Chapter 26
The Downed Soldier
Caden
The minute she falls asleep, I tuck her tighter against me. This girl is one in a million. I’ve been with other girls, but no one has gotten to me like Harper Davidson.
Fuck, I could fall in love with this girl. I talk big about the future, and I always mean every word of it. I won’t be willing to give her up. I want to keep her, but I never considered that meant I’d fall in love with her.
It makes sense. She’s beautiful and caring and fun and vulnerable.
But I’m not built to love other people. There are people I want to be around like the guys and now Harper, but love... What do I know about love?
“Done.” Jack’s voice is quiet.
I lift her into my arms. As Jack takes a quick shower, I grab a towel and wrap it around us. Fuck, I didn’t think this through. We need to dry off but I don’t want to wake her up.
Eli sees us from the open door and comes through to help. He’s taken a shower and put on his boxers.
He holds up a towel and draws Harper into him. With her eyes shut, she wraps around him, her hair still dripping wet on his shoulder. I quickly towel dry while Eli holds her. When I begin to dry her back, she sighs softly as she burrows into Eli’s neck.
Eli smiles and shakes his head. “I’m afraid we wore our girl out.”
I squeeze her hair with the towel. There’s a lot going on right now with Sidney and her group, Tanner, Zach, and potential threats we haven’t identified, but moments like these are worth all of it.
The sex is phenomenal, but it’s more than that.
“Come on, kitten, let’s find you something to wear to bed.” Eli leaves the bathroom with Harper in his arms. I didn’t really think it would be possible to share Harper without fighting over her, but she makes it effortless.
I walk to my drawers, grab some boxers, and toss a t-shirt to Eli. He catches it with one hand and Nico helps him put it on her. Luke lies on the couch with his arm over his eyes.
“Head still bothering you?” I stop next to him. If he has a fucking concussion, we need to know. We could take him to the hospital. Tell them he got into a fight or fell down.
“It’s fine. I just can’t risk one of you assholes hitting my side while I sleep.”
“More room for me.” I smirk, even knowing he won’t see it. Luke doesn’t want tender loving care from us. That’s not the way we are with each other. But Harper changes our dynamic.
Could I imagine a future with all of us in it? Still sharing Harper? Still together as friends? Without a doubt. But can I also see this falling apart like a house of cards?
In so many ways.
Fuck. I rub the back of my neck. We’re all possessive of her, but not with each other. But there are other things that might push Harper away. Luke’s jealousy. Eli’s emotional unavailability. Nico’s loyalty. Jack’s flirtatious nature. My fear of abandonment.
I ease onto the bed beside Harper and draw her flush against me. She sighs and clings to me. There’s no reason for Harper to love us. We forced her into this.
We made her want us. Yes, she craves it and all of us, but there’s a part of her that still fights against it. Maybe she won’t fight so hard now. Maybe we’ll settle into something semi-normal.
Even if we might not be capable of love, maybe she could learn to love us.
Harper
I jolt awake out of a nightmare. Trapped in a box with someone trying to get in. My heart pounds in my chest, and I peel myself away from Caden and slide down to the end of the bed. I stagger across the floor to the bathroom and shut myself inside.
The light helps shake off the remainders of the nightmare. When I finish using the bathroom, I wash my hands and take in a deep breath, letting the nightmare go. I’m safe now. Here with them.
This whole day has been strange. Everyone knows about us. We’re out as whatever the hell this is to my mother. Luke’s dad knows we’re together. The whole school already knew the horsemen claimed me. I’m the one who told the Cheermonsters they fucked me.
This year was never going to be normal. But I didn’t think I’d be dealing with people out to get me to get to them. You’d think everyone would feel sympathy for me being tied to them all year long.
I’ve never done anything to anyone, but these guys loved kicking hornet nests. Now I’m the one who gets stung because I’m the easiest target. I might as well still be stuck in that closet with no way out. There’s nowhere to go and nowhere to hide.
As long as I’m with the horsemen, I’m both safe and not safe.
I shut off the bathroom light and open the door. The sound of their breathing reaches me, and my insides soften.
I’m fucked. Truly.
Because I want to be here. I want to make them date me like a normal girl and not a conquest.
But I still want to be owned and used and fucked. I don’t know how it is for other girls. I know sex isn’t always this good. I’ve had them individually and all together and every second is amazing. I’m stuck.
My eyes catch on the couch where Luke sleeps. His arm is thrown over his eyes, and his body is tense. The bruise on his side mars his beautiful skin.
My breath catches in my throat. How could I not know? How could it go on this long without anyone finding out?
I walk over to him and kneel on the floor beside him. His father is powerful in this town.
Carefully, I place my hand near his forehead, hovering just above to see if he has a fever. He grabs my wrist. I suck in a breath at the sudden tight grip.
“Luke,” I whisper.
His grip relaxes on my hand. His head turns toward me and his eyes open. “Harper?”
“Do you need anything? More pain meds?” I start to rise, but he holds me there.
“No pain meds. Why are you up?” His voice is sleep-roughened, and it stirs my desire.
“Nightmare. Had to go to the bathroom.” I blow out a breath. Things are definitely too tender down there to do anything about that desire. And Luke is injured.
“Come here.” He scoots back and draws me toward him.
My gaze drops to his side. I shake my head, staying where I am. “No, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.” His eyes narrow. “Just fucking get on the couch, princess.”
Damn it. I climb into the spot he made for me as careful as I can. I don’t want to hurt him any more than he already is. When I keep some space between us, he draws me in tight to his body and lifts my leg over his. My head rests against his pecs.
“You help me sleep,” he whispers against my hair. His hand smooths down my back. “How’s your ass?”
A snort of a laugh bursts out of me against his chest. “My ass is okay. Thanks for asking.”
“Do you need any pain meds for it?” His tone is lighter, but there’s a touch of actual warmth in the words.
“I’m not in pain. A touch sore, but not pain.” I put my hand over his heart, feeling the steady rhythm beneath my palm. “Are you okay?”
“I’m a survivor. I’ll be fine. He hasn’t broken me yet, and I won’t let him.” Luke’s hand sinks into my hair, cupping the back of my head. “I’m almost free of him. Just this year left.”
“I used to say the same thing about you guys.” I trace a heart over Luke’s hard pec. “Just one more year, and I’d be free from worrying about you finding me.”
“And now?” Luke slides his hand down to the curve of my hip. “Do you still want to be free?”
My heart stutters in my chest. The answer no hovers on my lips. But I should say yes. I should demand my freedom. His fresh scent surrounds me along with his warmth.
Would I really want to give this up? If it made the threats go away and everything returned to exactly how it was before they claimed me? Would I want that back?
My heart squeezes. Would I really want to be anywhere other than in Luke’s arms? Caden’s arms? Nico’s arms? Eli’s arms? Jack’s arms?
“Harper?”
I blow out a breath. “No. I don’t want to be free of you.”
He kisses my temple and holds me tight against him. “Good, because I’m not letting go.”
Luke
Harper sleeps peacefully on her back in my arms. There’s something soft and vulnerable about her in her sleep. I could do anything to her. But honestly, I could and would do anything to her while she’s awake.
I slide my hand beneath the t-shirt covering her, cupping her breast softly before stroking my finger around her nipple. It hardens beneath my touch and so do I.
Fuck, I have a healthy sex drive, but with Harper, it feels like it’s been kicked up even higher. I want her all the time, and the fact that I can take her when and how I want drives me even crazier with lust.
I could even fuck her in her sleep. She’s already given us permission.
Lifting up on my elbow so I can watch her face, I drag my hand down her center, over her stomach and past her belly button before sliding between her legs.
Leaving her without panties is easy to do when she’s tired and we dress her for bed.
Her face remains passive as I dip into her sweet cunt to gather some wetness on my fingers. I drag my wet finger back up to her clit. Her lips part, and a huff of air blows out. Her legs fall open, but she doesn’t wake up.
I suck my fingers into my mouth, moaning softly at how good she tastes. I wet them thoroughly in my mouth before lowering them back to her pussy, sliding them against her in a steady, slow rhythm.
Her hips buck against my fingers, and a little whimper comes out of her mouth while a little crease forms between her eyes.
“Shh, you’re okay. Go back to sleep, princess. I’ve got you.”
She turns her face into me and sighs before settling back into deep sleep.
My fingers dip lower gently, breaching her entrance. Her soft, soaking cunt clings to my fingers as I slowly work them in and out. Her breathing quickens, but she doesn’t wake up. A flush of color appears above her neckline and onto her cheeks.
Knowing she’s mine, ours, is fucking unbelievable. We don’t deserve someone like her. She definitely deserves better than us. But fuck that. She’s ours.
Her hips softly follow my fingers.
“Do you want to come, pet?” I whisper. I curl my fingers and stroke my thumb along her clit. She arches as her cunt convulses around my fingers. “Good girl.”
If I was a better guy, I’d let her go. I’d push her away and hope all those assholes threatening her would leave her alone. But I’m not a better guy. I’m beginning to buy into Caden’s version of the future.
Harper as one of us.
I remove my fingers and trace her cum on her lips. Her tongue darts out to taste herself.
Fuck, everything she does makes me want her. Need her. I tug my boxers down to free my cock and shift over her, ignoring the stabbing pain in my side. She’s so fucking wet already. I tease the head of my cock against her pussy, getting the tip nice and wet.
Her lips part, and that crease comes back. I lower my mouth to hover over hers and lick at her lips, collecting her pussy’s taste in my mouth.
“I’m never letting you go.” I ease into her cunt, slowly filling her and letting her body adjust to my size. I search her face for signs of her waking.
When her brow furrows, I wait until it smooths before pushing deeper. When my cock is all the way inside her, I release a breath and touch my lips to hers. I draw my hips back, slowly pulling out of her before sinking deep again.
Fuck, she feels so good. So tight. So hot. So perfect.
I trace my thumb down to rub her clit, slowly fucking my cock in and out of her. Her hips rise and fall with mine, and her breath shudders out over my lips. Her body tenses as she gets ready to come. I take her mouth with mine, and her eyes flutter as I swallow her moan.
She wraps her arms around my neck as she falls in rhythm with me, slow and steady. My tongue slips between her lips, and she glides hers against mine. There’s so much I can’t find the words for, but this, this is poetry.
“Luke,” she breathes into my mouth. She arches into me as her pussy convulses around my cock, drawing me deeper, making me come. I groan my release into her mouth, and she cradles me in her arms and legs as I sink down over her.
She keeps pulsing around my cock as I shift to the side to keep her from having to take all my weight.
“Fuck.” Her whispered word is soft, but loud in the quiet room.
“I was having the weirdest dream.” She threads her fingers through my hair and draws me down on her. “You were fucking me, and then I woke up to you fucking me.”
“Was that okay for you?” I don’t know why I ask. I’ll do it until she likes it.
She wraps her legs around my waist. “Yes, Luke, I love when you fuck me. However you fuck me.”
I shove my still-hard cock deeper into her, knowing my erection will soften soon. A little aftershock pulses around me. “I love the way you feel wrapped around my cock, princess.”
Her brow furrows. “Are you okay? Does your side hurt?”
It’s fucking killing me. “I’m good.”
“Sure you are, Death.” She runs her fingers through my hair, and I want to snuggle deeper against her. I let out a sigh. Fuck, I’m tired.
“What do you want to do tomorrow?” I take her other hand and thread our fingers together.
“You mean besides have a huge orgy?”
I chuckle. “After the orgy, of course.”
“Of course.” Her tone is light. “We could play a game where I keep my clothes on?”
“What fun is that?”
“Good wholesome fun.” Her hand pauses in my hair. “Yeah, you guys probably never had any of that.”
“We just have the wicked kind of fun.” I bring her fingers to my lips and kiss them. Each one a single kiss because I can.
“I have to admit, I’m kind of wondering how the rest of the tour in Caden’s house goes.” She laughs softly.
“That gives me an idea.” I lift my head.
Her smile is soft and her eyes warm as she shakes her head. “Of course, it gives you an idea.”
“What about hide—”
“If you say salami—”
“And seek.” I finish. My cock is still in her even though it’s softened.
“This house would be perfect for hide and seek.” She gives me a look. “What’s the catch?”
My cock hardens inside her, and her eyes widen. “The catch is that if we catch you, we get to fuck you wherever, however we want.”
Her pussy pulses around my cock, and I almost moan at how sweet it feels.
“That doesn’t sound like the regular hide and seek.”
I rest down on her, still buried deep inside. “Go to sleep, princess.”
“Like this?” She thrusts her hips against mine.
“Exactly like this.” I brush my lips over her pulse in her temple. “I’m comfortable and your pussy is warm and tight around me. The perfect way to sleep.”