The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (26)

Amusement lightened his eyes. “Your father marrying may be something even you can’t stop.”

My lip curled at the challenge. “Wanna bet?”

“Her mom may be a docile thing, but Four is a different breed. She’ll go down fighting.”

I pretended my heart wasn’t racing at the promise of Four’s challenge. She’d only end up the spoils of the war she waged and damn if that didn’t get my cock hard. “She gets in my way again, I won’t hold back. Her year in reform school will feel like a day at the spa.”

“What are you girls whispering about?” Jamie was sweating, no doubt from dancing with the endless line of willing girls.

“Your mother,” Vaughn retorted.

Jamie shoved him before cracking a smile. “She’s too much woman for you.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Vaughn retorted smoothly. “So, you’ve met the new stepsister?”

“She’s not my stepsister,” I barked and then gritted my teeth for playing into his hands.

They simply smirked at each other while ignoring me. “I did.” Jamie snickered. “That chip she’s carrying around is even bigger than his.”

Vaughn nodded with a gleam in his eye. “This should be fun.”

The crowd parted, and there was only one person besides us who could part this sea of drunks. Vaughn immediately refocused on drinking, and Jamie stiffened beside me.

Fuck, not now.

But it was too late. The strawberry blonde stood in front of me. She wore a pink miniskirt with a sheer floor-length wrap, black crisscrossed strappy heels, tight white T-shirt, and a black bomber jacket. She wrapped her toned arms around my neck, and I dutifully slipped mine around her small waist.

“What are you doing here?” I whispered in her ear.

“Same as you, I suppose.” She pulled away and avoided my gaze.

“Bee.” I spoke her childhood nickname as a warning. She hated Barbie even more than she did her given name, Barbette.

“It’s fine.” Her button nose scrunched. “I’m fine,” she corrected.

I sighed and let it drop because she was even more stubborn than I was. Jamie stole her attention anyway when she noticed him conveniently flirting with a pair of blondes. I pinched the bridge of my nose, knowing what would occur next.

“No need, girls. That one’s already infected.” Her glossy lips spread into a smile as Vaughn draped his arm over Barbette’s shoulder.

“You’re a cold bitch, you know that?”

She planted her hands on slender hips. “Just doing my civic duty.”

Jamie patted the blondes on the butt and sent them on their way. They’d find him later if he didn’t run into something better before then. When he smoothly stepped into Barbette’s personal space, Vaughn stepped away, and I swore. Of course, Barbette didn’t back down. In those heels, she matched Jamie’s six feet two while standing so close their lips almost touched.

“For all the shamming you do, you suck at pretending it’s not my dick you really want. Tighten your shit up, Bee…or is it Barbie now?”

“Do you really believe I’d lie with filth?”

“Why not?” Bitter eyes trailed her body. “You used to love it.”

“You’re an animal.”

Jamie’s smile was lascivious. “In every way, baby.”

I’d heard enough.

“Jamie, go get yourself a drink.” From his profile, I had a clear view of his jaw clenching.

“You don’t order me.”

“I can make you, but that would be embarrassing for you.”

He didn’t flee like most. Jamie shifted and spread his arms as if to say I was welcome to try. I knew from all the fights we’d had when we were kids that it would be a long and bloody one.

“No, that’s okay,” Barbette stammered while stepping back. “I was just leaving.”

“Yeah, you do that.” Jamie’s gaze followed her as she fled.

“Man,” Vaughn drawled, “you should just fuck her and get it out of your system.”

“Nah…” Jamie threw me a withering look. “I don’t want his leftovers.”

I started to point out that he’d had plenty of my leftovers since returning from Scotland, but he shoved past me and disappeared into the crowd.

Vaughn ran his fingers through his brown locks. “Remind me again why dating Bee is worth all that? You and I both know you don’t want her.”

I snatched a half-empty bottle of vodka from the hand of a passing classmate and sent him running with a look when he started to protest. It’s been a while since I’ve indulged but with Four back in town and the constant refereeing between Bee and Jamie, I had every intention of getting hammered until nothing mattered.

“Because it pisses him off.”





I’VE HEARD THAT ABSENCE MAKES the heart grow fonder, but what did those guys know? Thomas seemed relieved when he thanked me—actually thanked me—for coming back while Rosalyn acted as if I’d been returning from vacation.

“How was your time in Europe, dear?”

“Rehabilitating.”

It was now the morning of my senior year. My uniform was freshly pressed, and the black patent leather slippers were shined. It wouldn’t be enough for me to blend in, not after what I did to Daniel Kim, but it would have to do. I was pulling my hair into a ponytail when a knock on my door interrupted me. I stood motionless in the middle of my bedroom, contemplating the presence on the other side. After yesterday, I wasn’t expecting Rosalyn to see me off to school, and Thomas was usually at the office before breakfast.