Ten
SCARLETT
T hankfully, for my final two classes of the day, study hall and gym class with Professor Montgomery, I have Jade, Stella, and Kai to keep me company. Although Ace is in these classes as well, he doesn’t move to sit beside me, nor look my way. I must have hit a nerve insulting the legitimacy of his title, and the queen at his side.
The final bell rings and we all head back to our respective houses making plans to meet up at the dining hall for dinner around six. Curfew during the week is 10 p.m., but the dining hall stays open till nine. Thankfully, we have little homework today other than some light reading, because the day’s events have exhausted me.
Back at our room, Stella offers to set up our new phones but we soon realize they’re already activated. Instead, she puts our numbers in each other’s contacts adding hers in as well. According to Jade, the guys also received their own complementary phones, so I’ll have to ask them for their numbers tonight at dinner .
The moment I arrived in my room, I took off my uniform, feeling like I was suffocating in it. The heat today is excruciating, so after turning up the air conditioning, I lay in my room in a pair of black shorts and a black hoodie I stole from Drake the first time we hooked up.
I pull out my phone and start going through some apps on it. I’ve never had a phone before and it isn’t really necessary now, but at least it’s something to keep me entertained.
After a few hours of lying in bed doing nothing, I get up and grab a snack from Stella’s snack bar in the kitchen.
“You coming down with us, Scar?” Jade asks as they head to the door.
“No, you guys go. I think I’m gonna just stay in, not really in the mood for another run-in with the Horsemen or worse, their queens.” I grab a bag of chips and a soda can out of the refrigerator and head back to my room, falling back on my bed and pulling the pillow beside me.
I hear a ding come from the phone on my nightstand and I reach over to answer it, noticing I’ve received a message from an unknown number.
9147776453: So, you're hiding out now? Since when does Scarlett Steele back down?
I smile, realizing it’s Drake and send a quick text back adding his number to my contacts under Dragon Man.
Me: It’s not hiding out, it's called self-preservation.
Dragon Man: Come down for me Scar. I need to see you.
Me: Not tonight lover boy. It was a shitty day.
Dragon Man: Let me make you feel better.
Me: A hot shower and a good night’s sleep is what I need.
Dragon Man: Now I need a cold one thinking about you in the shower.
Me: Ha-ha! See ya tomorrow, Dragon Man.
Exiting our chat, I realize I have another unread message.
9146662114: You better be careful Little Red no one stirs up this much trouble and lives to tell the tale.
An instant chill runs through my body as I re-read the message.
Little Red.
I know exactly who it is, but the question is, how the hell did he get my number? I laugh to myself at my stupidity. Well, how fucking else?
His perverted uncle is harassing me, his father literally kidnapped me and brought me here, and he’s gotten under my skin. Not in a good way either.
Deciding to ignore the message, no need to lead him on and allow him to think his fake threats scare me, I place my phone on the nightstand and continue eating my chips. Suddenly my phone rings and without looking and foolishly assuming it’s Drake, I grab the phone and answer it.
“What’s up, Dragon Man?” I say, munching away on a chip.
“Not smart mistaking me for that little bitch, nor is ignoring my messages, Red.” I nearly choke on the chip I’m chewing when I hear his husky voice through the speaker.
“What do you want, Ace?” I mutter anxiously.
“I want to know why you’re ignoring me. I know you’re home. I know you saw the message.” Sitting up abruptly, I turn to look out the window in my bedroom. Could he possibly be looking in?
I run over to the window and close the curtain. “Look, how did you even get my number? ”
“Come on, Red, I thought you were smarter than that,” he says, laughing slightly. Fuck, his laugh, deep and raspy, sends a warm sensation through my body causing me to squeeze my thighs together.
Suddenly, the realization hits me like a cold bucket of water. “You were the one who dropped off the phones, not the school. That’s why they were activated. You did it.”
“No comment.”
“But why give them to the guys also?” He laughs again as if it isn’t obvious. “Because I wouldn’t take it if it was just for me.” I roll my eyes, it’s not like he can see me, but I feel so dumb for not figuring it out before. A school doesn’t just hand out free phones.
“Now we’re getting somewhere, Red. Smart girl answering your own questions,” he snickers.
I get up and start pacing around the room, so worked up I can’t possibly keep still. “Either way, we want nothing to do with your school, your hierarchy, or you. You need to leave me and my friends alone.”
“Yeah, that’s not gonna be possible, Little Red.”
I groan in frustration only making him laugh harder. “And why the fuck not?”
“Because I need to find out what you’re hiding. What is your connection to my uncle? Why did they bring you here?”
Now it’s my turn to laugh. “Well, I can assure you’re going to be disappointed to find out, well there is nothing to find out.”
“We’ll see about that. Besides, your friends and I, we’ve had so much fun together.”
My anger rises to the surface and I’m so fucking ready to let him have a piece of my mind. One thing is messing with me, but my friends are off-limits.
“Leave them alone, Ace. I mean it. Your issue is with me. Fuck it, you wanna play, let’s play. You’ll be disappointed to find I’ll win. This little game of king and queen and horse shit you and your friends play is a beginner’s game. Me and mine, we’re jaded, fucked up little orphans who’ve been dealt a lot more than this. You want war, bring it on, Horseman. Me and my Dragon,” I laugh and hear a growl come through the phone. “We are gonna slay your little kingdom, burn it to the ground. And the only ones left standing are gonna be us. The Dragon and his Queen.”
I hear a loud grunt as I quickly hang up the phone before he can respond. Grabbing one of the decorative pillows on my bed, I tighten my fist around it and scream as loud as I can, letting the pillow muffle my rage. My heart is racing, adrenaline pumping through me and coursing through my veins.
That was terrifying yet quite exhilarating.
My phone rings again, and I look down to see the same number flashing on the screen. It’s him.
I answer, slowly bringing it to my ear. “You’re gonna regret threatening me, Red, and I’ll be the one bringing you down,” he laughs that deep, raspy laugh I can almost feel along the skin of my neck. “And it’s gonna be worth the ride.”
Before I can say anything, not like I have anything left to say, he hangs up. I throw the phone and grab my shorts and underwear heading for the bathroom. I need a fucking cold shower.
It’s half past midnight and I’ve been lying in bed tossing and turning for the last three hours. The girls got back right after my shower, and we stayed up talking for a bit. They told me that Drake was being grumpy because he didn’t get to see me, and they gave me Kai and Jax’s numbers to add to my contact list. I chose not to mention the conversation I had with Ace. No need for them to ask questions.
After they left, I tried going to sleep but my mind just kept going back to all the conversations I’ve had with Ace. I’ve tried not paying too much importance to what his uncle has told me, but it must mean something if Ace is so sure that I have a connection to him. My phone buzzes and I see Drake’s name pop onto the screen.
Dragon Man: Come down to the front of the girl’s house. I need to see you.
Me: It’s past midnight, Drake.
Dragon Man: It’ll be quick. Please.
I get out of bed and slip into my sneakers. It’s not like I was gonna sleep tonight, anyway. Dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, I throw on Drake’s hoodie and sneak out the front door. I make it outside without being seen.
A cool breeze hits me as I walk down the steps. Looking around the courtyard across me, I don't see anyone standing out here. I shoot Drake another text to make sure he’s still here.
Me: Where are you?
His response comes instantly.
Dragon Man: To the left.
I turn to the left of the building and see a hooded figure standing beneath the trees about fifty feet away. I’m ready to give him a piece of my mind for making me come all the way out here as I make my way over to him.
“This better be important, Drake. We can get caught sneaking around this late,” I say, turning to make sure nobody has followed us out here. But when I turn back around, I almost fall backward seeing it’s not Drake who’s standing before me. Ace stands across from me having no reason to look this fine in tight black jeans, a leather jacket, and a black beanie covering his hair.
His chest and abdomen are completely exposed showcasing all the tattoos painted across his chest and running up his neck. Fuck me, he’s gorgeous. My breath hitches and the smug grin that appears on his face tells me he’s noticed.
“Fuck no,” I say, turning around and heading back to the house.
I don’t get far before his arm comes around my middle, picking me up and turning me to face him. Chest against chest, his right arm wraps around my lower back.
I try my hardest to pull away, leaning my head back as far away from him as I can manage but he leans his face toward me, his lips a mere centimeter from mine. The smell of cinnamon and liquor on his breath teases me along with something fresh that smells amazing.
Ace licks his lips and I feel my heart pumping in my chest, my eyes trying to focus on his face but his lips are so close they’re all I can focus on.
I close my eyes to keep from reaching up and taking his lips in mine the way I so desperately want right now. “Let. Go. Of. Me,” I say between staggered breaths. For a second, he’s eerily silent. Only the sounds of my ragged breathing and accelerated heartbeat are heard.
“Make me,” he whispers, his hot breath warming my lips. I try to push him off me but all it does is cause him to grip me harder. When I open my eyes, I catch him smiling wide at the obvious tension between. His eyes are red, low, and hazy.
This fucker is high as a fucking kite.
I look directly into his eyes, losing myself for a moment in the deep dark blue that resembles the night sky, not sure of what I see in them. Desire? Hate? Or something completely foreign?
Releasing a deep breath, I lean in to him. “I told you the next time you laid a hand on me would be your last.”
“Then I’d better make it worth it,” he says, but before I can react, strong lips crash down on mine.
Ace hungrily claims my mouth, feasting on me like he hasn’t eaten in days. His right arm creeps up my back under my hoodie as he brings his left arm around and uses it to pull me in closer to him.
I try to resist but fuck, the way his tongue pushes into my mouth when I open for him, is too damn good. Our kiss is carnal, erratic, each one of us trying to take what we need, to forget who we are, why we’re here. Cold, rough hands move up and down my body and I move to place mine against his bare chest, feeling the way his heart beat races against them.
He moans into my mouth as my icy hands caress his heated flesh bringing out in me a need to be closer to him. I move my hands higher, gripping his shoulders tightly, and bringing his mouth down further.
A sudden breeze rustles through the trees causing some leaves to fall and it breaks me out of my daze. I push against his chest until our lips separate causing us both to stumble backward. My mind is in a haze, but I can see he feels it too. Looking up at him, I swing my hand around and slap him hard across his face making him falter back.
Ace brings his hand up to his cheek, but says nothing, I take off running back toward the house, up the stairs, not stopping until I make it to the front door of my quarter.
My heart and mind are racing as I fight to catch my breath. As quietly as I can manage, I enter the quarter and rush into my room, locking my door and throwing myself onto the bed. I can’t believe that just happened.
I lick my swollen lips and can still feel him on them, taste him on them. They feel tender and are throbbing from the intensity of his kiss.
Suddenly, my phone buzzes in my pocket startling me and I open it to find a text from him.
9146662114: Never hang up on me again Red.
I don’t bother adding his number to my contacts, instead throw my head back and toss the phone on the bed beside me. Fuck. There is no way I’m getting any sleep tonight.
I was right. I didn’t sleep a damn wink. Every little noise would startle me, and couldn’t stop replaying the kiss repeatedly in my mind.
I get out of bed early the next morning and walk straight into the shower, needing to wash away the constant thoughts of Ace’s lips against mine. The memories of the way his hands roamed up my back and around my waist gripping me for dear life. I turn the cold water on full blast hoping it will snap me out of my lust-filled thoughts.
I need to get him out of my head.
Twenty minutes later and with my thoughts still intact, I step out of the shower in nothing but a towel wrapped around my waist and head over to the coffee machine in the kitchen, adding an extra five scoops more than I normally would.
I don’t physically feel tired from my lack of sleep, but I know I’ll be feeling it later today. As the coffee brews I head back to my room to change into my uniform taking longer than usual to apply my everyday makeup. Brushing my hair out, I pull it up into a loose ponytail letting a few strands loose around my face.
My bedroom door opens, Jade and Stella appearing still dressed in pajamas, each with a mug of coffee in their hands.
“You’re up early,” Jade says surprised, as she walks over sitting on the edge of my bed. She takes a sip of her coffee, nearly spitting it out right after. “Damn, Scar,” she says in between coughs. “How much coffee did you put in here?”
Taking the mug from her hands, I bring it to my lips, inhaling the sweet aroma before taking a sip. “I couldn’t sleep. I needed it to be strong,” I say, shrugging my shoulders and enjoying the bold taste of the espresso .
“That would explain why you’re up, ready and dressed before 7 a.m.”
Ignoring her sarcasm, I grab my bag and slip my MacBook, tablet, and phone inside before walking over to the door. “I’m going to head down to the dining hall and get something to eat. I’ll see you guys later.” Before I walk out, I hear Jade whisper to Stella.
“She means she’s gonna go have a Dragon for breakfast, if you get what I mean.” I can hear them both chuckle as I close the door behind me.
I’ll admit as I walk up the steps of the Astor House, the senior boys’ house, Jade was right. That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Walking through the front door and up the stairs to the third floor where the guys’ quarter is, I roll my eyes and ignore the catcalls and snickers coming from the few guys already out and about.
They’re nothing but a bunch of assholes who apparently have never seen a girl rock a school uniform and find the need to make stupidly crude remarks about their school girl fetishes. Finding the door to the guy’s quarter, I reach my hand up about to knock but the door is suddenly swung open, a shirtless Jaxon standing on the other side.
“Oh, shit!” Jax shouts, jumping back. “Scar, babe, what are you doing here this early?” He walks toward me wrapping his arm around my shoulder and drags me into their quarter. Inside the space looks similar to ours with gray walls, two large couches by a wide-screen tv, and a small table with four chairs to the far right. The only difference is the empty box of pizza and crushed cans of beer on the floor and the thick scent of cigarettes floating in the room.
“Well, you guys made yourself right at home,” I say, picking up a pair of boxers on the floor in front of me.
“Sorry, those are mine,” a cute brown-haired guy says as he jolts from the couch over to me, plucking the boxers straight from my hand with a shy smile. His cheeks instantly redden while his eyes lock with mine .
“And you are?” I ask, raising a brow at him, a sincere smile on my face. He’s cute, in a nerdy way. Brown hair covers his ears and part of his face, and light hazel eyes hide behind round frames.
“This is Jake Easton, he’s our Stella Silver. Jake, this is Scarlett Steele, she’s Drake’s leading lady,” Jax says, throwing his arm around a flustered Jake.
“Nice to meet you, Jake,” I say, extending my arm out to him.
He reluctantly takes it, letting go quickly when he hears Drake approaching from the hallway. He’s shirtless of course, his gray sweats hanging low on his hips outlining the perfect V shape of abs. Black ink covers almost every muscular inch of his torso, arms, and neck.
A sharp pang of need rushes to my core as my eyes roam over his sexy physique.
“I gotta go,” Jake says, retreating to what I assume is his room in the opposite direction of where Drake just came out.
“This is a lovely surprise,” Drake says as he reaches out to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me into him. He takes my lips in his and kisses me softly and I melt in his grasp. Drake has always been an excellent kisser. He may have been my first lover, but I kissed a few frogs before I found my dragon. And at this moment, I need his lips to consume me and erase the feel of Ace’s from last night.
My gut clenches at the memory of what happened last night. There is no way I can mention it to Drake. He’d completely lose it and honestly, I’m afraid he'll retaliate and end up getting expelled.
“Mmm,” I moan, taking his bottom lip between mine, my hands eagerly moving up and around his chest. “Just what I needed.”
My confession causes something in him to shift and he groans, his hands grabbing my ass as he lifts me. I wrap my legs around his waist as our kiss intensifies, and he moves us over to the couch. Drake falls back onto the couch and I position myself over his legs so I’m straddling him and grinding into his erection hardening beneath me .
“Damn, who needs porn when I get to see this in the comfort of my living room,” Jax blurts out and I realize he’s still in the room.
I tear my lips from Drake’s as I turn and scowl at Jax, flipping him off.
He’s sitting on the couch across from us still shirtless, legs crossed and sprawled on the coffee table, a bag of chips in his hand. Turning back to Drake, I lower my head to his.
“If I don’t leave now, we might end up skipping class and I’m not sure that’ll look too good on our first week” I say, and he shakes his head softly.
“The things you do to me, Scarlett.” He looks up into my eyes and smirks. “Now get off me before I take you here and now not giving a fuck who’s in the room watching.”
I climb off his lap and he smacks my ass as I turn my back to him.
“I’ll see you at lunch, Dragon,” I say before heading out toward the dining hall.
After study hall, Stella, Jade, and I head out of Whitmore Hall and over to the field behind the auditorium for gym class.
We head into the girls’ locker room to change into our gym shorts and red polo shirts before heading out to the track field. Since we are seniors and not obligated to take part in the basic physical education requirements, gym class is just a workout/cardio class.
We can either stay in the indoor gym for the cardio machines or weightlifting, or head out to the track field to run or play any of the various intramural sports.
Jade and I enjoy running and would do it regularly back in Pleasant Hills, so we step out to the track with Stella in tow. Stella’s made it clear she won’t be running, but to her benefit, six period gym doubles as football and lacrosse practice for the guys .
Hot, sweaty, muscular bodies are the main attraction out here.
“God, just look at them,” Stella says, pointing to the guys running laps around us.
“I would love to have a piece of him,” Jade says as a gorgeous guy with blond hair and a perfectly ripped body showcased in nothing but tight shorts and a thin tank that reads “Captain” runs by and winks at her.
“Ooo he’s a good one. That’s Liam Walker. Captain of the lacrosse team and our head quarterback. His dad is Australian and his mom’s some hot ex-supermodel from Italy.”
“That explains the blond hair and perfectly tanned skin,” Jade says, twirling her hair around her finger.
“Yeah, you should totally ask him out. I mean, he’s a total player but actually one of the good ones. He makes his way around but never while he’s dating someone exclusively.”
“Slutty but loyal. I love that in a man,” Jade jokes, and we all start laughing.
Liam jogs over to a group of his teammates who immediately turn to look our way after he says something to them. It’s totally obvious but they also don’t seem to mind that we are aware they’re talking about us.
The rest of the lacrosse team is busy doing drills along the field while a group I assume are the cheerleaders watch from the sidelines.
“Hey, Walker,” Stella yells and he’s quick to rush over to us leaving his guys whispering amongst one another.
“What the hell, Stella?” Jade whispers, jabbing her in the ribs as she scowls at her.
Stella cringes in pain but quickly brushes it off. “Ow Jade. I’m just trying to help. Why not just ask him out now?”
“Hey,” Liam says as he approaches us.
Jade instantly turns on her charm like she wasn’t just berating Stella for calling him over. “Hey there, handsome,” she coos, once again twirling a strand of hair between her fingers .
“Hey, beautiful,” he replies, his eyes drinking Jade in. “Silver, are you gonna introduce me to your friends? You girls are new, right? I’d remember seeing your pretty faces around.” I scoff at the same time Jade laughs flirtatiously at his compliment.
Stella’s all too eager to introduce us. “Liam, this is Jade Wolfe and her sister Scarlett Steele.”
“Nice to meet you, Jade,” he says, extending a hand to her. He turns to me. “You’re Ace’s girl, right?” he asks, immediately my smile turns into a scowl.
What. The. Actual. Fuck?
“Fuck no,” I shout, and he falters back at my scream.
“Oh shit, my bad. I just thought… I mean Ace said.”
“Said what?” we all shout out further freaking Liam out.
“He just kind of made it clear we should stay away from you. I mean, I guess I thought it was because he called dibs. If he says you’re off limits, well, nobody’s going to ask you out. He’s laid his claim.”
Jade and Stella both turn, eyeing me curiously.
“Called dibs? What are we in middle school?” Jade sneers, and suddenly Liam isn’t as enticing as he was before his douchey remark.
I step into Liam’s space and place a finger against his chest, drilling it in as I speak. “You spread the word that I ain’t a fucking piece of property to be claimed. I don’t belong to anyone, especially not Ace fucking Servite.”
“I got it, my bad again. I hope this doesn’t kill my chances with green eyes here?” he says, looking at Jade with a shy smirk.
“I think we can still work something out,” she says, and Stella and I laugh as we take off running, leaving Jade and Liam behind.