Page 174 of Their Cruel Play
“You’re too good for us, kitten.” It’s a whispered truth I’m sure my brothers all feel.
Her eyes widen, and I can see the protest in their depths. It’s one of the things I crave most about her. That desire to believe the best in us.
“But that won’t make me set you free. You’re mine. You’re ours. Anyone who comes after you, comes after us.” This is my truth. Would she be better off without us? Possibly. Would I ever let her go willingly? Hell, no.
“Good,” she whispers before pressing her lips to mine.
A lightness I don’t have a right to feel flows through me as I cradle her in my arms and claim her mouth with mine. She whimpers softly with need.
It nearly breaks me. She’s stronger than any of us gave her credit for at the beginning. But now that strength is what she’ll need to get us all through this school year.
Reluctantly pulling away, I look over her shoulder at my brothers. “We need to sort our shit out. We need to figure out who’s coming after ours.”
“We need to get any old shit they might use against us out in the open.” Jack leans forward with his hands clasped. “All the things we’ve done.”
I haven’t released Harper. Her hips are snug against mine and she can feel how much I want her, but she’s focused on me, not our desire.
“Someone is the ringleader. We just have to figure out who and why?” Caden rubs his hand over the back of his neck. “We need to stop waiting for them to attack.”
“If we can find out who’s working together and who’s working on their own, it would help.” Harper’s gaze meets mine. “We know Zach wasn’t working on his own. He got into the girl’s locker room, and it was a while after someone trapped me in. But was it Sidney’s group egging him on or someone else?”
“Sidney wants more from Luke.” I see the jealousy in Harper’s eyes rise like a wave. “She wants him all to herself. Something she’s never had but always wanted.”
“When the cheerleaders talked to me at breakfast, they said they just need me to keep you busy while they raise up their boyfriends to your level.” Harper narrows her eyes as she thinks back on that day. “It looks like they’ve claimed the basketball guys, and Zach is their leader.”
“We need to make lists.” Luke leans forward and trails his hand down Harper’s back. She shivers. “Everyone we’ve wronged. Everyone we’ve helped. Everyone we’ve punished.”
Nico sits back in his chair. “This could have been building for years. Someone might have been waiting for the right time, and Harper gave them a chance at their revenge. We need to look at every angle.”
We all nod in agreement.
“My father wants to have dinner with Harper.” Luke blows out his breath, and his hand stays on Harper’s back. “When we had our dinner the other night, he had a server who looked like Harper. Intentionally.”
She turns to look at him. Confusion plays on her face.
“It wasn’t pretty.” His eyes are anguished when he lifts them to hers. “I think I’ve stopped whatever he has planned, but he’s going to keep coming after you until we figure out what your father took.”
“Whatever it is has our fathers scared.” Nico runs a hand through his hair.
Harper turns back to me. Her dark gaze holds mine before she presses her lips softly to mine and whispers, “I trust you, Eli.”
She’s going back to Luke. I know it, but I don’t resent it. She’s what he needs, and I’m grateful we all have her.
Harper
I make sure I see the acknowledgement in Eli’s eyes before I return to Luke’s lap. His words still ring in my head and settle in my heart.
Our last.
I have to make a leap of faith they won’t do to me what they did to her.
The circumstances aren’t the same, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t slight them at some point, and this is their punishment. But the things we’ve been through together should make the difference obvious.
Maybe my heart is just weak when it comes to these guys.
But if they hurt me, I won’t stop until I hit each of them where it hurts the most. I’m not sure I can, but I’ll try.
Luke draws me against him. His forehead presses to mine. “I won’t let him touch you.”
