Page 56 of Play The Game

“I wore gloves; you’re safe,” I murmur, misreading her hesitance.

She shakes her head at me like I’m simple. “Harley told us about what happened after you… eliminated the threat in Haven. About how you didn’t want to be touched. I don’t want to push you if you’re not ready.”

I swallow, nodding my head. “It’s getting easier. The lines between who I was and who I am now, they’re blurring so much I think I’m just going to be the Wolf again.”

Avery smiles at me and, holy shit, rests her head on my shoulder. I can’t believe she’s willing to get that close to all of the blood.

“You’ll always be the Wolf. And we’ll always be yours.”

I rest my cheek on her hair and we fall quiet again, waiting to hear the roar of the ‘Stang.

At peace with the family we’ve fought, bled, and killed for.

We don’t talk about the smell of blood in the car, and the guys all pretend they didn’t notice the piles of ruined clothes in the bathroom.

Blaise decides he’ll singlehandedly clear the somber mood from the air before we get back to Hannaford and spends the morning teasing Harley about being the last one to know my full name. I stay the fuck out of it because I don’t need any extra drama in my life. It’s only when Avery comes tearing into the bathroom after breakfast, screeching like a banshee about public sex acts, that I realize Harley decided to snap back.

Oh joy.

Which is how I find myself sitting in the Maserati with a whiny Blaise and a gloating Ash, while Harley is driving Avery back and listening to her tirade about discretion and subtlety and keeping the details of our relationship the hell out of general conversation.

I do not envy him.

“I can’t believe you let Harley eat you out in public and I was too fucking wasted to watch. That’s against the rules!” Blaise groans at me for the billionth time.

“What fucking rules, you insufferable dick?” Ash snarks from the back seat and I ignore them both, trying to focus on my reading for our literature class. I’m on the last book for the year and I’m determined to have it done before we arrive back at Hannaford.

Blaise fucking pouts like a brat at me, but I continue to ignore him. “I think there should be some rules and that is number one.”

Ash scoffs and crosses his arms. “I should have ridden with the other two. I thought the Mounty would need help dealing with your attitude, but she can’t even be bothered listening to you.”

I turn the page, casually. “Oh, I’m listening. I’m just choosing to ignore you both, because this topic is stupid.”

Blaise snickers at me, aiming a sly look in my direction. “Wasn’t he any good at it? Do you need me to come stay with you tonight and do it properly? Aves will be pissed but, now I know you love an audience, we can just ignore her yelling. Do you think Ash will hold you up for me too?”

I blush and then I decide that the cheeky fucker won’t stop until I shut him down. I’m so fucking proud when my voice comes out strong and even. “I came so hard I creamed down his chin so no, it was better than good. Can you please shut up about it now?”

Blaise groans as he darts his eyes lustfully between the road and me. “Star, that was the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth. Say something else! Wait, no, wait until we get back. Come whisper dirty things to me tonight. I promise I won’t be a dick about it, and I’ll even make sure everyone is present. I’m a team player, unlike the other two scheming assholes.”

I try not to squirm in my seat and Ash smirks at us both, his eyes catching mine in the mirror. “Are you going to start sleeping in our room now, Mounty? Or are you still too scared?”

I give him a glare over my shoulder. “I’m not fucking scared, asshole. I just don’t want to hear more gossip about myself.”

Ash leans forward in his seat to kiss me, his hand gripping the back of my neck firmly, and I try to hold back a moan when he bites my lip.

He breaks away and speaks lowly, his voice annoyingly unaffected by the searing heat of the kiss, “I’ll deal with the sheep. Prove to me that you’re not being a scared little girl and come sleep in my bed.”

He’s baiting me, it’s so fucking obvious he’s using Beaumont Bullshit to get his way, but fuck it if it’s not effective.

I lean in until my lips brush against his as I speak, “If I have to stab someone because of this, you’re paying the cleanup fee.”

Ash smirks and gives me one last peck, more teeth than sweet. “I think I can handle it.”

SIXTEEN

The school is writhing with students returning, and Avery tucks her arm in mine as we make our way back up to the girls’ dorms.

The guys head off to their room, still bickering and shoving each other like children, and it’s only when they’re out of earshot that I groan to Avery about Ash’s demands to sleep in their room, wanting nothing more than a little vent. She, of course, wants to talk about it.