Chapter 46 The Point Man
The Point Man
Harper
“Hey.” I open the door and Luke steps in. School was normal today. Well, as normal as this school year has been. But nothing new on the Zach or Tanner fronts, and the Cheermonsters seem calm now that they have a pack of guys to call their own.
“Oh, good.” My mom brightens when she sees Luke. “I’ve got to go. You guys have a good night.”
Mom hugs me on the way out the door. I lock it and set the alarm. “No Caden tonight?”
When I turn, Luke is over in the living room. He sits on the couch and links his hands between his knees. Okay, this is weird.
“Is everything okay?” I walk over and sit in the chair beside the couch. He’s making me nervous, and it’s been a while since Luke made me nervous.
“I tried to get out of it, but...” He runs his hand through his hair, and his pale blue eyes lift to mine. “My father wants to have dinner with us. Just us.”
“Oh.” It could have been so much worse.
“I don’t want him near you.” Luke reaches out and takes my hand.
“It’s inevitable though. He’s your father.” I squeeze his hand and give him an encouraging smile. “We still don’t know what he wants you to find?”
He shakes his head. “Caden is coming. He just figured he’d show up later. So only I have to go to the guest bedroom in the morning.”
I nod, but my mind is stuck on what my father might have that would belong to Luke’s dad. “The only thing I have from my dad is the motorcycle Mom gave me for my birthday.”
Luke straightens. “Is it here?”
“Yeah, in the shed. I just have to find the key.” I stand and Luke stands with me. “It might be nothing. I didn’t even know about it until my birthday and haven’t really thought about it since.”
He grabs the back of my neck and kisses me. My insides swirl with fire. I grab onto his shoulders.
“Go get the key, princess,” he says against my lips.
My knees are weak. Fuck, he’s potent. I release him and go to my room. A lot has happened since my birthday. I’m not sure which drawer I put it in. I open and close a few drawers before I find the box my mom gave me.
When I come downstairs, Luke is talking to someone. I hesitate, but then I hear the low rumble of Caden’s voice. What is wrong with me? Do I still not trust him?
I don’t dwell on it as I approach them. “Found it.”
“Hey, little nympho.” Caden draws me into his chest for a hug. His cinnamon scent surrounds me and makes me feel safe. It eases that brief moment from the stairs.
My eyes open to meet Luke’s. Trust isn’t really something they offered at first. They didn’t trust me, and I didn’t trust them. But now?
Now, I’m fucked. I want to trust them. I want to know the truth of what they’ve done in the past so that I can move on with them into the future. Our future.
At first, I thought Caden didn’t trust me to handle art class on my own. But today, Tanner only spoke when necessary and didn’t taunt me in front of Caden. He seemed to be back to the planning stage. I should be mad Caden pushed into the group, but I enjoy discussing art with him.
It wasn’t about not trusting me. It’s about backing me up and protecting me.
I need to trust in at least that. Besides, Caden makes art class enjoyable again.
“Are we going to stand here and hug all day or are we going to go look at your father’s motorcycle?” Luke makes an impatient noise, which makes me smile as I look up into his eyes. They’re not cold to me anymore. I’ve seen him get cold with others still though.
Caden squeezes me against him before releasing me. “You’re just jealous.”
Luke’s hand finds mine and he shakes his head at Caden. “Not at all. Just anxious. Whatever her father took might help us untangle ourselves from our fathers’ webs.”
I lead them outside to the shed and unlock it. Luke checks around it to see if there’s any evidence of the shed being tampered with.
“He wouldn’t need access to you if it’s out here.” Luke joins us at the door. “There’s got to be more to it.”
“I don’t know what my dad left behind.” I rub my hand on my thigh. “Mom doesn’t really talk about him, but I could ask. Honestly, I don’t remember much about him. She might know what we’re looking for.”
“Let’s see what we have first.” Caden rubs my back before Luke steps into the shed. We follow him in.
A drop cloth covers the motorcycle in the back corner.
“I don’t know what to do with it.” I pull the cover off. The other reason I hadn’t thought about it. I don’t need a ride to school. I don’t know what kind of repairs it will need. If it even starts up.
Caden runs his hand over the black metal body. “Nice.”
“If it’s been out here for years, my father would have checked on it already.” Luke studies the bike and the shed.
“There are a lot of places to hide shit on a bike like this.” Caden holds his hand out to me and I drop the key into it.
I wrap my arms around my waist. My father is a non-element in my life. I don’t remember him. Not really. Faint recollections. Sometimes the smell of gasoline will trigger some long ago longing, but overall, I don’t know him.
“According to my mom, he left us, but he left this behind. She always wondered why, since this was his prized possession.” I don’t know why I feel it necessary to spill all that.
It’s like they’re looking at something my dad found valuable, but I’m not.
Or maybe because he left that behind, that means I’m valuable to him too.
Luke turns on his flashlight on his phone and shines it over all the curves of the bike. Caden puts the key in the ignition and turns it. Nothing. Not even a click.
“Might not run.” Caden steps back so Luke can finish his inspection. He holds out the key to me. “I know a guy if you want it to be freshened up.”
As we watch Luke, I lean on Caden’s arm. “I don’t know what to do with it.”
Caden wraps his arm around my shoulder.
“If you want it fixed, let me fix it up for you.” He rubs my shoulder. “You’d look hot on a motorcycle, in some leather pants. With that red lipstick.”
I roll my eyes. “I probably can’t afford your guy, and I don’t know how to ride a motorcycle.”
It’s weird watching Luke with the bike. A flash of a man squatting next to it and gesturing for me to come here fills my mind. My brow furrows.
“I don’t see anything.” Luke straightens and when his eyes meet mine, he frowns and walks to me. He reaches up and wipes at the wetness on my cheek.
Fuck, I didn’t even know I was crying.
“What’s wrong, princess?” He cups my face in his hands and tilts it up to look at him.
“Nothing’s wrong. It’s stupid.” I try to back away, but Caden has ahold of my shoulders.
“You can tell us.” Luke brushes away a tear.
“I just remember a man next to the motorcycle.” I gesture toward it. “It probably means nothing. It might not have even been my dad.”
Luke’s gaze goes to Caden.
“It might be a memory.” Caden squeezes my shoulder. “Maybe you’ll remember more. Maybe that’s what Luke’s father meant.”
“If Harper is the key, then I’m keeping her far away from him.” Luke searches my eyes like he wants to carve a place in my soul just for him.
I step into him and wrap my arms around his waist. I don’t understand what I feel for these guys. But I know I don’t want to let them go.
Luke’s arms wrap around me as I rest my cheek over his steady heartbeat. I’m safe here. I’m safe with them.
Luke
We’re upstairs in Harper’s room, finishing homework and working on essays with the others on webcam. She’s still on her period, not that it would stop any of us if we wanted to have her, but we’ve been going at her hard since she gave into us.
She hasn’t complained, but she needs a break. Which means I need to give her a break.
Her long hair flows down her back. She changed into a camisole top and little pajama shorts, showing off her long legs and her trim little body. Caden and I sit against her headboard working. I clear my throat.
She turns, and her eyes collide with mine. Her cheeks flush with heat.
“How are the essays going?” I arch an eyebrow.
“Two down, a fuck ton to go.” She spins toward us in the chair and lifts her hair into a ponytail. She’s got great tits. When she drops her hair, I lift my gaze back to her knowing eyes.
I smirk because fuck, she knows me. I want her, and I’m not going to deny that. She wets her lips and smooths her hands over her legs.
“Are you done with your homework?” she asks.
“Of course.” I set my laptop on her nightstand.
Caden glances up at both of us. “If you’re going to fuck, give me like ten minutes to finish what I’m working on.”
Harper laughs, and I shake my head with a smile.
“We’re not fucking her tonight.” I grab my textbook and she gives me a little pout.
Caden sighs. “Why not? Are you dying, little nympho? Sick?”
I hit his arm. “She’s on her period.”
“Again? So?” Caden smirks at her. “That doesn’t mean she can’t come.”
“Maybe she could use a break from having cocks thrust into her face all the time.”
Harper’s mouth opens into an O, and then she laughs.
“What?” I ask.
“You.” She gestures to me as she laughs harder.
I give her my less than impressed look, but she just holds a hand to her stomach as she laughs.
Caden chuckles. “You were the one who wanted her on her knees from day one.”
Harper nods.
“That doesn’t mean I don’t respect that she may not feel like having sex right now.” I turn the page in my book.
“You had sex with me yesterday morning.” She finally stops laughing and wipes at her eyes.
“I don’t need to have sex with you constantly. It’s not the only reason I want to be with you.” I pause. “Fuck, I sound like a girl.”
“Nah, dude. You just finally respect a girl.” Caden punches me in the arm.
Harper gives me this soft smile, but I just shake my head.
“Get back to work, so we can go to sleep.”
“You know,” Jack says from Harper’s laptop, “there are studies that say women are hornier during their periods.”
“Whose side are you on?” Harper asks.
“The side that gets me laid, sweetheart.” Jack chuckles. “You want to hear some myths about guys who don’t get off often enough?”
She chuckles. “No, thank you.”
“Are you?” Caden asks.
“What?” Harper turns to us again.
“Horny, little nympho?” He smirks, and I punch him in the arm. “What? It’s a valid question.”
“You do realize there are other things to talk about besides sex.” She gives us a haughty look.
“I have a question.” Nico’s voice comes from Harper’s computer.
Her cheeks flush. “If it’s about my sex life—”
“Not yours.” Nico clears his throat. “Angela was telling me about what went down with Rebecca Forester a few years ago. But she didn’t have all the details.”
Harper’s eyes widen. What has she heard about Rebecca Forester?
“What did you hear?” Eli asks.
“That you guys got her to give up her virginity and then Eli had sex with someone else in front of her.” Nico sounds like he’s just repeating what he heard, but Harper’s blush deepens, and she turns away from us back to the computer.
Fuck. “Can you guys get away?”
Harper turns back to me with a questioning look. I set the book down on her bed and stand.
“If we’re doing a history lesson, everyone’s going to be here so nothing gets left out or misinterpreted.” I walk to Harper and look at her computer screen with the others. “So get over here.”
I close the laptop and Harper looks scared. Fuck this. “You want our trust?”
She swallows and nods.
“Then trust me that we’ll tell you the whole story.”