Chapter 21 Gathering the Defenses
Gathering the Defenses
Luke
While Harper is at her house, I figure it’s a good time to go home and get a change of clothes. Caden has extra swim trunks, and we all have a set there in case we get in the pool, but it’s probably a good time to check in on my house.
Dad’s BMW is the first thing I notice when I pull into the garage. My chest tightens, knowing he’s here. But I breathe out and release the tension. I’m in control. He has nothing to hang over my head right now.
I head in through the kitchen, but have to walk past his office to get to the stairs.
“Luke.” Dad’s voice is stern and commanding as I start past his door.
I turn and face him. Thankfully, I take mostly after my mother. My dad has light brown hair and hazel eyes. Though his physique is similar to mine and he keeps it toned, I’d hate to look in the mirror and see that bastard staring back at me every day.
“Yes?” I stand perfectly still in his doorway, waiting to see if he’ll call me in or just wants my attention.
“Come. Sit.” He gestures to the chair in front of his desk without standing.
I do what I’m told. I have one more year in this house before I’ll be away from him at college. Fortunately he isn’t around much, so I don’t have to see him very often. These talks happen rarely.
“Did you get your application in for early decision at Harvard?” He folds his hands on the desk.
“Of course.” I cross my ankle over my knee. He only cares about one college, so I don’t mention the others I applied to. I’m not sure I can break away from his plans for me.
“Good. How is football going this year?”
“Undefeated.”
“Any recruitment yet?” My father could not care less if I play football, but he wants me to be the best at everything, so that means being recruited by universities even if I don’t intend to play there.
When I showed interest in the sport, Dad enrolled me in football camps and hired personal coaches to help me train.
“Not recently.” I take a deep breath and wonder how much parenting I’ll have to put up with today. Dad leaves me alone more than he’s here, which means I don’t have to answer to anyone usually. But now and then he remembers he needs to control my life.
“Hmph.” Dad reads something on his phone before returning his gaze to mine. “The Lees are back in town. You were close to their boy, right?”
I nod. Nico is one of us. And another guy I have to share Harper with. If Dad doesn’t wrap this up soon, I might miss out on time with our girl.
“You should put in some hours working at the company this year. It will give you experience and look good on your college application.” Dad leans in. “You can get a leg up and understand what’s necessary to run our business.”
This isn’t the first time Dad has tried to get me to work for him.
The problem is, there is a legit side of his business, and a questionable side as well.
I’ve tried to keep my nose out of it, so when his empire falls, it won’t take me out with it.
But I don’t know how much longer I can avoid his company.
“I’ll see what time I can make. It will have to wait until the end of football season.
” I keep my voice calm and don’t tense up.
As long as my arguments are rational, he’ll hear them.
I can’t make them emotional. I don’t dare mention Harper as a reason I don’t have time.
“I can’t let my grades drop now that Nico is back.
He always had a high ranking, and I’m sure he’ll be up there with me, Eli, and Jack. ”
Caden isn’t far behind us either, but mentioning Caden is like a red flag to my father. Our fathers used to be partners until they fell out a few years ago. Dad wants me to stay close to Caden to find out what he knows about their business.
“You need to learn to balance your time better.” Dad motions to the door. “We’ll have dinner tonight. Be here at seven. Don’t be late.”
Fuck. Family dinners are the worst with my dad. Nothing like Harper’s birthday dinner, where her mother tried to make us all feel welcome. It was warm and inviting. This will be cold and sterile.
“Can I bring someone?” My mind flashes to having Harper beside me.
Dad narrows his eyes. “The guys? It would be good to see how they’re doing. They may make formidable business partners in the future.”
Nodding, I stand. “I’d like to bring Harper as well.”
“Harper?” Dad’s interest is piqued. I’ve never asked to bring a girl to dinner before.
“Harper Davidson. Her mom is a nurse.” She doesn’t have an influential family, so I’m not sure how this will play out.
Dad sits back and studies me. He’s always looking for weaknesses. If he thinks Harper might be a weakness, he’ll use her against me. “Girlfriend?”
As much as I want to say yes, I know it will be better for everyone if I say no. “A friend of ours.”
“Fine.” Dad waves his hand, already dismissing Harper in his mind.
I turn to leave.
“Don’t be late and bring Nico Lee with you.”
I nod before I escape to my room and get ready to head back out. When Dad’s home, I try to spend as little time here as possible. My father has plans for my future. I’m not sure I can get around them, but I’m still searching for my way out.
Me:
Dinner with dad tonight. 7. We’ll all be there
Harper:
You want me to have dinner with your dad?
Me:
I’ve had dinner with your mom
Nico:
Do we need to bring anything?
Me:
Just need backup
Caden:
We’ll be there
Harper:
I may need to check in with mom before she goes to work tonight but I’ll try
I haven’t forgotten about the night Harper was alone and frightened. And if her mother is working, there’s no way she’s staying there alone.
Me:
Talk at Caden’s. Be there soon
Harper
I park where I’ve seen the others park, but it looks like I’m the first one back. Should I stay in my car and wait for someone else or just go into the basement? They’ve always brought me places with them.
I don’t usually show up willingly.
My door jerks open, and I startle.
“Come on, little nympho. I’m not sure how long I’ll have you alone.” Caden reaches his hand down to me.
Butterflies go rampant in my stomach at the thought of being alone with him. When I don’t immediately take his hand, he squats down next to my car. His green eyes smile up at me.
“Don’t tell me you’re afraid to be alone with me.” He doesn’t reach out and touch me, but even this close I can feel the heat of his body calling to mine. His dark hair is ruffled like he didn’t bother doing anything with it this morning.
Grabbing my things, I take a breath before climbing out of my car. He stands and hovers over me.
“How’s the car?”
I blink at his question like my brain just doesn’t compute. Then I remember. “Oh, the tire is new. No other damage. The shop said it could have been a pothole.”
Caden nods and grabs my hand to lead me around his house. He doesn’t seem convinced.
“Why do we always go in through the back?” I glance at the front of the colonial-style house, which has two columns with a two-story roof over them for a porch. It looks intimidating.
“Everything we want is down here. But if you want the tour, it’ll cost you.” He turns and walks backward in front of me with a sly grin.
I raise an eyebrow. “What’s the price? My panties?”
“Far from it.” He winks. “Every room has a different cost, but nothing too high for you to pay.”
Okay, I’m worried now, but I’m also very curious. We walk into the basement. Caden takes my bag from me and sets it near the couch.
“So what do you think, little nympho? Want the tour?”
I glance over my shoulder at the door. I don’t know how long it will be until anyone else gets here. It’s not like we set a time.
“Promise I won’t have to walk around your house naked?” I give him a stern look.
He rubs the corner of his lips with his finger. “You won’t have to walk around the house naked, but there may be partial nudity involved in some rooms.”
He closes the distance between us and grabs the belt loops on my pants to drag me in close to him. “No boundaries will be moved.”
Not that there are many boundaries left. Shrugging, I place my hands on his chest. Fuck, his chest is firm. His muscles twitch beneath my fingertips.
“Fine. Show me your house.”
Caden’s grin should have warned me, but he lifts me over his shoulder.
“Put me down.” I laugh and smack his back.
“Sorry, this tour comes with a free ride, and since those boundaries are still in place, I had to compromise.” He smacks my ass.
Thankfully, I wore jeans and not a skirt. Not that it seems to matter with these guys.
He spins around in a circle, and I cling to his shirt. “This is the basement, but you’ve been here before so no cost.”
“Great. Can I walk yet?”
“Not yet, little nympho.” He walks into the corridor he took us into Friday night. It’s just as dark. “This is the main house. You’re in luck. Sunday is everyone’s day off. Otherwise, we might have gotten interrupted on our tour.”
“But your cook was here earlier.”
“Just for breakfast. I’m on my own for the rest of the meals.” He carries me to the first door and opens it.
“Where are your parents?” I have to ask. They travel, but I’ve been at their house more than they have. Whether the guys will be enemies or friends, it’s still a good idea to know them.
“Europe. On some grand tour.” Caden lowers me to my feet and turns on the light in the room.
“When do they get home?” I look around the room that has floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled to the brim. It’s impressive. A table and some comfy chairs fill the floor space.
“A few weeks to a month.” Caden shrugs. He pulls me over to the library table and his fingers go to the fastenings on my jeans.
I grab his hands to stop him, feeling a rush of desire flowing through me. “What are you doing?”
“The cost for the library is a taste.” Caden lowers his head beside mine and whispers in my ear, “And not of your sweet mouth.”
He pulls my jeans and panties down over my hips and turns me to face the table. “Bend over. Hands on the table.”
I’m used to following orders now, so without a thought, I do as he asks. No one is here to stop him if he goes too far, but if I don’t trust them, I can’t be with them. So I have to trust I’ll stay a virgin through this tour.
He strokes a hand down my back and over my bared ass. “I love it when you obey.”
When he smacks my ass, I yelp. His chuckle fills the room. It’s so quiet with just the two of us.
Kneeling behind me, he closes his mouth over my pussy and licks the wetness that gathers there for him. Every one of them goes down on me differently, but when Caden does, he’s ravenous.
I clench my fists as he sucks and nibbles and licks me.
He thrusts his tongue inside me until I’m pushing back into him for more.
I’m so close to the edge. He stops suddenly and stands.
My breath shudders in and out of me as I try to figure out what’s happening.
He lifts me from the table and straightens my pants.
I’m turned on and slowly ebbing away from completion. When I turn around, he wipes his mouth with his t-shirt, giving me a huge grin.
“And that’s the library.”
I glare at him. The fucker.
“Next room.” He leads me out of the library like nothing happened. Like I wasn’t about to come all over his face. Asshole.