“Whatever.” She turns back to Luke. “We used to be friends. As your friends, we’d like to help you out. However we can.”
“We’ll consider it.” Luke leans forward. “There will be conditions of course.”
“We’ll want something in return,” she says shrewdly.
What could the Cheermonsters want from the horsemen. I could imagine them at a conference table negotiating their terms and conditions. Next year, I won’t have to worry about the Cheermonsters. High school will be over.
No more Cheermonsters and no more horsemen. My heart stalls. How does that work after high school? It made sense since our mascot is the mustang, but when we go to college, who will the guys be?
Just rich college boys? Could these boys ever bejustanything?
Our freshman year they were looked at with respect, not as lowly freshmen. They made waves like no one else could. They were unstoppable.
Who did they run over on their climb to the top? Maybe that’s the piece we’re missing. Because they might have hurt people that the horsemen didn’t even realize they hurt.
People like me who faded into the background. I never knew if there were others, but it would make sense. The guys labeled girls our freshman year and every year after as unfuckable. Which freed those girls from being targets of the horsemen, but that couldn’t have been good for their social lives.
The guys have been callous and cruel to so many people. But now I’m standing with them. What we did tonight was different. This is different. Isn’t it?
When I lift my gaze, Sidney and Ashley are gone. The dance floor moves as one to the beat. I don’t know if I missed anything or if they negotiated, but I’m sure the guys will tell me. Or Jack and Nico when they get back.
When Luke stands, he draws me up with him. I stand beside him, looking up at his handsome face. He was terrifying to me.Everything I thought was wrong with our school was tied up in these boys. How could I have forgotten that?
Jack’s pleasure at humiliating Ethan. Caden throwing his weight around. Sure, he hasn’t gotten into a fight since Tanner. But everything they’ve done makes sense. Right now.
What about the things that didn’t?
Luke tips my chin up and studies my eyes. I look into his, trying to see the monster I know he used to be.
“What’s wrong, princess?” He draws me in close to him.
My body hums, ready for what comes next. Ready for him to make me his, over and over again.
Some small part of me is horrified at what I’ve become. I’m theirs. I belong to the horsemen. All of them.
But they’re mine. The larger part of me knows that. And before I didn’t really know them. I studied their behavior to avoid them, but I didn’t know Luke. I didn’t know the damage he hid for years. The scars on his body and on his soul.
Jack is right. I could never fall in parts. With these guys, it’s all or nothing.
Luke brushes my hair behind my ear and slides his hand around the back of my neck, holding me tenderly. My heart feels too big for my chest. He rests his forehead against mine and I breathe him in.
Fuck. It’s not possible. Maybe it’s Stockholm syndrome. But that would mean they’re holding me captive. Maybe in some sense of the word. I don’t think any of them would let me leave without trying to make me stay.
“Do you want to stay?” His blue eyes search mine while we stand in our intimate bubble.
For a second, I worry he could read my mind, but then I realized he meant at the party. No. I shake my head.
He smiles and presses his lips to mine before leading me to the door to the rest of the house. My fingers touch my tingling lips in wonder.
Caden opens the door and we step through, shutting out the rest of the party. The rest of the world.
Luke backs me against the wall and presses against me like he does after lunch. “Did you enjoy your last kiss outside of us, princess?”
I glance at Eli and he smirks. I can either tell Luke the truth or I could lie to get punished. It just depends on if I want Luke to be sweet to me or dirty to me.
This afternoon with Jack or the closet with Caden. My insides heat for both, but I know without a doubt what I want Death to do. What I need him to do to help with this warm fuzzy feeling inside that I shouldn’t have for him.
I draw in a breath. My chest presses into his. I wet my lips, drawing his gaze to them. “She tasted like honey.”
