase, I don’t think he’d have the balls to call me out. If Annie were mine, I’d knock his teeth down his throat for daring to come near her.

Okay, that thought gives me pause. We don’t do girlfriends. It’s too fucking messy. We don’t even fuck anyone on the regular. When girls try to claim us, it only ends in catfights, which, while entertaining, are not fun when you’re the cause.

The student body watches us move into line. Annie picks the salad bar again. I know better than to ask to pay for it, so I head with Damon to get something with protein and carbs.

“What’s the plan?” I ask Damon.

Annie’s moving in, but not until Friday.

How long before she’s in his bed? He’s not particular about keeping a girl to himself.

We’ve shared on more than one occasion. Not at the same time, but we’ve fucked the same girl in the same night.

Damon wants us all to take her, and I can’t say I’m opposed.

I’m attracted to Annie and enjoy a challenge.

“Nothing.” Damon glances toward Annie and Mia as their line moves faster.

“I thought you wanted to crush him.” We haven’t played this game before. But I want to take Annie from Chase. I want to make her crawl for me and have her obey me. Something about that innocence she wraps around her so tightly makes me want to prove to everyone how dirty she really is.

I’m usually all about the seduction, but Annie gets under my skin.

“It’s going to take time. She’s going to take time.” Damon shakes his head as he grabs his food and heads outside. I follow behind. “Rushing this will cause us to crash and burn too fast. Her fucking walls are up and she’s on guard. We need to wear her down.”

What he says makes sense, but I don’t want to wait. I’m fucking drawn to this girl. I want to fucking ruin her, over and over again.

The courtyard is full today. The Deimos royalty is already present, picking at their lunches. Gemma Florence, Megan Baron, and Olivia Carmichael. Popular, rich, beautiful. I’ve fucked them all, and they’ve fucked half the school. They were born knowing their place in this world is on top.

I try to imagine blond-haired, blue-eyed Olivia in Annie’s house.

The carpet was so old it was worn from traffic patterns.

It was clean, but everything looked dated.

My mother would have thrown out the whole lot and started over.

Olivia wouldn’t even make it into the neighborhood before turning her Bentley around.

“Damon, love, come sit. I need to tell you something.” Olivia flashes her smile at Damon and pats the seat beside her. She’s confident she can have anything she wants. She’s been trying to get Damon for years. He’s been avoiding fucking her.

Maybe he likes the game. Or her desperation. Whatever the reason, he doesn’t mess with her.

Damon almost got away. But since he’s still here, I’m pretty sure he’s Olivia’s game plan for this year.

Damon walks her way. The rich and popular Anteros students have another table filled with people like Brandt and Abby Baker. I fucked her once, but she tried too hard.

Maybe I’m bored with girls like Abby and Olivia. Maybe I want a challenge like Annie. She doesn’t want to want me and I find that shit fascinating.

The doors open, and I’m shocked to see Mia leading Annie out into the courtyard. Mia acts like she belongs here as she makes her way over to Abby and her friends.

Poor Annie looks like a frightened rabbit. She knows she doesn’t belong out here. Not with these sharks. She’s never been out here. I give her five minutes before she scurries back inside.

“Hey, Mia.” Abby scoots over, making enough room for only Mia to join them. Mia doesn’t hesitate to sit, but then looks for a space for Annie. The table is full, but if each of the girls moved a little or put a purse on the table, there would be room.

Annie’s smile doesn’t falter, but that light dims in her eyes. It’s like watching someone lose their friend. Fuck.

I stand before Annie can turn and run back inside, because that’s exactly what she should do. But I’m faster than she is. When I drape my arm over her shoulder, she tenses.

“There’s room over here, Annie.” I pull her to where I was sitting.

Annie is too intent on watching her feet, but Mia’s eyes narrow as jealousy sparks in them. She flirted with me yesterday and in class this morning. If I wanted her, I could have had her already, just one day in.

But instead, I want this timid girl who looks like she’d rather bolt than follow me.

But she’s aware of how it would look to these people if she left me after coming to her rescue.

She already made a scene yesterday, but that was inside.

So, she lets me lead her to my table and sits down next to me.

Cam comes out of the cafeteria to shouts of Cam!

He smirks, notices Annie next to me, and heads our way. Damon stays next to Olivia, but his attention is on Annie until Olivia says something.

Mia’s smile stays fixed as she talks with those other girls, but her eyes say she’d rather be over here. And I don’t think Annie is the draw.

“Stepping outside the lines, goody two-shoes?” Cam sits on her other side, straddling the bench to face her.

“I should go back inside.” She’s pale and glances toward the other table. When she sees Mia laughing, her gaze falls to her tray.

“Nonsense.” I pick up my burger and take a bite. “You’re already here and you have a seat.”

Her cheeks flush with warmth, but she doesn’t lift her eyes to look at me. Fuck it, I want to put her at ease. I’ll torment her later.

“ Othello, that’s the play you’re directing for the showcase?” I keep my attention on her, hoping it will make her relax to talk about something familiar.

She nods and picks at her salad with her fork.

“What’s your focus for your production?” I need to get her talking.

“I find the machinations of Iago to be fascinating.” She takes a small bite, like she’s afraid.

“How so?”

Cam lifts an eyebrow at me, but we all go to an excellent school. There aren’t a lot of stupid people here. We’ve been dissecting Shakespeare for three years now. I think I can have one discussion with a theater nerd.

She lifts her gaze and narrows her eyes. “Are you really interested?”

Cam chuckles, but coughs when she glances at him.

“Yes, Annie. I want to understand your take on Othello .”

She starts off slowly discussing how Iago manipulates and lies to get what he thinks is justice and touches on the blatant racism in the piece. As I ask questions, she slowly opens up and gets into the discussion.

“You’re familiar with the work?” she asks. Her blue eyes focus on mine. This is where she’s confident, talking about theater.

“I’ve read through it and seen it on stage before,” I admit.

She bites her lip and looks down. “Mia said you were thinking of auditioning.”

It’s not a question, but I take it as such. “My college application could use some rounding out. It’s a little late to start playing an instrument. The best I can draw is a stick figure. Most clubs take up too much time and I already have hockey.”

“The play is going to take up a lot of time.” She cocks her head to the side.

“But some of the practice is during the school day.”

She smiles like she caught me. “You’d have to miss class.”

“I have a free period at that time.”

“It’s not only during that time though. Have you ever acted before?” Her blue eyes search mine, and they aren’t shy this time. She’s genuinely curious.

I kind of want to crack open her brain and see how it works. What is she thinking? Does she honestly wonder if I could be in her play or is she figuring out ways to dismiss me?

“Can you keep a secret?” I ask.

Cam snort laughs.

Annie’s eyes light up and she practically beams. “Yes.”

I lean in and reach to brush her hair away from her ear. She draws back before I can touch her. I arch an eyebrow. “It’s a secret. I have to whisper it in your ear.”

She gives me a worried look but tucks her hair behind her ear and turns so it’s facing me. Cam rolls his eyes. I give him a gloating smirk. She’s so fucking proper sitting between us, but the way she talks about Shakespeare and directing is with passion.

It makes me want to taste that passion.

I lean in and my lips touch her earlobe. She lets out this shaky breath that makes me want to slide my hand between her legs and see if she’s wet. Does Shakespeare turn her on? Do I?

I wet my lips and my tongue flicks against her ear. This time her breath catches.

“I spent a summer doing Shakespeare in the Park on a dare.” My lips brush her skin with every word.

“On a dare?” Her voice is soft and breathless, like it will be after I make her come.

I smile and she shivers because my lips are still brushing her ear. I slide my hand against her neck. “I do a lot of things on dares, Annie.”

“EvanAnn!” Chase’s voice makes her bolt to her feet.

I lean back and smirk as Chase walks over to us. His eyes are narrowed, but he doesn’t seem worried that I had my mouth against Annie’s ear and my hand almost around her neck. I ignore the way my cock aches.

I can’t wait to sink it into her. It’s only a matter of time.

“Chase,” she says. She’s still a little breathless from my touch.

My smirk gets cockier. So close. I can still taste the salt of her skin against my lips, and the woodsy scent of her lingers in my nose.

Chase looks confused, but he doesn’t say anything until he closes in on her. “Hey, what are you doing out here? I was waiting for you at our table.”

Annie looks down at her hands and her tray with what looks like guilt. “Mia wanted to sit outside. Sorry, I forgot to tell you.”

Chase glances at me and then Cam. “Where’s Mia?”

“There wasn’t room at her table.” Annie sinks back into her seat and offers, “I can go back inside with you. I’m done with lunch anyway.”

Whatever light was on in Annie is off now. She’s going through the fucking motions with this asshole. Why? Because he’s rich and attractive? Because he could be a name some day? What is she using him for?

I didn’t take her as a gold digger like her mother, but maybe the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

What does he have that I don’t? I’m probably worth more than that asshole. Definitely smarter. More attractive.

When he holds his hand out, she stands and grabs her tray. Before she leaves, she turns and looks at me with those blue-gray eyes. “I look forward to your audition.”

He walks her back into the school. The thing he has that I currently don’t is Annie.

But that’s going to change.