So I smirk at her again and get in her space, tucking a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. “Oh, princess, you have no idea.” I walk her backward until her back connects with the wall. I lift one arm and place my hand on the brick over her head, boxing her in. “But if you ask real nice, I could show you.”
She scoffs at my words, realizing belatedly that I’ve pinned her in. She slams her hands against my chest pushing me off, and hot damn, that fire is out for all to see today. Her chest heaves as she sucks in a breath, and I can practically see her trying to pull in her rage. I wish she’d let it all out instead.
“What’s up, princess, things not so fun outside of your ivory tower?” The taunts roll from my razor sharp tongue so easily. Mostly because I pretend I’m not speaking to her. It’s easier that way. I’ve been in love with Octavia Royal my entire life, but I agreed with Linc when we were all inducted. Keeping her safe is the most important thing, and if that means I have to deny myself from having her, then that’s what it takes.
“Fuck you.” Her breathy words give away how affected by me she is, and it makes the hunter inside of me excited. I do love to taunt and chase my prey.
“Oh, sweetheart, you’re practically begging for it, aren’t you? I saw how much you wanted it when Finn had you pinned against the wall in the pool house. I saw everything, including how much you enjoyed it when Lincoln was between your thighs.”
Her eyes flash with a mix of lust and anger, my favorite mix.
“I saw how much you enjoyed me watching you too,” I murmur, and she rolls her eyes, pushing me even further away from her. I’m kind of impressed. I’m not exactly an easy guy to move. On one hand, I like knowing that she could probably fight off anyone who was trying to fuck with her, and I know she can throw a punch. Her cousin’s broken nose is proof enough of that. On the other hand, all her fight does is make me want to push her harder, to see how much it would take to snap the controlled restraint she has.
My eyes flare at the thought of it. She pushes past me, slamming me with her shoulder as she does, and heads toward her car. My eyes stalk after her as I watch her leave. “That’s it, V, run away. You’ve always been good at that.”
She flips me the bird as she climbs into her car. Only once she’s in with the door closed, do I head over to my boys to find out what’s been going on while I handled the girl we’ve all been so fucked up over.
When I reach the group, East glares at me. “You look like you enjoyed that way too much.”
“Just taking one for the team.” I shrug, and his eyes narrow at me, telling me that I’m pissing him off even more. “What did I miss?”
Unsurprisingly, Linc’s the one who answers me. “I’m catching East up on the conversation we were having with Ryker before he showed up with Octavia.”
“We really need to deal with him and his little gun toting buddies. He can’t just show up here with a fucking weapon like that,” I growl, and Finn nods his agreement. “This little rivalry is becoming too much of an issue, and we have bigger things to worry about.”
I bounce on the balls of my feet. All this anxious energy makes me wish Ryker had pushed me a little harder. Given me a reason to end this stupid rivalry with my fists.
“The rivalry was started by the football teams even if it escalated way beyond that. I’ll deal with it,” East pipes up, glancing over to V. Of course he’s trying to play it down since she’s here, in case she hears, but she’s not stupid. She’ll see through it. I wish it was just a football rivalry still. The minute the Knights set their sights on Ryker, Ellis, and their brother’s business, it became more. He huffs before turning to his brother. “We still need to find out who broke into V’s house and locked her up like that. Since you three insist it wasn’t you.”
I grind my teeth at the reminder. I saw her when he carried her to his house the morning he found her. My shock at seeing her in his arms was all too real. Doing that to her is one of my biggest regrets, and I hate myself for it but we thought it would make her leave, and well… Let’s just say my fights in the cage have been extra bloody ever since.
The noise of her engine starting makes everyone pause. I don’t take my eyes off her until she’s out of the lot and I’m sure she’s not coming back.
“We need to reassess. What started as a simple year and a reasonably clear chessboard has turned into a fucking riotous mess.” Lincoln sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I need to think. The Knights have us bent over a fucking barrel, and I don’t like it. If we’re not making Octavia leave, we need to think of another way to keep her safe, all while dealing with Ryker and his little band of wannabe bangers. Not to mention we have to figure out whoever the hell it is that seems to be hunting Octavia.”
A growl passes my lips at the thought. The only person that should be hunting her is me. “I think I can get some answers at The Nest this weekend.”
“I’ll come with you. Divide and conquer,” Finn adds, and I nod. I’m never against having a wingman with me in that place. I might have gotten into the underground fights as a way to hone my skills before I’m old enough to fight officially, but it’s turned into a treasure trove of secrets from the scum that live in the snake pit that is Echoes Cove. Plus, Finn’s quiet demeanor scares the shit out of people. Quiet but deadly is his entire persona.
Except for when it comes to V.
Though sometimes, especially when it comes to her.
“We’re not going to figure everything out tonight. Let’s get out of here before we try to work anything else out. I’m meeting with David about the security at Octavia’s since Smithy’s still out of town,” East says quietly. “I’m going to see if there’s any clear footage that captures the faces of whoever broke in. So speak up now if it was you fuckers.”
Finn spears him with a look that would have him bleeding out if looks could kill. “It wasn’t us.”
His ice cold tone is enough to send a shiver down even my spine. I mean, I can see why East would think it was us, and usually we wouldn’t lie to him, especially when it comes to her. After our usual go-to guys got way too carried away the last few times we used them, there was no way Linc was outsourcing that particular taunt. But I think the other two regret it as much as I do. What he doesn’t know is that there’s no way our faces are on any of those tapes. Finley’s a tech fucking genius; he already made sure of it.
“Fine,” East says with a nod. “You three need to work out your shit with the board. If this keeps getting out of hand, we’re going to have to do what they want, no matter how much we hate it.”
Lincoln practically vibrates with rage. I don’t blame him. East was happy to step back and let Lincoln shoulder all the responsibility that came with the bullshit legacy our families handed down to us. Now he’s trying to tell us what to do, all because V’s back. It rankles even me.
“Any more leads on who keeps sending her those fucking packages?” Finn asks, looking at Linc who shakes his head.
“That’s another fucking unanswered question. I know it’s not the board since it isn’t their style. Way too creepy. I think I’ve managed to intercept all of the packages so far. Today’s gift was an envelope of pictures. Whoever it is has been stalking our girl hard.”
“How do we not know who it is yet? And how are there this many people after her? It’s like she’s a magnet for psychopaths,” East grinds out, his fists clenching, and I can’t help but laugh. I’m the only psychopath she needs in her life. I’ll eliminate the others through any means necessary.