Page 73 of Dark Tangled Truths
Cam and Hawksit on either side of me in the movie theater, whereNightmare on Elm Streetplays on the screen. A giant bowl of popcorn sits on my lap so everyone can reach it. Hawk’s parents are out for the night, so I didn’t have to do the awkward,yeah, I didn’t have any pants on when we metdance with his dad and didn’t have to meet his mom. Yet. Thankfully.
I receive a text from Damon, and it sends chills down my back. I swallow and read it out loud. “Hanging at a frat party with Jackson Riordan.”
Hawk hits pause on the creepy children singing. Cam lets out a sharp chuckle. The guys mentioned it this morning, but I needed to sit with it before processing. Now I’m ready to process that Jackson is with Damon this week.
“So does that mean I’m safe? At least this week?” I smooth out the wrinkles in my skirt, trying not to think about Jackson potentially going to the same college. “Not that I’ve been truly under threat. I don’t think a rose with chili pepper oil really counts. It hurt, but it’s not like he’s trying to maim or kidnap me. But what can he do while he’s out of town?”
“We stay the course.” Hawk glances at Cam. “We don’t know if he’s in collusion with someone at our school. There may be plans in play.”
I nod and rest back against the recliner. But I’ve been thinking. “What if we’re scared for nothing?” I turn and look at Hawk. “Like obviously in this movie, they have a reason to be scared. Not that anyone believes them. The worst Jackson did to me was kiss me when I didn’t want him to.”
A little shiver goes through me. It might have been only a kiss, but the fear was there. I know how I felt. And every time he’s close, there’s a buzzing sensation like a warning alarm in my head.
“It doesn’t matter what he was able to accomplish when you were younger.” Cam reaches over and takes my hand. “It’s what he hopes to finish now.”
“A few threatening texts and a hot rose?” I blow out my breath. I don’t want to live in fear, but that’s what we’re doing. “It’s like he isn’t even trying.”
“It doesn’t hurt for us to be with you, Annie.” Hawk brushes my hair from my face. “We would want to be with you even if you weren’t under threat.”
I nod and gesture for him to continue the movie.
Even as we watch, I’m still unsettled by the thought we’re preparing for nothing. That all of this is a huge mindfuck for no reason.
We talk about sleeping over at Hawk’s, but knowing Damon’s watching settles me somehow. So we end up back in Damon’s room.
“Does being scared turn you on, Annie?” Hawk leans on the headboard in only his boxers. Cam is on his phone with a guy who might be able to access my mom’s texts. I just finished getting ready for bed.
I pause on my way across the floor to consider it. “I like being chased by you and held down. The woods and waiting definitely gets my heart racing.” I shrug and climb onto the bed, crawling up to him in only a t-shirt and panties. I braided my hair so it would be out of the way.
He watches me with hooded eyes and a cocky smile. I don’t stop until I straddle his lap and put my hands around his neck.
He toys with the hem of my shirt, but doesn’t do anything to guide me or take me.
“You like it when we’re rough with you?” The tips of his fingers skate along the outside of my thighs, sending shivers through me.
“Yes.” I meet his green eyes.
“Did you prefer it when it was a secret? A secret from everyone at school and then a secret from your mom? Did that get you off? Knowing they had no clue what you were doing?” Hawk teases the lace on the edge of my panties.
My breath catches. “It definitely added a heightened risk to everything we did, but I don’t know if I prefer it. There’s still a risk of us getting caught together. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want you now that everyone knows.”
“Not everyone knows yet, goody.” Cam tosses his phone on the nightstand and climbs in next to Hawk. Honestly, I can’t get enough of seeing my guys’ bodies. Hawk and Cam don’t work out as much as Damon, but they’re cut and sculpted and beautiful.
“Your parents don’t?”
Cam shrugs. “I just got off the naughty list, so I’ll play it safe before telling them my tutor is my girlfriend.”
Hawk grabs my braid and tugs my head back suddenly. “Does it turn you on when we’re rough with you, baby girl?”
“Yes, but I also like it when we’re just all together or soft and sweet in the mornings.” I grind my hips against his hardened cock between my legs.
“How do you want it tonight, goody?” Cam drags his finger along my jaw.
I swallow, thinking about what the three of us can do. What do I want? “I just want to be in this moment with you two.”
Hawk releases my braid enough so that our eyes can lock. “Can we try something, baby girl?”
I wet my lips and glance at Cam before nodding. “What do you want to try?”
