Chapter 46
LUCA
T here’s an uneasy truce between me and Frankie.
Despite proving myself loyal, he remains guarded and I kind of get that.
I’m always guarded for a good reason. We have a business to protect and many of our enemies will look for any way in to the organization.
My entire life I’ve been guarded for that reason and now, here at Rockwell, a little of my guard is slipping.
I credit Summer for that because in wanting her I had to reveal a part of my soul and nobody is more surprised than me that I like it.
Tonight, we are throwing yet another party at The Elusive House. The second Claiming challenge is tomorrow and it will be business. Now it’s all pleasure, and I’m curious to experience a party with Summer—rather than just watching her longingly from a distance.
As I head into the basement, a few of the others are here already and Santi grins. “Hey, Luca, did you hear the news?”
“What news?” I grab a beer and join them on a nearby couch and Santi grins.
“Principal Constable announced Rockwell’s prom date. It will be interesting to see who is crowned King & Queen. My money is on Frankie and Cassie but Ali is backing you and Summer.”
“It’s irrelevant.” I shrug, the cool beer sliding down my throat, a welcome start to my evening.
“It’s got a theme.”
I resist yawning because how old is this guy?
I say nothing and he obviously doesn’t register my disinterest because his grin splits his face. “Masked fantasy.”
“You won’t need a costume then.”
Ali chuckles as Santi shrugs. “What can I say, I work out a lot and the rugged era is in.”
Santi has decided to resemble a bearded Yeti this semester, his light brown hair slightly longer and his bushy beard left his chin ages ago.
“The chicks love it.” He smiles, revealing his reasoning behind it and Ali shrugs.
“I’m more of a vampire myself. It’s hard to beat the adrenalin rush of sucking the neck of a willing virgin.”
“You’re both sick.”
Frankie enters with Jesse and Santi yells, “What are you going as, Frankie, vampire or werewolf?”
“I’m disinterested, dress up for me involves a golden mask and hooded cloak.”
Jesse raises his eyes. “That would be cool. We could dress as centurions and save on the costumes.”
“And draw attention to our project?”
Frankie shakes his head. “No, the costumes remain the dungeons. It helps create the desired effect when the challengers come across us for the first time.”
Cassie and Siri wander in deep in conversation with their heads together and I’m amused when Frankie’s attention is now firmly focused on one thing only – her.
Despite the fact they have been steady for a while now, their attraction only increases and I kind of get that.
If Summer was here now I wouldn’t be interested in anyone else and as Cassie and Siri pass us, Siri adds, “Have you heard about the prom?”
Cassie nods, her eyes lit like a beacon. “I can’t wait. I love shit like that. We should so go all in for our costumes.”
“What shall we go as?”
It’s as if we aren’t here as they chat shit about what they’ll wear and Frankie shakes his head in exasperation.
“Why is there so much excitement over a freaking prom? We party most nights anyway, I don’t get their enthusiasm.”
“Beats me.”
My heart lifts when Summer and Imogen head into the basement on the tail of a few other couples who are on the guest list.
I sense Frankie’s scrutiny as my eyes meet his sister’s and it’s as if she lit a line of gunpowder that shoots straight to my heart.
Summer is incredibly beautiful on a normal day but tonight she is almost god like.
Her dark hair is long and curls to her shoulders, the tight jeans reminding what her curves feel like.
The top she is wearing is plunging at the neck, revealing the voluptuous swell of her breasts.
Her gaze settles on me and her eyes flash with passion and if I imagined a warrior queen, she would be here right now in human form. Summer Majerio is exactly what I wished for and I will not fuck this up or let anyone else do it for me.
As she wanders over, she sits beside me with a shy smile and as my arm settles around her, she leans into me and rests her head on my shoulder, regarding the scene playing out around us as if we are mere spectators, secure that we are both exactly where we want to be.
After a respectable while, I grasp her hand and nod toward the yard. The basement filled up pretty quickly and Frankie and Cassie are distracted with each other. They always are which does make things easier for me.
We pass Jesse and Imogen, their heads bent close together, deep in conversation. I notice Jesse’s hand resting on her hip as he smiles into her eyes and the way she smiles shyly, her eyes burning with interest for our misguided friend.
Jack and Siri are making out in the corner, shutting the rest of us out and it strikes me that they always do. I don’t know much about their relationship only that they prefer one another’s company and are almost always off somewhere together if I ask.
Santi and Ali are all over a couple of girls who wandered into the house with that one aim in mind and I’m aware they won’t be the only girls here who capture the attention of the two biggest man whores in this house.
As we step outside, the stars light our way along with the fire pits that are burning logs, set in front of easy chairs. Lights are strung up around the clearing and the music is softer out here, muffled by the basement door.
A few groups are chatting and laughing, some making out and others casting longing gazes at the person they would rather be doing right now.
I guide Summer to the edge of the group, shadowed by the trees and as I push her back against one of them, she angles her head to stare deep into my eyes.
“That’s better.” I say softly as my lips touch hers and she whispers, “Do you think they’ll notice if we leave?”
“I doubt it.”
I stroke her beautiful face and she bats those luscious lashes and says softly, “I missed you today.”
Her words wrap around my jaded heart because nobody ever misses me. They may want me, want to be my friend, my lover, my world, but they don’t miss me as a person, just for what I can give them.
It means a lot knowing we are on the same page because I agree with her statement.
I missed Summer so hard it hurt during the break.
It’s as if there is a void beside me on every angle when she isn’t by my side and it strikes me how quickly things change when you meet the person who completes the picture.
“Stay with me tonight.” I whisper against her lips and she groans.
“But Frankie.”
“I’m not talking about this house.”
“The mansion?”
I shake my head. “I’ve had too much to drink to drive. I know of a place nearby that is empty right now and nobody will guess where we went.”
“Where?”
Her eyes shine and I match her energy as I say with a brush of my lips against hers. “I’ll show you.”
Before we go, I dip my lips and kiss her slowly, deeply and with passion, reminding her of who I am and what I want from her.
She bends into me and grasping my hair, pulls me in deeper, applying enough pressure to make my cock strain in my pants.
We finally break away and as my hand searches for hers, I turn my back on the house. “It’s not far. We’ll be there in no time at all.”
She says nothing but I sense her interest and as we steal through the shadows, I hope I’m right and the house standing empty on the edge of the academy is as unoccupied as I think it is.