And if it was both of them…
I lose the tendril of my evil thought as Gabriel holds my body against his. I tip my neck back, my eyes fluttering open as Noah lays a trail of kisses over my collarbone. In the swirling colors of the room, my eyes catch Eli’s. Daphne rocks against him, but his body is stiff and his eyes lock on mine.
His blue irises cloud with emotion, and at first I think it’s hatred. But as the music crests into a haunting funereal march, I see the pain that lingers beyond, and I know Eli Hart is not capable of hate. He presses his lips together and pulls Daphne closer, but the movement sends a shudder through his body as his eyes rake over me.
I wish…
I wish I could curl a finger in the air and beckon him over. I wish the Golden Boy would fall to his knees at my feet and worship me. I wish for once he’d toss aside that rigid moral code of his and give himself over to his darker desires.
I wish he’d look at me the way he looked at Mackenzie.
It’s too painful to look at him, especially when so much delicious pleasure courses through my body. I draw my gaze back to the stage as the girl steps out from behind the mixing board and picks up a violin. The monster tosses aside his cello and picks up an electric guitar. The raven-haired beauty faces her Ice King as the pianist builds a tense harmony. Their eyes lock, their jaws tense. Their bows hover over the strings. The tension between the two of them isinsane.
He strikes a note. She plays the same note back to him with flames in her eyes. He plays a series of scales and she throws them back at him, then pretends to slap him across the face with the neck as she lays down a frantic melody, daring him to keep up.
She’s the queen of the stage and I love it. And from the way all three of those musicians gaze at her, I think they love it, too.
Gabriel’s teeth dig into my neck as he shoves me toward the stage. I can’t tear my eyes from the musicians as he drags Noah and me into the shadows of the wings. The hot-as-sin pianist nods at Gabriel and gives him a thumbs up. I’m too distracted to guess at what Gabe’s up to until he pushes me against a stack of road cases and rolls my dress over my hips. The cool air hits my bare skin. Gabriel cups my ass, moaning in my ear.
“I couldn’t resist that shaggable arse for another moment,” he growls, his voice tight with need.
Noah’s fingers slide down the seam of my thong. The shadows hide us as he pushes the fabric aside. My heart stutters as fresh heat boils my veins.I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t—
On stage, piano and guitar thrash out a steady riff that pounds in my chest. The raven-haired beauty undulates her body and throws her head back as the pair of them rip into a violin duel. They whip their heads around each other, their limbs entangled as they play faster and faster and…
…Gabriel’s fingers slide inside me.
I’m soaking wet, and he feels so warm and so right. His thumb brushes my clit, and my nails dig into the metal case. It’s too much… the music and the raw, achingneedand the well of emotion swelling in my chest.
Bite me,” Noah’s lips brush my ear. He cups his hand over my mouth. My teeth sink into his flesh and he grits his teeth, and I know he needs this as much as I do. I want to grab his cock but I’m gone gonegone…
The dance floor comes alive as the students are whipped into a frenzy by the violinists’ lust-soaked dance – a pagan ritual playing out while Gabriel’s fingers play sinful music over my clit.
My eyes sweep the room, and they catch Eli. He’s on the far side of the stage, almost in the wings himself. He’s alone, his hands in his pockets and misery etched into his features. I know he can see me and what Gabe and Noah are doing to me. I want him to see, Iwanthim to seeClaudiain all her deviant, rotten-to-the-core glory, instead of a shadow of the girl he used to know.
Eli whips his head away, but not before I see the pain bloom in his eyes. I’m so close to the edge that his pain becomes part of me, and I ride it into the onslaught of my orgasm as the wave of pleasure crests over my body.
I collapse against Gabriel, screaming into Noah’s hand as the music sweeps over me. I collapse forward into Noah’s arms, and as soon as his hands touch my body I know I’m not finished; I’m not nearly done. Tonight I will have my fucked-up teenage dreamland as only I know how.
I smooth down my dress and drag the two of them back into the fray. We dance until my body is once more a Tesla coil of electricity, desperate for release. I’m on the edge of dragging them both behind the grotto and forcing them to do more wicked things to my body when the spell is broken. The band set down their instruments and Ms. Drysdale takes the stage.
“It’s time to announce our homecoming court.” Ms. Drysdale hands the envelope to Cleo – who slits it with her talon-like nails and pulls out the paper. She reads out the prince and princess from the junior class, a couple of pimply fucks I don’t know. Then it’s time for the homecoming king.
“Elias Hart.” Cleo grins like a lioness surveying her next meal as the spotlight swings across the crowd to Eli. The school breaks out into applause. No one claps as loud as me. I know why Eli won – not only is he hot and popular, but he’snice. He doesn’t care about social status or what a person can doforhim – he’s friendly to everyone and he genuinely cares about people. When he talks to you, he pays attention with his whole body, and he remembers everything you say. When he laughs, which is often, he lights up the whole room. He’ll sit with the weird kid during the football game and not give a fuck who’s staring.
“Yay, Eli!” I yell. Gabriel whistles. Eli’s eyes seek out mine as he climbs on stage and accepts the crown from Cleo. He waves to the crowd and flashes them his perfect smile, but his eyes are for me only, and they are deep chasms of hurt and regret.
“And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for… this year’s homecoming queen is…” Cleo frowns at the name on the envelope. “Is… Mackenzie Malloy. What the actualfuck?”
I’m too busy snort-laughing at Cleo swearing into the microphone to register the name she calls out. That is until Gabriel nudges me. “Go on, Your Majesty. Go get your crown.”
I shake my head. “No way. No way did these idiots vote for me.”
“Why not? You’ve shaken up life at Stonehurst with your antics. And remember, you fucked up Alec LeMarque, something everyone has wanted to do for years.” The way Noah says the child actor’s name in that dark voice of his, I know he’s thinking the same as me – that I wasn’t the first girl Alec tried to hurt.
“And don’t forget, you have the shaggable arse.” Gabriel pinches it for good measure. “Plus, you miiiiiiight have had a little help from your favorite lovable scamp.”
I punch Gabriel in the arm. “You had something to do with this.”
