Chapter 7
After School Snack
Bash
“I don’t want to go anywhere with you.”
I’d been saying the same thing for the last fifteen minutes, but Mac wasn’t listening, and the little shit was bound and determined to get his way. The only reason I was currently in the passenger seat of a very nice Lexus SUV was because the feisty redhead had commandeered not only my headphones, but also my phone. He was holding both hostage and refusing to give them back until we got wherever it was he was taking me.
He kept telling me I needed to get out more, that I needed to stop pouting in our room. I tried to explain I wasn’t pouting, that I was simply trying to get by and keep my head down until the entire hellish experience of high school was behind me. Mac scoffed and told me I was wasting the best years of my life. He insisted no one cared about what happened when they were young and now was the time to make as many mistakes and have as many experiences as possible.
I didn’t agree with him in the slightest. I now had a criminal record that was going to follow me around for the rest of my life because of my desperation to get away from my parents and their nonstop drama. It wasn’t ever going to disappear, because everything I did was forever documented in both the press and online, by vultures looking to capitalize on my failings. It would only get worse now that I was legally an adult. People tended to focus on your fuckups, regardless of when you made them or what you did to make up for them.
I needed my phone. Even though I wasn’t the most social guy, my phone was the only thing that kept me connected. And as much as I hated to admit it, I felt obligated to keep an eye on whatever media shitstorm my parents were currently embroiled in. I could see the fascination with them now that I was an observer, not a passenger aboard their constant train wreck of a life.
Mac turned his head, and I swore his green eyes glittered with a malevolent light you only ever saw in supervillains on the movie screen. I wasn’t afraid to admit I was slightly terrified of my only semi-friend at Castle Pines. He’d been chummy and locked in whispered conversations with Edge and Cutter all week. That didn’t make me feel any better about this unexpected outing. Individually, they were diabolical. United, they were straight-up wicked and vicious. Combined, they had enough power and influence to rule a small country. Wondering about whatever it was they had planned for a tiny private school outing, isolated in the mountains, was seriously spinning me out.
“What you want and what you need are two very different things, my friend. You need to come with me, so that’s what you’re doing. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.” He smirked at me and turned his attention back to the road. We were months away from any kind of severe weather, but the drive was still taking us up a winding, desolate mountain road that required more concentration than I’d seen Mac give anything… other than getting laid.
I sighed and pressed my forehead against the glass of the passenger window. “Can I at least have my phone back now that there’s nowhere to run?”
He laughed and shook his head. “I’ll give it back once we get where we’re going. I’m not risking you calling the police and reporting me for kidnapping.”
I sighed again because the idea hadn’t even crossed my mind. However, it showcased how devious Mac’s mind was.
“And by the way, your search history was very enlightening. Seems you’ve recently developed a fetish for blond Adonises with abs for days.” He laughed again, but I barely heard it over my groan. “Reminds me of someone we both know.”
“My phone’s password protected.” It wasn’t a real argument, but it was all I had.
Mac snorted and flipped a hand through the air like a password was nothing, and apparently it wasn’t. “It’s not like a password is going to keep people from noticing that you and the very real picture of blond perfection have some seriously intense chemistry happening between the two of you. Frankly, you’re the most interesting thing to happen at Castle Pines in years. It’s about time someone shook up Edge Darby’s perfectly structured, and horrifically boring little life. Being the king of the castle is totally unfulfilling until someone comes along and forces you to defend your crown.”
I thumped my head on the cool glass in front of me and squeezed my eyes shut. “I’m not interested in his crown or his throne.”
Mac snorted again, and the car started to slow. “No, it’s his staff you want to get your hands on, but that’s okay because I’m pretty sure he would kill to get his hands on yours in return. We’re here.” The SUV rolled to a stop, abruptly marked by the crunch of tires on gravel.
I peeled my eyes open and couldn’t hold back a gasp, shocked by the size of the house we were parked in front of.
I was the son of wealthy and privileged parents, so I was no stranger to impressive homes that were often a statement of status and income bracket, but this one, it blew all the other mansions and manors to hell.
Built high up on a mountain, surrounded by trees and the stretching darkness of the sky, it was a glass and stone masterpiece that sprawled out proudly over the pristine landscape. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before, and not only because of the sheer size, but because of its uniqueness. The windows made the building glow with an inner light that beckoned with the promise of warmth, and I was tempted to bask there, like a moth to a flame. It was quite simply breathtaking, and for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out where we were or why we were here.
“What is this place?” I wasn’t surprised when my question went unanswered as Mac climbed out of the SUV, rubbing his hands together, practically bouncing up and down with excitement.
I got out of the vehicle much more slowly, eyes still locked on the sprawling estate in front of me. Faintly, I could hear the thump of music rattling the windows and disrupting the still night. I could also hear the sound of laughter, and a quick glance around revealed a handful of luxury cars parked haphazardly in front of the massive home.
Mac came around the front of the SUV and wrapped his hand around my elbow. He tugged me forward, and I had to fight the urge to dig my heels in and stay put.
Mac was dressed in street clothes; a pair of tight skinny jeans and a fitted silk shirt that made his eyes look even greener than normal. He also had on a tailored wool peacoat and a pair of low boots that obviously came from an Italian designer’s showroom. It was a lot of look for a teenager not attending a Hollywood premiere or award show, but somehow Mac made it all look casual and effortless. I was also in my weekend clothes, but mine was nowhere near as flashy. My jeans had a hole in the knee, and I was pretty sure my T-shirt had a stain on it. Luckily, my well-loved leather jacket with studs on the shoulders and along the back covered up a plethora of sins. I didn’t look at all like Mac’s version of casual and comfortable, but I could pull off badass without effort.
Reluctantly, I let him drag me to the front door. He pushed the door open without bothering to knock. Once the heavy wood swung inward, I was assaulted by the sounds of a party in full swing. The music was loud, and it sounded like the massive house was full of excited teenagers. The pungent smell of weed hit me in the face. The first thing I noticed about the house itself was it was decorated with real Degas and Jackson Pollock paintings. No knockoffs or prints to be seen because whoever owned this house could afford to pay for art one typically saw only in museums.
Mac let go of me and handed over my phone. He wiggled his eyebrows at me and told me I would get my headphones back tomorrow. He gave me a little push into the main living area of the stunning woodland mansion, and I froze as all heads swiveled to look at me.
It was like a scene out of a movie, the only thing missing was the scratch of a needle across a record and someone dropping a drink. I shifted uneasily and shoved my hands into the pockets of my jacket. All eyes were on me, and I had no idea what to do, or why I was suddenly the center of attention. This was my actual worst nightmare come to life. I turned my head to see if I had a clear path to bolt to the door, but ended up distracted by a familiar figure coming toward me from down the hallway.
Of course this amazing house belonged to him. It was just as impressive and imposing as he was.
Edge Darby, in his school uniform, was easily the most handsome boy I had ever seen. Edge in a pair of faded jeans, a black cashmere V-neck sweater, and a pair of low-key Converse was enough to make me forget how to breathe. He was watching me like everyone else, but his bright blue gaze was sharp and intent. In his hand, he held a single cupcake, the candle on top flickering back and forth with each steady step he took.
I blinked in shock when Edge stopped directly in front of me and lifted the cupcake so it was right in front of my lips. He arched a golden eyebrow and gave me a smirk that had something in my stomach twisting over and over.
“Happy birthday, Sebastian. Make a wish and blow.” There was a thread of something sexy and tempting in his voice that was impossible to ignore.
It was like everything and everyone else had fallen away. The terrible EDM faded, the whispered sounds of the rest of the party people vanished. It was just me, Edge, and that damn cupcake. Inside my chest, my heart did something funny, something it had never done before. It pulsed with something warm and hopeful. It shuddered against the blowing wind of something sweet and sinful.
Eyes locked on his, I did as ordered—made a wish and blew out a breath. The flame danced between us before flickering out, but there was still a fire burning hot and bright in the dark center of his pupils.
Clapping and a rousing cheer came up from the rest of the people filling the space. I heard Mac let out an ear-splitting whistle, and a few catcalls from the revelers broke through the spell I was caught up in.
I lifted a tattooed hand and rubbed the back of my neck, thankful the ink there more than likely hid the red hue left from the heat rising in my skin. Edge shoved the cupcake at me and rubbed his hands together when I took it from him.
“What is all of this?” The question was shaky, and I felt like I had to struggle to pull in a full breath.
The cupcake was chocolate with a swirl of something colorful in the frosting. On the top was a bird decoration that looked an awful lot like the one inked on the side of my neck and a sparkly letter B. This wasn’t a cupcake someone picked up at the store or a bakery in a rush, this cupcake was made specifically for me. My heart flipped over again, and I couldn’t look away from the predatory gleam in Edge’s eyes. I was about to let him catch me, and I couldn’t muster up the energy to care about how bad an idea that was.
“We might not have much in common, Bash, but the things we do, suck. When I was little, no one ever cared enough to throw me a birthday party, either. It pissed me off, so when I got older, I started to throw one for myself each year that was louder and more outrageous than the one before it. They were the kind of parties the press loved, but pissed my dad and his family off. There’s never been a birthday in my life that was an actual celebration, and we both deserve a chance at that. So welcome to your very first birthday party.”
My gaze shifted from his to the roomful of strangers. Everyone had a drink in their hand, and they were all watching the little show between Edge and me play out with avid eyes. I noticed there was a pile of wrapped presents practically swallowing the ornate fireplace against one wall.
I blinked in surprise and pointed with the hand not holding the cupcake. “I don’t know any of these people.” It was a true statement. Even the familiar faces from school were not ones I considered friends. “How did you convince them all to bring me a gift?” None of them knew me, or what I liked, so how could they possibly bring me anything I would get any use out of?
Edge pushed a hand through his perfectly styled blond hair and his lips quirked up into a grin that had me sucking in a sharp breath of arousal.
“If they wanted to come to my party”—his grin shifted, arrogant and haughty— “and believe me, everyone wants to come to my parties, they had to bring their favorite book with them. I know you like to read, so that seemed like the easiest way to get you a lot of something I know you won’t immediately toss in the trash.”
I wasn’t one for public displays of affection, or anything that would put me at the center of attention. But there was no stopping me from launching myself at him, careful of the cupcake while I threw my arms around his neck after that declaration.
I couldn’t remember the last time anyone in my life paid enough attention to what I liked, let alone made sure others paid attention to the little things that would make me happy.
Edge was proving he was more than a pretty face and a fat bank account, and as soon as my lips pressed against his, I knew it was a kiss that was going to forever change the course of my life.
He was that potent and that powerful.
He also obviously knew how to kiss and how to take charge.
He easily overwhelmed every instinct screaming that this was a terrible idea.
He was just that good, and the kiss was just that unforgettable.