The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (105)

“Four—”

Jamie, unfortunately, chose that moment to appear wearing a shit-eating grin. “Did you see Brittany Hall?” he asked me.

“Who is Brittany?” Four inquired with her arms crossed. “Some girl you two are running a game on?”

It was a good thing her back was turned or else she would have caught my smile. I bet she had no idea of the jealousy seeping from her pores.

“No, pretty girl.” Jamie tapped the tip of her nose and snickered when I scowled. “Brittany is the residence hall where our mothers met their freshman year. They were roommates.”

“Oh.” She then whirled around only to stumble back when she found me standing closer than I’d been a moment ago. “You didn’t tell me your mother went to school here.”

“I was a little distracted, princess.” I struggled to hold in my laugh when she glanced at Jamie to see if he’d heard.

Goddamn, she blushes beautifully.

Lucky for her, Jamie had already lost interest when a leggy co-ed with an inviting smile took a seat on a nearby bench.

Entrapping me with her big brown eyes once again, she said, “Did your father also meet your mother here?”

“My father went to school out in Pennsylvania, but he eventually met my mom.”

“Yeah, and my pops was a buddy of his pops,” Jamie added, seemingly forgetting all about the brunette.

I could tell Four had more to ask, but one of the chaperones herded us onto the bus. She quickly ascended the short steps and sat in the first seat available. The bench had been empty leaving an empty seat next to her, but since I didn’t care to talk about my mother anymore today, I kept going.

I could feel her gaze on me as I walked away and heard Jamie say, “Don’t take it personally. He’s just being a mama’s boy.”

It took every ounce of control I possessed to not toss Jamie’s meddling ass out the window.

Sitting at the back of the bus, I had a perfect view of Four whispering with Jamie. Letting my head fall back, I closed my eyes to mentally prep for the fight still to come.

Since the rumors started, Tyra had been driving Four to and from school. Their little arrangement ended today.




Once upon a puppet, she rode home with the peer and didn’t give him any lip.

I didn’t have to wait long for her reply.

TROUBLE: Let’s just skip to the end when the peer learns he doesn’t always get what he wants.

A smile teased my lips just as Vaughn nudged me.

He lifted his chin toward the entrance where Four and Tyra had just emerged. Tyra was busy babying Jay D, and Four was too distracted by that piece-of-shit phone to notice that they were walking into a trap. Brows furrowed as she caught her bottom lip between her teeth—an emotional cue I’d come to recognize and exploit—Four was still staring at her phone when she came within arm’s length. Hooking my arm around her waist, I pulled her into me. Her sweet scent tempted me to devour her while her body instinctively molded into my own. Simultaneously, Vaughn played interference by smoothly escorting Tyra to her car and almost got a chunk of his arm taken off by an upset Jay D. It was their own fault no one was around to come to their rescue. The field trip had ended, and the school had long ago closed for the weekend, but the girls naively assumed we’d eventually grow bored waiting and give up.

Four still had her phone flipped open, so I peeked at the message to see who had her so distracted since I never responded, but the screen was so cracked I couldn’t make out the message. I made a mental note to take care of that situation and focused on my current one glaring up at me. Letting her see everything I was feeling in return, her shoulders slumped with a sigh.

“I’m not doing this.” She shook her head as if that would make me believe her.

“Good. Now get in the car.” I pushed away from the hood with her in my arms and walked her to the passenger door.

“Ever—”

“I’m tired of fighting this.” I now had her trapped against the door with my hips pressed against hers. “Tell me what I need to do to have you. I’ll break bones.” I punctuated the vow with a kiss on her neck. “Ruin reputations…” Her body shivered when I trailed lower. “Destroy futures.” Her moan felt like a tight, warm grip around my cock. “I just need you to be mine.”

“You only have yourself to blame. Don’t you dare punish others for what you did…for what I let you do.”

She suddenly sounded strong and sure—as if she were capable of walking away if I let her—but one glance showed me she was torn between right and wrong. It was too bad that I wasn’t.

“Get in the car.” My voice sounded rough to my own ears. “I need to get you home.”

“Why?”

She sounded breathless with the anticipation I knew was building within her. “You know why.”




I kept one hand on the wheel and the other on Four’s stocking-clad thigh the entire ride home. I could feel the heat from her pussy on my hand. The desire to slip under her skirt and make her come built with each second.

Just a mile from the house, her moan when my thumb brushed her center shattered my restraint. I was ripping open her stockings, shoving her panties aside, and strumming her clit before I could come to my senses.