Addicted After All (Addicted #3)(105)

She gapes. “I will not.” She hugs me tighter. I love being this close to her.

I kiss her temple, and that’s about when the man’s voice escalates. “Fine, fine. If someone cleans this up, then we won’t press charges.” He begins to head back into the house, but his wife lingers.

“You’re all exactly what they say.” She motions to Ryke and Daisy. “The jackass and the daredevil.” She points an accusatory finger at Lily and me. “The alcoholic and the sex addict.” Lily stiffens against my body. And the woman just keeps going, facing Connor. “The smartass.” When she turns to Rose, I think she won’t say anything. She’s using the labels from Princesses of Philly, and the producers called Rose a virgin. It doesn’t apply anymore.

The whole world knows it doesn’t.

“And you,” the woman briefly pauses, “the porn star.”

Lily’s jaw unhinges and mine tightens. That’s something I wouldn’t even say to Rose, under any circumstance.

Rose has enough. She lunges this time, and Connor lifts her up in his arms, restraining her easily. “We’re leaving,” he says loudly, shutting down the fight before it reignites.

“Fuck you,” Rose adds, practically spitting at her. Connor tries hard not to smile while he gives Rose a commanding look.

Daisy starts marching towards the woman.

“Now’s not the f*cking time to be a hero, Calloway,” Ryke says, grabbing Daisy around the waist.

I stare down at Lily. “You’re not moving out of my arms, Lil.”

“See, I told you you’re better than Wolverine and Spider-Man and—” she scrutinizes all the characters on her PJs “—Captain America.”

I shake my head at her, but the corners of my lips have already curved upward.

Ryke lifts Daisy on his shoulders, like she weighs nothing. His upper-body strength is insane. Her legs dangle against his chest, and she stops fighting with him. In fact she inhales like she can breathe better up high. It’s times like this where I see how well my brother knows Daisy.

He looks over at me, and he scans my body, as though assessing how I’m doing.

I’m not shaking anymore. Thanks to Lily.

He motions with his head down the street. And I know he’s going to return to the house with Daisy on his shoulders, just like that.

I nod to him, and he heads towards our house.

“Walk, darling,” Connor says to Rose, rotating her so she’s in line with the car and not the stone mansion.

From the “safety” of her lawn, the woman keeps antagonizing Rose, “I’m sure she’d prefer you to force her to the car.” Her husband is calling her to come inside.

Connor speaks fast in French, and he ends up carrying Rose in his arms.

“Put me down, Richard,” she snaps.

“I’ll put you down if you can tell me the first twenty digits of pi,” he says casually, only about ten feet from the Escalade.

“3.14-I-f*cking-hate-you,” she practically screams. I’m surprised she hasn’t bitten him yet.

“Incorrect.”

Rose huffs, “Why can’t you be angry? They called me a—”

“I’m livid,” he says, letting some of his emotion deepen that word. “You just can’t see it, and I’m not showing it in front of these people so you can go to jail.”

I speak up. “Sounds smart to me.”

Rose lets out a growl. “Don’t compliment him.”

“Well, I’m definitely not going to compliment you,” I retort. Connor sets Rose on her feet beside the passenger door.

When Rose notices the babies in the car, she swats Connor’s arm. “You woke up our daughter? Are you insane?”

“I assure you, my sanity is more intact than yours tonight.” And then they both start talking in French again, shutting us out of their conversation. Whatever. I’m used to it.

The front door to the house slams closed, cementing the fact that the girls got off the hook tonight. But Lily and I stare up at that damn window again, and the two teenagers are still there, snickering.

I flip them off.

Lily notices it and copies the gesture. With both hands. From Lil, in a Marvel onesie with a feather headband hooked around her wrist, it’s hardly threatening. But it’s goddamn adorable.

I feel like we’re seventeen again.

The best seventeen. Where every time I stared at Lily Calloway, I wanted to drop to my knees.

But I can’t ignore the chill in the air. The eerie presence of what may come after tonight. Whatever it is—I just hope we all can handle it.





{ 39 }

LOREN HALE



Almost three weeks into Lily’s celibacy period, and I’m feeling the effects. I step into the shower, expecting to do nothing else but wash. Then subconsciously, I mentally file through an image of Lily last night. She grinded against me, digging her pelvis into mine, on impulse, but she rolled over and controlled her urges on her own.

Still, I remember how she scooted her ass into my cock. And I just wanted to slip right inside her.

Christ. Standing naked underneath the shower water, my dick throbs, screaming to be rubbed out. I haven’t masturbated yet. I thought it was only fair since Lil’s not allowed (ever). I didn’t realize it would be this difficult. Going from f*cking multiple times a day to nothing at all.