Arranged love

We pass door after door. A few men who wear security badges look at us oddly. I don’t think we’re supposed to be back here, but since they can tell we’re dressed as ring girls, they let us go.

We come to a door that has Grave written on the outside in white letters. I would say it’s because he fights so often, not because he owns the casino. But either one could be why he has a designated room, and the other fighter doesn’t.

“Jasmine, I don’t think …”

She shoves the door open and pulls me into it. Grave sits on a black table with his legs dangling over the side. He’s still dressed in his black shorts, his sponsor’s name down the side. Titan stands to his left with his back toward us. Cross leans up against the far wall with his eyes down on his phone in his hands, and Bones stands to the right.

All look up at us as I hear the door shut. And my stomach drops when my eyes land on a set of blue ones staring at me. One of our many hookups come to mind.

I lie on my stomach on my bed. My math book open, and I’m writing in my notebook, solving the problems when I hear my window open.

Looking over, I see Bones climbing in. He’s got a black and white baseball shirt on, a black hat backward, and faded jeans. We’re in college, and he still sneaks through my bedroom window. It’s kinda become tradition. My parents would flip if they knew I was sleeping with a man that I’m not in a relationship with. They’ve always been strict. I’m pretty sure they think I’m still a virgin.

“Hey?” I ask, sitting up. “I didn’t know you were coming over tonight?” He told me earlier that he had practice.

He walks over to my bedroom door and locks it. My body instantly heats. He removes his hat, tossing it to my floor. His dark hair falls to his eyes, and he shoves it back, making it stand straight up. Then he reaches up and pulls his shirt up and over his head, revealing a hard chest and a six-pack. He and the Kings work out regularly. They have to stay fit for the baseball team. My eyes scan over his skull tattoo on his smooth chest. It has a crown tilted on the corner, and crossbones underneath it. All the Kings have them. As if it’s some kind of branding. “Bones … my parents are home …”

“So?” he asks, already kicking off his tennis shoes. Then his hands go to work on his jeans.

“So?” My eyes widen. “They’ll hear us.” I look over at the window. My parents think I’m the good girl. I’m not, but that doesn’t mean I want them to find out. “Let’s go to your car …”

He grabs my upper arm and tosses me onto the bed. “Bones-”

He cuts me off, placing his hand over my mouth. I look up at him straddling me, breathing heavily through my nose. His blue eyes bore down on mine. He’s angry. About what, I don’t know. We don’t share our feelings or personal information. We are as detached as two people who are just fucking can be.

His free hand goes between my legs, and he’s shoving the thin layer of my underwear to the side. I’m always wet for him. “Then I better gag you,” he says, running a finger over my pussy.

I arch my back, taking in a breath through my nose. His fingers dig into my cheeks as he presses his hand over my mouth. I scream out into his hand when he enters me in one hard push. Bones likes to make it hurt. He took my virginity. It hurt. I cried. Then he made it feel better.

A knock comes on my door, and my eyes widen. He stops moving, but his eyes stay on mine.

“Emilee, you okay?” my mother asks.

He removes his hand from my mouth, and I suck in a long breath. “Yes,” I say and flinch at how high my voice is. “Just stubbed my toe,” I add.

“Okay. Dinner is in an hour.”

“Okay …”

He slaps his hand back over my mouth and leans down, placing his lips by my ear. His body weight is pinning me down, making it hard to breathe, and his cock is still inside me, but he hasn’t started moving yet. “I’m gonna fuck this tight cunt of yours, and then I’m gonna eat my cum out of you. You’re gonna be my dinner, Em.”

I blink, pulling myself out of that memory.

Grave smiles at me. “Hey, it’s the deaf girl.”Material © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Titan widens his stance and crosses his arms over his chest as he glares down at me. Cross’s eyes go big the moment he recognizes me.

Bones looks me up and down slowly before he turns to fully face us. “What are you doing here?” he asks with a tilt of his head. He doesn’t look surprised or mad. Just indifferent. Like I never meant a thing to him. And thankfully, Jasmine speaks before I can process that.

“She came to get her phone,” she snaps. “Titan?”

A slow smile spreads across his face. “Ready to get on your knees, Em?”

“Keep it,” I growl and spin around to leave, but Jasmine grabs my arm, stopping me. Why I would expect more out of him is beyond me. I thought just once, I’d get a fucking pass from this shitty string of bad luck I have. I thought that maybe putting him on the spot would work in my favor. That’s what I get for thinking anything regarding the Kings.

“Hey?” Grave scratches the back of his head, jumping down off the table. “You’re not deaf?”

Bones takes a step toward me. “What are you doing here, Emilee?” His voice more of a growl this time.

“Emilee …” Grave’s voice trails off, and his eyes widen. Then he whispers, “Shit.”

Shit is right!

I place my hands on my hips, well aware I’m barely dressed, sweating like a whore in church, and wearing more makeup than a drag queen. This man isn’t above me. I sure as hell am not gonna let him think that. “I was working.”

He looks me up and down one last time, and then his cold eyes meet mine. I forgot how beautiful they are. “Well, you’re fired, so pack your shit and get the fuck out.” Then he turns his back on me.

I should be surprised, but I’m not. He never was nice unless his dick was hard. What Bones and I had was never complicated. I knew where we stood. I’ve never been that girl who made up shit in her head or thought a man should love me just because I gave him my body. He made it very clear when he declared he wanted me.

I’m putting my books away at my locker when I feel someone come up beside me. I shut the door and look up into a set of blue eyes that I know well. Dillan Reed AKA Bones. “May I help you?” I ask, looking around the silent hallway. It’s just us. Everyone has left for the day. Maybe he wants me to do his homework. But I don’t think that’s it. He doesn’t need anyone to do his work for him. The Kings get good grades because of who they are. Their fathers are the Three Wisemen.

“I hope so.”

Three words. That was all it took for me to give him my virginity five days later. He wanted my body. And I offered it up to him like a sacrifice. As if lying down for a king would guarantee me salvation. But standing before them now makes me realize I never needed to be saved.

“I’m not leaving until I get my phone.” First George and now him? I refuse to let them treat me this way.

Bones pauses and turns back to look at me. Then at Titan. “You have her phone?”

He nods.

Bones looks at my bare legs, exposed stomach, and then my eyes. “Well, you heard him. You want it, you get on your knees.”

“You guys are fucking pricks,” Jasmine growls.

I snort, shaking my head. “I see nothing has changed. You know what …?” I look at Titan, pulling my lip back to show him how disgusted I am. “Keep it.” Then I turn around and storm out.