Chapter 35
The Under the Table Deal
Jack
I only meant to sleep for a few minutes, but I also didn’t set an alarm. Not with Harper warm in my arms. Now it’s four o’clock in the morning. I have another hour before I should leave. Jennifer usually wakes around five a.m. to get ready for work at six.
There’s just too much for me to do. The others are good at a lot of things. Like Nico is going through the Sidney footage as well. But I can’t have them do the technical stuff.
I open my laptop and set it on the bed beside me. Harper is draped over me and curled up against me. I don’t want to give that up, but I need to work. This is what I can do to keep her safe.
But between school work, football practices, and hanging out, the only time left is when I sleep.
Meaning I haven’t been getting much of it.
I need to start prioritizing things, but my brain is running on caffeine and not much else.
It’s not exactly firing on all cylinders and things that I’d normally be on top of, I’m forgetting.
Something bigger has been niggling at the back of my mind. Sidney got into my security system. She did things most people in our school don’t know how to do. Definitely not something she did alone. That means she’s been in contact with someone who has that particular skill set.
There’s not exactly a class I can say oh, maybe one of these geeks. Whoever did it was in and out like a fucking ghost.
Anything that would have been tied to that person is gone because they know how to erase their footprint.
I stroke my hand down Harper’s back as I try to figure out how to get the information I need. If I had access to that person, I might be able to get through things quicker. But that also means we need leverage to control them.
Whoever it is, they already worked with Sidney at least once against us. Which either means they were bought or have a grudge against us. The first one I can work with, the second one is more difficult but still workable.
Checking the logs, I look for something that might indicate this person’s identity. Then I work on making sure no one has accessed our webcam sessions. Because I’m going to need to see my girl at night and in the morning.
I send a quick email to Eli to talk to me today. I don’t have time to go through all the files and emails from Luke’s father’s computer, but Eli might be able to look through the emails and even make sense of the files.
Right now, I’m not thinking straight enough to go through anything. I need food and caffeine to power through the day. Not to mention I have a test in third period I haven’t studied for yet.
Closing my laptop, I slide it into my backpack before returning my attention to the naked Harper clinging to me. Fuck. I needed this. I needed to be able to hold her. Caden and Luke are always over here.
I get it. Having her in my arms was some of the best sleep I’ve gotten. The only sleep I’ve gotten in the past couple nights. She sighs, blowing her breath across my chest.
She’s soft and vulnerable in her sleep. Hell, she’s soft and vulnerable awake. That’s why we have to do everything in our power to keep her safe.
It’s hard to forge a bond beyond sex when I only see her with the group, but those times we’ve been alone together... the potential is there. And fuck if I don’t want to nurture it, nurture us.
I’ve played the field and slept around with guys and girls, but none of them comes close to the attraction and draw I feel to Harper. Even now, I could take her again. She’d come and so would I before I slipped out like a thief in the night.
If this were only about sex, I would.
But she hasn’t slept well either. And right now, she needs me to take care of her, not just use her to fulfill my needs. I press my lips against her forehead and work on slowly detangling myself from her, trying not to wake her.
She curls up around the pillow I was using.
I pull on my clothes and grab my backpack.
Hopefully, I’ll get home in time to shower and have breakfast with Lucy.
I’ll study for my test in first and second periods.
Then, this afternoon, I’ll work on some of the files waiting for me on my laptop during class.
“Jack.” Her sleep-laden voice pulls me back to her side.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I brush her hair out of her face. “I have to go. Luke will pick you up for school.”
She takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. “Promise me you’ll sleep more. I’m worried about you.”
Chuckling, I lean forward to press a kiss to her lips. “I can run on low for a while, sweetheart. But I’ll try.”
Her eyes close as she nods. It takes everything in me to leave her alone in that bed. To stop myself from climbing back in and chancing her mother’s wrath if she checks on Harper. A notification buzzes on my phone.
One of my programs found something... or rather, someone.
Eli
I stand outside the school doors, leaning against the brick exterior with my head down, waiting. I could be out on the bleachers with our girl and my friends, but I need to do this. Harper offered to come with, but nah. This is my crap to sort out.
The door pushes open and I raise my head. Ashley doesn’t look as perky as usual. She’ll be more forthcoming without Harper with us. Harper told us about the locker room. How she played what Luke recorded about Sidney’s “friends” and what Sidney really thinks of them.
It won’t matter. Those four are locked in for high school. Whether they are besties or frenemies. They’ll go their separate ways for college, but until then, they belong together.
“Hey.” Ashley looks around.
“Harper isn’t here. Come on. We’ll talk while we eat.” I walk toward my car, knowing she’ll follow. She’s not one of those girls who needs smooth words or even a gentle touch. She also doesn’t expect it.
For me, Ashley was easy and a release. She needed what I could give her, and I could let down my public persona and unleash the darkness building inside. Of course, I’ll never use her for that again. There’s no desire in me for it. Not with her.
I unlock my car and get in the driver’s side. She gets in and I drive. When I park at the restaurant, she doesn’t say anything. I get out and walk in. It’s one of those seat-yourselves type places, so I pick a table and sit.
She takes the other chair and drops into it with her arms crossed. Already on the defensive. I wouldn’t expect anything less.
This is a delicate chess game. I can’t let her know my end game until I have her backed into a corner. I pick up my menu. The server stops by with a smile on her face.
“What can I get you today?”
“Coke with a burger and fries.” I hand her the menu and nod at Ashley.
“Chicken fingers, fries, and a diet Coke.” She doesn’t look at the server or lift the menu. Her brown eyes never leave mine.
The server grabs the menu from the table. “I’ll have that right out for you.”
Leaning back in my chair with one foot stretched in front of me, I know I’m invading Ashley’s space. I don’t say anything. Don’t change my expression. She’ll be the first to break. She always is.
Her eyes narrow. “So is this where you tell me to go fuck myself? But I get lunch out of it?”
“No. This is where we start negotiating for what you want and what I want and how we can help each other.”
Her eyes widen, but she carefully masks her eagerness. Yeah, she needs this enough to take my deal. That little hint of need always gives her away.
“To be clear, there will be no you and me playtime.” I don’t blink or change my expression. “With or without Harper.”
“Then you have nothing to offer me.” Ashley’s lips purse and she looks about ten seconds from calling an Uber.
“I have something comparable to offer you.” I glance around the diner. It’s fairly empty. It’s not somewhere most students would go for lunch. That’s why I picked it.
“Comparable?” Ashley’s eyes narrow again.
“I know someone who would be willing to give you exactly what you need. No strings attached. And I’d even be willing to set it up for you.”
“Who?”
I smirk. “That’s not part of the deal. He’ll treat you like the whore you are, exactly the way you want it. But you give him everything.”
She wets her lips and I can almost see the gears turning in her mind. “But it’s someone I know?”
I nod. “He’ll wear a mask. So you won’t know who he is. It’s a one-time deal. Take it or leave it. I’m sure you could get Trace Masters to spank you if you need it.”
He’s on the basketball team and has been hanging all over Ashley at lunches. He’s also weak as fuck.
She makes a dismissive noise. “He couldn’t find my clit with a map. And he’d probably ask me if I was okay after each tiny slap.”
I shrug. “You can take my offer. You’ll get what you need, but I’ll have to verify any information you give me in exchange. I can set it up for the following weekend.”
“Before or after the Homecoming dance?” She leans her elbows on the table.
“Do you have a date?”
“Are you offering?” She arches an eyebrow.
“Fuck no.” I chuckle. “I have a date.”
She shrugs. “I’m going with Alex Mitchell.”
He’s a basketball player. That tracks with them hanging all over the players at lunchtime.
“You going to fuck him or ditch him?”
Ashley rubs her hands together. “Your guy can be there?”
“He can.”
“Fine.” She glances at her phone.
“You still fighting with Sidney?”
Ashley’s gaze narrows on me as the server puts our drinks and orders in front of us.
“Can I get you anything else?” The server wrings her hands but keeps a forced smile on her face.
“Nah, we’re good. Thank you.” I give her a smile and she hurries away.
“How long have you had that recording?” Ashley eats a fry.
“A year or two.” The shit we have on people is to keep them in line. Sidney didn’t step wrong until this year. There was no reason to blow that up.
“Why didn’t you tell me she was a two-faced bitch?”
I bite into my burger and shrug with a smirk. “I figured you knew.”
She makes a noise of acknowledgement. It’s not like anyone thinks Sidney Brown is genuine.
“Your girl made Sidney furious.” She dips her chicken into the honey mustard. “That doesn’t bode well.”
We knew that going in, but Harper had to stand up for herself, or they’d always see her as a target. At least Ashley is calling Harper my girl.
“You know what she’s got planned.” It’s not a question. Ashley is Sidney’s right hand. Sidney doesn’t do anything Ashley doesn’t know about.
She smiles smugly. “She has plans.”
I don’t say anything, just eat my burger and wait.
“Does the guy go to our school?” Ashley’s tone is passive, but there’s interest there.
Technically... “No, he’s in college.”
“Hmm.” Ashley finishes her fries while she contemplates. This is just how she works.
Glancing at my phone, I push my empty basket away from me. “The offer ends at the end of this lunch.”
She wipes her hands and leans forward. “How do I know it will be good?”
“If he doesn’t work out, I’ll arrange something else for you.” I have no doubt it will work. The girls who came to me after Wilder had them wanted me to go harder. He’ll be perfect for Ashley.
Ashley looks at her empty basket. “Homecoming is coming up. You know what that means. The court.”
Homecoming court. Someone will be crowned king and queen. If things were normal, that would be Luke and Sidney this year, just like last year.
“You’ll be on the court and so will we,” I say. It’s just the way it works.
Ashley smiles. “Sidney wants to go Carrie on your girl’s ass.”
The horror movie. “Pig’s blood?”
“Ew. No. We might get splattered.” Ashley leans forward and her eyes get bright like this idea excites her.
“She wants your girl to win so that in the confusion of things she’ll get separated from you guys.
She hasn’t told me exactly what she plans to do besides rig the voting so Harper wins.
Something will happen on stage and your girl will be at the center of it. ”
Ashley leans back and crosses her arms. “Of course, I’d know more if your girl hadn’t blown us all up yesterday.”
“You know Sidney will be kissing your ass for a week to make up for it.” I’m not worried about that. I’m worried about this plan.
Harper won’t like being singled out, but if all of us are on the court and she isn’t, then we also have a problem. Maybe Nico won’t make it onto the court. He’d be able to watch her, but there’s so much shit happening Homecoming week to begin with. It’s the perfect time to fuck with our girl.
“You don’t know what the distraction will be?”
“Maybe I’ll know closer to the time. Right now, it’s just a plan we’ve put into motion so when the voting closes for Homecoming court on Friday, Harper Davidson will be nominated.”
Yeah, that’s not going to go over well. “I’ll need a safe word and a word he can give you so you’ll go with him.”
“What? You don’t want me to go with some masked man without verifying it’s the guy you what... bribed to fuck me?” Ashley sits back with her arms crossed.
“I’d just hate for you to go missing because of an honest mistake.” I shake my head. “Be grateful I’m doing anything. That whole ask her to watch thing was meant to blow us up worse than your friend group.”
Ashley smirks and shrugs. “If she can’t handle the truth...”
“Text me the words.” I stand and throw a hundred-dollar bill on the table. “Let’s get back to school.”