The guys in the crowd don’t make eye contact, especially with Luke breathing over my shoulder. I can feel the seconds slipping away along with my freedom.
CHAPTER 8
The Consequence
Harper
Someone moves through the crowd toward the back, and a brief twinge of hope floats through me. But it’s Caden, his dark hair and height unmistakable. That hope fizzles and dies. He makes his way toward the back, grabs a guy by his neck, and pulls him forward to stand before our table.
The guy is gangly compared to Caden and keeps dragging his feet. He’s average-looking, and honestly, I could do worse.
The horsemen are all incredibly good-looking, but again, there are four of them. I’m pretty sure if I’m it for the year, they’ll find a way to make me want it. And often.
My insides tighten, and I resist the urge to lean into Luke to absorb his heat. A part of me really likes the idea of having the horsemen as mine for a year. I should be appalled that the thought of four guys passing me around like a blunt doesn’t bother me as much as it probably should. That the thought of each of these guys with their hands on me doesn’t make me recoil at all.
Fuck, that’s some scary shit to realize and all the more reason I hope this guy is serious.
Because I could totally hold off on giving up anything to him, and the horsemen would never know the difference.
“Grant Perkins.” Luke grips my hips and pulls me back against him, then rests his chin on the top of my head. It’s a possessive gesture that makes me want to settle back into him.
I think I’m losing my mind, but being held feels good. Maybe hiding all those years deprived me to the point that any attention, even unwanted attention, feels wonderful.
Fuck, I need to focus. I’m sure I’ve had a class with Grant before. I don’t know him, but what do I care? Is he volunteering? Because I just need one guy.
“I was only having fun.” The voice is the same as the heckler. I almost hiss in recognition as I recoil into Luke. Caden releases him but stands behind him.
“Do you want our girl, Grant?” Luke curls his fingers possessively around my waist.
Not exactly the guy I want to hang out with for an entire year. A coward who makes lewd comments. That would make my mom proud, for sure. But if it’s him or the horsemen…
Then again, cowards are always cowards.
“Nah, dude, I was joking.” Grant shifts his gaze uneasily between the horsemen. His eyes skip over me. No surprises there. He looks like he’s a minute from bolting or peeing his pants.
“No one here wants this virgin sacrifice?” Luke’s voice rings out, and I flinch.
Just bury me now. No one is laughing, but no one is stepping forward either. I rolled the dice and bet it all on a lost cause. No one will stand up to the horsemen. No one will go against them.
I just gave away my freedom on a stupid game of chance, where the odds were never in my favor. Yeah, I’m not exactly feeling like one of the smartest girls in the room at the moment. Of course, it doesn’t really change anything. They were stillgoing to keep coming at me if I didn’t agree. At least I got them to give up something they didn’t want to.
“Take off your underwear.”
I swallow at Luke’s words. My heartbeat ratchets up to a new level. I tilt my head to look at him, but he’s not looking at me. Relief flows through me.
“What?” Grant stammers. “Nah, dude.”
Luke gives him a predatory grin. His fingers tighten against me. “Caden, beat the living shit out of this guy if he doesn’t give us his underwear in ten, nine, eight?—”
Caden closes in on Grant, looking way too happy about fighting someone half his size.
“Wait.” Grant shoves his jeans down and kicks off his shoes. “Wait.”
Luke covers my eyes and whispers in my ear, “Can’t destroy your innocence so soon.”
“I’ve seen a dick before.” I take a breath and my body brushes against Luke’s.
His heat bleeds into me from behind. I can feel his hard cock against the base of my spine. He slips the fingers at my waist under my shirt and massages the skin of my stomach. Sparks scatter through my system as he chuckles low and dark in my ear.
