Chapter 12
Chapter 12
BEAU
A fter a sleepless night at the cabin, I’ve decided to go back out into the real world. I’m actually surprised I made it past six o’clock before I took off. My nerves are fucking shot and I needed the hell out of there pretty much the second I arrived… but I did what the text ordered me to do.
I have so many things I need to accomplish today, but the first is finding Iris. We have to talk, there’s no other way around it. She’s going to find it ironic that I’m the one coming to her now, attempting to have a chat, but I don’t care. She should expect it after kissing King and then fucking me the same night. She had to know we’d talk to each other.
The two-hour drive gives me plenty of time to think over everything and now I know no matter how much it pains me, I have no choice but to push Iris away. She needs to understand how dangerous it is that they know about her. Hell… how can I even warn her she’s in danger without also telling her about the society itself? I’m not fucking sure how I’m going to manage getting through to her, but I will.
She’s walking across campus when I eventually arrive, and dread instantly consumes me. Fuck, I hate this. I want to take her away from here and keep her safe from all of the shit… but I know when I’m in over my head and the society is someone you don’t go up against. There’ll be a day when I’m finally powerful enough to do anything I want, but unfortunately that day isn’t today.
I pull up beside her and roll down my passenger window. “Get in the car, Kens.” She smiles like she’s happy to see me and I want nothing more than to be able to appreciate that genuine reaction.
“I was hoping I’d see you today.” She opens the passenger door and climbs in without hesitation. I drive away, slowly mingling through all the things I want to say in my mind while nothing at all comes out. “I missed you yesterday.” She leans over to kiss my cheek and grabs my hand before a single word slips out of my mouth. Her lips on my flesh only manage to further fuck with my state of mind. It shouldn’t have to be this way.
I spit out the first thing I think of, using jealousy as my go to. “Are you fucking King?” She pulls her hand away a little too quickly for my liking and turns to face me.
“No.” I look into her eyes longer than I should while driving and silently thank God that she’s not lying to me. Not that it matters. I’m going to accuse her of lying regardless, because it’s the best way to make her hate me. Before this conversation is over, I want her to hate us both, even the mere idea of us existing.
“Do you think I’m an idiot, Kens? He told me he was in your bedroom the other night. Do you fuck two guys every night… or did you just save that one for us?”
“Fuck you, Beau.” She sits back in her seat and shifts so that she’s looking out the side window. Away from me. “Why are you like this?”
“Oh, forgive me for wanting someone who doesn’t fuck around.” God… I want to kick my own ass for this shitty performance. “Someone who isn’t trying to tear apart two best friends. We’re like family, Kens, you know that, right? Is this a twisted game to you?”
“I’d never do that and you know it,” she speaks softly, still not looking my way.
“You have a funny way of showing it. Fucking us both. Not telling either one of us about the other.”
She doesn’t say anything else while I continue to berate her.
“You know we both brag about who we fuck. Hell, Kens… you just became another notch on our posts. We’ve always said we’d share the ones who don’t matter. Guess you put yourself in that category for us. Didn’t peg you for a slut. I wonder what your damn daddy would think of his daughter spreading her legs for every dick at Bentley.” She finally stiffens up in her seat and I brace for the lashing I want her to give me. I need it. Fuck knows I deserve it right now.
“I didn’t fuck him. I’ve never fucked King… but if I ever want to, I will. Now pull the damn truck over and let me out.” She glowers, her words like a whip of ice. I do as she asks and stop the truck right in the middle of the street to let her out. She hops out and yet again, I regret every fucking thing I just said to her. It’s for her safety though, and I’ll do anything for her and King.
I should’ve been asking her about Jordan and what she remembers. Or even telling her that she’ll never have to worry about him getting his hands on her again. But instead, I chose to drive her as far away from me as I possibly can, and I feel like week-old dried-up dog shit for it.
Choosing to skip all of my classes today was a no-brainer. It isn’t considered hiding when you’re sleeping all day. I sit up when my door swings open.
“You sick?” King strolls in, brow raised in worry, and tosses a beer on my bed.
“No. Just didn’t sleep last night.” I slide out of bed and step into the bathroom, my eyes burning from the all nighter of self-loathing I put myself through. I’m mid-piss when he starts talking about Iris.
“She’s fucking beautiful, Beau. And her smell. God, I could jack off a thousand times to her scent alone. I snuck into her room, raided her shower and I’ve been watching her through her window. My damn dick is raw because of this girl.” I raise a brow and listen to him go on and on about Iris. He’s caught up in everything about her and when King becomes tunnel focused like this, there’s no distracting him from his target. I know this from years of being his friend. Obsession is one of his best and worst traits.
“You sure you want to tie her up in all of our bullshit?” I do my best to make him think about the initiation and everything it could bring… but he’s not hearing a damn thing I’m saying. I’m usually one of the few who can reason with him, but there’s not a chance in hell he’ll hear me this time.
“I took her phone and her laptop. I’ve been checking up on her to find out some information about why she took off like she did. And why her dad is such a dick. Maybe I’ll find some dirt on that fucker, and we can go along with our plan.”
“King, I really think we should stay clear of her.”
“Nah. Fuck off with that. There’s not a single chance in hell that I’ll let her fall through my hands again. She’s mine and that’s all there is about that.” He walks out the door, rambling about her fucking smell again and I grumble in defeat.
It’s clear he’s not about to leave her alone and I’ve already fucked up and allowed the society to see that she’s important to me more than once. The only thing I can do is keep my distance from her and hope they’ll forget about her and leave her alone.
My order is loyalty… I don’t want to have to choose between Iris and the society because I know for a fact, I’d bring down the wrath of my family with my decision.
I just need to avoid everything Iris Kensington. It's best this way.
IRIS
I’ve been in pissed off mood since hearing Beau’s stupid excuses. Even deep cleaning my entire room hasn’t made me calm down in the slightest. “There’s my damn phone,” I’m still mumbling to myself when I pull it from under my bed.
What the hell was Beau’s problem? We sleep together, and then he comes up with this shit the next time he sees me? He was so cold. His words hurt me but it was the disgust in his voice that shredded me from the inside. My stomach aches just thinking about it.
I was in pure shock. Still am, if I’m being honest with myself. Tears fall over my cheeks in little rivers of torment. I’m too confused to know whether they’re from hurt or anger or both. He said he loves me… then he accuses me of being a slut. I hate that word.
He's never spoken to me this way before. I won’t lie, I kinda expected his anger when we saw each other again for the first time, because of me leaving and never staying in contact. I would’ve even deserved a little bit of it, even if the move wasn’t my choice. I was forced to leave him, and Kingston, and it broke me. But to have this anger put on me now? He’s crazy if he thinks I’ll be a doormat and allow him to speak to me that way. The next time I see him, I’ll give him a piece of my mind and see how much he enjoys the knife stabbing through his heart.
As for Kingston… well, truthfully, I started to think of him in a different light. I always put the thought of something with him on the back burner because Beau and I have history. I love him and thought if maybe we got a second chance to be together, then things would work out differently for us. Apparently, that’s not the case though.
If he wants to accuse me of fucking his best friend, maybe I will . He deserves to hurt as much as I am. I know King would never push me away like Beau has. He would never say half the things Beau has said to me.
We may not have the same sexual history, but I’m not dumb. I’ve seen the way he’s always looked at me. He watched me like I was something special and followed me around like a little puppy at times. I thought it was cute back then but never considered us anything more. Maybe I was simply blind. I fell for one boy while writing off the other when he could’ve been the answer all along. He would never treat me this way.
Kingston kissed me at the party, and I was too excited to see him again to think about pushing him away. I let it happen, wanted it even and I’m grown enough to admit as much. I would’ve told Beau, but honestly, I was too wrapped up in finally having Beau near me that I wasn’t even thinking about Kingston at that time. They both do that to me. Consume my every thought and emotion when I’m near them.
Now, here I am being accused of coming between them when all I was trying to do was get Beau to admit the truth and enjoy the attention Kingston was giving me. What a damn fool I was, but I guess that’s what I get for not being selfish.
I’ll never understand men.
My tears dry, as I come up with what to do next. I won’t allow my pain to fester and grow, not after the way Beau treated me. He doesn’t deserve my tears if he’s not going to ask me like a rational person and actually hear me out. He didn’t even offer the chance to explain myself and to put trust into my words. He jumped to conclusions and said everything he knew would hurt me. Well, fuck that. I may love him, but I’ll show him it’s his mistake to let me go. And when it’s all said and done, I’ll be happy with either of those boys. Kingston is just as much of a catch as Beau is. In fact, he’s looking more appealing by the second.
He’s been loyal to me, loves me, and adores me…he won’t turn me away. Grabbing my phone, I send him a message.
Me
I’ve enjoyed hanging out with you again. I’ve missed you more than I realized.
All true. I’m just pushing it to a further point, the one Kingston made abundantly clear he wants with me.
Kingston Banks
Prove it.
Me
How?
Kingston Banks
Meet me outside and kiss me.
Me
Tell me where.
Kingston Banks
I’m out by the pool.
Me
I’m on my way.
He’s changed my mood with just the simplest text. My heart flutters on my way out to meet Kingston and I’m sure the girls I pass think I’m up to no good with this smile plastered all over my face, but I don’t care. In fact, with him I might be up to exactly just that. I never know what he’ll get me into but I’m here for it.
I miss our flirting and the way he gazes at me with his undivided attention. Kingston really knows how to make a girl feel special. When I’m with him, I don’t doubt his feelings for me. He’s always been very clear about that part, even if I haven’t always been on the same page as he was. I don’t think I could’ve handled Kingston as a teenager but I’m definitely going to enjoy every minute I can with this man.
He's sitting on a pool lounger as I walk up, looking like he’s the king of the world. Reaching for my hand, he pulls me into his lap and starts kissing me instantly.
His kiss is absolute perfection. Aggressive enough to let me know he’s craving me but still soft enough not to hurt me. “You’re mine, Iris Kensington. I’m gonna fuck you so good, you’ll need help standing when I’m done.” His fingers slide through the back of my hair as he palms me from the neck up.
“Don’t threaten me with a fun time, Kingston Banks.” I challenge him, knowing he can’t resist me provoking him. He palms my ass and shifts me to straddle his lap. I take this opportunity to grind against and tease him through more kisses and love bites until he moves to pick his phone up from the ground beside us.
“Ahhh. I have to go.” His change in demeanor and the slap of rejection stings. “Fuck, I want to stay more than anything… but I have to go. I’m not sure when I’ll be back but I promise we will continue right fucking here.” He reaches between my legs to pinch my clit, under my dress but over my panties, and I’m still squirming at the tingle when he stands while holding me in place—wrapped around his waist.
“I’m gonna hold you to that.”
“You won’t have to.” He walks me over to the back door of our sorority house before he lets me slide to my feet. “I’ve fuckin’ missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too.”
“Now get that ass of mine up to your room.” He leans me against the door before he dives in for another deep kiss, only further encouraging both of our sexual appetites. “Mmm. Yes. Soon.” He steps back and I can tell he doesn’t really want to go, so it must be important.
I choose not to torment either of us by asking him to stay, knowing deep down that this is only the beginning of my time with Kingston Banks. I can’t fucking wait to go on this ride.