Page 39 of Play The Game

All of the savage looks pivot simultaneously to focus on me.

For fuck’s sake!

“Over my dead fucking body are you going to a party at the docks with the Butcher without me,” Harley growls.

There’s a very knowing look about him, but I’m not sure if he’s aware of what the parties are like because he’s from the Bay, or if he’s actually been to one before. I don’t really want to think too hard about that, though, because there are only a few reasons people even go there, and I know it wouldn’t be drugs he was looking for. Shit, there goes any chance of saving my mood for the night.

My jaw clenches and I have to focus to get my words out coherently. “It’s not like I haven’t been a million times before, and Illi will watch my back. It’s not somewhere I want to take you guys.”

Blaise scowls, flicking his beer bottle cap at Harley. “Why? I mean, the Jackal could come to Hannaford and kill Harley whenever he wants to, the gossip site has announced our relationships to the world, and we always protect Avery. Why not take us so we can protect you too?”

Scrubbing a hand over my face, fatigue hits me like a wall and I’m too tired to deal with any of this. “You want to take Avery somewhere full of drugs, sex, murder, violence, girls being kidnapped, torture, rape, the list goes fucking on? You want that? Because I sure as hell don’t.”

I expect some sort of reaction from Blaise, but he just stares me down. Ash is the one to snarl, “Well, that settles it. We’re all fucking going. End of discussion.”

ELEVEN

The meeting is being held during Colors Night.

I don’t know when the Fox started the tradition, but every Labor Day weekend he locks down the docks for three full days and nights to throw the biggest, most fucked up party imaginable, and it’s impossible to get into without a connection to the Twelve. Every attendee shows up solely wearing their patrons color, gets fucked up, and tries to make it out alive. It’s full of debauchery, violence, and every Mounty in the city is desperate to get in.

I only attend if I have to, which is almost always the case.

Going to the meeting is bad enough but, because my life just keeps fucking me over, the Jackal somehow convinced the Fox to add an extra condition of entry this year, and now not only am I coming to terms with everyone going with me, I have to go shopping just to toe the line.

I’m searching through the websites of the stores in Haven when Avery gets back from her ballet class. She obviously assumes I’m studying, so when I ask her for everyone's measurements she stares at me like she’s never seen me before, but I guess that checks out. When I refuse to give her any details on why I need them, she finally shrugs and lets it go, thank god. There’s no way I’m telling any of them what the outfits are or why they’re required until I hand them over at the last possible second on Saturday night, because fuck that. I don’t need the headache any sooner than necessary.

I call around to a dozen different stores in Haven until I get all of the items ordered and ready to be picked up in the morning. As much as I hate skipping class, I email my teachers with a bullshit excuse that I’m sure they see right through, but none of them question it.

Harley crawls into my bed after midnight and scowls at the fact I’m still awake, but when I ask to borrow his car to collect my orders, his eyes narrow like I’m testing him. Then, without a word, he pulls his phone out to message the family chat to inform everyone, including me, that we’re both going to Haven in the morning. Rolling my eyes at the haughty look he throws me, I tuck myself into his chest and fall asleep almost instantly knowing I have everything arranged.

Harley’s hands wake me hours later, cupping my ass and pulling me into his body.

I swear he was put on this Earth to tease me, break all of my control, and turn me into a desperate mess but, sweet Lord, he is so fucking good at it. I keep my eyes closed as I reach out to find his face, drawing him to my lips for a kiss. I’m too content to deal with today; I don’t want to leave the bed and let the outside world fuck with us. I need a break, dammit!

“We could stay here,” I mumble, and he groans into my mouth.

“Don’t fucking tempt me, babe. If you’re willing to skip class for this then it’s clearly important, and it’s already getting late. Ash and Blaise took Avery down to class hours ago.”

Frowning at him, he just smirks back at me like I’m a toddler throwing a tantrum until finally I huff. “That’s not helping. You should be coming up with a good reason for us to leave this warm bed in my empty room.”

Harley groans and pulls away from me, cleaving himself out of the bed like it’s the hardest thing he’s ever done, but, fuck, it might be. He’s still groaning as he staggers on his feet a little, rearranging his dick in his shorts like that’ll somehow help the raging hard-on he has, and suddenly this all feels a lot like what I imagine a strip tease would be like.

His eyes flare at the heat in mine, and his head tilts back a little. “We’re leaving now so I can take you for breakfast at the coffee shop before they switch to the lunch service. They do French toast and the coffee there is good. While we’re eating, I’ll message Avery and convince her to have a sleepover with Ash so we can come back to the warm bed and your empty room.”

I shiver because, fuck yes. “You win. Get dressed, Arbour. I need food.”

We have to stop off at the guys’ room to grab Harley’s spare set of keys after he tears my room apart looking for his original set. After texting Avery to keep an eye out for them, I make a mental note for myself as well because I’ve been burned by missing keys before.

We take Harley’s ‘Stang to Haven and I get to admire the way he drives it like he was born to, effortlessly smooth and as easy as breathing. I love watching his hands, big, rough, and scarred. For a moment my lungs forget to work as I remember how hot and demanding or how slow and sweet they can feel on my body. Fuck, I need to inhale my food and get this shopping over with.

Harley smirks at my flushed cheeks like a smug dick.

We park behind the cafe because it closes the earliest, and then I bite my tongue as Harley refuses to let me pay for our food, reminding myself once again to never let him find out that I’ve been the one funding him since he was inducted. I can’t be sure of his reaction but I think he might have a stroke.

We sit, side-by-side, in one of the corner booths at the back. The waitress keeps looking at Harley like she’d bend over any available surface for him and the haughty, disinterested look he gives her in return makes me concerned about eating the food she serves us, but it’s worth it. When she comes over for the fifth time to ask if he needs anything, the look he gives her is both scathing and ice cold, and I’m struck by the fact that it’s a distinctly Ash sort of look. It’s the first time I’ve seen a striking similarity between the two of them, despite their moms’ being twins.

“How is Avery handling the news about Senior’s plans to have them both killed?” Harley mumbles around his mouthful of eggs. It should be gross, but the guy is so fucking hot he could get away with anything.