Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Tempest
“ T emp. Get your hand off my junk,” Ryder grumbled as I woke up, making me chuckle.
“Even in my sleep I can’t keep my hands off you.” I didn’t move my hand, giving his hardening dick a firm squeeze, pressing against his back more.
He always liked being the little spoon.
“I’m serious,” he muttered as he swatted at my hand, his fingers wrapping around my wrist firmly when I didn’t listen. “You’re insatiable, you know that?” I shrieked as he flipped over and pinned me to the bed, his eyes sharp and alert. “If you’re feeling better, I’m more than happy to take you home.”
“C’mon, Ry. Play with me,” I grinned, arching my body up to rub against his.
“I’ll fuck her if you don’t,” Mason chuckled, his voice rough with sleep.
“Or you could both just fuck me,” I offered, biting my lip as Ryder continued to stare down at me. He was thinking about it, it was written all over his face.
His grip on me loosened and I reached a hand up to slide my fingers around his throat, applying pressure and making him smirk. “It’s cute that you think you can dominate me into submission.”
“You’re driven by pussy. Of course I can coerce you into getting what I want,” I answered, managing to catch him off guard when I slapped him. It wasn’t hard, but it was enough to startle him. “So, are you going to fuck me, or watch Mase do it?”
My breath hitched as he slid a hand between us and forced a finger inside me, leaning down but not enough for me to kiss him.
“Drop your head back off the bed. Mase can fuck your mouth while I take you like this,” he said as if he was annoyed, but I saw right through his bullshit. He loved group activities, getting off on the fact we had an audience.
Mason scrambled to his feet, suddenly wide awake at the obvious invitation, and I shuffled back to hang my head off the bed to open my mouth for him.
Blood rushed to my head but I ignored it as Mason stood right in front of me, fisting himself with one hand while reaching out to cup my chin affectionately. “Open wider.”
I did as he asked, groaning as he stepped closer and slipped the head of his cock between my lips. The taste of precum hit my tongue and I hollowed my cheeks to suck, earning a grunt in return from him. “Always so good for me.”
He pushed down my throat more, making me gag, and I jerked as Ryder pinched my clit. He chuckled, holding me down by the hips as he pressed his dick to my entrance. “Don’t bite his dick, I have a feeling you’d miss it.”
Mason laughed, but his fingers still toyed with my chin and bottom lip gently. I couldn’t see much more than his balls and the floor, but I knew he’d have that soft look on his face that he got when he touched me.
I cried out when Ryder slammed into me without warning, managing not to bite Mason by some kind of miracle, and I was glad Ryder was holding me down, or I would’ve flown off the damn bed when his fingers started teasing my clit.
I was aware of Mason pulling back every so often to let me breathe, but I knew he was close when I came hard and cursed around him, and he became focused on thrusting down my throat and not letting me breathe.
“Such a good slut for us. You want our cum?” Ryder practically growled, fucking me harder and making me gag around Mason more. I lifted a hand to tease Mason’s ass, and he didn’t hesitate to let Ryder know what I was doing.
“You got lube? She’s getting wandering fingers.”
“Drawer beside you,” Ryder answered, and I gasped in air as Mason moved to grab it, surprise hitting me as Ryder pulled out.
“What—” I didn’t get to finish my question before his mouth was on my pussy, my hips lifting off the mattress as he tongue-fucked me rapidly until I was a wriggling mess on the bed.
“Hush,” Mason warned, shutting me up with his dick and taking my hand in his, squeezing lube onto the tip of my finger. I wasn’t exactly quiet, but at least it was muffled.
I ran my slick finger across his ass and he shuddered, a low groan leaving him as I eased it inside, his hips jerking forward and choking me as I toyed with his prostate.
His fingers pressed against my throat, feeling me swallow around him as he got closer to release, and they tightened more as his thrusts quickened just before he came.
I really needed to breathe, but I forgot all about breathing as he stepped back and Ryder hooked my legs over his shoulders to rail me.
I went to scream, and Mason’s hand slammed over my mouth at the last second, muffling me as I fell over the edge alongside Ryder.
My body shook as Ryder stilled, all of us catching our breaths, and Mason grabbed the corner of the blanket and wiped at the drool that was running down my cheeks.
“Clean up and I’ll take you home,” Ryder said as he swatted the side of my thigh, his cum leaking out of me as he pulled back to get to his feet. “I’d rather not have your dad show up and murder me in my own bedroom for finding you naked.”
“Why the rush? He’ll murder you anyway.”
“My tolerance for you has ended. Offense intended,” he said flatly, and Mason rolled his eyes.
“C’mon, I’ll shower with you. I have nowhere to be today, so we can hang out.”
Ryder got to his feet and yanked some boxers on before leaving the room without another word, my eyes tracking him as he went.
Considering he’d just come, he seemed to be in a bad mood all of a sudden.
I let Mason clean me up, and I found myself wishing again that I could love someone like him instead of Ryder. Mason took care as he cleaned my stitches, patting me dry when we were done in the shower, then he found me some fresh clothes from Ryder’s drawers and helped me into them.
“Have breakfast with me,” Mason said firmly, cupping my cheek and stroking my skin with his thumb.
“You’re worse than a woman. One night of snuggles and you think we’re a couple,” I joked, swatting at his hand. “You don’t need to romance me, Mase.”
“Someone should,” he argued, surprising me a little as he threaded his fingers through my hair and tugged my head back to force my eyes to his. “Let me feed you so I know you’ve eaten. Please.”
“Coffee?”
“Of course.”
“Sold,” I smiled as he released me, pleased that he got his way.
We walked down to the kitchen, and my sister was instantly all over me. “What happened? Why?—”
“Fuck off, Luna,” I bit out, stumbling as Riley shoved me, and luckily Mason caught me.
“Be a drama queen all you like, but be nice to Luna,” Riley snapped, defending her as always. “Eventually, you’ll run out of people to come and save you if you keep speaking like that.”
“It really bothers you that your brother likes me, doesn’t it?” I taunted, glancing around the room. “Where is he, anyway?”
“He doesn’t like you, he pities you. That’s nothing to brag about,” Riley said dryly, motioning to the living room. “He’s talking to Mom. I’d leave them alone if I were you.”
Mason hooked an arm around my neck to stop me from going in there, his voice low. “Just wait, babe. It’s too early to piss people off.”
“Yeah, listen to your doormat,” Riley scoffed, eyeing him with annoyance. “I asked around about you. You let her walk all over you.”
“She’s my friend,” he snorted, making her shake her head.
“No, you’re both miserable and fuck each other to feel less lonely. That’s not friends, that’s pathetic. She’s lonely because she’s a mess, and you’ll be lonely until you let her go.”
“Mind your own business,” he snapped, taking my hand and tugging me towards the front door. “Tell Ry we’ll wait outside for him.”
She saluted him, ignoring Luna as she scolded her for being a bitch. Riley was always a bitch, I couldn’t stand her.
Mason pulled his cigarettes from his pocket and handed me one, sitting on the steps with a scowl. “Why are they all so mad at you?”
“They don’t like me around Ry. Didn’t used to be a problem until we got older and I started having fun,” I muttered, sitting beside him to smoke. “It’s not like they like you either. We’re a bad influence on their sweet boy.”
“There’s nothing sweet about him.”
“I’m aware. Sweet boys don’t fuck like he does,” I grinned, running my gaze around the yard. It was quiet, which made me twitchy. I hated the quiet.
“I can be sweet and fuck like Ry,” he replied, acting offended.
“Trust me, you don’t fuck like him. You’ve only seen him fuck to get off, not when he’s trying to drown his demons in my pussy,” I answered, glancing at him. “You got money for gas?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Ry can drop us at my place, and we’ll take my car. See what the day brings.”
“You need to find a way to make money. Sell pics of your tits, you’d make loads,” he winked, blowing smoke at me.
“I wouldn’t even know how to do my own porn. I don’t have a camera or anything.”
“Just use your phone camera. Do you know how much some of those Onlyfans’ accounts make? You can do whatever you want, and people will pay to see it.”
“You think?”
“You’re hot, use it to your advantage. If you need someone to rail you on camera, call me,” he chuckled, flicking his cigarette on the ground.
We sat in silence until Ryder finally drove his car out of the garage and stopped in front of us. “Get in.” Mason got in the back so I could sit in the front, and once we were on the road, Ryder looked over at me. “Next time you have a meltdown like last night, I’m calling your father. I don’t need your bullshit on top of mine. Clear?”
“That place made you boring,” I sighed, earning a dirty look before he returned his eyes to the road.
“The rehab center made me sober. Maybe you should try it sometime.”
“Like I said, boring.”
“Where am I taking you?” he asked instead of arguing further.
“My place. I’m going to take my car out. Mase is going to put gas in it and take me for breakfast.”
“I guess that’s the least he can do after teabagging your eyeballs with his nuts this morning.”
“Damn, I get rewards for that? What do I get from you for the cream pie then?” I joked, but he didn’t smile.
“That was my reward for putting up with your shit last night. Whatever delusion you have about you and me needs to stop. We’re done, Tempest. You’re toxic for my sobriety.”
“You’ll be back, you always are,” I chuckled, peering back at Mason. “Hear that? You get me all to yourself now.”
“I highly doubt that,” Mason replied dryly, texting on his phone.
Ryder turned his music on to kill any more conversation, not speaking again until we arrived at my place. He turned it down, tossing a plastic bag at me. “Don’t call me.”
I rolled my eyes and climbed out with it, waiting for Mason to do the same before watching Ryder take off, his tires screeching.
I looked in the bag to find my ruined clothes and shoes, and Mason raised an eyebrow.
“Damn, he made sure you didn’t have a reason to go back.”
“I always have a reason to go back. It’s him,” I said with a shrug, walking towards the house and letting myself in. I wasn’t surprised when Dad appeared, his eyes running over both of us.
“You want to explain what happened last night?”
“No. We have plans,” I said and motioned to Mason. “He owes me since I did that thing he likes.”
“Jesus, babe,” Mason laughed nervously, holding a hand out to Dad. “What she means is, I’m taking her out for breakfast because I want to make sure she eats. Mason Ridgegate, Sir.”
“Because I used all my energy on him,” I pointed out, making him groan.
“Stop before he shoots me.”
Dad was glaring at him, so I was surprised with his response. “Hunter said you helped her last night, which is the reason I’m not shooting you right now. Are you going to tell me what happened since it’s obvious she’s not going to?”
“What did Hunter tell you?” Mason asked slowly, and Dad smirked cruelly.
“That doesn’t matter. I want to know your version.”
“Uh, she got too drunk and had a meltdown. She hurt herself, so we called Ry since she listens to him. I wanted to stay with them to make sure she was okay.”
Dad’s face fell, and I instantly knew Hunter hadn’t told him the part about me hurting myself.
“What did you do to yourself?” he snapped, his gaze running over me until it stopped on my bandaged arm. “Show me.”
“It’s none of your business,” I bit out, and he scowled as he reached for me.
“Like fuck, Tempest. What the fuck did you do?”
“Don’t touch me!”
I winced as he grabbed me firmly and peeled the bandage back, stilling when he saw the stitches. I tried to pull away but he held firm, silently assessing it before releasing a breath.
“I can’t help you if you won’t talk to me. Why did you do it?”
It was hard to explain when I didn’t really understand either.
I shoved at him, getting frustrated when he refused to let go. “You don’t give a shit! Don’t pretend to care just because we have company!”
I struggled against his grip, and he only let go when I managed to get a hand free to slap him. He looked stunned and hurt, staring at me as Mason pulled me back against his chest.
“Hey, calm down.” I slapped him too, fighting his hold on me, but he acted like nothing happened as my nails scratched his neck, turning me more to hold me tightly against his chest. “Baby, stop. You’re going to tear your stitches. Go get changed, I’ll wait.”
My anger morphed into frustration, which then turned to confusion. “We’re still going for breakfast?”
“Why wouldn’t we? Go on, wear that leather skirt I like,” he answered, kissing the top of my head. I hesitated before doing as I was told, returning to find Mason and Dad talking in hushed voices. Suspicion moved through me, and paranoia crept in as they shut up when they noticed me.
“Damn, babe. How’d you get even hotter?” Mason grinned, some of the paranoia slipping at his unexpected compliment.
“No need to smooth talk me, I already agreed to breakfast,” I smiled, jiggling my keys. The blood on his neck from my nails had been cleaned, and I glanced at Dad, who was eyeing me silently.
He looked so done with me, he was probably just waiting for me to hurry up and off myself.
“I want you home tonight. We need to talk,” he finally said gently, making me scoff.
“We have nothing to talk about.”
“Yes, we do. Be home for dinner,” he said calmly before turning and leaving the house, his car starting a moment later.
Ryder
I had to pull over on the way home, needing to give myself a minute. The night’s events were finally getting to me, and I had to do my stupid breathing exercises to silence the idea of running my damn car off the road out of pure frustration.
My phone rang, and I answered on the hands-free. “Yeah?”
“Are you okay?” Slash asked, reminding me to take another deep breath.
“Yeah, why?”
“Your mother’s tracking you and you stopped. Just wanted to make sure you didn’t crash,” he answered.
“I just pulled over to lose some of my anger. She just?—”
“She’s getting to you, which means you need to cut her off. Let the Ridgegate kid deal with her,” he ordered. “Do you want one of us to come to you?”
I automatically went to say no, but I found myself pausing. “That would be good. Thanks.”
“Marco’s on his way. Skeet’s dropping him off,” he promised. “Ry? You can’t fix her without breaking yourself. You’ve tried, but it’s up to her to get help on her own. I’m proud of you for trying, but it’s time you put yourself first. Need me to stay on the phone until Mark gets there?”
“No, I’m not a danger to myself. I just didn’t want to drive when I was feeling like that. Thanks, Dad.”
“Any time. If you need me, just call. I’ll always answer,” he said seriously before we said goodbye and hung up, and I kept working through some of the tricks that therapy had taught me until Skeeter’s McLaren pulled up beside me, not giving a shit about blocking the road to traffic as he wound his window down.
“You good?” he asked as Marco climbed out of the passenger seat and started walking around to jump in beside me.
“I’m fine.”
Skeeter opened his door and climbed out, walking closer to rest his forearms on the roof of my car to lean in my window. “Tell me what you’re feeling.”
“It’s dumb. I’m just really mad. It’s my fault I keep helping her and expecting it to work, so blaming her is pointless. I’m worried about her.”
“It’s not dumb. It’s frustrating to see someone sinking themselves and not accepting help,” he chuckled lightly. “We felt like that about you at one point, you got that stubbornness from your mother. We couldn’t help you until you wanted to change, and now the same thing is happening with Tempest. You might understand her, but you’re not trained to handle it.”
“You don’t get it. The only thing you’ve ever been addicted to is Mom,” I joked, earning a smirk.
“Women are powerful, it’s why men try to control them. No weapon is stronger than a woman. I know I don’t understand what you’re going through, although I try, but that’s why I thought Mark would be good company for you. Him and D will always understand you more than the rest of us ever could.” He reached in and cupped the nape of my neck, giving me a firm look. “We love you. No matter what you say or do, we will always have your back.”
“Love you too,” I murmured, giving him a smile to reassure him that I was okay, then he stepped back and gave me a nod.
“Take your time going home. Let Mark take you out for coffee or something and just hang out.”
It sounded nice, so I agreed and watched him leave before turning to Marco. “I can’t just abandon Tempest.”
“I know. It’s the smart thing to do, but I also know it’s not in your nature to turn a blind eye on your friends. Talk me through it. What do you feel for her?” Marco asked as he angled himself to face me.
It wasn’t a simple answer, and I didn’t get the attraction myself.
“I shouldn’t like her. She fucks everything with a pulse, and she’s a hot mess.”
“Sounds like someone else we know. Keep going.”
“I just know how she feels. A lot of her mental state is bullshit delusions from whatever drugs she's taken over the years, it’s altered her brain and how she reacts to things. She knows I understand, so she listens to me. What if I don’t answer her call and no one else can calm her down? I don’t want that on my conscience. She was out of her mind last night, Dad. No one could get through to her until I showed up. She believed me when I told her she was imagining things, and she stopped swinging the damn knife around once she knew I was there.”
“That’s a lot of power to have over someone.”
“I know. What do I do with it?”
“I was referring to her having power over you. You’ve convinced yourself you’re the only one who can save her, possibly even made her feel that way without realizing it. If she calls you, answer and we’ll deal with it. That way you know she’s okay but she’s not relying on you,” he offered, and I sighed.
“The guys don’t want you hanging around. They don’t want to get dragged into anything.”
“If the little shits don’t do anything wrong, they have nothing to worry about,” he answered with amusement, frowning as my phone rang on the holder and Archer’s name popped up. “The fuck is he calling you for?”
“No idea,” I mumbled, hitting answer and putting it on speaker. “What did I do now?”
He was quiet for a second before speaking, his voice strained. “How long has she been hurting herself for?”
“She trusts me to keep her secrets.”
“I don’t need details, just a time frame. How long?” he asked quietly, and Marco nodded as I looked at him. I didn’t want to rat her out, but maybe telling him would mean he’d get her the help she needed.
“Years. I’ve been trying to convince her to go to rehab, but she doesn’t want to fix it.”
“Years?” he repeated, and I wasn’t surprised when Mark took over.
“Hendricks, it’s Mark. We want to help her, but she’s putting all her shit on Ry and it’s too much for him. I don’t want him slipping back into old habits because of her.”
“I don’t want that either,” Archer replied. “Know much about Mason? He seems to worry about her, but that could’ve been an act. Considering she just flipped out and slapped me, then attacked him, I’d bet that he’s not lying, but I want to be sure.”
“She attacked Mase?” I cut in.
“Are you friends with that kid?”
“Sort of. What happened? Where are they now?”
“He tried calming her down, and she didn’t like being restrained. Scratched his neck and made him bleed too. She’s losing her damn mind, and I don’t know what to do. Punishing her just makes things worse,” he said in defeat. “So, should I be worried about Mason? He’s taken her for breakfast.”
I couldn’t tell him the exact truth or he’d track them down and kill him.
“Mase would marry her if she let him. He’s kind of in love with her,” I snorted. “He wouldn’t hurt her, and he stands up for her a lot.”
“People are giving her a hard time?”
“Don’t bite my head off for this, but she’s the town whore, Arch. Of course people give her a hard time. You haven’t noticed her lack of friends? Any friendships she had in high school were ruined when she fucked all their boyfriends and brothers. The people she does hang around only want to fuck her and send her packing.”
“And you? Are you just fucking her?” he snapped.
“She’s really difficult to say no to. Trust me, I’ve tried drawing a line.”
“Try harder. Did you touch her last night when she was upset?”
“Hey,” Marco bit out, not liking where the conversation was going. “Ry’s a lot of things, but he doesn’t have to take advantage of her to get her in bed.”
I tried zoning them out as they argued, but after a moment, I opened the car door and climbed out, hearing Marco curse as I slammed the door behind me.
I stalked away, snapping at him as he followed. “I just needed?—”
“I know. I know better, I’m sorry,” he said instantly, giving me space but watching me as I stopped walking. “Can I take you somewhere?”
“Where?”
“You’ll see. Seems to work with your mother when she’s feeling murderous, so maybe it will help you too,” he said seriously.
I let him drive, still not trusting myself to think clearly.