I watch Donald Edgewood walk to the podium, and the whispering crowd goes silent. “As you’ve just heard, the Bradfords are back.” My father steps away from the tree and walks toward the stage. Lev’s, Owen’s, and Wyatt’s fathers follow suit as Mr. Edgewood continues, “The five founding bloodlines are now all back in Edgewood. Aaron Bradford will take his place among us as a leader within the community. The Selection process will go on as planned. Thank you all for coming out.” Wes’s father finishes, then steps from the mic, effectively cutting off any possibility for questions.
A tug on my dress has me looking down at Kylan. “Can we take off these stupid clothes yet?” His question cuts at the tension of the moment.
I smile, squatting to meet his eye. “Not yet, buddy, but if you hurry, there’s a snow globe bounce house down the hall.” That’s all that needs to be said. His beef with the tux is forgotten as he grabs Kellan’s hand and tugs him in the direction I pointed.
Standing, I turn to look for Jamie, only to see she’s run off already.
“That was smooth.” I look up to see Lev smirking as he and the other guys stand at the bottom of the short staircase. Sebastian holds out his hand to help me down the steps.
My feet aren’t fully planted when I see a sea of people converging on me.
Wes turns around, facing the oncoming group. “Back the fuck up. You all acted like you didn’t want to know her before. Don’t try to know her now,” he barks, staring down the crowd of our classmates.
Shay elbows her way through the slowly dispersing crowd. “Unnuh move nuh, chuh. We nuh wan nuh fake fren roun ere. Suh, do— gwan bout yuh business,” she exclaims, looping her arm through mine once she reaches me. “Fuck these people. Let’s go have fun with your men.”
I’m about to correct her when I’m pulled from her into a hard chest.
“We’ll be back.” I hear Wes state as I stare up into his mocha eyes. “We’ve got some shit to clear up.”
48
WES
“Put me the fuck down, Wes, or I’m going feed you your balls for Christmas dinner,” Ariah yells.
I ignore her and her wiggling form until we’re safely in my room, and I lock the door, entering the code so she can’t escape. I’m over this ‘we’ll talk later’ shit.
Once the lock engages, I put a cursing Ariah down on her feet. She rights herself and lunges. I give her the free shot— I deserve it. I did snatch her from the party, but fuck the party— we need to talk.
When she tries to slap me again, I grab her wrist, giving her enough time to swing her balled fist into my ribs. I grunt, bearing the succession of blows before I spin her and wrap her in a bear hold from behind. Her head flies back, but I move out of the way just as she would’ve connected with my nose.
“Calm the fuck down. I’m going to put you back down, and then we’re just going to talk— all I want to do is talk,” I plead, hoping she can hear the desperation in my voice.
I hear the heaving of her breaths from our quick sparring. “Fine. Just put me the fuck down,” she instructs, and I do.
Once she’s finally back on her now-bare feet, her silver heels scattered on my floor, Ariah pulls down her royal blue dress. It’s fucking sinful on her. There’s a slit that goes up mid-thigh, just enough to show skin and still be deemed appropriate.
“Well, speak. I’m not in here so you can ogle me,” she snarks, stepping toward the wall that leads to my other room.
What I wouldn’t give to fill that fucking mouth of hers.
“I’ve been trying to tell you how sorry I am,” I pause, waiting for her usual interruption. Ariah remains silent but crosses her arms, accentuating how delicious her chest looks in her dress. I fight the urge to reach out and snatch her then tease her until her nipples peak through the fabric. Instead, I grit my teeth until I know a moan won’t come out, and then I continue, “There’s no excuse for how I treated you when you first arrived. I was, and still am, a dick. I just don’t want to be a dick to you anymore.”
She rolls her eyes, and I want to fuck the brat right out of her. I can feel myself harden with each defiant look she awards me. I’m tallying up in my mind how hard I’m going to fuck her for this shit. “We’ve already established you’re a dick, Wes. This isn’t breaking news.”
I close my eyes, and the blood rushes from my head straight to my dick.Now’s not the time asshole.Refocusing I confess, “What I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry. I want to fix this— I just don’t know how.”
“You could start with an explanation for why the fuck you decided to target me at all. I was minding my business. You could’ve easily done the same,” she retorts tightly.
“Look, I…” I grab the back of my neck. “I really don’t have the right words.”
“Spit it out, Wess-leey,” she exaggerates my name, and I unconsciously step in her direction.
Clenching my fist to hold myself back, I finally blurt out. “You were a fucking unknown at a time when a lot of shit was happening. You and your family magically gained access to a town that rarely allows anyone in and were a complete and total nobody,” I snap, knowing I’m holding onto my control by a razor-thin edge.
“So, let me get this straight.” She walks toward me, each step punctuating a point. “You called me trash, sicced your Barbie and her-.”
“She’s not my-,” I attempt to interject, but she silences me.
