CHAPTER ONE
RAINA
“Gage, what did you do?” I stared in horror at the sight before me. The bloody knife at his feet glinted in the afternoon sunlight. I couldn’t tear my gaze from it.
Gage’s head snapped in my direction. “Shit. Go away, Raina. This is none of your concern.”
I took a few tentative steps across the grass toward him. “Is this why you weren’t in class? Where were you? Whose blood is that?”
“Go back inside the house,” Gage hissed. “You never saw anything.”
“Like hell I didn’t. I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on. Did you hurt someone? Was it the Angels?” Refusing to be ordered around, I got close enough to get a good look at the knife.
It was long and deadly. Something you’d see a horror movie killer toting. Similar to the one carried by Ghostface in the Scream movies. Considering Gage had him tattooed on his arm with the full sleeve of ink, that made me especially uncomfortable.
“No, it had nothing to do with those dumb fucks. Now would you please get lost? I’m kind of busy here.” Gage continued to wash his hands with the hose.
I watched him go about his business like I wasn’t even there. This jerkhole thought he could ice me out. Hell no. It wouldn’t be that easy. I still bore the healing cuts and bruises from my time with the Angels. And those were only the visible injuries. The rest were buried deep inside my psyche. Gage was directly responsible for that night. This motherfucker owed me.
“Get lost?” I repeated. “Did you even care when I went missing? When Maverick buried me alive? Did you even care when the Angels tied me down and violated me? Or are you really that cold and unfeeling?”
Gage let out an exasperated sigh. “Jesus Christ, Raina. I’m a little busy here. Can we save the dramatics for later?”
Once Gage finished washing his hands clean of blood, he carefully picked up the knife and rinsed it clean as well. What could he have been up to? I was tempted to whip out my phone and take a photo to send Havoc. My father had raised me to know better than that. I couldn’t take such a risky picture on my regular phone. Since I didn’t have a burner phone handy, I didn’t give in to the urge.
“Dramatics,” I muttered with an eye roll. “Nice to know how you feel about my trauma. Dick.”
Gage finished rinsing the knife and blasted the grass with water, doing his best to disperse the blood. He soaked the grass until the scarlet stains had soaked into the earth. All that remained was a large wet patch. He dropped the hose and turned to find me still standing behind him. “You’re still here? What do you want, Raina? I have things to do.”
“Like shower and hide your murder weapon?” I snarked.
“Something like that.” Gage’s hazel and blue eyes traveled over me. He lingered on my cleavage. “Maybe you should join me. Put that chattering mouth of yours to better use.”
“Funny.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “I’m not going to let this go. What did you do, Gage? Something is going on with you, and I want to know what it is.”
Gage took a few ominous steps toward me. A predatory glint filled his eyes. “Are you sure about that? If I told you, I’d have to kill you. How bad do you want to know, Doll?”
I scoffed. “Give me a break. You think I’m scared of you? After the shit I’ve been through, you’re nothing. Do your worst.”
His wicked chuckle slid down my spine like ice. “Spoken like someone who loves to be violated. Can’t get enough, can you? Careful what you wish for, Raina. How much more do you think you can take?”
“Try me,” I invited, beckoning him with both hands. “You have no idea how much I can take. I’m not letting this go, Gage. Not until you tell me where you’ve been.”
His hand was gentle when he grasped my chin. At first. His hold tightened, squeezing painfully. “Go back to the dorm. Or better yet, go back to your dad’s house. You’ll need him if you insist on pissing me off. He
may be the only person who can protect you from me. Although I wouldn’t bet my money on it.”
I jerked free of his grasp, lifting my chin in defiance. “Of course not. You’d bet me instead. Like a fucking coward. Just like you did before.”
That did it. Gage snapped. He grabbed me by the throat, choking off my breath. “Better watch your mouth. After the day I’ve had, I am not in the mood for your shit. Let it go already.”
When he didn’t let me breathe, I lashed out with a fist, punching him in the chest. He grunted, his grip loosening.
“I’m supposed to let it go so you can get away with being an unapologetic piece of shit. Yeah, I get it. You’re trash, Gage. Fucking garbage. That won’t stop me from finding out what you did today. I will find out what you’re up to.”
I stormed away, dodging around him. Or I would have if he didn’t grab a handful of my hair, jerking me back. Gage gave me a shove, pushing me toward the fence. He snatched up the knife from the grass, pressing it against the side of my neck.
My back hit the fence. I was trapped. The blade pressed tight against my skin, ready to break through with little force. Staring into Gage’s rage filled face, I searched for a sign of the guy I’d once seen soften. The one who’d leaned into me while I cleaned his wounds. The one who’d shown a glimmer of humanity.
Nothing. I saw nothing. That guy was long gone. Maybe he’d never been there at all and I was deluding myself.
“You are going to forget that you saw anything,” Gage snarled. “And you’re not going to say a word to anyone.”
Unable to keep my mouth shut and take his abuse, I said, “Go fuck yourself.”
A slow grin spread across Gage’s face. “Yeah, I thought you’d say something like that. On your knees, Cherry Pie. Open wide.”
With one hand in my hair and the other pressing the knife to my neck, he forced me to my knees. Releasing my hair, Gage used his free hand to fumble his belt open. Once he’d freed his cock, he grabbed my hair again, holding me in place.
I stared at Gage’s hard cock, wondering how something so screwed up turned him on. I couldn’t help but flash back to the night he’d crawled
into bed with me and made me fight him. It had been hot as hell. I guess he wasn’t the only one who was screwed up.
This time felt different. I was furious that he had the audacity to stick his dick in my face under these circumstances. We’d barely spoken since the night the Angels got their hands on me. We’d been around each other since but we hadn’t been alone. Gage could barely bring himself to look at me. Now he was about to ram his cock down my throat.
“Open up, Raina. Be a good little pet and do as you’re told.” He thrust his cock at my face, rubbing it on my cheek.
I clamped my lips shut, refusing to obey. “I’m not your fucking pet, asshole. Get your dick out of my face before I bite it off.”
Gage chuckled, a low sound that promised bad things. He released my hair again, pressing the blade tighter against my skin to keep me in place. Patting my cheek, Gage gripped his cock and pressed it between my lips.
He shoved it into my mouth and halfway down my throat, almost gagging me. Luckily, I had a pretty good gag reflex. I let him pump into my mouth a few times before clamping down on his shaft with my teeth. I didn’t bite hard enough to draw blood, just hard enough to stop his motions.
The crazy bastard laughed and murmured, “Taking it easy on me, huh, Cherry Pie? I know you can bite harder than that. Do it. Let me feel those teeth.”
Hands down Gage Corwin was the craziest motherfucker that I’d ever met. He thrust against the pressure of my teeth, groaning in pleasure. In an effort to call his bluff, I sank my teeth in until I tasted blood. That only seemed to encourage him.
“That’s right, baby,” he moaned. “Let me feel that rage. God, your mouth feels so damn good.”
I let him push into my mouth a few more times. Then I took a risk. I reached up between his legs, cupped his balls in my hand and squeezed.
That seemed to change his tune pretty damn fast. Gage froze. The knife blade bit into the side of my neck, and I jerked away. Before either of us could escalate this twisted little scenario further, Knight appeared in the kitchen doorway.
I imagined the sight of Gage holding a knife and me aggressively holding his nuts was a tad alarming. Knight launched into motion, crossing the lawn with fast strides.
“What the hell is going on?” he barked.
Gage raised the knife in an effort to appear harmless. He placed a finger over his lips, motioning for me to keep my mouth shut about what I’d seen earlier.
“Calm your tits, Knight. It’s all good. Just getting a little backyard blowjob from our pet here. Would you like a turn?” Gage played it off cool and collected, ignoring the blood that welled up where my teeth had dug in. He shoved his cock back into his pants and strode toward the house.
Knight watched him go, his brow furrowed. He held a hand out to me, helping me to my feet. “Are you okay? What was that all about?”
Gage glanced back as he reached the patio, a warning in his dark glare. I shook my head. “Nothing. Just Gage being Gage.”
That seemed to appease Knight for the moment. He nodded, slinging an arm around my shoulders. “I picked up some stuff for tacos tonight. How does that sound?”
I let him lead me into the house. I was relieved to see that Gage had disappeared upstairs. Forcing a smile, I said, “Sounds great.”
CHAPTER TWO
HAVOC
My economics class was boring as hell. My eyes kept straying to the clock. Only minutes had passed since I’d last looked at it. It felt like hours. This day was dragging. I should’ve stayed home. Unfortunately, I’d fallen behind since my father’s death. We were so close to the end of the term before summer break. If I didn’t get my shit together, my GPA would drop.
Not that I really gave a shit anymore. I had much bigger problems than my grades or attendance. Like the family business I was now obligated to take over. I’d once wanted nothing more. Now I didn’t know what I wanted.
Feeling a watchful stare in my direction, I turned to find a petite blonde smiling at me. She batted her lashes flirtatiously. So not interested. There was a time when I’d have been all over that. I’d lost interest in the campus chicks ages ago. Now that I had Raina, everyone else paled in comparison.
Ignoring the girl, I turned back to my laptop and the notes I’d been taking. What a half-assed attempt at being productive. I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there. Finally, the clock hit the top of the hour. I breathed a sigh of relief.
I shot out of my seat, hastily shoving my things into my bag. Slinging it over my shoulder, I bolted for the door. I didn’t realize the little blonde was right behind me until I was several yards down the hallway and she touched my arm.
I whirled around in surprise. Finding her there smiling up at me made me curse inwardly.
“Uh, hey, what’s up?” I continued to walk down the hall, forcing her to keep up with my longer strides.
“Not much. Glad that class is over. What a bore. So what are you up to now?” She skipped along beside me, snapping her gum.
How fucking annoying. I stared straight ahead, barely acknowledging her. “Heading home. Meeting my girl there.”
Hopefully she’d get the hint. If not, I’d make sure she got it.
“Oh, I see. Well, maybe I could interest you in a blow job first. I know for a fact that the ladies’ room in this wing will be empty this time of day. There’s also that back corner in the library. Nobody ever goes there.” She kept shooting me teasing glances that I did my best to ignore.
“No thanks, not interested.” Who the hell even was this girl? Once upon a time, I’d have happily let her suck me off just for kicks. The very thought made my dick shrivel.
My abrupt refusal seemed to throw her off. She was quiet for a moment before trying again. “How about a quick bathroom fuck then? I’ll take your cock anywhere you want to put it.”
We reached the end of the hall where it opened into one of the many large entryways. I jerked to a stop, turning to face her. “Look, I’m trying not to be a dick here, but the only place I plan to put my cock is inside my girlfriend. Thanks but no thanks. Find some other schmuck who’s hard up for random tail.”
She had the audacity to look shocked. “Wow, okay then. Sorry I offered.”
She stormed away with a bruised ego, flipping me off as she went. Most of the chicks who hit on me only wanted to say they’d fucked a mobster’s son. I wasn’t interested in giving them a really lame claim to local fame.
Jet motherfucking Reinhart strolled out of the hall coming from the opposite wing in time to catch the girl’s departure. He snickered. “Never thought I’d see the day you became a one woman man. Damn, Raina must have a chokehold on your dick. How’s she doing by the way? Did she enjoy her time with the Angels?”
Maybe it was the smarmy expression he wore. Maybe it was the cocky set to his shoulders and the tilt to his head. It was probably the fact that he’d hand delivered Raina right to the Angels that night. Jet was partly to blame for the abuse she’d endured.
I snapped. Dropping my bag, I threw a punch in Jet’s face. He never saw it coming.
He went down hard on his ass. His bag flew across the tiled floor. Several people walking by paused to gawk.
Jet was up in a flash. “What the fuck is your problem, Havoc?”
He rushed toward me, grabbing me around the middle as he tackled me to the floor. I got an elbow up between us, smashing it in his face. The skin across the bridge of his nose split open.
“Your fucking attitude is my problem. You’re the piece of shit that gave her to the Angels.” My head snapped back as Jet got in a lucky punch.
He pressed his arm to my throat, cutting off my air supply.
“Actually, that’s on Gage. Maybe it’s his ass you should be kicking. Asshole.”
The worst part was that I couldn’t even argue that. Jet was right. He was the one who’d goaded Gage into placing Raina as a bet but Gage had followed through.
I pounded my fist into the side of Jet’s skull, knocking him off me. Scrambling to my feet, I nailed him in the ribs with a kick before he could get up. Someone shouted, alerting a few nearby instructors to the chaos. Three male professors rushed over, yelling at us to break it up.
They pulled us apart, shoving us in opposite directions. One of them pointed a finger in my face. “Get your ass to the dean’s office. Now. Move it before I call the cops.”
I swiped a hand over my bloody bottom lip, smirking at the thought of the cops doing jack shit. I let them shove me along to the dean’s office. Jet was right behind me. Perfect. What a great way to end a shit day.
Jet and I were shoved into chairs in front of the dean’s desk. We both sat there in silence while we were read the riot act. The dean took it easy on me in light of my father’s recent demise. He likely knew that I’d be the next in line to make his life hell. It was no secret to most what my father really did for a living.
We were both told that another incident would result in an expulsion for both of us. Then we were dismissed. I left the school, strolling through the parking lot to my car. The days were getting longer. The sun still shone overhead. It wouldn’t be long until classes were out. I could use the break. During the drive home, I listened to Ghost at top volume. It only made me want to fight more. Too bad Jet and I had been split up so quickly. On the flip side, if I couldn’t fight, I could always get my kicks another way.
By the time I walked into the house, I was hungry for one thing. Raina’s sweet pussy. I strode through the house in search of her. When I found her at the kitchen table working on her laptop, I jerked to a halt.
My gaze locked in on the fresh bruises around her throat. “What happened?”
She waved a hand dismissively. “Nothing really. Just Gage. The usual. Don’t worry about it.”
“Are you okay? Do you want me to beat his ass?”
That’s when she glanced up from her screen, taking in my bruised face and busted lip. Her gorgeous hazel eyes widened. “What happened to you? Do you need me to beat someone’s ass?”
I grinned. This woman’s willingness to fight always made my dick hard.
“Got into a little scuffle with Jet on campus. Almost got my ass expelled. Thanks to the death of daddy dearest, they let me off with a warning.” Grabbing the back of her chair, I pulled it away from the table.
“What are you doing, Havoc?” Raina frowned, trying and failing to grab the table’s edge. “I have work to finish before class tomorrow.”
“It can wait. I need a little orgasm therapy. I’m sure you won’t mind.” Picking her up, I placed her on the table next to the laptop and got busy taking off her pants.
Raina slapped my hands in an effort to fend me off. She knew damn well that only encouraged me. I shoved her hands aside, undoing her jeans and peeling them off. Her underwear came next.
“Jesus, Havoc. Right here on the table? We eat here.” Her protests were half-hearted at best.
“Fucking rights. That’s exactly what I plan to do.” Spreading her legs wide, I leaned down and breathed in her intoxicating scent. Then I dove right in.
I plunged my tongue between her folds, delving inside her. She let out a gasp that fed my need for her. All I wanted was to feel her come all over my tongue. I licked along her slit to her clit, flicking it until she moaned. When she grasped a handful of my hair, I felt a sense of pride. I got off on getting her off. Sometimes, that’s all I needed.
Once she was good and wet, I went hard on her clit. The first orgasm always came quickly. When I didn’t let up, she knew where this was going.
“Seriously, Havoc?” Raina moaned when I sucked her clit into my mouth. “You’re doing this now?”
“Why not?” I murmured against her. “Let’s see how many times you can go before you beg.”
“I’m not begging you for shit. Think I haven’t learned that lesson?” She squirmed on the table in a pitiful attempt to dislodge me.
I chuckled, sliding two fingers inside her. Raina’s head fell back as she moaned. I pumped in and out of her wet pussy, watching my fingers disappear inside her. Fuck yes. Satisfying as hell.
My gaze briefly landed on the tattoo marking her thigh. The G that had been inked there had been sliced through with a jagged A thanks to Daire Keller. It was almost healed now and would clearly scar. Jet had been a poor stand in for the man I really wanted to kill. Daire had taken a beating from Gage that could have killed him. For now, it would have to do.
I kissed the marked up tattoo, wishing I could go back in time and stop the Angels from ever taking her. When I thought about what they’d done to her, it was enough to make me crazy. I did my best not to think about it. Feeling so goddamn helpless to change what happened killed me. Especially because I knew that it was Gage’s fault.
Raina’s second orgasm soaked my fingers. I still didn’t stop. Her legs shook, and she whispered my name like a plea. I tipped her back so she lay flat on the table’s surface. Sliding in a third finger, I swirled my tongue around her clit while she made a fruitless effort to squirm away.
“Havoc, stop. It’s too sensitive. You’re going to make me scream.”
“That’s a terrible way to convince me to stop. I want to feel this pussy tighten around my fingers again. I need it, Raina. Like a fucking drug.” I happily licked her clit while fucking her with my fingers. She twisted and writhed, giving me exactly what I wanted.
I knew she was close to begging for mercy when orgasm number five rolled around. Her hips bucked, her chest heaving. It was fucking glorious.
I was primed and ready to force her to have number six when my phone rang. Usually I would ignore it. Since my father’s death, there had been several calls from family and fellow syndicate members. Important shit. A glance at the screen revealed such a call.
“It’s your lucky day, Bad Girl. You get to stop at five.” I gave her pussy an affectionate pat before answering the phone.
“How is everything, Christian?” Nate’s voice filled my ear. “How are you holding up?”
My uncle Nate had been my father’s righthand yes man. A pathetic piece of shit who’d had the nerve to shit talk Raina at the funeral. I didn’t want that stupid fuck around anymore. Unfortunately, I couldn’t kill everyone who pissed me off.
“Doing okay,” I answered, wanting to get this conversation over with. “Trying to get caught up at school. What’s up?”
I didn’t ask Nate how he was because frankly, I didn’t care. I watched Raina squirm off the table and reach for her underwear. Before she could grab it, I snatched it up, twirling it on a finger. A scowl crossed her face.
“I think it’s time that we hold a meeting to discuss where the organization goes from here,” Nate said. “There is plenty to talk about. It’s time to take your seat at the head of the table, so to speak.”
“Right. Sure. Of course. Let’s do that.” I made a show of smelling Raina’s panties, grinning when she punched me in the arm.
I listened to Nate go on about how we all needed to take care of each other now. Making sure our organization stayed strong in the face of tragedy was the first point of business. Of course, he also wanted to find out who’d killed my father. I played along, agreeing to everything.
When I finally ended the call, I grabbed Raina’s jeans from her hands before she could slip them on. “Time for number six.”
CHAPTER THREE
RAINA
I managed to beat Gage to our first class the next day. Finding a seat in the back row, I smiled to myself when a guy took the seat next to me. I always sat on the end if possible so there was no seat on my other side.
“Hi, how’s it going?” The guy next to me stuck out a hand. He was blond and thin with a friendly smile. “I’m Ryan.”
“Not too bad. Nice to meet you. Raina.” I accepted his offered hand, trying to keep the handshake brief. I wasn’t interested in small talk, and I sure as hell had no time or energy for another man in my life.
Ryan beamed a toothy smile in my direction. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I hope this isn’t too forward but I’ve been hoping for a chance to introduce myself.”
Goddammit. He just had to go and make it awkward.
“Um, that’s cool.” I forced what I hoped was a friendly smile.
Trying to deter him from further discussion, I pulled my laptop from my bag and turned it on. It didn’t help.
Ryan leaned in closer. He smelled of cheap cologne and cigarettes. “You’re really pretty. I like your hair.”
“Uh, thanks.” I leaned away, hoping he’d get the message. I didn’t want to be rude, but I was ready to tell him to go fly a kite if he didn’t take the hint.
“Would you like to maybe grab coffee sometime or something?” Ryan refused to give up on this dead end conversation.
Before I could answer, a growly voice said, “No, she would not like to have coffee with you sometime, jackass. Now get the hell out of that seat before I throw you out.”
I glanced up to find Gage towering over Ryan. The former appeared ready to bust skulls while the latter seemed oblivious to the danger he was
in.
“I think she can answer for herself,” Ryan said, sitting up straighter. He looked to me as if I would back him up.
I shrugged. “You should probably move.”
The campus was big. The student body was large. Maybe it was possible that Ryan didn’t know who Gage was. He was about to find out.
“Seriously?” Ryan’s head swiveled as he glanced between Gage and me. “Is this guy your boyfriend or something?”
Ugh. I didn’t love that question. There was no good way to answer it.
“Or something,” I said, knowing it would piss off Gage. “We’re kind of involved. You should just move. He’s kind of a dick. You don’t want to tick him off.”
Gage glared down at me. I smirked back at him. Then I turned my attention to my computer screen, ignoring them both.
Muttering something about people being fucking crazy around here, Ryan gathered his things and moved to a different seat. Gage plopped down in his vacated chair. Down in the front of the room, Professor Harper frowned in our direction. Great.
“What’s your problem today?” Gage asked, pulling his laptop from his bag.
“Other than you?” I quipped. “Not much actually. Just here to learn. You know the drill.”
“Damn. You’re ice cold. Still mad about yesterday? Since when are you easily ruffled? Chill out, Raina.” Gage poked a finger into my side, nailing a ticklish spot between my ribs.
I slapped his hand away, leaning out of reach when he tried to do it again. I almost fell out of my chair. “Not just yesterday. Frankly, Gage, I’m sick of your shit.”
“Oh, boo hoo. Cry me a river.” Gage lowered his voice when Professor Harper started speaking. “Where’s your fire, Cherry Pie? Make me burn.”
He had no idea how deep those words cut. Ignoring him, I stared straight ahead. I wasn’t in the mood for Gage today. The incident in the backyard yesterday had really gotten under my skin. I hated that it did. I hated that it bothered me so much. It was more than yesterday though. Gage had been a straight up dick since the night the Angels assaulted me. Either
he didn’t care or he didn’t know how to show it. I was betting on the former.
Because Gage was Gage and he couldn’t stand to be ignored, he leaned over and licked my face. I gasped, shoving him away with a hand on his shoulder. Using the sleeve of my oversized hoodie, I vigorously wiped his saliva off my cheek.
While Harper gave the lesson, I did my best to concentrate. I took notes and even asked a question for clarification. Next to me Gage did a half assed job of paying attention. Halfway through class, he grew bored with the material and began surfing porn instead. That tactic to annoy me was old and played out. It didn’t work anymore.
Gage wasn’t the type to give up or back down. He reached over to take my hand, drawing it toward him. I tried unsuccessfully to pull away. His grip was too tight.
He placed my hand on his thigh, inclining his head in a silent command. My brows furrowed as I shook my head. Hell no. I was not jerking him off in class.
Since when had Gage accepted a no? He dragged my hand closer, placing it over the hard on bulging in his jeans. A lover of taking chances, he’d fingered me in class more than once. One time I even came. I had no intention of being caught with my hand down this asshole’s pants.
He angled himself toward me, preventing the guy sitting next to him from seeing my hand on his dick. Then Gage forced my hand down his pants, shoving it against his hard cock. I had half a mind to grab some of his short and curlys and give a good tug. Knowing that it would only mean payback later, I restrained myself.
I decided to do something a little different. Slowly, I wrapped my fingers around Gage’s thick shaft. Sliding up and down, I paused to tease the head with my thumb. He sucked in a breath, letting it out slowly as I glided my hand up and down. I wasn’t sure he’d thought this through. Did he plan to come in my hand? Did he think I’d hold it for the rest of class? I had tissue in my bag. Not that I’d brought it with this in mind.
I continued to stare straight ahead at the instructor, paying attention like a good student. That seemed to irk Gage. At one point, he grabbed my chin with a hand, forcing me to look at him. What an egotistical prick.
I stared at him with my best bored expression. It was hard not to crack a smile at the scowl that adorned his face. He could make me touch
his dick. He couldn’t force me to like it. Part of me did though. How could I not enjoy being able to make Gage squirm in his chair? He clamped his lips shut in an effort not to make a sound. I knew the feeling. I’d been there before.
I waited until I felt sure that he was close to coming. Then I stopped. Jerking my hand from his pants, I turned back to my laptop, icing him out. The weight of his stare made me nervous.
In my peripheral view, I saw him scowl. He reached for me again and I turned my body, angling in the opposite direction. I was ready to put up a fight. The bastard could sit there with his blue balls and suffer for all I cared.
“You’re a naughty girl, Cherry Pie,” he said softly. “Naughty girls get punished.”
Pretending to scratch the side of my face, I flipped him a middle finger. His low chuckle sent a chill down my spine. I tempted danger and I knew it. And yet, I couldn’t stop myself. I wanted to set Gage off. I craved it.
Doing my best to ignore him for the rest of class, I took some notes and made sure to not look at him again. Not once. When class ended, I gathered my things to leave, taking my sweet time. He didn’t wait around for me.
On my way out of the classroom, Professor Harper called my name. I jerked to a halt. If he’d seen me with my hand down Gage’s pants, I would die of mortification. Nothing could be more humiliating.
Approaching his desk, I forced a small smile. “What’s up?”
Harper waited for the last student to file out of the room before closing the door. That didn’t feel right. He turned a friendly smile on me.
“Is everything okay?” he asked. “I know you’ve had some issues over recent weeks. I just wanted to make sure that everything is back on track.”
That must have been his subtle way of referring to me faking my own death. Most of my instructors hadn’t said a word about my absence and reappearance. My father wasn’t the kind of man most people wanted to piss off. They’d never questioned the memorial service that had been held for me. I’m sure they wanted to though.
“I’m fine, thanks. I’ve been making sure to get my work done at home when I miss class. Is there a problem?” I clutched the handle of my
laptop bag, glancing toward the closed door.
Harper sat on the edge of his desk, crossing his arms. He eyed me up, his expression unreadable. “Maybe it’s none of my business, but are you having any issues with Gage Corwin? I can’t help but notice that he goes out of his way to make sure only he sits next to you. Is there trouble with him that I should know about? Do you need help?”
Goddamn Gage and his territorial bullshit. People were starting to notice. I could only imagine how many students had noticed his possessive behavior.
I did my best to laugh off his concerns. “No, there’s no trouble with Gage. Everything is fine. Really.”
I didn’t offer more of an explanation. Frankly, it was nobody’s business.
Harper nodded. “I want you to know that you can talk to me if you ever need to. Don’t feel like you have to protect him. If he’s threatening or intimidating you in any way, you need to tell someone.”
Buddy, you don’t know the half of it. I sure didn’t say that out loud. If Harper knew how much I enjoyed Gage’s psychotic shit, he’d think I was deranged.
“Trust me, Sir, if Gage was a problem, my father would have dealt with him by now. I appreciate your concern though.” I turned toward the door, ready to cut this conversation short.
Harper stood up, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I want you to know that there are people who care. People you can trust.”
His hand moved in a massaging motion. My defenses were triggered. Feelings of revulsion crept through me when I realized this middle-aged man with thinning hair and slightly yellow teeth was hitting on me. Did he think this would work? That I’d succumb to his unwelcome touch?
“Um, ok. Thank you. I appreciate that.” I shrugged his hand off my shoulder and bolted for the door. There was no mistaking the meaning in that gesture.
Throwing the door open, I flung myself into the hallway in an effort to put distance between Harper and me. Gross. So fucking gross.
Gage startled me by stepping out from an intersecting hallway as I passed. “Why are you so jumpy? What did Harper want?”
His suspicious gaze slid over me, like he knew Harper had put his hand on me and was trying to pinpoint the location. Harper may have been a creep but I didn’t want to get his hands broken. Or worse.
“He just asked me if I’m doing okay catching up on missed schoolwork. That’s all.” I continued down the hall, forcing Gage to keep pace with me.
“You’re lying. Think I don’t know you that well by now? Spill it, Raina. What happened in there?” Gage glanced back toward the classroom, like he considered beating the answer out of Harper himself.
“Nothing. I was only in there for a minute. How much could happen? Geez, Gage. Calm your tits. You’re always looking for a fight.” I checked the time on my phone, hoping I had a few minutes to grab an iced coffee before my next class.
“Only from you, Baby Girl. Now tell me what Harper said. Did he try something?” Gage caught my arm, pulling me to a stop.
His piercing mismatched gaze cut into me. Not in the mood for his demanding crap, I tried to jerk away. He held tight.
“I don’t have to tell you shit, Gage. You won’t share with me. Why should I share with you? I told you it was nothing. Now let go of me. I want to get an iced coffee on my way to class, if that’s okay with you.” I held his steely stare, refusing to break first.
Finally, he released me. I expected a snarky retort. Instead, he stormed away down the hall without a glance back.
Gage Corwin was hell bent to test every last fragment of my sanity. If any of the Gods were going to drive me all the way to crazy, it would be him.
CHAPTER FOUR
RAINA
“Do I really have to go? How do I know that Gage won’t try to gamble me away again?” I shot a dark glare at Gage and leaned back on the couch.
“Of course you have to go,” Havoc replied, not at all giving a shit that I didn’t want to attend a stupid frat party. “We’re not leaving you here alone. Go get dressed. Unless you want to wear that.”
I still wore my oversized hoodie and blue jeans. Since I didn’t want to attend this shitty party, I didn’t much care what I wore. A party at this time of year would likely be hot. I’d have to ditch the hoodie.
“Nobody is gambling you away. I swear it.” Knight strolled into the living room in a black button down and chinos. His brown hair perfectly in place, he smelled like sandalwood and musk.
His look was clean and tidy compared to Gage’s Trainspotting t-shirt and torn blue jeans. Reclining in the easy chair across from me, Gage puffed a plume of marijuana smoke above his head and grinned in my direction. Jerkass.
“Lighten up, Raina,” Gage admonished. “There’s no reason we can’t go have a good time. Ask Clover to come. You can do your girl talk or whatever it is you two do.”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I quipped with a saucy smirk. “Fine. I’ll go get changed, but I want to stop for burgers on the way. I could kill for a bacon mushroom melt.”
“You just keep getting sexier.” Gage rolled his eyes, holding his joint out to me as I pushed off the couch.
I plucked it from his grasp and took a large puff. “You know that you love watching me put meat in my mouth.”
I passed the joint to Havoc and skipped from the room. Gage’s voice followed me up the stairs.
“Don’t think that I’ve forgotten about earlier. You owe me, Doll.”
Screw that. I had no intention of giving Gage what he wanted. Not as long as he was keeping secrets. I sure wouldn’t be forgetting about what I’d seen yesterday in the backyard.
After changing into a cute red tank top and tight black leggings, I spritzed on some coconut vanilla perfume and went back downstairs. I’d considered a crop top but decided against it. I wasn’t ready to show off the knife scars on my stomach from Daire Keller and his fellow Angels. I ran my fingers through my hair. Good enough.
Havoc looked me up and down before dragging me into his arms. “Always looking good enough to eat, Bad Girl. I’m tempted to eat that pussy right now.”
Resisting Havoc only made him want to do it more. I clung to his black t-shirt when he started pushing me toward the couch.
“Jesus, Havoc. We don’t have time for twenty orgasms. Let’s go get wasted. You can eat Raina out when we get home.” Gage rose from the recliner, ready to leave.
“Sounds like you should be licking her pussy, Gage. Pretty sure you owe our Goddess some worshipping.” Havoc pinned Gage with a pointed stare.
Gage and I hadn’t touched each other since before the Angels got their hands on me. Other than yesterday in the backyard and today in class, though that hardly counted. The tension between us was palpable. Havoc obviously felt it too.
“Maybe if she actually wanted me to touch her,” Gage shot back, his gaze sliding to me and then darting away.
“Yeah, well, whose fault is that?” I muttered. “And since when have you ever cared about what I want?”
The atmosphere grew heavy with growing tension. Knight pulled out his car keys, loudly jingling them on a finger. “On that note, I say we go party before Raina and Gage claw each other’s eyes out.”
“You two really need to work out your shit.” Havoc looked from me to Gage. “Let’s go. After the day I’ve had, I need to unwind.”
“Why? Did you knock Jet’s stupid ass out again?” Gage helped himself to a handful of my ass on his way to the front door.
I glared after him, hoping he felt it bore into his back. He’d never shown a shred of remorse for what happened. I doubted he ever would.
“I wish. Just a rough day in class. My focus is shot these days. I can’t wait for summer break.” Havoc paused at the door as we left, making sure the security system was armed.
He hadn’t been taking any chances lately. Since he’d killed his father, he was more antsy than I’d ever seen him. Like he constantly expected the wrong person to find out and come after him.
The frat party was well underway when we arrived. I wasn’t really feeling it. Clover was already there and this time Zane was nowhere to be seen. I happily flounced over to where she stood in the large kitchen talking with Lyra and another girl I’d never met.
“Hey, girl. Glad you came.” Clover pulled me into a hug. She smelled like a fruit cocktail. “I really miss having you at the dorm. You should come around more.”
“I will. I promise. God, you smell good. Like candy.” I pulled back to assess her bright attire. Neon green pants and a bright pink crop top made her look like a fun watermelon. “Loving the fit tonight. You look like candy too.”
“Thanks. That’s what I was going for.” She playfully batted her big, blue eyes at me. Motioning to the new girl, she said, “Raina, this is Briar Lehane. She’s in my sociology class.”
Briar was dressed all in black. She wore a Lolita dress with spaghetti straps and a puffy skirt. A lace choker adorned her neck. Her eyeliner was heavy and thick, her lips painted black. What I assumed was dyed black hair was piled on her head in a mess of curls. She was gorgeous.
“Nice to meet you. Love your dress.” I offered her a hand, doing my best to be friendly. I wasn’t the best at making friends. Clover made it look easy.
“Thanks. I like your collar.” Briar nodded to the tracking collar locked around my neck. “Where did you get it?”
My hand went to the collar, fingering the hard metal. “Actually, I’m not sure. Let’s just say it was a gift.”
Clover knew that I’d been held down by Gage and Havoc while Knight locked the collar around my neck. I didn’t plan to tell anyone else that, especially not someone I’d just met.
Briar and Clover began chatting away about random shit. I nodded along, sipping the whiskey I’d helped myself to. That’s when I noticed
Lyra’s hand sneak up to her own neck. She tugged on the collar of her sweater, adjusting it to hide the bruise she didn’t want anyone to see.
I was pretty sure I knew where that bruise had come from. I glanced around for any sign of Jet Reinhart. He must not be here, otherwise he’d be hanging off Lyra like an ass. Probably didn’t want to show off the marks Havoc left on his face.
The kitchen and living room were open concept, allowing me to see the Gods where they schmoozed in the living room. I had the perfect view of the brunette that sauntered over to Knight. She placed a hand on his arm to get his attention. He turned to see who’d touched him, eyes widening when he saw the girl. Who was she?
She leaned in close, saying something I couldn’t hear thanks to the mass of noise. Loud rap music boomed through the house. Along with so many voices, I had to read Knight’s expression to figure out what was said.
The girl tossed her hair, pressing against him. She said something that made him shake his head. He gave her a gentle push, putting space between them. She frowned. A moment later, she glanced over at me.
“Who’s that?” I asked Clover, nodding toward the girl.
Clover followed my stare. “Oh, that’s April. She used to have a thing for Knight. I guess she still does.”
As I watched, April tried harder to hold Knight’s attention. Every time she spoke, he shook his head. Deciding that it wasn’t my problem, I resumed my conversation. I forgot all about April until Havoc approached. He slid an arm around me from behind, pressing his lips to the side of my neck below my ear. “Sorry to interrupt, Bad Girl, but your assistance is required.”
A tickle traveled down my neck straight to my groin. The alcohol buzzed in my veins, making my head fuzzy.
“Why? What’s going on?” I turned in his embrace, aware of how many people watched us.
Havoc wasn’t known for being the committed type. I still didn’t really know what we were. I only knew that he’d started off being my tormentor and then had fallen to his knees before me after killing his own father to protect me. Havoc had said he’d fallen for me. Although he hadn’t let me say it back.
“Knight’s old fling won’t get the clue and leave him alone. Maybe you can do something to convince her that he’s taken. I’m thinking that
sucking his cock should get the message across.” Havoc said this into my ear so nobody else heard.
I stiffened. “Are you serious right now? You want me to blow him right here in front of everyone? That’s fucked, Havoc.”
“It doesn’t have to be right here. Take him upstairs or outside. I’ll make sure she goes looking for him.” Havoc nodded to where a girl bounced on a guy’s dick on a recliner in the corner. “It’s not like nobody else is doing it. You can just sit on his cock. Whatever you prefer.”
Annoyed at his insistent request, I shoved him away, almost spilling my drink. I tossed back the rest of it, drinking it all in one swallow. “Get bent, Havoc.”
“Swallow Knight’s cock the way you just chugged that drink and he’ll come in seconds.” Havoc’s self-satisfied chuckle only added to my irritation. “Come on, Raina. You’re our Goddess. Make sure the bitch knows.”
“Get the hell out of here.” I shoved him again, turning back to my friends. What a dick.
Havoc didn’t accept my dismissal. He slid a hand into my hair from behind, jerking my head back. Next to my ear he murmured, “You can refuse me now, Raina, but you won’t be able to refuse me later.”
Then he let go and strolled back to where Gage and Knight stood talking with a group of guys. I glowered at him as he went.
“What was that all about?” Clover asked, shooting an inquisitive glance in Havoc’s direction.
I waved a dismissive hand. “You don’t want to know.”
Clover nodded knowingly. She’d heard enough about the Gods to know that it had been something messed up. She inclined her head toward the back door.
“Want to move this outside?” she asked. “It’s getting pretty smoky in here anyway. I can’t stand the smell of cigarettes.”
“Yeah, let’s go. I’m grabbing a refill first. I’ll meet you out there.” While Clover and the other girls headed out back, I went to the counter to pour more whiskey into my plastic cup.
As I reached the back door, April stepped in front of me. With a hand on her hip, she jabbed a finger into my chest. “Stay the hell away from my man, bitch. I don’t like what I’ve been hearing about you.”
She did not just do that. I laughed in disbelief. “Who the fuck are you anyway? I’ve never even seen you before.”
“I was on a trip with my family. We got back from Barbados last week. I’m Knight’s girlfriend. We were a thing before I left. Stay away from him, unless you want trouble.” April bared her teeth in a weird grimace she must have thought was tough.
“That’s going to be difficult considering I live with him.” I shrugged, trying to remain serious and not laugh right in her face.
Her jaw dropped. “You what? I don’t think so. No. That can’t be possible. He’s mine, slut. Got it?”
I looked April up and down. Her dress was two sizes too small, squeezing her tight in all the wrong places. She would have been pretty if she didn’t have such fucking crazy eyes. Total looney tunes.
I sipped my drink, thinking about punching her. Instead, I did something I’d probably hate myself for later. Whirling on a heel, I marched across the room to where Knight stood with the others. Taking his hand, I led him to the couch, shoving him down on a free cushion. Ignoring everyone else in the vicinity, I shoved my drink into his hand and began to undo his belt. Thankfully, my friends weren’t in here to witness what I was about to do.
Pulling Knight’s cock out of his pants, I stroked it until it was hard. It didn’t take long. Sinking to my knees, I took him into my mouth. A few guys nearby whistled, making comments that were immature and stupid. One of them asked if he could be next. Havoc punched him in the side of the head.
Knight’s gaze was on me as I sucked him into my mouth. Our eyes met briefly as I swirled my tongue around the swollen head. He let out a breath on a deep exhale. He glanced to where April stood in the kitchen watching. This was not the kind of thing I’d normally do. It damn well better be appreciated.
As I sucked Knight deep into my throat, he pushed my blonde locks back from my face so nothing obstructed his view. He traced a finger along the side of my face. Affection shone in his brown eyes.
I knew that April hadn’t left when Knight continued to glance into the kitchen. She was really going to stand there and watch the whole thing? What a nutjob.
I teased Knight with my tongue, licking along his shaft, twirling it around the head, then sucking him deep again. As his pleasure grew, his gentle nature slipped. He fisted a handful of my hair, using his grip to pull me down deeper on his cock. I almost gagged when he was balls deep in my mouth. Bastard.
If he’d been Havoc or Gage, I’d have given him some teeth. Lucky for him, I was in a decent mood tonight. Although if he made my eyes water and got crazy over it, I was done. No way was I letting him bang me in front of these frat boy idiots. Not even to chase April away.
When Knight’s breath came faster and the head of his cock grew tight and rigid, I knew he was close. Bracing for it, I was ready when he shot a stream of cum down my throat. I swallowed, wiping a stray drop from the corner of my mouth.
I rose to find Havoc and Gage wearing similar expressions of want. Leaving them both there to stare after me, I plucked my drink from Knight’s hand and strode from the room. I shouldered April out of my way as I exited into the backyard. If she still thought Knight was hers after this, we were going to have a problem.
