Page 170 of Their Cruel Play
Harper’s eyes widen. What has she heard about Rebecca Forester?
“What did you hear?” Eli asks.
“That you guys got her to give up her virginity and then Eli had sex with someone else in front of her.” Nico sounds like he’s just repeating what he heard, but Harper’s blush deepens, and she turns away from us back to the computer.
Fuck. “Can you guys get away?”
Harper turns back to me with a questioning look. I set the book down on her bed and stand.
“If we’re doing a history lesson, everyone’s going to be here so nothing gets left out or misinterpreted.” I walk to Harper and look at her computer screen with the others. “So get over here.”
I close the laptop and Harper looks scared. Fuck this. “You want our trust?”
She swallows and nods.
“Then trust me that we’ll tell you the whole story.”
CHAPTER 47
The Truth
Harper
Fuck. Nico said he’d bring it up. If I wanted.
I’ve already had one heavy conversation today. Remembering my dad and the thought of dealing with Luke’s dad with only Luke by my side was more than enough to worry about.
Other than that, things were light. And honestly, I was pretty sure I was gearing up to get an orgasm tonight. But then Nico had to bring up Rebecca, and now everyone would be invading my house.
Which my mom will be able to see on the security cameras the guys installed.
Fuck my life.
We’re in the living room, and I can’t sit still. So I pace as we wait for the others to get here. My eyes go to the camera in the corner again. She’s going to ground me for real this time.
“Jack looped the cameras, little nympho.” Caden grabs my arm as I pass him for the fourth time. He draws me down onto his lap, running his hands over my back. “Calm down.”
I blow out a breath.
The other part is I’m not sure I’m ready to hear how they destroyed another girl. Not ready to listen to what they might have planned for me. Will they actually be honest? Will they tell me the whole story? Or will they sugarcoat it and make me think that I’m different? Will I believe them if they tell me I’m different?
Caden tips my face his way, and his green eyes meet mine. “Nico isn’t the only one who’s heard something. What have you heard?”
My gaze flits to Luke, who watches me closely. He’s been quiet since he told everyone to get here. I exhale and search Caden’s eyes.
I promised Caden the truth. Even if it hurts.
“When you first targeted me, Kenz told me that something similar to my situation happened sophomore year with Rebecca Forester. The rumor was that you guys didn’t let up until you took her virginity. It was so bad she transferred schools.”
“You’ve known that from the beginning though.” Caden searches my eyes with a stern look. “That’s not what’s bothering you. What else, little nympho?”
“A couple girls in the bathroom the other day.” My eyes go to Luke’s. “They were talking about how they thought you guys being with me was all a setup and wondered when you’d get to the punchline and humiliate me in front of the whole school like you did Rebecca.”
“Harper—” Luke sighs.
I interrupt him. I want to trust them. “Even though I don’t want to believe it, it’s hard. For years I’ve avoided you, which means I was never front and center for the things you did. But I know you’ve done some fucked up things. One of the girls said she almost couldn’t get off because of Rebecca’s expression when Eli fucked the girl in front of Rebecca.”
My hands are shaking. They could lie to me and tell me everything is fine and then turn around and do something like that. My stomach twists. Could they do something like that to me? It would have been horrifying early on. Now it would be devastating.
