“It’s time, Luke.” Eli gets off the interstate.
Luke nods and hands me back my phone.
“Time for what?” I open my message conversation with Kenz. She sent me a bunch of different emojis over the weekend.
“Time to make the queen bee pay for her transgressions.” Luke rubs the back of his neck.
“Does that mean releasing those videos to her college?” I scoot forward. “I don’t think what she’s done warrants taking away her future.”
Luke turns and searches my eyes. His eyes narrow. “No, we won’t take away her future, but she may need to stumble a little from her current spot at the top.”
“Ashley could take her spot.” Eli glances at me. “She’s much more logical than Sidney.”
My eyes narrow on Eli. Ashley was his off-and-on cheerleader fuck buddy. Is he playing favorites?
Eli glances at me and then turns down another street. He releases his breath. “She’s almost clinical and emotionless. Yes, she had some jealousy at the start of us, but she knows the rules now. I’m yours, kitten. The only reason I bring her up is because Hannah is hot-headed and Emma is a follower. The only one of the four who could topple Sidney is Ashley.”
I soften and draw in a breath. “I wasn’t jealous.”
“But I could tell you were thinking it.” Eli pulls off into a parking lot and Jack’s car follows. When he puts the car in park, he turns to look at me. “The only one we want is you, Harper. You’re ours and we’re yours. Ashley is a means to an end. Sidney needs to fall and someone will have to take her place.”
“Unless you want to, princess.”
My horrified eyes go to Luke as I press back against the seat. “Me? No.”
Luke smirks. “Didn’t think so.”
“We’ll wait for Sidney to make her move with you. Maybe we’ll even let her win Homecoming queen before bringing her down.” Eli’s eyes glow with a dark light.
“Or let Ashley win.” I mean, it would definitely topple the queen bee or at least shake her. “That way she gets the attention Sidney craves.”
Eli’s smile grows. “That’s the way to think, kitten.”
“Where are we?” I look out the window and see a restaurant, the Red Barn. It’s not a chain and not anywhere close to where we live. We’re still miles from home.
“Doing some reconnaissance.” Luke opens his door. “You up to it?”
I nod, but I have no idea what I’m getting myself into. Luke gets out and opens my door, helping me out. I straighten my skirt. I changed from the one I had on. It was almost as wrecked as I was.
Luke draws me into him and kisses me. I sink into the feel of his mouth on mine as the others join us. We move as one to the door of the restaurant and walk in. After we’re seated, I lean in to Eli.
“Why are we here?”
Eli smirks and sits back. “Wait for it, kitten.”
I don’t understand, but I look over my menu. A young woman comes over to the table and takes our drink and food orders. I lean into Eli’s side as Jack takes my hand.
“How’s your knee?” Luke asks Nico.
“Not bad.” Nico grimaces. “Hopefully the surgery goes well tomorrow.”
I don’t like that we’ll be in class while he’s having surgery, but that’s just part of being a high schooler.
“Don’t push your healing.” Jack taps on the table. “You want to be able to play college ball, you have to come out of this unscathed.”
Nico nods. When he glances my way, I give him an encouraging smile. I’m almost glad we’re here instead of somewhere closer to home where people we know could watch us. It’s nice not to be the center of everyone else’s attention for once.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in.”
