Chapter 51
The Mess Hall
Harper
Tanner leaves as soon as the bell rings. I can breathe easy again, but I hang back to wait for Nico.
“Come on.” Nico jerks his head toward the hallway as he grabs my backpack.
“Nico, wait.” I need him to not tell the others about Tanner.
I catch Nico’s sleeve and tug him to the side of the hallway, out of the main traffic heading to lunch. Students turn to look at us as they walk by.
A muscle in Nico’s jaw ticks as he looks down at me. His eyes are heated. I’m not sure if it’s because of Tanner or because of Angela.
“Promise me you won’t tell the others about Tanner being my art partner.”
He opens his mouth to protest, but I press my fingertips over his lips and plead with him with my eyes. This is important.
“It will only cause trouble, and there’s nothing we can do to change it.” I let him see my worry for Caden and the guys if they do something and it backfires. Tanner is a wealthy guy who has nothing to lose. He’s dangerous.
I might have wanted the guys to back off in the beginning, but I don’t want them to actually get hurt.
“You need to tell me what he said to you.” Nico glances down the hallway, keeping his voice low.
I look down at the floor before meeting his eyes.
“It surprised him the guys told me what happened with Caden’s sister.
He’s bitter and wants revenge and will use anyone to get it.
” No need to sugarcoat it. “But that also means he wants a fight. He wants the guys to target him. With Caden’s rage, that will only lead to bad things.
Let’s deal with this and keep them out of it. ”
“Harper—” He shakes his head.
Dammit, I’m losing him. Time to pull out the big gun.
“You and I were best friends long before they came into our lives.” I press my hand over his heart, meeting his dark eyes.
A reminder that if he’d stayed, we might have been more, and the horsemen would have never claimed me.
We both feel it, but I won’t press that button if I don’t have to.
It’s wishful thinking and not realistic.
“You owe your loyalty to me as much if not more than to them.”
His hand covers mine on his chest. His gaze softens as he searches mine. Warmth fills me. “If it gets to be too much, I’ll decide when to bring them in.”
That just means I’ll need to keep anything Tanner says to myself or Kenz. This can’t ever get to the others. They promised to protect me, but I can protect them from themselves. Tanner won’t actually do anything to me, so I nod.
“Show me the cafeteria.” He takes my hand and squeezes it before we head down the almost empty hallway.
The cafeteria is packed as we enter hand-in-hand. A silence falls over everyone as we head to where the horsemen sit. The hair stands on the back of my neck from all the eyes on us.
I’m sure the gossip mill has done its job of spreading the arrival of the fifth horsemen. But they might not have caught on that Nico gets all the benefits. Including me.
Their eyes watch, waiting for the blowup, eager to watch my punishment at the hands of the horsemen. My anxiety wells inside me, even though I know nothing will happen. But I’m still nervous as hell in this cafeteria after years of avoiding it.
When arms wrap around me from behind and lift me off my feet, I shriek as if pirates are attacking and taking me captive. My hand drops Nico’s, clutching at the arms around me. The smell of cinnamon and vanilla hits my nose, and I stop struggling.
Fucking Caden. His low chuckle stirs my insides.
Jack’s laughter fills the silence as he wraps his arm around Nico’s shoulders and draws him toward the table where Luke and Eli sit, talking quietly. They don’t even watch the others’ antics.
“You could set me down,” I say over my shoulder to Caden.
His dark chuckle sends tingles through me. “Nah, little nympho. You’re mine for lunch.”
My cheeks heat even more. Caden circles the table to sit next to Luke and helps me sit on his lap. I cross my legs to the side of his and smooth down my skirt. When I lift my gaze to Caden’s green eyes, he grins like we have a secret.
Thinking about last night, heat pours through me and my pussy clenches. We have a few secrets. At least from the student population.
“You guys have a problem.” Nico sits across from Luke and glances around the cafeteria. I hope Nico isn’t talking about Tanner.
Trusting Nico’s problem is a different issue, I open my lunch and hand a sandwich to Caden before biting into mine. Eli holds out an apple. His smile makes me warm as I take it from him.
“What kind of problem?” Luke leans forward.
“Some guy is taking bets on when and how you all will fuck Harper.” Nico’s gaze flicks to mine with a slight flinch.
Huh.
Should I be shocked students in this school are betting on something, anything, the horsemen do? Including me?
I’m not. I’ve been here long enough to realize this is how the game is played. Taking a bite of my sandwich, I chew.
How much am I worth? It would be sad if my virginity was only worth twenty bucks. After everything I did to keep it and hide from these guys for years. Of course, I gave it up fairly quickly in the grand scheme of things, but I can’t regret it.
Not yet at least.
“Who?” Luke is in his element, in control of the whole school. He doesn't even glance my way.
“Some guy named Grant Perkins.” Nico looks over his shoulder. My heart quickens. “The pot is over a thousand dollars.”
Shit, that’s a lot more than twenty bucks. My gaze darts between all of them. Grant was the underwear guy. Is this his revenge? How does this get back at the horseman? Maybe it isn’t revenge? Maybe he gets a cut?
“How did you find out?” Luke’s gaze roams the room as he leans back like nothing bothers him, but there’s this ticking muscle in his jaw. The same tick he gets when I defy him.
I don’t like it when someone else causes it. My fingers itch to rub against it to smooth it out.
“My art partner, Angela something—”
“Harris.” I draw Luke’s gaze. I catch my breath at the warmth in his icy blue eyes. He looks at me like he likes me. More than just the pet some people claim I am.
When he holds out his hand to me, I don’t hesitate. Drawn to this pull between us, I stand and walk over to him, taking his hand. He draws me down onto his lap, and his hand possessively grips my hip.
I rest my head against his shoulder as I look out over the cafeteria with him. Grant isn’t at his usual table. I don’t think he’s in the cafeteria today.
Caden stands, drawing my attention. He gives me a wink before circling the perimeter of the cafeteria.
“Did Angela hit on you?” Eli asks with a knowing grin.
My brow furrows.
Nico smirks. “She said the only other horseman she hasn’t been with is Luke.”
Luke’s grip tightens on my hip. I turn to face him, to watch his expression, to learn.
“Sidney told her to back off Luke.” Nico takes a bite of his lunch.
Jack laughs. “Guess Sidney didn’t tell her not to blow Luke.”
What the fuck? It’s like they don’t even care I’m right here. A different heat floods me. It’s bad enough to know they have a lot of experience.
Luke’s smirk is the icing on the cake and makes me attempt to stand, but he holds me tighter. His blue eyes capture mine, and he grabs my chin to force me to stay there. “What, princess? Want to find a closet and make me forget about Angela Harris’s mouth?”
The others chuckle. Like I’m one big joke. Fuck this.
I press my lips together. The guys have sexual history. While I don’t, they don’t need to throw it in my face. When I try to turn away from Luke, he wraps his hand around the back of my neck and lowers his head a little, like a bull getting ready to charge.
I hold my breath, waiting for the inevitable. I cock an eyebrow at him in challenge.
“Are your delicate sensibilities offended by our words?” His hand squeezes my hip.
“Maybe I don’t like that you guys have gotten around. Maybe I don’t want to sit here and discuss that Angela Harris fucked Jack, Caden, and Eli and only gave you a blow job. Poor her, she couldn’t fuck you all.”
A slow grin grows on his face. His fingers tangle into my hair.
“What?” I’m still hot under the collar and I don’t know what he’s so happy about.
“You’re jealous.” Luke leans in and kisses me, just a quick press of his lips against mine.
I rear back. “I am not.”
Fuck, I so am, but I’m not about to tell Luke that.
He leans in so his mouth is next to my ear. His soft, seductive cologne weaves around me, making me lean into the heat of his body.
“Next time I fuck you, I’ll make sure you forget about every other woman I’ve been with.”
When I push against his chest ineffectively, he chuckles darkly against my ear.
“Just what every girl wants to hear.” I roll my eyes.
His fingers tighten on my neck, and I stop struggling.
“I only said I wouldn’t fuck your pussy today, princess. Be nice or I’ll have you on your knees.”
He draws his face back so his eyes can meet mine.
Narrowing my eyes, I spit out, “Wouldn’t you prefer Angela?”
Fuck, I hate myself in this moment. I just handed him so much ammunition against me. Sure, they’re bound to me, but that doesn’t mean they can’t flaunt other girls in front of me. As long as the guys don’t touch them.
I swallow, but Luke chuckles and rubs his thumb along the vein in my neck. My pulse quickens. Tingles rush through my system and make me soften under his touch. Slowly he lifts his gaze to meet mine.
Like the inside of a flame, his blue eyes smolder. The whole cafeteria disappears around us until it’s just him and me. That night in my bed. The quiet in his dark car. His apology last night.
This attraction between us consumes me, making me want him even though he’s not good for me.
“He’s not here.” Caden’s voice draws me out of the vortex of Luke’s desire. We both turn to him.
“Not here for lunch or not here at school?” Luke’s fingers massage my hip, lighting me up even more.
“Lunch.” Caden sits at the table and holds out his hand to me. He raises his eyebrow at Luke when he doesn’t immediately return me. Luke helps me stand and swats my ass on my way to Caden. When I put my hand over the spot, I glare at Luke.
“Remember your place, princess.”
How could I ever forget? I’m their property. I’m not meant to have feelings about things beyond how they want me to be for them.
Caden’s warmth surrounds me as we finish lunch, but I still feel the chill of Luke’s words.