Page 100 of Freefall

“I swear to God, River,” Nate snaps.

River doesn’t even flinch. “Relax. Jesus, cuz. You’re wound up tighter than⁠—”

“Don’t finish that sentence.”

He shrugs innocently. “Why? What did you think I was gonna say?”

Nate levels him with a look that could strip paint off a wall, but River turns back to me completely unfazed. “I think my cousin needs to get laid.”

Heat floods my cheeks as Nate drops his forehead into his palm, and River reaches for another slice of bread.

“How about you, Harper?” he asks once he’s finished chewing. “Work? Relationship? Kids?”

“I’m a photographer.” I hesitate for a split second. “And I have a daughter. She’s eight.”

River’s face softens. “Cool,” he says. “My buddy’s little girl is around that age. She’s the best.”

“Yeah, Daisy’s great,” I say, unsure of how else to respond.

We eat in relatively comfortable silence for a while, though River keeps flashing shit-eating grins across the table and Nate continues to look at him like he wants to choke him with the silver chain hanging from his neck.

Finally, River stands up, pushing back his chair. “Gotta hit the head,” he announces, then points a finger at Nate. “Don’t have too much fun without me.”

I can’t help the laugh that slips out. As soon as River disappears around the corner, Nate reaches over, grips the back of my chair, and drags it closer until our knees bump under the table. “You think this is funny?”

“A little,” I admit.

He studies me for a long beat. “What’s your safe word?”

I tilt my head, caught off guard by the sudden subject change. “What?”

“Your safe word, Harper.” His voice is dangerously calm now. “Say it.”

I swallow. “Buttercup.”

His eyes don’t leave mine. “Say it again if you need to.”

“Okay, but wh—” I don’t have time to finish my thought because all of a sudden, his hand is on my thigh, sliding beneath the hem of my dress.

His thumb teases the elastic of my panties. “You’ve been having fun watching my cousin flirt with you, huh?”

“No, I don⁠—”

The words die in my throat as he moves my underwear to the side. “No?” He presses his thumb to my clit, applying the slightest bit of pressure. “Not even a little?”

I open my mouth to argue, but instead, my breath hitches as he pushes a finger inside me.

“I think…” he says, pulling it out before pushing it in again with maddeningly slow, shallow thrusts. “You like the attention.” Another slow stroke. “Maybe I shouldn’t stop when he gets back. Maybe…” He adds another finger. “I should show him what he’s missing.” His gunmetal eyes lock onto mine. “What he’ll never have. You know why, Dani?”

“W-why?” I manage to grit out as he lazily pumps his fingers.

In and out.

In and out

Too slow. Not deep enough.

“Because you’re mine, Harper. Didn’t we establish that the first time I fucked you?”