Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
I don’t stumble, don’t let my feet falter as I continue in his direction. He’s wearing another button-down shirt, this one short-sleeved. Does he ever wear a fucking T-shirt, or are they not good enough for him?
“If it isn’t New Kid. I heard you’re awfully far from home. Are you lost?” he says with a lifetime of privilege in his arrogant tone.
“No. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. I see you’re still a dick.”
“I see you still like to play with fire. Be careful, or you’re going to get burned.”
“Maybe I like it.” I go to pluck his cup from his hand, but Tiernan pulls it back.
“Who the fuck are you?” he asks, voice harsh.
Fuck. I pushed too hard. The last thing I need is to have him question my motives. “Dean Smith. Someone looking for a good time, even if you are a dick, but if you’re not interested, I’ll find someone else.”
I turn to walk away, but Tiernan grabs my bicep. “You want me.”
“Assholes get my dick hard. What can I say?”
He sets his cup down. “You got balls, I’ll give you that, but you don’t want any asshole, you want me. And if you want me, I’m gonna need to hear you say it.”
My body tenses, my nails digging into my palms as I try to settle down. I can’t fucking blow this. Not so soon. It’s actually easier than I thought it would be, if you consider hooking up with a guy you hate easy. Especially when I don’t have much experience. All I have under my belt is a few hookups.
“I’m not playing games with you. I don’t want you that bad.”
“Yes. You do.” Tiernan gives me a wicked grin.
Jesus, this guy is a fucking asshole, and I hate that my dick stirs behind my zipper, that my traitor cock thinks he’s so fucking hot. I hate myself for it, but it doesn’t change that something about him turns me on. I don’t know if it’s just his looks I’m into or the fact that one day Tiernan will hate himself for hitting on me. That once I hurt his father, he’ll remember these moments and know he’d wanted the man who took someone so important from him. What does it say about me that the latter is part of the equation? That I have so much hate and anger inside me, it comes out like this.
“Fuck you,” I say, which is absolutely not what I should be telling him. I should be doing whatever I can to get close to him, to spend time with him, but he’s so fucking arrogant, and turning me on, and all that does is make me hate him more.
Hate myself more.
This time when I walk away, Tiernan lets me go but yells after me, “All you have to do is tell me you want me.”
It’s not until I reach Aislin again and she says, “You’re shaking,” that I realize I am. “Did something happen? Did my brother—” Her words are low, her mouth close to my ear so the people around us can’t hear.
“He didn’t do anything. He’s just into games, and I’m not.”
“I shouldn’t have brought you here.” She looks away.
I shouldn’t be talking to her at all. When all this goes down, Aislin will be just as hurt by it as the rest of them.
“I came because I wanted to,” I tell her, which is the truth.
“Yeah, but you don’t get it. I… We…” She trails off.
Interest piqued, I ask, “You what?”
“Nothing. Ignore me. We should find boys. That’s honestly the main reason I came tonight.”
It surprises me when a genuine laugh falls from my lips. I wish like hell I could suck it back in, that I didn’t feel it. I have no business laughing at anything an O’Shea says.
“There aren’t as many good options as I would have expected,” I observe.
“Ugh. Right? It’s fucking ridiculous.”
I don’t reply. This is probably one of those moments where I should keep the conversation going, get to know her more, but I’m not good at that.
People approach here and there. Aislin talks to them all, and I realize that even though there’s only been a week of school so far, she’s met a lot of people, and those she hasn’t met are drawn to her. Maybe it’s because she’s beautiful, or maybe it’s because they all know she’s Tiernan’s sister and can see the power that comes with it.
Just as I have that thought, a girl she’s talking to says, “He’s your brother, right? Tiernan O’Shea?”
Aislin tenses beside me. “Yes, but I assume you knew that. Don’t try to get close to me because of my brother. I don’t play those games.”
A spike of pride jumps in my chest, and I immediately try and tamp it down. I have no fucking reason to feel prideful for her. No matter what it feels like, Aislin is the enemy too.