The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (90)

“I’m not going to pussy out for pussy,” he viciously spat.

I stepped away from him, leaving my broken heart at his feet. “Is that all I am to you?” I suddenly felt like scrubbing my skin clean.

“Jesus Christ!” His hand whipped out and fisted my shirt before yanking me into him. I didn’t get the chance to shove him away before he was lifting me onto the table ledge. Large hands framed my face so I couldn’t look away. “Get this through your thick skull, Archer. You. Are. More.”

“Then you get this through your skull. All I’m asking is that you not get yourself killed. You’re not some street thug or ruthless killer. You’re Ever McNamara. Lord of the manor. King of the academy.”

His eyes narrowed. “So if my family’s bank account had fewer zeroes, you’d believe that I’m completely fucking serious? You’ve known me for two seconds.”

“You’ve done more despicable things than I believed any one person capable, but no, I don’t believe you have what it takes—because what it takes is your soul!” Breathing hard, I shook my head. “You won’t be able to give that up.”

He kissed me—hard—and when he finally relented, my lips were swollen. “Stay tuned.” He moved to my neck, and a moan fell from my lips as my head fell back. I knew that he was only trying to distract me, and still, I was ready to give him everything.

“I’ll tell your father,” I whimpered. “I don’t care if you expose Rosalyn if it means you’re safe.”

“Tell him what you wish,” he taunted. “I’ll deny it, and if he believes you anyway, nothing will change.” He continued to trail kisses across my skin. “My father hasn’t been much of a parent even before my mother left. He helped me drive her away.”

I froze in his arms. “What was her name?”

He lifted his head and stared into my eyes. No mask. Only emotion. “Evelyn. Everyone called her Eve.”

“Was she your namesake?”

His smile was small but honest. “No, actually. My parents named me after my father’s best friend. His name was Sean Everson Kelly. He died before I was born.”

“Wait…Your real name is Everson? You have two last names?”

He smiled and pinched my side in retaliation, but it didn’t stanch my giggling.

“Should we go upstairs and review your manners?”

That sobered me up quickly, and when I shot him a look to kill, he quickly kissed my lips. “You know you’d love it,” he whispered against them.

I hid my reaction knowing he was right. He didn’t miss a beat though, and it was almost eerie how well he could read me in such a short amount of time. Picking at invisible lint on his sweater, I debated giving my sudden thoughts a voice. Before Ever, I was never this insecure. Now I couldn’t stop feeling and wondering and hoping. Not even for a second. I guess at this point of falling, I had nothing left to lose.

“With our moms’ miscarriages and our names, do you think our meeting was more than a coincidence?”

His brows furrowed. “Like destiny?”

“Sure.” I was breathless when I wanted to be casual.

“Could be.” His hands moved up and down my hips as if he knew I needed to be soothed. “I stopped wanting you gone a long time ago.”

He leaned in to kiss me, but I stopped him with two fingers pressed to his lips. “It won’t matter where I am if you’re dead.”

Nostrils flaring, he straightened until he was towering over me. If I didn’t already know he’d never hurt me, I’d be scared shitless. “Are you with me or against me, Four? That’s all that matters to me right now.” His eyes narrowed, and the warning was clear.

“Fuck you, McNamara. I’m with you, all right?”

With a savage growl, he shoved his tongue down my throat and yanked on my hips to get me closer. Pressed against each other like this, there was no chance of hiding what we wanted. The heat alone was telling, and any minute now, we’d be a ball a flame. Slipping my hand up his sweater, I traced every dip and bulge while swallowing his groans. When he finally pulled away, he stared down at me, panting and hungry.

“Promise me you’ll outsmart them all.”

The animalistic gleam in his eyes sent a chill down my spine. “Goddamn, I want to taste you.”

It wasn’t an answer, but I blushed anyway. I could almost see why Della Grady thoughts boys were worth our friendship. “I think you have a fetish.”

“For going down on you? Definitely.” He took a step back, ready to drop to his knees and make good on his claim, but my hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“What if this time I return the favor?”

His gaze sharpened and focused on my mouth, which was surely red and swollen from his kisses. “Open your mouth.” The lust in his eyes was intimidating, but I did what he ordered anyway, and he quickly slipped two of his fingers between my parted lips. “Suck, baby.”

I closed my lips tightly over thick fingers and slid them down to the knuckle.

“Watch those fucking teeth. I only want that beautiful mouth.”

I used my tongue as a barrier, earning a groan and a look of adoration. Another groan and he pulled his fingers from my mouth.

“Can I taste you?”