“I would have said my safe word if it was too much. I would have fought harder.” I trace an infinity pattern on his chest. “The others would have stopped you if it was too much. Luke, please.”
His arms come around me and he pulls me in tight against him like he can’t help himself. Maybe he’s as powerless as I am to fight whatever is growing between us. My cheek rests against his steady heartbeat. I breathe him in and wrap my arms around his waist, needing to be close to him. To assure him I’m okay.
“I don’t want to be him.” The words are so soft I barely hear them, but when I do, they cut through me. His father.
“You’re not, Luke.” I kiss his chest and look up into his tortured eyes. “You’re not like him. Not at all.”
I cup his jaw, rubbing at the scruff there. “You knew what I needed and you gave it to me. I want you, Luke. I needyou.”
His forehead presses to mine. His hand curves around my neck, sending shivers of awareness through me. “I can’t do that to you again, princess. I can’t.”
“I won’t ask you to. I promise.”
Caden
When I finally walk back into my room, I’m surprised to find Harper sitting next to Luke on the couch with her legs over his lap and her head resting on his shoulder. A t-shirt that isn’t mine covers her. She has a pillow under her ass. The others sit around in their boxers with the TV on.
“We need to talk,” I say.
“About?” Luke turns off the TV.
I run a hand through my hair and sit in the chair across from Jack, Luke, Harper, and Nico. Eli sits in the other chair.
“Ava’s home.”
Jack’s eyes narrow. “What happened?”
“She’s not saying why, but our parents sent her home after she got suspended from her school.” I run my hand through my hair again. Fuck. “She wants to go to school here.”
Just what I need, another fucking target to worry about.
“What about Tanner?” Harper straightens and concern fills her eyes.
“I don’t fucking know.” And that’s the problem. My focus has been solely on Harper this year. Now Ava’s back and she won’t tell me why. Which can’t be good. I lift my gaze to Harper and give her an apologetic look. “I need today to figure out her shit.”
“You want us to go?” She moves to stand and Luke holds her against him.
“We need to make new plans to deal with our shit, but I can’t focus on that until I figure out Ava’s situation.” I need to call my parents and find out why. Why they’ve left her with me again? Ionly have one more year in school and then I’m gone. Ava can’t be left here alone. Not the way I was.
She won’t make good decisions. She’ll act out and get into trouble. And I won’t be here to stop her or bail her out.
“I have to go home and make sure my mom is okay.” Nico sighs and his gaze stops on Harper. “I can’t risk you being at my house. Not with my dad so interested in you.”
She holds out her hand to Nico and he squeezes it.
“My parents are playing nice today, apparently.” Eli glances up from his phone. “They want to have a family dinner anddiscussthings.”
“Lucy’s been texting. She wants a play date.” Jack sighs. His gaze finds mine. “If you need me to help?—”
“Nah, dude.” I shake my head. Ava’s not telling me everything. “I need to handle this one with kid gloves. She’s acting cagey and I have to figure out what’s really happening.”
Harper looks at Luke. “I was going to hang out with Mom today. You should come with.”
He shakes his head. “I can go home.”
“No.” I stand because I’m not letting him get in his own way. “We don’t know who’s after Harper. She’s still safer with one of us. You should go, Luke.”
“Fine,” Luke relents.
