He shakes his head slowly. “I don’t go weird.”
I quirk my eyebrow. “Sure about that? Mr. Went All Weird On Me After the First Time?”
His jaw tics, his eyes remaining as cold as stone. Sensing the tense silence, I get to my feet, fully naked, and drop down, picking up a new dress. I shimmy into it, not needing a bra or panties, or maybe just wanting to get out of this room, because it’s claustrophobic. Fluffing my hair up, I pull my Keds on.
“Where are you going?” he asks through a raspy voice.
“To get drunk.” And then I pull open the tent flap and march toward the bonfire and all the drunk screams. Regardless if I know I haven’t been able to separate sex from attachment, I still want to try. And considering that when it comes to Bishop, I’m stubborn, I’m hoping that will win out and I won’t let my pride get hurt by showing him I have feelings for him. Which I don’t right now, unless you count hate as a feeling, but I know the possibility is there. It’s always there with me.
Just as I approach the keg, Tillie walks up to me—or stumbles, rather. “I’m too drunk.” Her eyes are crossed, her words slurred.
I laugh. “I see that. Do I need to take you to bed?”
She shakes her head. “No.” Burp. “No. But I made a mistake.”
Filling up my cup, I watch as the foam wraps around the rim of my red cup.
“Okay, what have you done?” I smirk around my cup, lifting the disgusting beer to my mouth. Nate walks toward us and wraps his arm around Tillie’s waist.
“Tada!” she announces, stretching her arm wide toward Nate. “Introducing: my mistake.” Oh no.
My smile falls instantly. “Nate!” I hiss. “She’s drunk!”
He shrugs. “Needed something to take my mind off my stabby stepsister, you know, since you don’t give it up.”
“Give what up?” My eyes slant. He pushes Tillie away and stalks toward me. “Nate? What the fuck are you doing?”
Caging me against a tree, he tilts his head, studying me. “There’s so much you don’t know, sis,” he snaps. “You’re fucking deluded if you think you can make it out of this with your life.” He bends down, running his lips over the crook of my neck. “You’re going to die.”
It feels as though a knife launched into my throat, and I swallow past it before shoving him away. “Leave me alone.”
“Naw,” he murmurs lazily, coming back to me and wrapping his hands around the backs of my thighs, lifting me up. He slams me against the tree trunk again, and I mentally slap myself for wearing no panties. “You and I both know you don’t mean that.” He lips skim over mine, but I move my face away from him.
“No, I mean it. Let me down, Nate. You’re obviously high. Let me go.” I can see it in how dilated his pupils are that he’s on some heavy shit.
“Nate!” Bishop barks from behind us.
Nate grins at me but slowly rubs my body down his abs as he drops me back to the ground. “I warned you,” he whispers, before bending down to my ear. “This is all a game, kitty. Bishop, me, the Kings—it’s a game, but it’s a death match.”
I watch his retreating back before looking at Bishop. “I think it’s time I start asking questions.”
Bishop walks toward me slowly. “Pretty sure asking questions is out of your jurisdiction.”
“I WAS SO DRUNK LAST night.” Tillie massages her temples as I strip down to my bikini.
Tatum scoffs, ripping off her clothes so she’s in hers as well. “No shit.” She rolls her eyes and steps into the cold lake. I woke up this morning needing a bath or shower, so I woke up Tillie and Tatum and dragged their asses with me to try to find a lake, which we did. Buried in the middle of nowhere, about a forty-minute walk north from the camp. Tonight is our last night here before going home tomorrow, thank God. I don’t want anyone to find out about Bishop and me sleeping together—again—so when—not if, when—something happens, no one can tell me they told me so.
“I can’t believe you slept with Nate, Tillie.” Tatum shakes her head and then dunks under the water, pushing her hair out of her face. “But seriously... how good is he?”
“Stop. Gross.” I shake my head, stepping into the lake. There are rocks that surround it, so I take a step on the first one, tying my hair up into a messy ponytail. “I don’t want to know about Nate and his....” I pause.
“Huge cock?” Tatum winks at me.
“Really?” I scold her. “You just had to say that?”
“Yes, really, and I’m flattered. I really am.” Nate smirks, walking toward the mouth of the lake, with Bishop, Cash, Brantly, Chase, Hunter and Eli following behind him.
The Kings are all here.
My frown deepens, but I turn back toward the water and dive in until I’m under the bitter glacial water. Swimming to the top, I surface and swipe my hair out of my face with a smirk of my own. The sound of birds tweeting and crickets chirping hum through the blistering silence, and it feels natural, perfect. Doggy paddling under the water to keep my body afloat, I dunk my mouth under and examine the
