CHAPTER THIRTY

COLE

“Where the fuck is she?” I growl, looking down at the clock on my phone. Austin is late as usual.

“She’ll be here soon. She got stuck in traffic,” Becky answers, pulling her books out of her locker. She shuts her door and turns to face me. “Have you decided on what you’re gonna do?”

“Do about what?” I ask.

She places her hand on her hip. “Don’t play stupid, Cole. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

I look at Deke, who leans up against the lockers, hoping he will shut her up, but he just raises a brow. He’s thinking the same thing she is.

I sigh. “There’s no way around it.”

She takes a step toward me, glaring. “You’re gonna fuck her over for a dare?” She spits with disgust. “Fuck, Cole, I thought better of you than that.”

I run a hand through my hair. “It’s not about the dare anymore. It’s about Kellan—”

“Bullshit!” she interrupts me. “Forget about him and think about Austin.”

“What about her?” I demand, getting tired of this subject.

“She—”

“Whew,” Austin interrupts her as she comes running up to us. Becky takes a step back from me, and Austin steps between us. Placing her left hand on her locker, she bows her head, breathing heavily. “Made it.” She breathes.

“Did you just have sex in the parking lot?” Becky asks.

“You better not have,” I snap.

Becky throws me a fuck you smile as if the thought of Austin fucking someone else would piss me off. And I fist my hands. I might be about to fuck someone else, but she better fucking not.

Austin pushes off her locker and rolls her eyes. “I … wish …” She pants. “I couldn’t find a parking spot.” She swallows. “Had to park all the way in the back … and run.”

Becky laughs, and I ignore her.

I spin Austin around and she looks up at me, a soft smile on her face as she continues to pant. Her eyes heavy and lips wet. I lean down and capture them with mine. She doesn’t hesitate. I push my hips into hers, and she moans when she feels I’m already hard. Fuck, I always want her. Too fucking much. I’ve become a fifteen-year-old boy again who can’t keep my dick in my pants. But I only want the same woman over and over instead of something new. Different.

My right hand grabs her thigh and pulls it up to wrap around my hip. Someone whistles as they walk by us, but I ignore them as my lips continue to devour hers.

Fuck me like they’re watching.

That’s what she had said to me and that thought has me being even more aggressive. I’ll give them a show. I’ll show them that she is fucking mine.

Her fingers dig into my shirt as she pulls me toward her. I slam her back into the locker. She whimpers into my mouth, and I swallow it.

When I pull away, I’m panting too. She leans her head back, resting against the locker. I smile down at her, loving that her eyes are closed and her chest heaving. I make her just as weak as she makes me.

I take a quick look around the silent hallway and find we are alone now. The bell rang long ago. “Come on,” I say, pulling her away from her locker.

She straightens her hair and pulls her shoulders back. Pulling herself together.

“How was Lilly for you this morning?” I ask, walking her to her first period. I hate that I need her help, but right now, there is no one else. And she was right before. Lilly does like her.

“She was great,” she says. “I promised to take her for ice cream after school again.”

I chuckle. “That’s why she likes you so much.”

_________________________________

When I finally leave practice, it’s late. While I was swimming, Austin messaged me that they were going to swim and then watch a movie at her place. I planned to join them but needed to run by my father’s house on the way.

I put my car in park and leave it running in the driveway as I run into the house.

“Cole?” I hear his voice.

I sigh. “Yes?”

“My office.”

I walk down the long hallway and make the last right and walk into his office. He sits behind his desk with his hands folded on the brown wood.

“What?” I ask, not entering.

“Sit,” he says, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

“I’ll stand,” I say, resting my shoulder against his doorframe.

He sighs heavily, showing me his disappointment.

“I saw Austin Lowes today.”

My brows rise at that. “She didn’t mention it.”

He leans back in his chair. “She’s pretty. Very pretty.” I fist my hands, knowing that he looked at her that way. And I hate that he used the same word her mother’s boyfriend told her. “But of course, she is; her mother was too before she became a worthless druggie.” He sighs. “Anyway, Bruce is back in town.” I grunt. “He told me that you two are dating.”

“Something like that,” I say, not wanting him to know that she’s getting to me. He’ll use her against me. That’s what he does.

He smirks. “He also told me that you denied fucking his wife.”

“That’s because I haven’t. You just assumed.”

“Well, he knows someone is.”

“No offense, Liam, but I couldn’t care less what his wife does behind his back. We all know he’s not faithful.”

His nostrils flare at that. “Are you wearing protection with Austin?” he demands.

I refrain from chuckling at that. Now he wants to have the sex talk? Doesn’t he know I’ve been fucking girls since I was fourteen? I have always used protection before, but things are different with Austin. “That’s none of your business.”

He slams his hands down on his desk and stands. “It is when she tricks you into knocking her up like her mother did Bruce. I don’t want another unwanted child running around this house.”

My anger rises at those words, and I push away from the doorframe, straightening my back. “Don’t worry, Father, if I knock her up, I’ll take care of my child. I already take care of yours. What’s one more?”

“Don’t you fucking dare, Cole!” he snaps.

“No, Dad. You fucking don’t,” I shout.

His blue eyes narrow on me before he slowly lowers himself back down into his seat. “Go ahead. Knock her up and see where you’re at in five years. Your swimming career long gone. And a child with a woman who can’t keep her legs closed for other men.”

“You know nothing about her.” She’s all mine.

“I know enough.”

“What Bruce has told you?” I snort. “Like he’s been there for her.” He doesn’t even know what her mother’s boyfriend has done to her. Or he does and doesn’t fucking care.

His eyes meet mine. “I know that you’ve become obsessed with the whore, and that you made a deal with Bruce.” I grind my teeth at him calling her a whore. She doesn’t spread her legs for anyone but me. And it’s gonna stay that way. “And the moment you give her up, he’s gonna nail you to the fucking cross for taking something from him that didn’t belong to you.”

I’m not surprised Bruce told my father that I stole his car. They tell each other everything.

“Why do you care? I’m out of here after graduation no matter where I go.”

His lips thin. He hates that I have my own money and that he can’t control me. “Don’t start acting like a father now, Liam. You never have before.” Then I turn around and walk out of his office.

_________________________________

When I walk into the Lowes house, the lights are off, and the grand foyer is covered in darkness. I know that Bruce and Celeste aren’t here. Whenever he is home, they are either at the country club or out on his yacht. He likes to entertain people in this city, and they love to bow at his feet like he’s a fucking saint.

I walk up the stairs and open the door to her room, but it’s empty, so I continue down the hallway to the media room. Beauty and the Beast plays on the screen, and I walk around to face the couch. My chest tightens at what I see.

Austin lies on her left side with her back to the cushions, her arm hanging off the couch. Lilly is also on her side facing her, cuddled up to her. They’re both passed out.

I go to the stack of blankets over in the corner and grab one, covering them up with it. I sit down, my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands.

She’s in my head.

Fuck, even my cock is always hard for her. She’s everywhere. And consuming me.

You gotta fuck Kaitlin.

I wasn’t lying to Becky earlier today. This is no longer about Kaitlin or Austin. This is about the game. The feud between Kellan and me. I’m not willingly going to walk away from this dare and leave the group. I can’t. I have more dignity than that.

So what are you going to do?

I sigh, not having a fucking clue.

“Cole?”

I look up to see Austin blinking. She slides her arm out from underneath Lilly’s sleeping body and sits up, rubbing her eyes. “What time is it?” she whispers.

“Almost nine.”

She covers up a yawn. “Man, I didn’t realize I was so tired.”

I stand. “I’m gonna take Lilly home.”

“No.” She throws off the covers and gets up, making sure not to wake Lilly. “Let her stay here.”

“Austin …”

“She’s fine, Cole. She’s already asleep. And I’m taking her to school in the morning anyway. All her stuff is already here from when I picked her up earlier. I will just put her in my room. She can sleep with me.”

I go to protest more, but she picks her up and carries her out. I turn off the movie and fold the blanket up before putting it back where I found it.

I shut the door and walk down the hall to her room. I enter and find them both already in her bed, cuddled up and the covers to their neck.

My stomach knots up. Shit is going to hit the fan soon, but it’s not gonna be because I fucked Kaitlin. It’s gonna be because more secrets are gonna catch up with me, and they are gonna blow up in my face.

AUSTIN

Becky and I are walking down the quiet hallway, late to class as usual. The bell rang over fifteen minutes ago. Lilly and I picked her up this morning, and the girls wanted donuts. I tried to tell them we didn’t have time, but Becky turned on me and had Lilly chanting donuts along with her at the top of their lungs.

Becky crams the last part of hers in her mouth. “We’re so dead,” she mumbles.

My phone dings as we stop at our lockers.

 

Shark: Where are you?

 

I roll my eyes. “It’s like he thinks I’m incapable of getting Lilly to school.”

Becky laughs and pieces of her donut flies from her mouth. I chuckle. “Well, you do get her there late.”

“But she makes it.”

 

Me: At school. Was running late.

 

I open my locker and grab my book for first period.

“Shit!” Becky hisses.

“What?” I ask as my phone dings again. I ignore him this time. He’ll see me second period.

“I think I left my chemistry book in the lab.”

I slam my locker shut. “Let’s get it. It’s on the way.”

She throws her backpack over her shoulder, and we take our time walking to the lab room to retrieve her book.

I open the door, and she walks in. I follow her but come to a stop when I run into her back. “Becky …”

“Oh, God.” A woman squeals.

I look over to the far corner where the teacher’s desk sits, and a girl is getting off it. A man stands, straightening his tie. “Girls.” He clears his throat. “What can I do for you?”

The girl bows her head, allowing her hair to cover up her face, and she turns her back to us.

“I left my book in here yesterday,” Becky says.

He nods at her but makes no move to come out from behind the desk. I look and can see his slacks are undone but pulled up. “There’s one on the back shelf.” He gestures with his chin.

Becky walks over there and grabs the book and then turns, shoving me out the door. “Thank you,” she calls out and then bursts out laughing. The door shuts behind me.

“Who the hell was that?” I ask.

“That was Bryan’s twin sister fooling around with the student teacher.”

“What?” I ask with surprise. “I didn’t know he had a twin sister.”

She nods. “That’s another reason Bryan hates Cole so much.”

“He slept with her?” Why am I not surprised?

“Yep. Cole has fucked the love of his life and his twin sister.”

“Is there anyone in this school Cole hasn’t fucked?” I growl.

She comes to a stop at our first period. “Me.”

I laugh, shaking my head, and open the door. The teacher throws us a glare, but I just give her a smile. I have a hard time getting myself to school on time, and this week, I gotta get a six-year-old too. And my best friend since Deke is also busy with swimming. Who likes to spend too much time deciding what to wear.

We sit down in our seats, and I look over at Becky.

“What?” she whispers when she sees me staring at her.

“Do you really think Cole will sleep with Kaitlin?” I ask the question that I haven’t had the courage to ask. Because I know the answer.

Her eyes look down at my bag by my feet, avoiding eye contact with me.

“That’s what I thought.” I sit back in my seat.

I hate that I fucking care so much. That the thought of him with anyone else makes my stomach knot and my chest hurt.

“Maybe not,” she says, surprising me. “I mean, something’s keeping him from doing it.”

“That’s true …” I trail off.

She leans over her desk toward me. “Deke told me that Cole always completes his dare the very next day.” I frown. “I know he’s not the greatest guy, Austin, but he feels something for you. I didn’t need to watch him put off a dare to know that, though.”

I tap my pencil on my desk. “So I have to stop it.”

She shakes her head. “They will kick you out of the group if you mess with a dare.”

I snort, and the girl who sits in front of me turns to glare at me. I give her a big smile, and she rolls her eyes before turning back to face the front of the classroom. “I don’t wanna be in their boy group. They would be doing me a favor.”

She smiles. “So do you have a plan?”

I nod. “Yes, I do.”

“Need my help?” she asks, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Absolutely.”

_________________________________

The next three weeks flew by faster than I wanted them to. Cole and Deke were busy with practice, so I got to spend a lot of time with Becky. I even convinced Cole to let Blanche have her afternoons free, and I continued to pick Lilly up from school. Becky and I would take her to get ice cream or go to my house and swim. She loved having “girl time” as she called it. I don’t think she gets much of it other than the time she spends with Celeste. And she has been up my father’s ass. He’s avoided me, and I’ve stayed out of his way, praying he leaves town soon.

But I couldn’t help notice the way Cole’s mood got worse as he neared the end of his deadline. He was agitated. His attitude dark. His hands were always fisted, and he didn’t speak much. But that hasn’t slowed down his affection toward me. He’s been over the top ever since I told him we were gonna put on a show. And that’s exactly what we have done.

It’s officially Friday. And tomorrow is the big day. He hasn’t said much to me today, but I haven’t taken it personal.

“You guys don’t have a meet this weekend?” Becky asks Deke.

He shakes his head and pops a chip in his mouth. He too is on edge. I caught him and Cole arguing earlier this morning, but they both shut up the moment they saw me walking toward them. I never did catch what they were saying, and I know Cole wouldn’t tell me even if I asked.

I open my mouth to speak but close it when Kellan walks up to the table. “Afternoon, guys,” he says with a sinister smile.

I glare up at him.

Cole ignores him as he looks down at his phone.

“Party at my house tomorrow night,” he says, looking straight at Cole. “And of course, you’re invited, Austin. Wouldn’t want you to miss it.”

Cole looks up at him through his lashes, showing indifference. But I can feel the heat rolling off him.

“Oh, she’ll be there,” Becky answers for me, and I refrain from laughing.

“See you then,” he says cheerfully and then places his hands in his pockets and walks away, whistling like he did when he told me to walk away from Cole.

I smile at Becky, and she smiles back.