“So why does it matter what they’re up to?”
He’s a future Owed. He’s not an Offering. Of course he doesn’t understand what’s at stake if Loni is fooling around with Adrian… “Okay, then, it doesn’t.” Whatever it takes to end this conversation so I can search for Loni and cover for her if necessary. “You said you saw Desmond in the kitchen, right? Maybe I’ll go say hi to him.”
And keep Loni’s boyfriend distracted while she’s engaging in an affair with another guy from our school…
Connor rises from his lean so quickly, I’m startled. I take an awkward step back, nearly tripping off the top porch stair when his hand lashes out, grabbing me by the upper arm.
Once I’m steady, I shake him off.
He stays too, too close. “What do you want with Des?”
I tilt my chin up, trying to calm my racing heart at the same time. “Why do you care?”
Connor opens his mouth to answer, but before he can, the patio door slides open. Sebastien Reynolds steps outside, holding a red cup of his own.
He does a double-take when he notices that Connor is looming over me, plus how I’m seconds away from pushing him out of my personal space. A small smile tugs on Sebastien’s pouty lips, lighting up his impossibly pretty face before his brow furrows and he playfully punches Connor in the bicep.
“This is where you went? I thought you were supposed to be keeping an eye on Des so he doesn’t—” Sebastien stops for a moment, peeking over at me before saying to Connor, “You know.” Don’t worry, Bas. I know, too. “But, instead, I find you out here flirting with an Offering.”
Connor takes a purposeful step away from me at last, giving me space as he throws up his hands. “Guilty as charged, buddy.”
“And?” I ask. “He’s Connor. He flirts witheveryone.”
Sebastien salutes me with his drink. “If that’s what you think, Haven. I mean, you’d be wrong, but I’ll leave you to figure that one out on your own.”
Sure. Whateverhesays. “Quick question. If the two of you are out here, who’s watching Desmond? Dallas?”
Dallas Collins is Jack Collins’s only kid. Technically, he’s the one true heir, the boy who will be King one day, but everyone in Harmony Heights knows that Jack is doing his best to groom Adrian into taking over the role. Dallas… he’s too fucked-up to lead the society, and that’s all Jack’s own doing.
Sebastien and Connor exchange a look.
“Dallas passed on the party,” Bas eventually says. “His dad had him taking care of some shit earlier. It’s probably a good idea he stayed at the Fortress instead of coming over tonight.”
Considering I’ve overheard my dad and some of the other members of the Order discussing the sort of things that Jack has his eighteen-year-old son doing as his enforcer, I’m pretty sure he’s right.
But if Connor and Sebastien are out here with me, and Adrian—the head of the Heirs—obviously gave orders to his buddies to keep an eye on Loni’s boyfriend…
The two guys figure it out at the same time. Connor turns to look at Bas, something passes between them, and Bas nods.
“You finish up out here, Connor. I’ll go find Des and keep him off the second floor. And Con?”
“Yeah, bro?”
“Remember what we were talking about the other day at Adrian’s, yeah? If you want something, go for it. There’s not much time left for any of us.”
With a quick look my way, Sebastien slips back inside. I don’t know exactly what Connor is supposed to be going for, but before I can make my excuses and follow after Sebastien, Connor’s hands are on my shoulders.
What the?—
Oh. His grip slides down, pinning my upper arms in place as he pulls me toward him. Next thing I know, he’s used his impressive strength—after all, he’s a star lacrosse player for Harmony Heights High—to lift me up so that I’m on the tiptoes of my sandals.
He angles his head downward, pressing his lips to mine. Undeniably shocked, I gasp, and he takes advantage of the way my mouth opens to slip his tongue inside. One hand goes to my loose hair. He threads his fingers through the strands, holding me right where he wants me as he kisses me.
I’ve been kissed before. My mother would have a heart attack if she knew, but the way I interpreted virginity meant no penetrative sex. As long as I kept a dick away from my naked lower half, I was golden. True, I haven’t had many experiences thanks to constantly being monitored, but I’ve had more than a few kisses.
I hate that none of them have been as all-consuming as the way that Connor Heyward steals this one.
He’s not my Owed. I’m not his Offering. Despite what Sebastien said, I’ve never known Connor not to be flirtatious. In fact, I wouldn’t have been surprised to hear that he was upstairs with someone like Lindy Watkins instead of poking fun at me, then kissing me out of nowhere, catching me off-guard.
