The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play #1) - B.B. Reid Page 0,83
touch a girl if she were hot enough but in truth, I only fucked the ones who were transparent and uncomplicated. And yeah those girls happened to be the ones who were hot, popular and shallow.
Four didn’t seem convinced, and I wasn’t about to discuss the girls I’d slept with, so I said, “Wanna make it interesting?”
“How so?”
“I bet you he does something fucked up to the cat.”
“What?” she snorted as she laughed. “That’s oddly specific. You sure you haven’t seen this movie?”
“Chick flicks aren’t my thing.”
“Because you’re so macho?” she teased.
Movement behind her caught my eye, and I glanced up just in time to catch Vaughn’s hand traveling up Tyra’s skirt. They were no longer pretending to watch the movie as they made out in their darkened corner.
“Because I prefer not to spend ninety minutes bleeding from my eyeballs.”
“It’s not that bad.” She giggled, and it felt like a fist had punched its way inside my chest and seized my heart in its grip.
“Do you accept?”
“Depends on what you want.”
I pretended to think it over even though I knew exactly what I wanted. “The kiss you weaseled your way out of earlier.”
“You have a girlfriend, but I’m the weasel?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Doesn’t matter. Pick something else.”
“No.”
“Then no bet.”
“There’s got to be something you want.” I was aware that I was borderline begging but couldn’t bring myself to care.
“What I want you can’t give me.”
“What if I offered to release you from our deal?”
Her gaze narrowed on me. “You’re that sure you’ll win?”
I had no fucking clue, but to be honest, I didn’t need the deal to control her. Every day, she lost some of her drive for revenge to her determination to resist me. “You in or you out?”
She hesitated for only a split second before saying, “In.”
I held out my hand, and she shook it before settling in to finish watching the movie.
Vaughn and Tyra continued to make out.
Sometime later, I heard her soft groan when the cat went missing, and a later scene showed Mr. Perfect with the cat in his home as he watched the heroine through a hidden camera. To fuck with her, I reached into my pocket for my Chapstick.
She peeked at me as I applied my cherry flavored lip balm, so I popped my lips for good measure.
“You’re pissing me off.” Her gaze was now on the screen again, but she was no longer watching the movie.
“I’m sorry.” I offered her the tube. “Would you like some?”
She twisted her lips but didn’t respond. When the movie finally ended, I led the way out of the theater. Tyra had a hard time meeting our gazes while Vaughn wore a stupid grin. “What’s next?” he questioned excitedly as he rubbed his hands together.
Tyra shook her head. “I need to get home. I have a test to study for.”
Vaughn narrowed his gaze. “Isn’t that in two days?”
“Some of us aren’t comfortable cramming,” she retorted.
“Whatever.” Vaughn trained his gaze on Four. “What about you?”
I pretended not to notice her glance at me before answering. “I have to get the bike home.”
“You guys are lame,” Vaughn sighed. To Tyra, he said, “Come on. I’ll follow you home.”
They took off together, leaving Four and me alone on the sidewalk. We slowly walked to the parking lot, and when we reached her bike, she twisted to face me. “I guess I’ll see you at home then?”
“I guess so.”
With an awkward nod and wave, she hopped on her bike and took off. I stole a peek at her ass just before she turned the corner and groaned. There was no way I wasn’t going to follow her.
Hurrying to my car, I almost missed the hooded figure lingering under one of the street lamps. I couldn’t see his face, but I knew he was watching me. I felt for the blade in my pocket and took cautious steps toward the stranger. Blackwood Keep was one of the safest places on the eastern seaboard, but instinct told me that I was about to face-off with a predator.
The orange glow grew brighter the closer I came. I searched the shadows behind him just in case he had friends before stepping into the circle of light. When he pushed back his hood, my blood ran cold, and I cursed myself for leaving my Exiled-issued gun at home.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Harlan?” I tightened my grip on my blade just in case he decided to do something stupid.