“Stupid girl,” I muttered to myself as I flushed the toilet and left the stall to wash my hands. The music pulsed through the walls, mimicking the thud of my heart against my ribcage.
He’s doing it to get under your skin. Ignore him and he’ll stop.
Easier said than done.
Jason ‘asshole’ Ford was the bane of my existence. Arrogant. Conceited. A total manwhore.
And the guy my heart had apparently decided it wanted.
Stupid, stupid heart.
Pressing my hands against the cool marble counter, I stared at myself in the wall-length mirror. I looked good. My hair was curled to perfection, hanging in long loose waves down my back; my makeup was smoky and seductive; and the black dress clung to my curves like a second skin.
I didn’t only look good.
I looked downright hot.
“Get it together, Giles,” I commanded to the girl staring back at me in the mirror. “He only has power over you if you let him.”
And right now, the asshole was out there all over another girl.
A girl who wasn’t me.
The knot in my stomach tightened as I inhaled a deep breath. “You’ve got this,” I whispered.
Just then, a group of giggling girls spilled into the restroom, pausing to glance me over. I offered them a tight smile and hurried out of there. The New York club Asher’s cousins had brought us to was something else. Nothing like the bars we had back home in our small town of Rixon. It was moody and dark, the furnishings sleek and sexy. Frequented by young, rich New Yorkers all looking to let loose and have fun.
I slipped into the hall connecting the cloakroom and restroom to the rest of the club, determined to enjoy the night. So what if Jason was practically dry fucking Asher’s cousin? My body—and stupid foolish heart—might have wanted him, but my head knew better.
My head knew Jason Ford was a really bad idea.
What I needed was to find a nice guy who wanted to buy me a drink and dance the night away with me. And who knew, maybe I’d get to tick another thing off my list. After all, we were in New York. New freaking York. It was a small miracle my parents had ever agreed to let me take the trip for my best friend’s birthday. Of course they only knew about the art exhibition we planned to visit and the sightseeing we wanted to do. But what they didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt them.
The thought made me smile, putting an extra bounce in my step, as I rounded the corner... and smacked straight into a hard, muscular chest. “I know you want me, Giles, but throwing yourself at me is kind of desperate.”
“Fuck you, Jason.” I glowered at him, stepping back to put a safe distance between us. Of course he took that as a challenge, the glint in his eye obvious as he inched closer.
“Jason,” I warned, but he kept coming until my back hit the wall, knocking the air from my lungs.
“I know what you’re doing,” he whispered against my ear, his warm breath dancing over my skin. I gulped, my eyes fluttering closed. His voice was low, husky even, and if I didn’t know him the way I did, it would have been easy to mistake his tone for seduction.
But I did know him.
And this was all a game to him.
“I’m not doing anything, Jason,” I sighed, ignoring the little voice in my head whispering ‘liar’.
He erased the sliver of space between us, plastering his body against mine in the dimly lit hall. “It won’t work,” he added, his tongue swiping my damp skin before nipping my earlobe. My knees buckled as a full-body shiver rolled through me.
“Jason.” It was supposed to be another warning, but my voice betrayed me, his name falling from my lips on a breathy sigh.
One of his hands glided up my body. I fought the urge to lean into his touch, to seek more. He didn’t care that he squeezed my breast a little too hard or that his fingers wrapped around my throat a little too tight. Because a guy like Jason Ford did what he wanted, took what he wanted, when he wanted it.
But I did care.
I cared that his rough touch lit up my body in a way it never had before. I cared that I wanted to let him do unspeakable things to me.
I cared that I cared.
Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them away, my gaze hard when he finally lifted his head to mine.
“Keep this up and you’re going to get hurt,” he said coolly. But the air around us was anything but cool.
It was blistering, crackling with tension, burning with anticipation.
“You’re playing with fire, Felicity.” God, even the way he said my name did things to me. “And do you know what happens when you play with fire?”
His liquor-scented breath caressed my face; his lips hovering dangerously close to mine. “You end up getting burned.”
I should have told him to get the hell away from me. Or slapped his panty-melting face and walked away. Or even kneed him in the balls and run. But I did none of those things. Instead, I said, “Maybe I want to get burned.”
Because I was Felicity Giles, a girl with a list and a serious case of the crazies.
Jason’s brow lifted, his dark eyes studying me. Although looking into my soul better described the way I felt whenever his dark, intense gaze aimed in my direction.
Why couldn’t I have wanted someone else, anyone else?
Seconds passed as we stared at one another. The music reverberated around us. Laughter and chatter lingering on the periphery of our dark corner of the hall.
“Jason?” I asked, finally breaking the silence, unable to bear it for a second longer.
“Fuck it,” he breathed and then his lips were on mine, hard and demanding. Jason didn’t just kiss me, he devoured me. His hands clawed at my dress, scraping the material up my legs until his fingers found the soft flesh of my thighs.
“Oh God,” I moaned against his unyielding lips. My hands wound into his unruly brown hair as our tongues tangled together. It was messy and dirty and quite possibly the best kiss I’d ever have.
But nothing good lasted forever, and this was Jason. He wasn’t a white knight swooping in to win the damsel’s heart. He was the evil Prince out to wreck and ruin and leave a trail of broken hearts in his wake.
“Fuck.” He tore himself away from me, his body literally jerking back.
Disappointment swelled in my chest as I watched his expression morph into sheer anger. “That was a mistake.” His lip curled in disgust.
“Okay.” I managed to choke out, smoothing down my wrinkled dress.
“I need to go; Vaughn is waiting for me.”
My heart sank.
I could handle his taunts. I could even handle being called a mistake. But hearing him say he was going back to another girl after kissing me like that... it made me want to puke.
“You should probably hurry,” I bit out. “Wouldn’t want to keep her waiting.”
“Shit, Felicity, I—” Something flashed in his eyes but I cut him off.
“Go Jason, just go.” I stared at the patterns in the plush carpet.
His heavy gaze lingered on me for another second and then, like always, he was gone.
I woke startled, my eyes straining against the darkness. Crap, my head hurt after one too many drinks. But I’d needed all the liquid courage I could get after spending the night watching Jason and Vaughn. His hand on her waist, her lips on his neck. The sexual energy rolling off them, infecting everyone in close proximity.
My stomach lurched and I pushed up on one elbow, waiting for the waves of nausea to pass. Just then, a creak out in the hall cut through the silence.
“Hailee?” I whispered.
Nothing.
Lying back down, I stared up at the ceiling, my eyes chasing shadows, when I heard the sound again. Ready to go out there and see who was up, I grabbed the covers. But my door swung open and Jason stepped inside.
“What are you—”
“Ssh,” he hissed, stalking further into the room.
“You can’t be in here,” I said, curling my hands into the sheet, keeping them pulled up around my body. His eyes pierced the darkness. Watching me.
Stalking my every move.
Not that I dared breathe with him so close.
“Where’s Vaughn? Shouldn’t you—”
“Do you ever stop talking?”
“You’re in my room in the middle of the night. You don’t get to say what I can and can’t do.”
His lip curved deviously. “Wanna bet?” He edged closer, taking the air with him.
“Jason, this isn’t funny...”
“You naked under there, Giles?”
Oh God.
Heat pooled in my stomach when it should have been fear. Because Jason didn’t play nice, he played dirty.
Deadly.
Dangerously.
“You’re drunk,” I said, finding my voice again. “You should go.”
“You sure about that?” He was at the foot of the bed now, looking over me like a dark prince.
“I...”
He needed to leave.
I needed to tell him to leave right now.
Jason liked this game too much. A game I should never have gotten tangled up in.
It had all started with a list.
My list.
My foolish little list.
It was supposed to help me rock senior year. To encourage me to do all those things I’d always dreamed of but never been brave enough to do. To shed my wallflower existence.
What I didn’t count on was him.
I thought I was strong enough to play his game; to engage in war with an expert strategist.
I thought I could protect my heart and have some fun.
I should have known better.
I should have retreated instead of surrendering. But I handed over my heart without even realizing.
And now he owned me.
All of me.
Even if he said he didn’t want me.
But now he was standing there, looking at me with hunger in his eyes. A hunger that matched my own.
He did want me.
Jason Ford wanted me.
And I knew, the rules had just changed.
Felicity“Are you going to ignore me forever?” I asked my best friend as we stopped at our lockers. She gave me some serious stink eye as she traded out textbooks.“Hails, come on. It was a mistake. I made a mistake.”Slamming her locker shut, her eyes fixed on mine clouded with disappointment. “You slept with him,” she hissed, lowering her voice. “You had sex with Jason. Have you lost your goddamn mind?”“It was one time.” Barely one time when you really thought about it. “And I was drunk; it was a mistake.” One I wouldn’t be repeating in a hurry. Not that the aforementioned asshole would want a second round. Get a grip, Felicity.“And you think that’s okay? You were drunk. Not to mention a virgin,” her voice lowered dangerously, indignation flaming her cheeks. “And you let him—”“It’s done now.” I gave her a tight smile, ignoring the knot in my stomach. “It will never happen again. But at least I can check another thing off my list.” Strained laughter spilled from my lips, but Hails
My day didn’t get much better. Hailee was barely talking to me, and all everyone else was talking about was the Raiders upcoming game against Millington. Which meant all day his name followed me, a whisper on the wind, taunting me.But it was fine.I was fine.I’d wanted to lose my v-card and I had. Okay, so I hadn’t anticipated giving it up to one of the most arrogant and conceited jerks I knew, but what was senior year if not a chance to try new things ... and then quickly regret ever going there.Images flooded my mind as I pushed the sandwich around my plate. His hurried and needy and oh so hot kisses. His big strong hands splayed around my hip, my throat, possessive and dominant. The sting of him filling me... the almost tears.“Flick?” Hailee narrowed her eyes at me. “Where’d you go just now?”“Huh, I...”“Forget it.” She went back to her fries, and guilt coiled around my heart. I hated that things were awkward between us. But she had walked in on me and Jason doing it, so I kne
Jason“We need to talk,” Cameron pressed his hand against my chest blocking my exit from the locker room.“Not interested,” I said coolly.“We are doing this.” His brow arched as he shoved me. It was only a mild push but enough for me to know he meant business.“Fine,” I shot back. “Say whatever you have to say, man, and let me get the fuck to class.”“You go to class now?” He smirked.“Fuck you.”“Why’d you do it?” Cam let out a weary sigh, his eyes asking me a million things I didn’t have the answer to.Shrugging, I said, “Because I was drunk and she was there.”“Don’t give me that bullshit. You like her.”“Like her?” I barked out. “I can’t fucking stand her.” Felicity Giles was exactly the kind of girl I spent my days trying to avoid. Needy. Desperate. Weird as hell.“You really are a dick sometimes, you know that?”“Never claimed to be anything else.” I shrugged dismissively.“I just don’t get it. Vaughn was all over you. You could have taken her back to the hotel…” He let the wor
I pushed off the wall the second Felicity appeared. Mondays she stayed behind after school for book club.Fucking book club. It sounded like something my grandma would have enjoyed if she were alive.“Jason?” Her mouth fell open when she spotted me, those big sea-green eyes widening to saucers. “What are you—”“Let’s go, Giles,” I said, trying to keep it as impersonal as possible. My dick had other ideas though, traitorous motherfucker, stirring to life the second my hand clasped around her tiny wrist. Remembering how it had felt to pin them above her head while I slid inside her, making her cry out my name.“Go? Go where?” She huffed indignantly. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”“You think you have a choice?” I dragged her around the side of the building toward the gym. It was quiet, just like I knew it would be.“Jason,” she hissed, trying to yank free of my grip. But I kept walking, refusing to do this out in the open where anyone could walk by and see us.Shouldering the door to
Felicity“You’re distracted,” Hailee said over her sundae. “It’s him, isn’t it? Jason.” There was a coolness to her voice that squeezed my heart.“It’s not…” I let out a heavy sigh, meeting her gaze. “I thought I’d feel good or relieved or something but now I just feel…”I didn’t know what I felt.The list was supposed to help me push my boundaries, to step out the confines of my perfectly average life and take more risks. It wasn’t like I’d planned to seduce Jason. To play his stupid game of cat and mouse. He was just there. Like a slow building wave that before I realized what had happened, crashed over me and swept me off my feet.“Oh, Flick.” Hailee reached over the table and grabbed my hand. “I could kill him for doing—”“It wasn’t his fault. I need you to know that. I—”“You like him, don’t you?”“I can’t really explain it but something’s different this year.” I’d never looked twice at Jason and his friends before. Neither had Hailee though, and look how that turned out. Now she
“Hailee, come here.” He gave her a reassuring nod, and slowly Hailee rose from the chair. But Thatcher’s hand clamped down on her shoulder.“Not so fast, baby, we’re just getting—"“Get your hands off her.”“Or what, Chase? You’re a lover not a fighter and I don’t see Ford anywhere, do you?”Anticipation crackled in the air, the whole diner watching on with fascination. A few cameras were aimed in the direction of the stand-off between Cameron and Lewis Thatcher and I knew it wouldn’t be long before it was all over social media.“You don’t want to do this, man.” Cameron implored, holding his hands up. “It’s a public place, people are filming.”Hesitation flashed over Thatcher’s face, enough for Cameron to grab Hailee’s hand and yank her toward him. “Go.” He flicked his head toward us, and she hurried to Asher’s side.“Maybe we should call Jason,” she said.“That is the last thing we want to do right now. Your boy can handle it.”“What’s going on here?” Tate appeared looking flustered.
Jason“What the fuck happened?” I demanded the second Cam and Asher arrived at our regular spot in Bell’s, a local bar run by an ex-Raider and one of our biggest fans. My eyes flicked to Hailee who was quiet and a little pale at his side. I barely even acknowledged Felicity. I couldn’t risk her pulling that hypnotic voodoo crap on me, not here.“Well?” I arched my brow, growing impatient.“It was Thatcher. He showed up at The Alley.”“He was bothering you?” Meeting my step-sister’s gaze, my eyes bore into hers, and she gave me a small nod.“Fuck.” I raked a hand through my hair, trying to rein in the anger I felt coursing through my veins. Thatcher was supposed to be my problem. Mine and the team’s. He was never supposed to go after Hailee. But that shit was on me and I’d deal with it.One way or another, Thatcher would get what was coming to him. Even if I had to bide my time until the season was done.My fist curled against my thigh, anger radiating deep inside me. Fucking Lewis Tha
“Is that what you think? That I was talking about you?” I stepped closer. “That was a mistake. You were a mistake. One I don’t plan on making again.”Felicity’s breath hitched, pain flashing in her eyes. “Fuck you,” she seethed.“Baby,” I reached out, pulling a strand of hair. “We already did that.”“I hate you.” Her voice trembled.Good. She needed to hate me. I didn’t need her getting the wrong idea about us.About me.For as much as I hated to admit it, Hailee was right. I needed to stay away from Felicity. She was too naïve, too fucking pure. Until New York, until me, she’d been a virgin for fuck’s sake.I stepped forward again, putting us almost chest to chest. I hadn’t planned on getting this close, but there was no denying she pulled me in. Almost made me want to finish what we started in New York. My eyes dropped to her lips; soft pouty lips I knew the taste of. Her tongue darted out as she watched me watching her.“Jason, what are—”“Shut the fuck up,” I ground out. Her chest