Chapter 12
TWELVE
Avery uses every resource, threat, and social weapon in her arsenal, but there’s no word of what Joey has planned.
She’s livid about it, and it takes me a minute to figure out that her anger is fueled by her fear for me.
Joey has tortured her and Ash their entire lives, so her fears aren’t baseless, but I refuse to back down.
I can handle whatever he throws at me and, someday, I’ll start sending some hell of my own his way.
Saturday morning, Ash and Blaise arrive at our door with duffel bags slung over their shoulders, ready to carry the literal mountain of Avery’s luggage down to the town car for her.
Neither of them speak to me about Joey’s party, but at least Blaise acknowledges my existence, Ash just ignores me entirely.
It takes a lot of reassurance from me, but eventually Avery gives me a quick but fierce hug before she marches out the door like she’s a general heading to war.
I spend the afternoon on my assignments and practicing my singing, then I heat up some leftovers for dinner. I’m halfway through the plate when my phone pings.
Swim training finishes in an hour. I’ll come shower and get ready in your room after that.
I gulp. Harley showering in my bathroom. Harley getting naked in my bathroom.
Harley naked.
Sweet lord.
I abandon my food to scramble into the bathroom myself, determined to be completely ready before he gets here.
I grab jeans, a lacy tank top, and then throw a hoodie on over it all.
It’s one of my good ones that actually fits me properly and doesn’t make me look homeless, but it’s not like I’m trying to impress anyone anyway.
I just need to be comfortable and warm, and able to kill a man if the situation arises.
No one cares what I look like, I’m just trash in their eyes, so I’m doing all of this for me.
I keep telling myself that even as I do my makeup and hair.
By the time Harley knocks on the door, I’m happy with how I look. No doubt I’ll stand out amongst the Hannaford crowd, but I’d blend into the best parties the docks have ever held, so it’s a win in my books.
When I open the door for him, Harley’s standing there with his swim bag hanging from his shoulder wearing his usual smirk, but his eyes roam over me appreciatively. “Where’s the shorts and bra? I thought that’s what you wear to parties?”
There’s something in his voice that has me mentally fist bumping myself. Sometimes it’s nice to know I’m not a complete ogre.
I shrug and smirk back at him. “I don’t need frostbite on my nipples. Come to a party in the summer with me and I’ll wear the other outfit again.”
Wait, what?
What am I saying? I’ve lost my damn mind.
Harley strides into the room and heads straight to the bathroom. “I’m holding you to that, Mounty.”
The door swings shut behind him but he doesn’t lock it.
I don’t let my mind fixate on the fact that there’s only an unlocked door between me and a naked Harley Arbour, the golden god himself.
Except I am fixated on it like a complete pervert, and I throw myself back onto my bed as my cheeks burn shamefully.
I have no right complaining about the girls panting after him when I’m acting like this.
He’s barely accepted me as a friend, there’s no way he’d be happy to know I’m out here squirming over him taking a fucking shower.
Thank God there’s no one here to see it.
Instead of moping, I find my phone and text Avery.
Good luck, wish I was there to see you dance. Tell Morrison to send me a video.
I chew my nails for a minute while I staunchly ignore the sound of the shower. I need to get a grip, and fast. My phone pings and saves me from another shame spiral.
Thank you. It’s weird, my father isn’t here.
He always shows up to these things so he can monitor what Ash and I are doing.
I’m so relieved. Blaise isn’t so lucky, his father is on the warpath.
I’m expecting I’ll have to play nursemaid to him later while he gives himself liver poisoning.
Text me when you get back from the party safely, Harley promised me he would stick with you and have your back if anything happens x
I frown down at the screen. Blaise has been doing so well in his classes, our tutoring sessions and his dedication have paid off impressively.
He’s easily on top of all of his assignments now, and he’s been asked to move into the higher level classes in a few subjects.
What could his dad possibly be pissy at him for?
I can’t wrap my head around it at all. Fuck it. I text him.
Send me a video of Avery’s dance, please. Let me know if you need anything.
The second I hit send, I curse at myself under my breath and wish I could take it back because what would he need from me ?
He has two of his best friends with him and I’m…
barely a person in his life. The shower shuts off and I start to sweat.
My phone pings again and I cringe before I look down at it.
Avery has already threatened me if I don’t. Thanks. If you could send me bourbon and a blowjob, that would be great.
I cackle as Harley comes out of the bathroom and when I almost choke at the sight of him, he raises an eyebrow at me.
“Morrison wants me to send him booze and sexual favors to help him get through the night with his parents. Should I send him a Mounty hooker?”
Harley laughs, a proper laugh, and I blush at the sight of it.
I jump up off the bed and try to discreetly check him out.
His dark jeans are just fitted enough that I can appreciate his ass but not his dick.
I’ll take it as a win. He has a dark gray shirt on with a deep V neckline, so I can see his mother’s necklace and the edges of his tattoo peeking out.
He throws a jacket on and we leave together.
He leans against the wall as I lock the door and he’s so close to me that I can feel the heat of his body. I’m practically drowning in the scent of his skin, and I swear, he’s like fucking ambrosia to me. My body melts the second I get a whiff of him.
I’m shoved out of my little bubble of delusional horny joy when I hear him curse viciously under his breath.
I look up to find Annabelle scowling down the hallway at me, standing out in the open wearing nothing but a lacy transparent nightgown-thing.
Teddy? I’ve never owned one so fuck knows what it’s called.
There’s no reason other than sex that a woman would wear one is what I’m saying.
She practically simpers at him. “It’s bad enough I have to watch Blaise leave their room most nights, now you’re here with her, too? Come on, Harley, what are you thinking?”
It’s enough to ruin my night and there’s no way I’m sticking around for this, but as I move to walk past her, Harley grabs my hand to drag me back, tucking me into his side. Oh fuck. I’m about to be thrown into the middle of relationship drama. Avery’s going to be pissed .
“We’re heading out to Joey’s party. Have a great night with whatever dumbass you’re all dressed up for, Summers.”
Annabelle pouts at him but there’s real hurt in her eyes. Avery did say Harley was her favorite. “I haven’t broken the rules, Harley. I haven’t had anyone else and I won’t. I know you’ll get bored of slumming it with Mounty pussy and come back to me.”
Gag.
But also, fuck this bitch.
While I’m busy seething, Harley doesn’t miss a beat and chuckles derisively under his breath as he takes a step forward, pulling me with him.
“I was born in the same city as Lips. I spend all of my summer breaks there. We have friends in the same circles. When I leave Hannaford, I’m going back there.
I’m as much a Mounty as she is. Give up, Summers.
I’m never touching you again. I never should’ve touched you in the first place. ”
The tears start as we walk past her and I can’t find it in myself to feel bad.
The party is in the same clearing as last time.
We have to walk past the same tree I watched Annabelle blow Harley on and I think about pointing it out to him, but his mood is fucking woeful after our run-in with her.
He hasn’t let go of my hand. I tried to tug it back the moment we got out of the girls’ dorm, but he glared down at me like I’d taken a swing at him or something.
Even now, he keeps huffing and throwing me wounded looks that I don’t know what to do with.
I mean, I’m not the one with a rabid pack of jilted exes popping up out of nowhere trying to drag me back into their beds.
I’m also not making a big deal out of it like the good friend that I am, but he doesn’t seem to be appreciating it all that much. Ugh. Fucking guys.
When we make it to the party, I bee-line it to the drink table and Harley catches on fast. He swipes a bottle of whiskey, holding it up until I nod, then he finally releases his death-grip on my hand to open it, passing it straight to me.
To any girl here, it would seem like an asshole move because he doesn’t spare the red solo cups so much as a glance, but to a Mounty, he’s practically a gentleman.
The smirk that finally breaks the mask of fury on his face is a good one, his eyes light up with the best sort of no-good, and I take a long swig of the whiskey just to give myself a second to get my head together.
As I hand the bottle back to him, I see Joey’s usual group of flunkies approaching us from the corner of my eye.
I roll my eyes at Harley, and he tips the bottle back like he needs it to calm his simmering rage just as bad.
When we ignore his arrival, Devon finally snaps at us both. “Joey’s waiting for you.”
Harley slings his arm over my shoulders and sneers at the pathetic dickhead. “And he can keep waiting. We’re busy.”