9. Sienna
Chapter 9
Sienna
In the dining hall, Luke sits with Violet, Juliet, and a few of his giant teammates, the Devils. The intimidating, hulking, slightly terrifying, devastatingly handsome group of hockey players.
Wes Novak, Knox Rockefeller, Damien Vanderbilt, and Finn Ashby. Violet has apparently already locked Wes down, and I can’t blame her. His dark brown hair and blue eyes are striking.
Luke tracks my every move with predatory focus. Somehow, he can sense me as soon as I enter a room, sharp gaze lasering in on me through the sea of faces.
This isn’t just about sex, Sienna. This is way more than that . How could he say that when we’ve barely known each other for more than five seconds? Sure, the sex was incredible, but I’m not egotistical enough to think that night could’ve been enough to make him fall for me. Maybe he’d really say anything to get in my pants again. He’s probably more turned on now that I’m the forbidden stepsister, like every other guy browsing a porn site.
I need to get better at avoiding him. This campus is big enough that I should be able to stay away from him easily. Tonight, I screwed up.
“Sienna!” Violet waves.
I lift my chin and head for their table, the Devils’ eyes on me every step of the way. My stepbrother’s rapt attention makes my cheeks burn.
When I aim for the last open seat next to Juliet, Knox moves down. Forcing me to sit between him and Luke.
I plaster on a smile, pretending I’m grateful for the gesture and not fantasizing about kicking him.
“Glad you could join us, Sienna.” Knox grins at me.
“Thanks.” I dare a glance at Finn and Damien—they’re both watching me like hawks. I guess they’ve gotten their fill of ogling Juliet. Or maybe they’re fantasizing about us both.
I don’t dare give Luke a fraction of my attention.
When I set my plate down, I tell Juliet, “I see you’ve met everyone.”
“We ran into each other in the library.” Violet beams at Juliet like this is the best possible news. “I introduced her.”
Juliet and Violet. Their names are so similar and yet they couldn’t be more different. Juliet has long, black hair mixed with shocks of red, while Violet has cropped, simple brown locks. Violet is short and tiny, while Juliet is nearly five-eight and regal with enviable curves. Juliet has a stud in her nose, multiple rings in her ears, a piercing through her eyebrow, and tattoos on her arms and who knows where else while Violet’s skin is entirely unblemished. Violet has a cute librarian kind of look while Juliet is a goth queen. Yet somehow this new friendship blossoming between the three of us makes sense.
“ You went to the library?” I raise an eyebrow at my best friend. I’ve been trying to get her to listen to my smutty audiobooks for years, and now we transfer to Diamond University and she’s suddenly a reader?
Juliet rolls her eyes, rimmed with dark liner. “For research. I’m doing a project on serial killers.”
“Every project you do is on serial killers.”
“ Every project?” Knox lifts a brow, amused.
Damien leans forward, elbows on the table. I don’t think he ever smiles, but there’s a spark in his dark eyes. “Sounds like we got a little psycho on our hands.”
Juliet tosses her braid over her shoulder. She’s used to attention from guys. As intimidating as the Devils are, they don’t faze Juliet. “I’m obsessed. Sue me.”
“Is your roommate eating with us?” I ask Violet.
She nods to the Devils. “They’re my roommates. I was supposed to share a dorm with my roommate from last semester, but she transferred to Harvard because she’s brilliant. So I’m staying with Wes in his room.”
Speaking of her boyfriend, his gaze is locked on her and he smiles when she catches his eye. I’ve just met them and they’re already the cutest couple I’ve ever seen.
Knox groans. “Yeah, and it sucks for the rest of us.”
“Like you three aren’t louder than us,” Wes says.
Juliet’s eyes light up. “What?”
“Not like that,” Damien growls. “We like sharing our puck bunnies.”
“Who? You, Knox, and Luke?”
For some reason, my stomach twists at the mention of Luke. At the thought of him with Damien and Knox and some girl, all of them taking turns fucking her. Is that how he’s been spending his nights after practices?
“Me, Damien, and Finn,” Knox corrects. “Luke doesn’t share.”
I nearly jump when a finger brushes against my knee, stroking gently over the small patch of skin exposed through my distressed jeans. At my side, Luke’s face remains impassive. No one would have any idea he’s touching his stepsister under the table.
I’m about to leap out of my chair with some excuse to get the hell out of here when Knox says, “We’re going to the bars tonight. You two should come with us.”
“Yeah. Come,” Damien adds, voice dripping with innuendo as he eye-bangs my best friend.
Juliet ignores him, but she nods at Violet. “If you’ll be there, we’re in.”
“I’m not,” I blurt. When all eyes turn to me, I add quickly, “I’m not...feeling great. I think I’ll skip it tonight.”
A night out with new friends and a few gorgeous hockey players actually sounds like just the distraction I need, but not if Luke will be there. He’s the reason I need a distraction in the first place.
Under the table, his hand squeezes my knee, but I refuse to look at him to determine whether it’s a warning or a threat.
If Luke will be there, I need to stay far away. Especially where alcohol is involved. Last time, we gave in to our inhibitions. Far too easily and quickly.
“What? No, you can’t!” Juliet leans across Knox to grab my hand. Her boobs nearly brush his arm, and he doesn’t mind at all. “You have to come with us. It won’t be any fun without you.”
“As long as I’m there, it’ll be fun,” Knox objects.
“ Please , Sienna.”
Damn it. She knows exactly how to appeal to my people-pleaser side.
“We need another girl to balance out all this testosterone,” Violet adds.
Beside her, Wes nods. “That’s true.”
“Drinks will be on us,” Damien promises.
Great, now they’re ganging up on me. I force a smile. “I guess I can come for a little while.”
They all launch into plans for meeting up. Luke’s finger on my knee resumes its casual strokes back and forth across my skin. Shivers race down my spine, nipples peaking beneath my bra.
I try to cross my legs to move out of his grasp, but his palm keeps me rooted firmly in place. That shouldn’t cause a flood between my legs. Not from him.
Luckily, everyone is distracted when he leans over and murmurs in my ear. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll protect you.”
Like it’s other men I’m worried about at the bar.
No, the only man I’m worried about getting his hands on me is my stepbrother.
Violet stands with her empty plate. “Sienna, want to grab dessert with us?”
I’ve barely even touched the food on my plate, but I leap to my feet. “Yes!”
As soon as Luke’s hand is off my knee, my racing heart slows. Violet waits until we’re out of earshot near the dessert bar before she grins at me and Juliet. “So which of the Devils do you have your eyes on?”
I’m about to sputter that I’m not checking out any of them, I’m not interested in dating anybody, and as a matter of fact, I’m celibate.
But thank god, Juliet answers first. “None of them could keep up with me and all the kinky shit I’m into.”
Violet’s grin widens. “Like what?”
“Masks, choking, blood, somnophilia, degradation.”
“The vanilla stuff,” I add.
Violet gives a short laugh. “I know the perfect guy for you, but he got expelled last semester.”
Juliet quirks a dark brow. Her interest is piqued. “What’d he do?”
“Spiked girls’ drinks, cut me with a knife, and nearly killed my boyfriend.”
Oh fuck. I guess it’s a good thing he got kicked off campus. The other Devils are already intimidating enough, let alone a guy like that.
“Holy shit.” Juliet’s blue eyes widen, but there’s a spark of interest. She is absolutely twisted. “Is he in prison?”
“Of course not.” Violet’s mouth sours. “Daddy’s money got him out of trouble. I won’t be surprised if he ends up back here. I just hope I graduate before then.”
My body temperature spikes. Damn. I hope I do too. I left Wakefield to get away from guys like that.
“Minus the trying to kill someone thing, he sounds like just my type,” Juliet concedes.
“Please.” I roll my eyes playfully. “You’d love a murderer for a boyfriend.”
“ Serial killer ,” Juliet corrects. “And it’s called hybristophilia, thank you very much.” She leans around me to blatantly check out the Devils. “Out of the ones who are still on campus, though, I’d say Sienna’s stepbrother is the cutest.”
I wish I didn’t agree with her.
“What about you, Sienna?” Violet smiles at me.
I blurt out the first name that pops into my head. “Knox.”
He flirted with me pretty blatantly. If I wanted someone to help me forget about my night with Luke and get him to leave me alone, I’m sure an hour alone with Knox would do the trick. His charm and cocky grin only add to his appeal. He knows how to stroke an ego, that’s for sure. He’d probably be plenty of fun in bed.
The other two Devils are viable options too. Damien wears a permanent scowl, a line etched between thick brows pulled down over black eyes. He would probably throw me around like a ragdoll and I would love every second. Finn is silent but his looks are devastating and he’s most likely the type to make you see God when he gets his hands on you. I could fuck any of them and have a great time, and by the way they all stared at me when we met, I have no doubts they would let me.
But I’m not sure a wild night with one of them would be enough to push Luke away. He might even become more possessive. And as much as I hate to admit it, I doubt a night with any of them would come close to my night with Luke.
“I don’t blame you.” Violet beams. “He’s single. I’m not sure he’s looking to commit to anyone, though.”
I wave her off. “I’m not either.”
I’ve never wanted a relationship, and I certainly don’t want one now.
Juliet lifts an invisible glass of champagne. “To staying single and fucking happy.”
“So what’s it like being Luke’s new stepsister?” Violet asks.
Ugh, I wish she had asked me anything else. I’d rather talk about the weather than about Luke. “It’s...kind of awkward. The whole situation is.” Biggest understatement of my life. “I’m not really close with my dad, so I kind of feel like an outsider.”
“It’ll get better. Luke is a really good guy when you get to know him. He’s just been dealing with a lot since Chloe.”
Chloe . She must be his ex. Maybe it was thoughts of her haunting him the night we met. “What happened with Chloe?”
Violet sighs, soft brown eyes turning somber as she grabs a cookie. “She died. It happened at a party last summer. Chloe’s drink got spiked, and I...pushed her in the pool. She drowned.”
Juliet mutters, “Shit.”
My hand flies to my chest. “Oh my god. I’m so sorry.”
I can’t imagine the burden Violet has had to bear since that night. Losing her friend and possibly even feeling responsible.
She manages a small, thin-lipped smile. “Thanks. Wes and I have had each other to lean on, but Luke...he won’t really open up to anybody. I worry about him, honestly.”
“I’ll get him to crack.” Juliet studies Luke like he’s a specimen under a microscope. “I’m a psych major.”
“So they were friends?” I have a good feeling I already know the answer, but I want confirmation from someone who obviously knows Luke better than I do.
Violet doesn’t answer right away. She keeps her attention on the dessert bar. “They were kind of more than that. They went out on a date and kissed once, but that was it.”
Juliet shovels a peanut butter cookie into her mouth. “You think he’s still hung up on her?”
For some reason, my breath catches.
“Not exactly.” Violet glances to the table where Wes is staring at her, and Luke is staring at me.
The knot in my chest tightens.
The other Devils are all enraptured by a girl with platinum-blonde hair that drifts past her waist. She’s small, shoulders hunched as she aims for an empty, secluded table in the corner and eats alone. An ethereal beauty, even from this distance. They really are insatiable.
“I think he feels guilty for some reason,” Violet says. “He’s hard on himself. But I get it. I felt a lot of guilt over Chloe’s death too, for a long time. We were all there that night, but none of us saved her.”
Juliet’s gaze flashes to me. At the guilt she knows still weighs on me over what happened to Marcus. Maybe my new stepbrother and I have more in common than I thought.