Chapter 42 The Art of Deception
The Art of Deception
Harper
My alarm goes off at five forty-five. My eyes barely crack open because I swear I just closed them. I’m face down on my pillow, butt-ass naked. My whole body aches from Caden last night.
When he kisses my bare shoulder, I muffle a groan into my pillow.
“No more.” My voice is hoarse.
His chuckle fills the room. He leaves the bed and I hear the bedroom door open and close. It opens again, and the lock snicks into place. A soft seductive scent flows over me as the bed dips, and strong arms draw me into him.
“Did you get any sleep, princess?”
I turn and cuddle into Luke. “No, Death.”
He holds me tight, and I fall into sleep. Part of my brain latches onto the thought that this isn’t what my mother meant, but the thought fades away as I fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.
“Time to wake up, princess.” His hand strokes over my bare hip. His breath fans the back of my neck. My insides heat up and then fizzle out.
“I can’t.” I grab my pillow and tuck it into my body.
He smacks my bare ass.
“Ow.” I reach back to rub the sting and glare over my shoulder at him.
“School, princess.” Luke’s blond hair falls over his icy eyes. “Come on.”
Easy for him to say. He got more than a couple hours of sleep.
He scoots to the edge of the bed and drags me across. He’s still wearing his boxers, but he’s definitely awake this morning. The fire sputters to life. They really have created a monster.
He lifts me and carries me into the bathroom. While he’s busy with the shower, I use the toilet and clean up as best as I can.
“Fuck!” I put my head down on the counter and reach blindly into my cabinet.
“What do you need?” Luke kneels before me.
I blow out a breath and lift my head. “A tampon.”
He barely winces before he finds the box and holds it out to me. “Do you need a moment?”
I laugh. “You guys probably know more about my body than I do by now.”
Standing, he just shakes his head and drops his boxers. “You want a shower first, princess?”
If I don’t put in a tampon, we could fuck, but after last night, I’m pretty worn out. Caden kept me going all night. My voice is actually a little hoarse today from the way he made me cry out and scream. I blow out a breath.
“Caden put me through the ringer.” I lift my gaze to Luke’s bemused gaze.
“Come on, let’s get through the shower and then you can decide.”
I let him drag me into the shower and we go through our now normal routine of washing each other. Sparks sizzle through me as he touches me everywhere. His fingers linger on the little hickeys Caden left all over me.
With my hand stroking his hard cock, I look up at him through my eyelashes. “I’ve heard orgasms are great for cramps.”
He turns me to face the back of the shower. “Hands against the wall.”
I press my palms against the wall and he lifts my foot to the low soap ledge. His heat engulfs my back. His lips caress the back of my neck.
“I love your pussy, Harper, but I would have been content with your ass or mouth.” He thrusts his cock deep inside my pussy and I let out a guttural moan. “Just remember that when you try to deny me because of your period this week. Besides, I don’t mind a little blood.”
He bends me as much as we can in this shower as he pistons in and out of my pussy. His fingers slide over my clit in a slow circle, winding me tighter and tighter. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to come after the night with Caden.
But Luke pushes me over the edge. I cry out as he groans, filling me with his warm cum. As we stand there breathing for a moment, he draws me up against him.
“I don’t like sleeping without you.” His lips caress the back of my neck.
I sigh as he pulls out. We’re tangling our lives up together and I can’t determine whether it will just end up a messy knot that we’ll have to cut to break apart or if we’ll be solid.
“Are you sore, princess?” He draws me back under the showerhead and we clean up.
“No.” My muscles are a little achy, and I have some mild cramps from my period, but otherwise not.
“Good.” He turns off the shower and hands me a towel. He leaves to go into my room as I finish getting ready.
When I step out, he’s laid out an outfit on the bed for me. He sits on the computer chair, tying his shoes. I pick up the pair of loose jeans and a tight crop top. The jeans are old. Something I would have worn last year.
They’re also comfy. I get dressed and put on some Chapstick and a little makeup before drawing my hair up into a ponytail.
Luke comes up behind me in the mirror and puts his hands on my hips. “I let Eli and Jack know their night has been moved.”
I meet his light blue eyes. “Okay.”
“Date nights are still on though, princess.”
That means Nico and I have a date tonight. What is that even going to look like?
First and second period go off without any weird looks or anyone hitting on my guys in front of me. Which is good because I’m pretty sure today would be the day I go psycho on some girl. My body aches from last night and my insides feel like they’re trying to become my outsides.
Pretty sure Luke put me in these pants because I’m bloated. My mood is crap, but I’m not sure how much snapping at them I can get away with without punishment, so I’ve just kept all my vitriol to myself.
Nico rests his hand on my lower back as we walk into art class. Tanner waits at our table. I’m tempted to ask Ms. Sullivan if I can just go to the nurse’s office for the period. This isn’t going to go well.
If he starts up with the same shit as yesterday, I’m going to go off and not a little—a lot. I might be the one sent to the office.
When I hesitate, Nico leans down. “Do you need me to say something to him?”
Part of me wants him to, but the other part knows that’s a bad idea.
“No. I’ll be fine.”
Nico presses a kiss to my temple, and we split to go to our tables. When I take my seat, I ignore Tanner. If I just pretend he isn’t there, this will go so much smoother.
Ms. Sullivan walks into the room with a huge smile on her face. She walks over to our table.
“Tanner, I hope you’ve learned your lesson about what’s appropriate even in an art class.” She eyes him like he’s a fragile child who needs support.
“Yes, Ms. Sullivan.” Tanner taps on the desk but doesn’t look at me. “I’m sorry for the way I behaved yesterday, Harper.”
I don’t believe him for a second, but it satisfies Ms. Sullivan.
“Good.” She smiles again. “I wanted you both to know that I have a student joining your group. He’ll be in halfway through the period. I think he’ll help balance out your group. But this is your final warning, Tanner. There’s no reason for you to take out your frustrations on Harper. Are we clear?”
Tanner mumbles his assent, but I’m not paying attention.
My brow furrows. Another student? Today?
She goes back up to the front to talk about what we’ll be working on. More independent time to work on our project, but with specific goals for today to make sure we stay on track.
Great. I lean back in my chair and finally glance over at Tanner.
“You know there are only a handful of people that could be joining our group.” Tanner raises an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t know who it is?”
I shake my head. “I can’t imagine anyone wanting to join a group with you.”
It just pops out. He chuckles. “Got a little fight in you today?”
“Just shut up and focus on the project so we can finish this.” I pull out the sheet I started yesterday and make a quick copy on a fresh sheet for him. “Fill in your stuff and then we should be good to move forward.”
I rip out the sheet of paper and push it toward him. Before I can take my hand back, he puts his hand over mine and holds it there.
I glare. My other hand tightens around the pencil in it and I’m tempted to stab his hand. “Let go of my hand, Tanner.”
He grins. “Or what? You’ll tell on me again.”
I shrug. It’s an option. Probably less messy than a pencil stabbing, but also less satisfying.
“My therapist was happy to call the office and Ms. Sullivan and explain the issues I’m having because I’m being bullied.” He releases my hand. “You’d be amazed at how quickly the system works when they believe a student is being bullied.”
“And you don’t think I can claim the same thing if you continue to act like a manchild?” My eyes narrow on him. Unfortunately, everything the guys did to him probably looks like bullying and not punishment because Tanner got away with what he did to Ava.
He leans back in his chair like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
“You’re a piece of work,” I mumble.
He chuckles. “Wow, strong words from the horsemen’s whore.”
“Just fill out the sheet so we can be done with each other.” I turn back to my sketchbook.
“I’m just getting warmed up, Harper. These are just the warning shots.” Tanner leans back in his chair. “I’m just doing this for fun. You’ll know when the actual battle begins.”
Fuck me. I can’t deal with him today. But besides the whore comment, there’s no reason to have him sent out and it will just prolong this project.
For five minutes, it’s quiet and he works on filling in the blanks on what I asked him for. For five minutes, I think maybe this will actually work. Maybe he’s not a complete douche nozzle.
He pushes the paper back to me. His answers are all fucked up. For his style, he put death metal. For his medium, he put a picture of boobs. I crumple up the paper as rage burns in my veins.
Fuck it. We have five more minutes before whoever is joining our group comes in. So maybe they can make Tanner actually work on the project. If I show Ms. Sullivan Tanner’s answers, he’ll get kicked out of class and because this is a joint project, I’ll get nowhere again.
Unless this would be enough to get him reassigned or out of the class entirely.
“Come on, Harper. Let me go tell Ms. Casey how bad I feel for acting up. Maybe she’ll give me another week in detention.
” Tanner leans in close. “Maybe she’ll just pat me on the shoulder and tell me how much she understands how bullying is a real problem and that if she had her way, she’d make sure all the bullies were expelled. ”
Ms. Casey is the student advisor. Of course, she’d be against bullying. And what Tanner was put through would be considered bullying by most people who don’t know him or the actual story. He wants my guys expelled. “You do know what you’re doing to me is considered bullying.”
The door to the art room opens, and I lift my gaze to see who’s joining us, half in fear it will be someone like Zach Gray. That would be my luck.
I straighten as I meet Caden’s eyes. Fuck, this isn’t going to be good.
Tanner sits back in his chair and folds his hands over his stomach with a cocky grin on his face.
This is really not going to be good. I’m still tired because of Caden from last night which is making my filter a little low to begin with.
Tack on my period and I’m just a little rage inferno ready to go off today.
Ms. Sullivan goes over to greet Caden and gestures toward our table.
“You both know Caden Ross.” Ms. Sullivan beams up at Caden.
His eyes never leave mine. I’m not sure why he’s here. Is it really just to be part of art or is it to make sure Tanner doesn’t try anything? Does he trust me, or is this his way of showing he doesn’t really trust me?
“I talked to Caden last week about seeing if he could fit us into his schedule.” Ms. Sullivan is so fucking happy about this. “After all, he’s one of the most talented artists I’ve worked with, and I really think he’ll bring a new energy to your group.”
Caden smirks, and I close my eyes. Fuck.
“Since you two are a little behind because of yesterday, your assignment will be due tomorrow by end of class. You can bring Caden up to speed.” Ms. Sullivan backs away.
Caden pulls out the chair next to me and drops into it.
“Well played, Ross.” Tanner claps his hands lightly, to not draw the attention of Ms. Sullivan.
Caden’s smile is fake as he nods at Tanner. “I figured it was my turn to move.”
“Would you like to see Tanner’s answers to my questions?” I look at Tanner as I uncrumple the paper. He grabs the paper out of my hand and glares at me.
“What’s wrong, Tanner?” I give him a wide eyed, innocent look. “Don’t want me to share with Caden?”
Caden looks between the two of us. “Enough with the bullshit, Tanner. I’m not going to tank my GPA because you want to throw a hissy fit to my girlfriend every day. So straighten up or I’ll go to Ms. Sullivan and tell her the real reason I’m here.”
Tanner presses his lips together. Caden rests his hand on my knee below the table and stops my leg from bouncing. I draw in a breath and let it out.
“We need to work on the project.” Caden removes his hand and sets his tablet on the table. “What are we doing and how do we need to collaborate?”