Chapter 21
The Mutiny
Harper
Fuck. I wasn’t expecting that.
“Nico,” I say, gently.
“They had an affair before. It’s one of the reasons we left.” Nico shrugs and looks at his desk like it doesn’t matter. But obviously it does.
I want to ask if he knew about it then. What happened? Is he okay?
But there’s still this whole Ashley thing on the table. It’s consuming my thoughts. A raging inferno burns through me. The audacity of her to go after what’s mine.
“The information could be beneficial, kitten. She knows what Sidney knows.” Eli still studies me. Does he want to do this? Or is this another test? Or is he just consumed with the idea of information?
Fuck that. This is about me and them.
I look at my guys and just want to slap all of them. Well, most of them. Nico and Jack really haven’t done anything wrong. Yet.
Seriously, I was already angry about the flippant way Luke offered to show me what he did to the other girls he fucked with. And while I’m not surprised Caden wanted to do the same, still not a road I want to go down. Do they even understand how that makes me feel?
Of course, they don’t. They’re fucking cold-hearted bastards with squishy parts they don’t know how to use properly. This is going to be an uphill battle. I blow out a breath.
“Okay.” I look at each of them. “Let’s back this up for a minute.”
Luke raises his eyebrow, but I’ll get to him.
“I can’t let you keep walking all over me.” I almost need a list to hit every point.
“Kitten—”
“No, Eli.” I hold up my hand to stop him from interrupting me.
“The answer to your question is hell no. Yes, we may get information, but there’s no guarantee it would be correct.
The only thing it will do is drive a wedge between you and me.
I don’t want to watch you with another girl. Period. Full stop.”
Eli doesn’t look angry, but I can see him trying to figure out how to solve this problem since the easy way through is gone.
“It can’t happen. It won’t.” I straighten. “Find another way to get info or another way to help her, but it’s not going to be you and definitely not me.”
His dark eyes find mine. He runs his hand through his hair. “You’re right. She would do everything she could to drive us apart. But she’s also the inside source we need.”
“We don’t need her that badly.” I glance at my locked door. Mom knows I’m on with the guys, but I doubt she’ll come in again. “We’ll find another way.”
Eli releases a breath. “Yeah, we’ll figure out something else.”
Okay, this is the hard part. He asked for this for a reason. Otherwise, he might not have brought it up except in passing. Maybe it was a test and I passed. Maybe he really does need something and he’s not getting it from me.
“Eli, if you need something I’m not giving you—” I swallow because I’m not sure I want to be caned.
I get the whole pain and pleasure thing, but that just sounds painful.
But I also think we can figure out how to give him what he needs.
“Then you and I should sit down and have a longer talk about what you need. And how we can make sure your needs are met.”
“I have some needs, little nympho.” Caden’s smirk falls when I glare at him. “What did I do?”
“You two.” I point to Luke and Caden on the screen, but everyone just looks confused. Stupid webcam. I narrow my eyes. “Luke, Caden. I’m your girlfriend. The list of the people you had sex with isn’t supposed to be a game. You can make a list like normal people. Without me doing anything to you.”
“I’m already working on the list, princess.” Luke still looks cocky. He’s the one that brought up Sidney’s technique and then wanted to show me exactly how he took other girls. Ew, no.
“Suck up.” Caden rubs the back of his neck. He gives me a warm smile that makes my heart beat a little harder. “I just like fucking you, little nympho.”
“You all have a lot more experience than me. I get that.” I look up at the ceiling before meeting their gazes. “But seriously, I don’t want to hear about it, unless I specifically ask about it. Including Sidney’s talents.”
Making a face, I vaguely remember the show in her bedroom. It’s a little hazy because I was drunk, but yeah, I don’t want to think about them with other girls. At all.
“Jack,” I say and sigh. “Besides the comment on watching Eli with Ashley, you’ve been perfectly fine. Nico, you’ve actually been helpful and not a prick. You win the best boyfriend award.”
Nico grins and his chest puffs up. “What’s my prize, sunshine?”
I tap my finger against my lip as I consider what would be a good prize.
“There’s a prize? As soon as my parents come home, I’m willing to make sure I get best boyfriend.” Caden wets his lips and leans back in his chair. Fuck, my pussy aches thinking about his mouth on me. “I demand a recount.”
“He still wins.” I narrow my eyes on Caden.
Though if this was a competition, Caden would have won other times.
Still... “I don’t want you to show me how you had sex with other women.
That’s not normal for any girl to want. I would hope that if you want to keep me, you want us to be more than just sex.
That you respect me enough that when we’re together, you’ll only think of me. ”
Caden smirks. “I only think of you, little nympho. Every inch of you.”
“Good.” I’m going to miss him tonight. Fuck, a prize? I’ve got nothing. “What do you want as a prize, Nico?”
“A night out.” Nico rocks back in his chair. “With all of us.”
I smile. He could have asked for anything for himself. “I like that.”
“How often are you going to award this best boyfriend award?” Caden leans forward. “And will the prize always be our choice?”
Five sets of curious eyes watch me. Fuck, I forgot how competitive they can be. But hell, this time it’s to my advantage. I could continue to be a piece of property, or they could learn to treat me as their girlfriend. And usually the rewards will be equally pleasant for me.
“Once a week. Sunday nights. And yes, the prize can be of your choosing, but within reason. I get veto power.” I lean back in my chair and watch them as they eye each other.
“Next weekend we can do our group date.” Nico smiles for a second, but then his smile slips. “That doesn’t really solve our problems though.”
“I’ve been mulling that over.” Eli rubs his chin. “Ashley wants someone who won’t treat her like she’ll break. I may know someone who would do it.”
“You think she’ll still give us information if you set her up with someone else?” Jack scoffs. “She wants you for a reason. And I’m betting Harper is right. She knows it would tear Harper apart to watch you with someone else.”
Jack gets it. His blue eyes meet mine.
“Yeah. She wants me because I’m the only one who’s given her what she needs before.” Eli looks at me. “Sorry, kitten, not a brag, just sorting through this.”
“No worries. Let’s move on.” I give him a tight smile. “If what she’s looking for is release like you said, she should be fine with someone else.”
“There’s a lot of trust in that kind of situation, kitten. I’m not saying I should do it, but she may not feel comfortable with just anyone.” Eli’s thinking, but at least we’re on the same page now.
“Then that’s her problem.” I’m done letting these girls try to control what the guys do. “If she truly needs a session, then if we provide her with one, she should give us something in return.”
“Anything she gives us will have to be triple checked.” Nico sighs and looks over his shoulder. “We need to figure out this thing with our fathers too. I can try to talk to my dad. Caden, your dad will be home for a couple days.”
“I’ll see what I can get.” Caden scrubs his hand over his face. “But honestly, the main thing we’ll be focused on is Ava.”
“We need a strategy for dealing with our fathers.” Luke leans back on the bed with his arm behind his head. “And one to follow the guys.”
I settle in to help where I can. But they know this world. I’ve been living in isolation up until now. And I have to figure out how to move around girl world and find out if any of them are up to no good. Which will be a task in itself.
When everyone falls silent and we’re working on our homework, a knock comes from my door. Standing, I stretch before walking over and opening it.
Mom glances inside my room, probably checking for extra boys. I just shake my head. Honestly, she wouldn’t be wrong most nights.
“Thought I’d check on you before I head to bed.” Mom plays with her necklace. “I work in the morning. I won’t wake you when I leave, but I do expect you to sleep alone.”
“Not an issue.” My insides twist, but it will be no different from before when the guys leave their webcams on while we all sleep.
Mom nods and glances at the guest bedroom door. “Be careful, Harper.”
I hug her. “I will.”
Mom hugs me back before releasing me and heading to her bedroom. I close my bedroom door and grab my pajamas from the closet. Everyone is still working or doing something else.
Slipping into the bathroom, I change and get ready for bed. When I head out to my room, I’m surprised to find Luke still in the guest bedroom on his computer. I half expected him to be in my bed.
Maybe it was more like anticipated having him here. Disappointment spreads through me. I set the computer on my nightstand and climb into my bed.
“Night, princess,” Luke says as he shuts out his light.
I want to ask if he’s going to creep in to sleep with me, but I’m afraid the answer will be no. Mom wants him to sleep there. It’s fair and normal. Well, not exactly normal to have one of my boyfriends sleeping in the house with us, but given his home situation, I’m glad he’s here.
Eli said Luke’s father wants something from him, so he won’t hurt him. But it would worry me. It’s one thing for him to be all alone in that huge house. It’s another for him to be there with a monster.
“Night, sweetheart.” Jack blows me a kiss and heads to his bed.
Caden disappeared a few minutes ago when his parents arrived home. I’m not sure when he’ll be back, but his room is currently empty and Jack assured me that our transmission isn’t being displayed when he’s out of the room.
No idea how Jack does that, but I’m glad to have someone like him on my side.
“Night, sunshine.” Nico stretches and heads into his bathroom.
Eli sits against his headboard, reading as usual. I study him. He’s cool and calculating normally. How much of his earlier conversation was to see what I would allow? To see if I still cared enough to say no?
I pull my phone into my bed.
Me:
We need to talk
Eli’s gaze lifts before he reaches for his phone. He glances at me before typing.
Pestilence (Eli):
When?
I rub my feet together under the covers. That’s a good question. I’ve only actually been on a date with Nico and Luke.
Me:
Date?
Pestilence (Eli):
You want me to take you out, kitten?
Or do you want a specific date and time?
Me:
Go out
Pestilence (Eli):
Wednesday?
Me:
Yes
My insides burst with butterflies. It’s weird how something as simple as a date makes me feel closer to the guys. Before I set the phone down, it buzzes in my hand.
Pestilence (Eli):
You’re enough, kitten
When I glance up at him, he types more. I almost feel bad because I’m with all of them, but I expect them only to be with me. I have all of him, but he has to share me. Is it fair? Probably not, but they claimed me first.
Pestilence (Eli):
Strategically it made sense
We could get information that won’t be available to us otherwise
I could protect you
My heart softens.
Me:
The cost was too high
Pestilence (Eli):
I know