Reckless, p.3
Reckless, page 3
The entire time I yelled at him, the asshole had the audacity to grin at me like I was giving him exactly what he wanted. The prick was pushing my buttons on purpose.
I don't know what he’s looking for, but he sure as hell got it.
Once I’m safely in my home, behind closed doors, I’m able to calm down from how angry Finn makes me. It takes me a while but I’m finally able to focus on my homework. Even with Duncan sending a slew of apology texts and asking if I got home okay, I get everything done.
Okay would be a loose way of putting it.
I'm enjoying my reward of soaking in a hot bubble bath when my phone goes off.
It's a message request from Facebook Messenger.
Finn O'Reilly sent you a message.
What the hell? This day is just getting weirder and weirder.
With soapy, hesitant fingers, I click the message.
Finn: You're welcome for the ride, BTW. ;)
That... that asshole. Now I feel stupid because I thought he wanted to apologize for being such a prick. Nope. He probably doesn’t know how to apologize.
Francine: I'm not thanking you.
I’m angry, but I watch the three dots indicating he's typing.
Finn: Princesses shouldn’t be so rude.
Francine: What's rude was your childish rant.
Finn: It wasn't childish, and it wasn't a rant. It's not my fault a virgin like you took offense to it.
My bath is still steaming but suddenly I’m ice cold.
He knows. How the hell does he know? I didn't say anything. Did Duncan? No, that's stupid. Why would Duncan tell him something like that? And since when is being a virgin a slur?
Francine: Goodbye.
Finn: See you tomorrow, Princess.
His last message is sent with a kissy face emoji, making me want to punch him in the face.
What is he doing? I don't even know how to describe how he's behaving. All I know is it makes me mad beyond belief. So much for relaxing in the bath.
CHAPTER 3
HER
See you tomorrow, Princess.
Finn’s last message is on a never ending loop in my head. It’s turned into a chronic obsession.
Why does he think he’ll see me? I’ve avoided him for three years, I can do it for one more. Does he really know that I’m a virgin? It’s a secret that only Duncan and I should know. If Finn tells anyone, we will be the laughingstock of the entire school, maybe even the whole town. Then Duncan will know Finn figured it out because of me.
Everything will blow up in my face.
The best course of action is to continue ignoring Finn and neither confirm nor deny his allegations of virginity.
Duncan arrives and I get in his car with Finn in the back of my mind, reminding me of how irritating I find my boyfriend.
Duncan is quick to apologize, and I nod along. "Let's promise not to talk about Finn O'Reilly anymore, okay? It only causes problems," I offer, hoping he will take me up on it.
Agreeing to my demand, he kisses my cheek after he puts the vehicle in park in the school’s parking lot. Our friends gather around us as we stop at the front door. Nyla and Ryleigh are talking non stop about our trip to the beach this weekend.
"Oh, my god. This is going to be so much fun!" Willow says as she strolls up.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's almost winter. The water will be cold," I utter as I stare at the entrance to the school. I can't help myself. I know Finn will be here soon, and I need to avoid him.
"Don't be such a Karen!" Ryleigh whines. "Besides, I've been checking the weather, and it's supposed to be unseasonably hot this weekend. Sunny skies and not a cloud in sight."
This may be just what I need to clear my mind. "Sounds great," I grin, genuinely excited about this getaway.
It's a yearly ritual for the whole school. It's great because the Bastards are the only ones who don't attend the beach camp out.
I guess there's something good that comes out of Finn, not respecting rituals.
Willow squeals, "We need to go shopping for some new bikinis!"
"Um, I'm sticking to my one piece. Thank you," I deflect.
My girlfriends moan.
"Come on. You're so tame sometimes. Bikinis make you feel powerful and sexy. Besides, I'm sure Duncan would like to see you in one," Nyla presses.
"I wouldn't want anyone else to see her in one," he says from behind before throwing his arms around my waist.
I'm consciously aware of my reaction to this affectionate gesture. I should be swooning and leaning into him, and yet I'm craving my personal space.
It doesn't mean anything, though. I'm just tired from yesterday’s debacle. That's all it is.
Duncan and I are fine.
Finn and his posse stride through the door, and I quickly lean into Duncan’s hold, even though it makes me uncomfortable.
If Finn is going to be watching me, guess I’ll put on a show. I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of being right.
"Woah. Babe, are you okay?" Duncan must have felt my body tense.
"Yeah, why?"
"You just got really tense."
God, this is embarrassing. Why isn't he just going with it? Isn't this what any boyfriend wants—their girlfriend to be close to them?
"No, I'm leaning into you. Is it a crime to want to be close?" I whisper to him, not wanting anyone else to hear.
He doesn't speak. He places a kiss on my cheek just as my eyes meet Finn’s. I let out a fake giggle like the easily embarrassed girl I am.
I expect Finn to look pissed, but he seems amused as he gives a lift of a brow. He pulls out his phone and keeps walking. After a minute, there’s a buzzing in my pocket, but I ignore it.
The only people I want to talk to are here with me.
"Time for class," Willow muses before she pulls me away from Duncan.
We exchange small talk about the upcoming beach trip until we reach my first class, which is Trigonometry. I enter the class by myself and take my seat, waiting for class to begin. I pull out my phone to check my messages.
The buzzing earlier was from Finn. He can't take a hint. I just want him to leave me alone.
Finn: Game on, Princess.
Game on? What the hell is that about? I put my phone away, ready to try to get my mind off of Finn's words, but this proves to be impossible. Holding a pink slip of paper, he walks into class right as the bell rings.
"Right, yes, Mrs. Price did say you'd be switching your classes around. Have a seat, Mr. O'Reilly."
My heart stops as Finn looks at me, a victorious grin across his lips. My mouth dries as he slowly makes his way down my aisle then he sits directly behind me.
My intent to ignore him is difficult. He keeps tapping on the back of my seat and messing with my hair. Halfway through, I kick under my seat, hitting his leg. A groan rumbles from behind me before a warm breath tickles my neck and he leans into my ear.
"That was a cheap shot, Princess," he rasps.
I smile in victory. "Then stop messing with me, Mack," I sneer but don't turn to look at him. Mr. Caldwell is deep in one of his lectures, so he doesn't notice our banter.
"You're calling me Mack now, but soon, you'll be calling me Daddy," he growls in my ear—that same growl as yesterday. It's the one that makes me weak in the knees. My thighs clench instinctively, and he must've caught it because his growl deepens. "Do you like that, Princess? Did it make you wet? Should I bend you over and let you call me Daddy while I fuck you?"
Why is his vulgarity turning me on? It's so wrong and disturbing. I don't like Finn.
Then why is this making me want him?
"Ew, gross. You're disgusting. Are you forgetting that I have a boyfriend that I very much adore?"
"I don't have much respect for that... arrangement. You can't stand to have his hands on you. Yet all I need to do is whisper in your ear and your body craves my touch. Your body is all stiff, but your lust betrays you. You want me and deep down inside you know you want me to do everything I'm saying to you. I bet if I touched your pussy right now, you'd be fucking soaked. Isn't that right, Princess? Is my princess’s pussy wet for me? For her daddy?"
No, no, no. I don't want him! I refuse to admit something like that, but my mouth is impossibly dry and my legs are shaking under the desk.
"Absolutely not. The only thing I want from you is for you to leave me alone," I grit out. As if he has every right in the world, he runs his fingers along my bare shoulder, teasing the strap of my tank top.
"Liar," he whispers. "You have goosebumps." I don't realize he's right until I look down at my arm.
Dang it.
"Fuck you," I say, struggling to push out the curse word between gritted teeth. I hate cursing, but I want him to go away.
"Fuck me? Oh no, Princess. I’ll be the one doing the fucking and… You’ll. Love. It. You’ll love my cock so much that you’ll be begging for every inch of it. Your pussy will become so addicted to my cock that you’ll get wet just from just hearing my voice. You’ll want my cock to fill every one of your holes."
Hole. E. Crap. Stop. Just stop.
Sweat trickles between my breasts and I flush. How can he talk to me like this? And why is he talking to me like this? What is he doing to me? I'm a good girl who doesn't do anything bad.
I'm a good girl.
I’m a good girl.
The air thins around me as a sharp piercing noise infiltrates my ears. I close my eyes as I feel the rumble of laughter coming from the antichrist behind me.
I said that out loud.
I can feel his lips move against my ear as he chuckles. “You are a good girl.. But not for long.”
I do want him. My body reacts to him in a way it never has reacted to anyone else. I want him to touch me, to make me scream and beg for mercy. I want him to take what he wants, use me for all his dirty deeds. I want to be bad for him.
And that's not good.
He's Finn O'Reilly.
Bad boy.
Player.
Criminal.
He's the worst person I could lust after, and I have Duncan. He hates Finn. It would be the biggest betrayal if anything happens between me and Finn. Ever.
"Not happening," I say.
Mr. Caldwell sends us a scowl. He caught us talking during his lecture.
"To be continued," Finn utters before sitting back in his seat.
The class resumes without any more incidents and, as soon as the bell rings, I escape to my next class.
Finn might want me, but he can't have me.
CHAPTER 4
HER
It’s already hard for me to want to attend Trig class, but having Finn in it makes it even harder. Since our little episode earlier this week, he has rearranged his schedule so he’s also in my English and physics class. I can’t escape him, especially now that he’s my freaking study partner?
I'm used to staying at my desk for study day, but now I have a study partner which means we have to leave our small desks for a larger table so there’s room to sit together.
Perusing the classroom, I realize there aren't any free tables left. Maybe something is finally going my way and we won’t be forced together.
"Don't worry, Miss Gray, Mr. O'Reilly. You can study in the storage room. There's a table in there." My entire body stiffens in shock.
Oh, no.
I'll be alone... with him. That's dangerous. Not only am I not able to control myself around Finn, Duncan will have another hissy fit if we spend any time together.
What if I do the unthinkable and am not able to control myself? Duncan will never forgive me. He'll hate me forever.
I look at Mr. Caldwell with pleading eyes, but he ignores me. I have no choice, so I stand from my desk and make my way over to the storage closet.
Once inside I set my bag down and pull out my textbook.
Maybe if I just ignore him, he'll leave me alone.
Yeah, right? Like that will ever happen.
Still, I try my best. I sit down in a hard blue plastic chair, and bury my nose in my book. My ears are assaulted by a long, loud and deliberate screech as Finn pulls his chair around the desk, right next to mine. But, of course, he has to turn it around and straddle it because he can’t sit like a normal person.
"What are you studying?" Mint tickles my nose as he whispers in my ear, his calloused hand grips my knee. My heart races as I finger the edge of the page. I swear my heart is beating louder than the ticks of the clock. He's touching me and it's as if his fingers have a direct line to my clit. Electricity shoots up my leg, and it takes everything in me not to squeeze my thighs together.
"Spanish," I say.
His hand moves up my thigh. "¿Aprendido algo?" his voice gets impossibly huskier as he massages the inside of my leg.
I can't focus on what he's saying when all of my attention is on his fingers. "What?"
"Distracted much?" he growls then teases the hem of my skirt. "I asked if you're learning anything." He leans in and runs his nose along my jawline then stops at my neck, leaving a soft kiss. A shiver runs down my spine and goes straight to my clit. Seriously, is everything on my body attached to my clit?
Gaining some faux strength, I bring my eyes to his. "Stop," I demand, and push his hand away. "You’re an asshole! Where the hell do you get off thinking, you have any—" His icy eyes meet mine before he laughs. "You're laughing at me now?"
"I’m laughing because I never claimed to be anything else. And where I get off will be inside you." His smile rivals the cat who swallowed the canary.
"Not if I have anything to say about it. Hasn't anyone ever told you ‘no means no’?"
"Absolutely. No does means no. I’m told no all the time, like when a girl says no, stop, and she's still pulling you deeper into her. That's the vibe your no's give off. You say no, but your eyes scream yes. Just admit it. You want this." He runs his tongue along his bottom lip, it’s so sexy that I can’t deny the hunger that makes me want to kiss him.
"No, I don't. When will you get that through your head? Not every girl wants to play your game and—never mind. You couldn't possibly understand." Of course he won't understand. He's Finn O'Reilly. He's the last guy in school that would.
"Understand what, Princess?"
"Understand that not everyone can just screw anyone. Some people actually require an emotional connection, like being in love. That's why they call it making love. Duh."
"Making love is a lie that guys tell gullible girls to get in their pants," he deflects.
"No, it's not!"
"Yes, it is, Princess. Think about it. The idea of making love is thinking about how much you love that person while doing it. Whether you're fucking or making love or whatever you want to call it, you're not thinking about how much you love the person. You're thinking about desire, pleasure, need, getting off. Not love."
Who am I to debate him? I've never had sex, but I refuse to believe it.
"Whatever. The point is I'm not giving my virginity—"
"So, you admit you’re a virgin. I fucking knew it. Ha! You're too defensive about sex not to be one," he says condescendingly.
"—to a selfish, womanizing player like you. I don't even like you as a person. I'm not having sex with you, ever. Get that idea out of your head. I would never, ever fall in love with someone like you."
"Is that a bet?"
My eyebrow arches at his question. "A bet?"
"Give me six weeks to make you fall in love with me. If I win, I’ll get you in my bed for as long as I want." I place my hand on my stomach hoping to calm the butterflies.
"A bet requires something each person wants. You want me to have sex with you. I don't want anything from you." I avert my eyes back to my textbook, but he’s not done with me. His fingers tug on my hair, twirling it around his fingers.
"Come on. There's got to be something you want."
"Nope, other than your untimely demise and the destruction of that death machine of yours, maybe?"
Something about what I say makes a lightbulb go off in his head because he suddenly has an idea.
"Doesn't sound like a bad idea," he mutters.
"Huh?" I look at him, confused.
"If you win, you get my bike."
What?
"I don't want your bike. That thing is—"
"I'll let you have my bike, and you can completely destroy it if you want." If I even knew how to do that in the first place, I might be tempted.
"Hard pass," I groan as I go back to my textbook.
"I'll leave you alone. I won't look at you, won't talk to you, won't touch you ever again... if you win."
I freeze at his offer, my eyes blaring into the beige wall.
He'd leave me alone. I wouldn't have to deal with the temptation anymore after six weeks. Things would go back to how they were.
But what about Duncan and my friends? What happens to them during this six weeks?
"If I agree to your terms…" I trail off.
"Yes?" His hand goes to my knee, inching back up to my skirt.
"You can't tell anyone about it. No one can find out." There’s a flash in his icy blue glare before a smile replaces the look of distaste on his face. What is that about?
"Alright. If I tell anyone, the bet is off completely."
"What if I tell anyone?"
"I don't give a shit if you tell anyone. I'm not embarrassed, but to make things even, I do have a rule for you." I wait for him to explain for a moment as he arches his eyebrow at me in a challenge.
"What is it?" I try not to sound like a timid little mouse.
Fast as lightening, he bypasses my skirt and his hand cups me between my thighs, his palm pressed flush against my damp panties. "You can't give this to anyone else until after our bet is over. This is mine, Princess." He presses his thumb against my clit, and I gasp at its pressure. "That means no fucking your boyfriend, don’t let him go down on you, don’t let him finger you. That also goes for you. No touching your pretty princess parts. Only I can touch you here, got it?"
