Kings of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #1) - Caroline Peckham ,Susanne Valenti Page 0,37

he was gone. “They usually only make the fledglings jump in, not swim to the fucking flag.”

“Are you for real?” I huffed, peeling off my underwear and heading into the shower. I turned it on and flinched under the heated water as my frozen skin adjusted to it.

“Yeah, but shit, now you’re gonna be a legend around here.”

I laughed as I washed off the lake water and scrubbed it out of my hair too. “Those assholes,” I muttered to myself.

I soon stepped out of the unit and dried off with more fluffy towels, wondering if every part of campus was like some sort of luxury holiday camp.

“You’d better watch yourself with Blake,” Mila said with a meaningful look. “I saw the way you two were eye-fucking each other.” She started miming kissing the air, sticking out her tongue and grinding her hips.

I laughed, shaking my head. “Is that how you kiss?”

She tossed a hand towel at me with a grin. “I’m just saying.”

“You said you were gonna stop with the warnings,” I pressed and she sighed heavily.

“Fine. But just know this final thing, Blake is extra cold lately. I heard he screwed Tiffany Forsythe up at his Dad’s mountain lodge during summer break then took off in the middle of the night in his truck. Left her there in the wilderness. Apparently animal control had to go up there and save her from a wild bear.”

“Oh come on,” I laughed. “That’s bullshit.”

“Alright maybe Tiffany is a bit of an exaggerator, but not that much,” Mila said, tossing her hair over one shoulder. “Anyway, I think he’s acting even more heartless since his mom died.”

My heart twinged and my brows pulled together. “He lost his mom?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “Anyway, get fucking dressed! I wanna party, girl.”

I nodded, turning away from her although I kinda wanted to ask more about Blake’s mom. I knew how painful grief could be, but I also knew everyone handled it in their own way. And I didn’t exactly know him well enough to bring it up.

I had to put my dress on without underwear and stuff the wet garments in my purse. I tugged my dress down a little lower, conscious of the air flowing between my legs.

“This isn’t a good outfit to go commando in,” I laughed.

“Don’t worry about it, girl.” She tossed me my stilettos and I put them on, figuring fuck it about the underwear. I didn’t wanna walk all the way back to the girls’ accommodation now anyway. No, I wanted to do one thing and one thing only. Party.

Mila helped me fix my makeup then we headed back into the lounge where everyone immediately started chanting my name.

Blake kicked off of the wall opposite the bathroom, moving toward me like a hunter stalking his prey and wrapping his arm around my waist possessively.

“Let’s go play a game,” he spoke into my ear, handing me another dark and stormy and I smiled in thanks for the drink.

“What kind of game?” I narrowed my eyes at him and he smirked.

“You’ll see.” He guided me over to a table where a group of people were clustered, sitting on the carpet. Kyan was lazing in the armchair again and Saint was resting on a couch while no one else dared join him.

Mila dropped down to kneel on the floor between Gerald and Pearl and I eyed the wine bottle which lay down on the table, realising exactly what sort of game this was. Blake pushed me down onto the couch beside Saint, sitting on my other side and resting his hand on my knee. Saint didn’t offer me a word of acknowledgement as he leaned forward to lift his drink from the table.

My gaze zeroed in on his Night Keeper tattoo and I eyed the lethal looking arrow with interest. It looked even more brutal on him somehow with his clean cut appearance, like it was a reminder of just how dangerous he was beneath the surface.

He sat back and sipped on a glass of something that looked and smelled suspiciously like straight vodka. Jesus.

“You earned the first go.” Blake squeezed my knee and I took another sip of my drink.

“Yeah seriously, Tatum, that swim was epic,” Pearl said, pumping her fist.

“Thanks.” I grinned, warmth filling me at the hope of making some real friends tonight.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Blake encouraged and I shrugged.

When in Rome…

I leaned forward and spun the bottle.

It whipped around fast before slowing and slowing until finally landing on Kyan in his