Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 112449 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 562(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112449 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 562(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
“It started off rough,” I admitted. “To be fair, it’s still a bit rough. But I’m their girl now.”
“Are you serious?”
“You are?”
The last came from Paris.
“Yeah, I am,” I told her.
I caught the face she made in the rearview.
“Are you okay with this?”
“Are you?” she tossed back. “I’ve seen them and their girls over the last couple years. They’re not exactly boyfriends of the year.”
“They’re different with me.”
“Um,” Zara drew out. “They put you on a leash and walked you around campus like a dog.”
“I didn’t say they were different in a sweet way.”
“Guys, let’s lay off her,” Amy said. “I dated a guy for three months who liked giving me head during my period.”
“Oh my gosh, Amy,” Presley screamed over us acting up. “Did we need to know that?”
“I’m just saying,” she replied, laughing. “Human sexuality is craaaaa-zy. Maybe the whole collar and leash thing is foreplay for them.”
“Paris,” I said. “Could you speed up? When I jump out of the car, I want to make sure I die.”
They fell out.
“We’re just messing with you,” Elise said. “We’ll share our kinks too. I love a good, manly armpit.”
My brows blew up my forehead. “We talking the hair or the smell?”
The conversation devolved from there. I don’t think I laughed that hard in years. Correction: I have not laughed that hard in over two years.
Growing up, my best friend was Ivy. We kept farmer’s hours, so while everyone was in school, we were helping Gran, then all the kids got home, and our butts were at the kitchen table for our lessons. Other than the children of other farmers in the area, it was just us. Those farmers and their kids slowly packed up and moved out by the time the bank came for the last farm standing—mine.
The point was, I never had this. Just us girls laughing and goofing off over tacos. I didn’t think it was a life I wanted, or could even have, until now.
“Seriously, Rainey. We want to know everything, and we want to know it now.”
I gave her big eyes with a mouthful of taco. Paris brought us to a dive bar named Joe’s and swore up, down, and sideways that we were about to have the best tacos we’d ever eaten. Damned if she didn’t undersell it.
Presley held up her hands. “Stop me when I’m there. How big is Cairo’s dick?”
“Yuck.” Paris shoved her arm, nearly knocking the girl to the floor.
“I’ll take Legend, Roan, Jacques, or Arsenio too.”
I shook my head. “You ladies are a pack of stone-cold weirdos, and I love it.”
“That’s us,” Zara agreed.
Joe’s wasn’t packed on a Tuesday night. A few guys lined the bar, watching a game and nursing mugs of beer. In the corner was a sweet couple feeding each other onion rings. Otherwise, it was us.
Elise dropped her voice. “Speaking of stone-cold hotties—”
“I said weirdos.”
“But you meant hotties,” she said. “Anyway, I didn’t get a chance to tell you I hooked up with one of those Crow guys last weekend, Jonah. It was insane.”
Paris nudged my arm. “Bathroom break. Come with me.”
She wasn’t asking, so I got up and followed her.
We squeezed in the two-stall ladies’ room. I hopped up on the counter, bracing myself for the talk ahead.
“I don’t want to hassle you,” Paris said from the stall. “If you’re happy with my brother and his friends, then I’m happy for you. You’re supercool and Cairo’s lucky to be with you.”
“Thank you,” I said. Now for the but.
“But what you said in the car isn’t what you said to me. You told me they were holding something over you. If you guys worked it out, awesome. But if you’re trapped and they’re doing all that shit to humiliate you.” The stall banged open. “Give them hell. I say this as his loving sister. Kick. Their. Fucking. Asses.”
I smiled. “I hope your mom doesn’t have more kids lurking around, ’cause I’m two for two crushing on the ones she’s got.”
“I know, sweets.” She swaggered to the sink, winking like she had something in her eyes. “But it’s not meant to be for us. I’m a health foods girl.”
“What does that mean?”
“Bananas over donuts.”
“Nice.” We high-fived. “Your innuendos are both amazing and terrible. I have so much to learn from you.”
We headed out, weaving around the tables for ours.
“—going this weekend? The Crows are renting a house on Bay Avenue,” we heard Elise say. “Beer, weed, drugs, Jonah. They said the party’s going to be bigger than Ruck—”
“Party?”
All eyes flew to Paris. They did not look innocent.
“What party?” Paris repeated.
“Jeremy and his friends are throwing a party this weekend,” Amy said.
“Oh, it’s Jeremy now, is it? The same guy who crashed Ruckus Royale and stabbed a man for no reason.”
“Listen,” Elise said, pulling her down. “Jonah explained everything. Rumors about the Bedlam Boys spread outside this town. The Crows knew when they transferred here, our guys would try to make them their bitches, so they came up with a plan to prove how big and bad they were at Ruckus in front of everyone. Show the Bedlam Boys they’re not to be messed with.