The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (86)
“Any particular reason you need your arms to hold a conversation?”
I squeezed my eyes closed. Ever getting possessive in front of twenty witnesses wasn’t exactly keeping whatever we were doing on the low.
“Believe it or not, this is his good side,” Drake mumbled before letting go and stepping back. To Ever, he said, “You made your claim, and I’m a stand-up guy.” He threw up his hands in surrender while the guys around us snickered and eyed me knowingly. The more daring ones allowed me to see their newborn interest.
Ever had just made me the hottest girl at school.
“There’s no claim. McNamara’s overinflated ego is tampering with reality.”
“Careful,” Ever whispered in my ear. “I promised I wouldn’t kiss you at school. I made no promises about showing you that you’re mine at home.”
I spun around and nearly collided with his chest since he was standing as close as he could get without touching me. “Don’t you dare.”
“Don’t you dare.”
“This isn’t a competition.”
“Damn straight because it never was.”
“There’s a word for guys like you.”
“Charming?”
“Swine.”
He pushed me against the wall, and after a nervous glance around, I noticed everyone was keeping their gazes purposely averted.
“They won’t say anything,” he assured.
“How do you know?”
“Because I’ll break their bones if they do.”
“Something you picked up from Exiled?”
“More or less.”
I looked into his eyes, searching for a monster but only found a boy haunted by demons that could probably chew mine up and spit them out.
“I want to be alone with you.” His hands cradled my hips as he pulled me close.
“But I just got here.”
“Because you hid in your room for an hour.”
“Doesn’t matter. Tyra’s here, and I’m not leaving her alone with a bunch of guys.”
“Vaughn has her, and he’s not letting anyone get to her. Not even you.”
A quick peek over Ever’s shoulder showed her sitting in Vaughn’s lap as he talked football with a guy lounging on the couch next to them. Just then, our eyes met, and she glanced between Ever and me before smiling sneakily.
Before I could make another excuse, he snuck me out of the room with a tight grip on my hand, then led me down another level and a hall that I didn’t even know existed.
“I’ve never been to this part of the house.”
“You’ve been to the theater room.”
We both tensed at the reminder.
After clearing his throat, he added, “The wine cellar and indoor pool are down here, too.”
Why anyone would need two pools was beyond me. We stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall, and I watched as Ever pulled from his pocket a single key attached to a strip of black leather.
“What’s in there?”
“My workroom.”
“I didn’t know gangsters needed a workroom.” I laughed, but it only gave my discomfort a voice.
He smiled as he shoved the key inside the lock while I prayed he didn’t have someone tied up inside. I was slowly falling for this boy, and I secretly dreaded what might ruin it.
I held my breath as he pushed open the door and guided me inside. The dim lighting from the hall seeped inside but was quickly cut off when he shut the door. It became obvious after a few moments spent in the dark that he was up to something.
“I don’t know what you’ve heard, but I don’t have night vision.”
“Are you afraid?”
My heart rate sped up at his sinister tone. I whirled around but could only make out his shadow lingering by the door.
“A little creeped out.”
“Some people are turned on by their fear.”
“I’m not one of them. Turn on the light.”
For a moment, the only the sound was that of my heart beating. Then light swept the room. I frantically searched every inch of the room as Ever’s arms slid around my waist. The French doors and large windows were covered by bronze shades, shutting out the moonlight. There was a raised wooden platform spanning the length of the room with a black cloth covering whatever rested on its surface. A smaller table with its white surface slanted downward was positioned against the back wall with a high desk chair pushed under. Two black lamps extended from the shelf over the table, and there was a small bookshelf filled with books and large rolls of paper.
When nothing jumped out at me, I drove my elbow into Ever’s gut. His grunt as he dropped his arms and doubled over put a smile on my face. “Asshole.”
“When I fantasized about you driving your body into mine, that was not what I had in mind.”
My skin flushed at his meaning and the vision of us naked and tangled. “And I thought all you and Jamie had in common was Barbie. Interesting.”
His pained expression instantly morphed into a fierce scowl. “Say what?”
He closed in, but I held my ground even when I was forced to tilt my head back. Looking into his eyes was like watching the stars and the dawn collide.
“Jamie came onto you?”