Chapter 56
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
ASTRID
“You want me to come in?” Frasier asked, leaning his forearm against the front door and wiggling his eyebrows at me. Moonlight bounced off his face, illuminating his skin. “We can make more babies.”
“More?!” I giggled quietly. “I don’t think so.”
His gaze dropped down to my lips as I laughed, and my cheeks warmed. I didn’t know why I was suddenly so … embarrassed around him. Ever since we had pulled on all our clothes, I had been more self-conscious than ever.
Maybe it was because I’d never felt like this about anyone before. And when I say that I felt this way, I meant about … more than just Frasier. Sure, Frasier was the first guy that I’d admitted it to, but the other guys in The Crew …
Especially Calix …
I quickly pushed him out of my mind because I didn’t want to think about him and Mira. Then I wrapped my arms around Frasier’s waist and pecked him on the lips. “I’ll see you tomorrow at school.”
“I’ll pick you up,” he said.
“No,” I responded too quickly. “I mean, no, that’s fine. I’ll meet you at school.”
After arching a brow, he returned the kiss and headed back to his car.
Whew, that was a close one. I didn’t think he knew yet about my mornings with Cairo, and I didn’t want to have that taken away.
Was it wrong to be with all these guys at once? Yes. One hundred percent.
But they seemed—dare I say—fine with it. At least, most times.
Before Frasier sped off, I slipped into the house and dropped my keys on the side table. All the lights were off, which meant that Dad and my stepmom were fast asleep. Shadows stretched across the stairs.
I kept my footsteps light, attempting to get to my room before anyone could ask any—
“Where the hell have you been?” someone said behind me.
I leaped up, my heart nearly exploding out of my chest, and twirled around to see Arch standing in the living room, in the dark, near the front window, as if he had been waiting for me to come home.
My stomach twisted, and I took a step backward. “None of your business.”
He pushed himself off the wall and stalked closer. “It’s late.”
Another step back. “Mmhmm.”
“What were you doing with Frasier?”
I craned my head up to keep eye contact as he approached. “What, are you jealous?”
“No.”
“Sure sounds like it.”
Arch let out a humorless chuckle and stepped closer, his body posturing over mine. “Don’t act all bratty with me right now, Hellcat. I’m not in the fucking mood for it. What were you doing out with him?”
I crossed my arms. “Fucking him.”
“Don’t you have more important things to do?” he growled. “Like maybe setting everyone at school straight for spreading the rumor that you’re pregnant with Principal Vaughn’s kid? Sounds more important than fucking the man-whore.”
I flared my nostrils. “Guess we have different priorities.”
“Are you fucking stupid, letting that rumor run wild?”
“It’s not a rumor.”
He moved even closer to me, bumping me back into our parents’ bedroom door. “Principal Vaughn didn’t get you pregnant. You weren’t part of some underage sex ring. You barely leave the fucking house.”
I stood my ground because two out of the five guys now knew about me not being pregnant, and I couldn’t let Arch, out of all of them, know. He’d surely tell everyone the truth to ruin my life.
“It’s not a rumor,” I said again, his body flush against mine.
Arch snapped a hand around the front of my throat and pinned me to the door. “Bullshit.” He grazed his nose against my ear, his warm breath fanning my skin. “You really want to get pregnant that badly, don’t you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, you don’t?”
“No.”
“I don’t know why you want the entire school to think you’re pregnant when you’re not,” he growled.
“But you’re doing everything in your power to actually get pregnant, huh?
Your early mornings with Cairo, sneaking away with Frasier to the woods, Calix in his bedroom in the same house where your best friend lives. Rush now too.”
“Have you been stalking me?!” I whisper-yelled at him.
But, damn, did the thought get me wet.
“Now, it’s my turn,” he murmured, fingers pressing against my clit through my bottoms. “Let’s get you pregnant right in front of our parents’ bedroom.”