Savage Royals: A Reverse Harem High School Bully Romance(59)

“I coulda told you it would happen.” Finn grinned at me from where he sat on the other side of Elijah. “I’ve seen you practice. You’re fucking amazing.”

I took another sip of my drink to hide my pleased grin. I’d been so pissed at the Princes last semester, and so determined to avoid other students, that I hadn’t gone to a single football game. I really wanted to in the fall though. I wanted to see Finn play. After spending so much time talking to him about football, and comparing notes on the differences and similarities between our two passions, I wanted to see him in action. I was sure he’d be fucking amazing too.

“I’m bored,” Mason said suddenly, his voice such a perfect imitation of Adena’s that I almost snorted punch out my nose. I coughed and laughed at the same time, holding my cup away from me so I wouldn’t spill it.

“You boys wanna have a modeling contest?” I grinned. “I’ll judge.”

He smirked wickedly at me. “I think you might enjoy that a little too much, little dancer.”

Fire licked across my skin, and I shifted in my seat, biting my lip but not answering.

“How about Truth or Dare?” Finn suggested, sitting forward and glancing over at us.

I chuckled, wrinkling my nose. “What is it with you and games?”

“I have a playful spirit.” He shrugged. “Come on, Legs. You in?”

“Yeah, all right.” I settled back on the couch, resting my cup on my stomach. I was wearing a simple white tee over my bikini, the fabric thin and soft. Elijah and Cole were both shirtless, which gave me the perfect opportunity to keep checking out their tattoos. Finn wore a light blue v-neck that made him look even more all-American, and Mason had on a dark tank top.

I hadn’t played truth or dare since I was ten, and I’d never thought it was a particularly fun game. But as we started taking turns choosing, I realized I’d just been too young to fully appreciate the game back then. There were so many truths I wanted to get out of the Princes. I’d been unreasonably curious about them ever since I’d met them, even when they were making my life hell. And even though we’d been hanging out almost nonstop for the entire semester so far, there were still huge blanks in their stories that I was dying to fill in.

We started with mostly “truths”, which was fine by me.

I learned that Elijah had two younger siblings, a brother and a sister, and that Mason and Finn didn’t have any. Cole’s sister was eight, and when I asked him what his favorite thing in the world was, he answered without a moment of hesitation, “Penny.”

I also learned that he hated his father, though I wasn’t sure why—he answered that question with a one-word answer and then retreated back into himself for a while, passing on the next several rounds.

We drank as we played, and by the time Cole shook off his bad mood and rejoined us, I’d admitted to being a virgin, Elijah had admitted that he was too, and the others had teased us mercilessly for it.

When Mason told me that his mother was dead, his green eyes shuttered for a moment, and even though I’d already known that thanks to my conversation with Jacqueline, my heart ached for him. I knew exactly what it felt like to lose a mother.

“It sucks, doesn’t it?” I asked softly.

His gaze locked on mine, and for a heartbeat, his whole body tensed, as if the intense emotions bottled up inside him were too much to be contained, like he might tear apart at the seams.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice a harsh rasp. “It does.”

I swallowed, not quite sure what else to say.

He looked tortured. Ruined.

But a moment later, the tension drained from him. He let out a breath and took another drink, leaning back and spreading his legs lazily. “All right. Enough of this pussy bullshit. Somebody needs to pick ‘dare’.”

“Okay, tough guy. Truth or Dare?” I teased, leveling him with a challenging stare.

He cocked his head, green eyes glittering in the dim light. “Dare, Hildebrand. Do your worst.”

Well, this is too fucking good to pass up.

I kept my gaze on him, letting the silence settle for a moment while I thought about it. Then I grinned.

“I dare you to be my footstool for ten minutes. Without complaining,” I added, holding up a finger.

His eyes widened, then narrowed. “Are you serious?”

I snapped my fingers, pointing at the floor. “Hurry along, peasant. My feet are tired.”

Finn howled with laughter, and Mason shot him a glare. Slowly, he rose and walked over to stand in front of me. I wiggled my toes invitingly, and Elijah chuckled.

“Damn, Mason. She’s got your number. Bringing the king low.”

Mason threw him an annoyed glance, but then he turned his attention back to me, inclining his head sarcastically. “I live to serve, Princess.”

Slowly, he sank to his knees. I expected him to go to all fours like the human impersonation of a stool, but instead, he sat on his heels, still facing me. Then he lifted both my feet, bending my legs and resting my arches on his shoulders. I’d been slouching on the couch, so now, with my legs up, his face was less than a foot away from the apex of my thighs.

The material of my bikini bottoms suddenly felt too thin, too flimsy.

He was so close.

Keeping his head slightly bowed, he flicked his gaze up to meet mine, staring at me from beneath his lashes, and my breath hitched.