The Game Series (8 page)

My brother, currently three thousand miles away, still has the ability to mess my day – and my mood – up. And apparently, the ability to nearly mess up nine days of hard work with Braden.

But, really, who the hell walks up to someone in a college cafeteria and asks to finish what they started? It's vile, and reminds me exactly why I'm doing this. It also reinstates the hate for Braden I lost when he held me the way he did after my outburst.

I sigh, and my thoughts return to Pearce. Anger bubbles inside me, and I have the crazy urge to chuck my phone clear out of my dorm window. It would be so,
so
satisfying to see it smash into a million pieces on the sidewalk. Or, of course, I could just get a new number. That's probably the better idea, but nowhere near as invigorating.

I'm not surprised he's contacted me so soon after last time. I figured he wanted the money for rent, but I was wrong. Oh, so wrong.

There's one big difference between Pearce and Braden that I have to acknowledge. That difference would be in the form of illegal drugs.

Pearce turned to it when Mom was killed. It was his “escape.” There's nothing wrong with wanting an escape, but when that escape gives you a bigger down after, you have a problem. My darling brother solved that by getting more of the escape.

And this time he's run up a bill so bad that the eight hundred dollars already transferred from my bank doesn't even cover half of it.

Naturally, he told whoever he gets it from he'd get the money, assuming I'd hand it over like I always do, but this time I said no. I told him I wasn't going to bail him out anymore, and he went crazy.

His text message yesterday morning was informing me he was making arrangements to be here, and I should expect to see him next week sometime.

I click my tongue. Two different lives merging. Everyone here knows I have an older brother back in Brooklyn but they don't know the details. Besides Kay, Megan and Lila, only Braden knows about Mom being killed. No one never asked, and I've never felt like offering up that information.

But Pearce, here? The idea scares me, because I know what he's like. After all, didn't I watch him dominate, control and drive my best friend to attempted suicide, all because of his drug addiction and inferiority complex?

“Argh!” I rub my eyes with the heels of my hands, digging them in as if it can pull away the memories of last year. I should be so lucky.

The bright colors of our Operation Play the Player poster catch my eye. Day ten, and I'm even more determined than ever to see this through. For what feels like the hundredth time in two days, I build a wall around my heart.

Despite everything bad, Megan was right. Braden is caring, sweet, and thoughtful. He does have a heart, somewhere, at least.

But, so did Pearce before he ripped out Abbi's heart.

~

I walk across the lawn towards Braden's frat house. We haven't really spoken since my outburst in the cafeteria yesterday, so I know I need to 'patch things up' for the sake of the plan. All I really want to do is run away and hide somewhere Pearce can't find me.

Lila lets me in at the door. “He's out the back, come on.”

I smile gratefully at her, but I still sigh.

“Hey.” She wraps an arm around my shoulders. “It'll be okay. Even if he does show, we'll all be there. Promise. You won't be alone.”

“I know.” I drop my eyes to the ground as she opens the door.

“Time out!” Braden calls. I look up again, and I'm met by a sweaty, shirtless Braden jogging towards me. His face breaks out into a smile, and he hops onto the small porch. “Hey, Angel.”

“Hey,” I say quietly. “Braden-”

“If you're gonna apologize about yesterday, then stop right there.” He steps towards me and brushes some hair away from my eye. “We're all entitled to a freak-out once in a while, right?”

“Right.” I smile at him. “So, we're good?”

He laughs. “Maddie, we never weren't good. I just figured you needed time to cool down.”

I nod in agreement, and he reaches out to tuck me into his side. We rest back on the porch, our backs to the rest of the field. My hand rests on his stomach, and with my decision to finish this fresh in my mind, I take the game up another level.

I trace the grooves in his torso with the tip of my finger, my thumb brushing the solid packs of muscle as I go. His grip on my waist tightens as I approach the subtly defined 'v' by the waistband of his shorts. I feel him shiver, and his free hand clamps down onto mine an inch before I reach his shorts.

“Maddie,” he whispers in a deeper voice than I've ever heard him use. “If I were you, I'd stop there.”

Bingo.

“Why?” I smile, amused, and look up at him. “I was only wondering if that muscle went as far down as it looks like it does.”

He turns to me, his electric blue eyes clouding over with desire.  “It goes further.”

I bite my top lip, pulling the corner of it into my mouth and glance down at our clasped hands. He clears his throat, and I snap my eyes to his.

“Sorry,” I whisper. “Just curious.”

Braden moves his head down, putting his lips next to my ear. “Angel, you can be curious all you like, but unless you want my frat brothers to see what you look like in your birthday suit, it's wise if you stop right there.”

Warmth erupts in my belly. Holy
... I swallow. This is totally turning around on me. I can't even do justice to the turned-on tone of his voice. It's a husky, masculine sound that vibrates right through my body. I can feel it wrapping around every inch of my skin.

“Okay,” I breathe out. “I'll stop.”

I slide my hand out from under his and up his body, reaching his shoulder and trailing it down his arm. Goose-pimples erupt in my hand's wake, and he makes a growling sound deep in his throat. I control my smile, linking my fingers through his bigger ones.

I said I'd stop. I didn't say when.

He exhales loudly, his breath fluttering my hair. “Maddie.”

“I've stopped.” I bite my lip. “Sorry.”

He shakes his head, smiling and leans his forehead against mine. I look up into his eyes, my eyelashes tickling my skin. He rubs the tip of his nose against mine and gently tips his head so his lips brush mine. I move up to my tip toes, squeezing his hand. I wrap my free arm around his neck gently, returning the kiss.

So I like kissing the guy I hate. Shoot me.

“Hey, Carter! Put my girl down!” Kay yells, a door slamming behind her. I smile against Braden's lips and drop back down from my tip toes.

“Hey, Kay,” I greet her, turning round.

She looks between me and Braden. “You two are like a walking porn movie.”

“Hey, can't I kiss my girl now?” Braden looks at her. “It's not my fault if I want to show her off.”

I blush a little. A forced blush. A very forced blush. No, I'm lying. It wasn't forced at all.
Crap.

“You can.” She sniffs. “Just not when I'm around.”

Megan slaps the back of her arm. “Don't be so fucking grumpy. It's nice to see them happy!”

I smile at her.

“Thank you, Meggy.” Braden grins at her. Kay huffs, flips him off, and turns to join Lila and Ryan. “Man, she really hates me, huh?”

“It's because you don't have a vagina.” Megan giggles. “At least, I hope you don't.”

“I can assure you,” Braden replies, looking right at me. “There is no vagina in my pants.”

I bite my lip again to stop myself from grinning like crazy.

So I skipped a stage. This one is way more fun.

I'm fucked. Genuinely fucked.

Maddie's hand trailing down my stomach equaled an instant, rock hard, raging hard on. My dick standing to attention so fast it could well have been doing an army drill.

I curse the fact she's not like my usual girls. Usually, a suggestive smile and a wink is all that's needed. But no, I have to wine and fucking dine Maddie. I might as well serenade her under the fucking stars – and you know what? If I could sing, I damn well would.

Because I have to want what I can't have, all the time. And Maddie? Maddie is at the top of that list. Hell, she's at the top of every fucking list I own.

She is so damn untouchable, like a rare stone in a museum surrounded by laser lights. I feel like a ninja, dodging one more laser light daily and getting one step closer to worming my way into her heart.

But then, do I want her in love with me? The problem with this challenge is that it's not just a quick roll in the hay. I have to get to know her, I have to pretend to care about her – but when does pretending start becoming real?

I know her mom was killed. I know she's not close to her brother, that she loves her dad, and I also know that when she's in a bad mood her dirty mouth can rival mine on a good day. And that's sexy, on her.

Prim, proper Maddie going bad is the biggest fuckin' turn on I've ever had.

Shit.

I get up, slamming my bedroom door behind me. I can't stay in my room thinking about her. I practically run into Aston and Ryan at the bottom of the stairs and grab their arms, shoving them through the front door and round the side of the house.

“Dude? What the fuck?” Aston rubs his arms.

“You two.” I look between them. “Are driving me fucking crazy.”

“What?”

“This challenge. Do you know how hard it is to have that hot piece of ass rubbing up against me, knowing I can't drag her off to fuck her?” I resist the urge to slam my fist into the wall.

Ryan smirks. “You agreed, bro. I was only kidding, but then you agreed. You can't back out now. She's wrapped around your little finger.”

“Yeah, and that's the problem.” I look at him pointedly. “I don't want her wrapped around my little finger. I want her wrapped round my fucking dick.”

“So just drag her off to bed,” Aston suggests. “You two were getting' pretty cozy last night, if you get what I mean.”

“It hasn't even been two weeks, man.” I shake my head. “I can't even consider that until next week. She's attracted to me, and she's falling, but she's not fallen. She won't do it until she's full on in love with me. It doesn't help that girls I can't even remember keep coming up and asking me for another go.”

Both guys burst out laughing.

“Dude, you're joking, right?” Aston leans against the wall.

“I fuckin' wish.” I rub my forehead. “It's like, they see me with my fake girlfriend and all of a sudden I'm the sexiest thing on this damn campus.”

“I bet that isn't going down well,” Ryan muses. “With Maddie, that is. I bet you're loving it.”

“Actually, I fuckin' hate it.”

“You're joking? You actually hate it?”

“It's about as enjoyable as a hole in the head. That's how much I hate it. It doesn't help with the trust thing at all – especially since I can't remember them.”

Aston chuckles. “Send 'em my way next time. There's always space in my bed.”

“I'm sure there is,” I reply dryly. “What do I do about Maddie, though? She's driving me mad. She's like a walking sex advert to my brain.”

“Fuck her,” Ryan says simply. “You fuck her, get her out of your system. Just sooner than you already planned.”

~

Meggy's blonde hair bounces as she sits on my bed. “So, you and Maddie.”

“What about us?” I glance at her.

“You look pretty into her.”

Do I? “That's 'cause I am, Meggy.”

“Really, Bray? Because I know how well you can act. You can't hide anything from me.”

And that's the fucking problem. “I'm not acting. I like her.”

“Or do you like the sex you could get out of it?”

Seriously? “Meggy.”

“Bray.”

I look at her, and she raises her eyebrows. “I like her, I do. I mean, what's not to like?”

She leans back against the wall and crosses her arms across her chest. Her eyes bore into me, and I squirm slightly under her intense scrutiny. Shit. Why can she do this to me?
How
does she do it?

“I love you, Bray. You're like my brother, but if you're fucking her about, I will castrate you and hang your balls as a wind chime in the frat house front room window.” Ouch. I wince.

“I'm not fucking her around.” Much.

“Braden William Carter,” she snaps. “I mean it. I can read you like a book, and what you say and what you mean are two different things. But y'know what? What you mean and what you think are two different things, too.”

“Please, Meggy,” I say sarcastically. “Enlighten me on what I say, what I mean, and what I think.”

“What you say is that you want to be with her. What you mean is you want to sleep with her, and what you think is letting yourself feel for her what you do, in your heart, means you're a pussy.”

“What do you mean, letting myself feel something for her? I just admitted I like her.”

“Yes, Braden,” she says wryly. “But that's not what you mean. I'm not stupid. You're on some kick here with Maddie, and while it's not my business, I care about both of you. Unless you pull your brain from your dick, you're gonna end up hurt. Both of you will. Sex isn't everything.”

“I'm not in it for the sex.” I hate lying to her, but it has to be done.

“I call bullshit on that and every other lame-ass excuse you have stored in your brain, whichever part of your body it's currently residing in.” She jumps off the bed, crosses the room, and jabs a finger in my chest. “You, need to stop thinking you're the next Hugh Hefner and start thinking about how you actually feel. Your friends don't control you, Bray.”

“You just say that 'cause you think they're assholes.” I smirk.

“That's because they
are
assholes. Don't let them make you think that you should spend the next four years of your life at this college fucking everything with a pulse, because while you're busy getting it on, your future could be right in your line of sight. And y'know what else? Unless you open your eyes, you'll miss your future. She'll come and go so fast you'll blink, and you'll miss it.” She exhales and moves to the door. “Decide if Maddie is something with a pulse, or something more than that. She's been through too much to deal with your man-whore bullshit. Sit back and ask
yourself
what she is, not Tweedledick one and Tweedledick two.” She yanks the door open and slams it behind her.

“Fuck off,” I mutter, grabbing a pillow from the bed and chucking it at the closed door. “Fucking future. Bullshit.”

I'm almost nineteen. Who the fuck finds their future at this age?