He lowers my legs and he yanks my hand away. I suck in a raged breath as my body shakes.
He hovers over me as he licks his wet lips. “You taste amazing, sweetheart. Like me.” Then his lips are on mine.
_________________________________
The following Sunday, I find myself back at the clubhouse. And once again, I didn’t get much info about what the hell I’m doing here. But this time, they didn’t give me anything I could use on any of them.
I stand, leaning up against the table to face the open room. Cole stands to my right talking to Deke while Shane and Bennett sit on the couch.
“Where’s Kellan?” Shane asks what I’m thinking.
I’ve tried to steer clear of him at school, but for some reason, he continues to sit next to me at lunch. Thankfully, I don’t have any classes with him, but I can’t hide from him since he’s friends with Cole. Even if their friendship seems to be on the rocks at the moment.
“He’s coming,” Deke assures him.
Cole turns to me. “I’m gonna go over the rules with you.” I nod. Still not sure what we’re doing here. “One, you have a month to complete your dare. But if you complete it sooner, then the next person goes the following week.” So this is about the dares. I swallow, not wanting to do this. “Two, there has to be a consequence for each dare. If the dare is not completed, you must face the consequence by midnight on the last day. Three, there are no limits to the dares.” No limits? That makes my stomach knot up. “Four, if your dare gets picked, you may choose to be present while the dare is being completed.” I break out in a sweat and look at Deke. What if I get his, and he wants to go with me? I don’t wanna be alone with him. He smiles and then gives me a wink like he knows what I’m thinking. “Last rule … you get caught, you’re on your own. Understand?”
“Yes,” I say with a head nod, but on the inside, I am shaking.
The door opens, and Kellan walks in. His eyes are on mine while he walks over to the table. I take a step toward Cole, and he places his arm over my shoulders, and I let out a shaky breath. Although Cole is the reason I’m here, he makes me feel the safest. He’s made it very clear that he won’t tolerate Kellan touching me. I’m not so sure if he would stop Deke, though I’m hoping I don’t have to find out.
“Here you go.” Shane walks around, handing each of us a piece of paper and a pen. Then he goes back to sit down on the couch.
I remove myself from Cole’s arm and turn to face the table. Bending over, my pen hovers over the paper.
What kind of dare could I possibly do? Shelby told me they have been doing these for a while, and they physically hurt themselves. I don’t want to be responsible for someone getting hurt. That will just give them another reason to hate me.
Think! What all has Cole told me? Not much. I know they killed a guy. I know that the guy has a brother who beat his wife and then killed her …
I get a thought. It’s crazy and borderline illegal, but not enough to where I would spend the rest of my life in prison. Or end up dead.
I hear the guys behind me and know they are all done. They knew what tonight was so they already had their dares chosen before they walked in the door.
Even though I didn’t want anything to do with this, I feel like now I have something to prove. I have to show them that I’m not afraid. I can hang with them.
I write down my dare and consequence and stick it in a bowl in the middle of the room. Then go sit on the couch next to Cole. I cross my legs, and he slides his hand between them, gripping my inner thigh. Kellan’s eyes go to his hand and then to Cole’s. He doesn’t acknowledge him. But I tense.
Why does he hate me so much? Does he not understand that I don’t want to be here?
Shane walks up to the bowl and draws a piece of paper out. His eyes go straight to mine. I swallow nervously.
He begins. “SURPRISE! I’ll meet you in the sea. We’ll swim together as we flee.” He looks at Cole and then back down at the paper. “Consequence: you must dress like me for the day.”
Kellan is the first one to speak. “What the fuck is this shit?’
Cole shifts his body on the couch and turns to me. “This isn’t how it works, Austin.”