Triple Dare (Sterling Shore 7)

“My turn,” I remind her, trying not to acknowledge how weird it feels to have very little fucking hair.

It’ll grow back—that’s what I’ve been telling myself all day so that I didn’t punch something or someone.

She swallows hard as I lean down to her ear. “My newest triple dare? For two months, your ass is mine. All social functions I attend… All social functions you attend… Every night you’re not working… Mine. No avoiding me.”

It takes her a dazed second when I lean back for her expression to change. She seems scared, which is better than pissed.

“That messes with our four day rule.”

“That was for away visits,” I remind her. “Now you live here. Rules need amending, and triple dares need dealt with.”

I grin, feeling proud of myself. She fucking hates socialite functions. She’s about to live at them.

***

CORBIN

Ruby has been mostly quiet, but she’s letting me keep my arm around her shoulders without trying to throat punch me. So that’s progress.

But if one more person touches my damn hair…

The party is still going, but it’s gotten quieter, oddly enough. Everyone is finishing up their meals, and Ruby leans against me as Tria talks about her latest buyer.

This feels right—me, Ruby, our friends… all of it.

Red leather pants… Yeah, she likes to drive me crazy. Just like this little black top she’s wearing. If I hadn’t fucked up all those years ago, I could be getting her out of those—

Maverick’s laughter breaks me out of my trance, and I look up just in time to see him snapping yet another picture of me.

“Your phone is going to have more pictures of me than you, and I never thought that would be possible.” I glare at him for good measure, but the bastard doesn’t seem to give a damn as his eyes shift to Ruby.

“I can’t believe you got him to do that,” Maverick says, still laughing.

Ruby smugly grins, sitting proudly next to me, while I start mourning once again over the loss of the most important thing I owned.

“Can’t deny a triple dare. Not unless he wants to turn over his box.”

I roll my eyes at her, trying not to let her see how pissed I am. She’d just enjoy it even more. Dane, fortunately, shifts the conversation.

“Britt decided to go to Sterling University instead of USC.”

Dane doesn’t realize what he just said, but Maverick does. So does Ruby, who is groaning while I laugh and fist-pump the air. Hell yes!

“What?” Dane asks innocently, as Ruby casts daggers at me with her eyes.

“Long-standing triple dare,” I tell him, barely able to keep the rest of my premature laughter in.

Ruby flips me off before scrambling to the top of the table, carefully maneuvering over the plates and other dishes.

Eyes widen, fingers start pointing, and silence descends until Ruby loudly starts the fight song.

“Fight on for ol’ SC. Our men fight on to victory. Our Alma Mater dear, looks up to you. Fight on for ol’ SC. Fight on to victory. Fight on!”

A few cheers erupt while Ruby hops back down, her cheeks matching the color of her name.

“Never ever say that again,” she says, pointing a threatening finger at Dane, who can’t seem to stop laughing.

“Say what?” Maverick drawls. “USC?”

More laughter pours in as Ruby whimpers and once again hops up on the table. I really fucking love our games.

CHAPTER 9

RUBY

“You look so good!” Bo says, sounding much too cheery as I glare over at her.

“You don’t have it in you to be mean, so I doubt very seriously you’d tell me if I looked like shit,” I grumble, turning back to look at the horrible sight in front of me.

A fucking dress. A ritzy, glamourous, motherfucking dress.

I hate Corbin.

The dress is black and chic. It’s also long, and has red touches here and there. The red shawl—yes, the fucking shawl—I’m bringing will help to cover some of my tattooed sleeves. So will the gloves.

“Why are you covering up all the pretty ink?” Bo asks as I pull on one of the gloves.

I might hide my ink, but I won’t remove my piercings.

“You should know,” I mumble. “Socialites don’t enjoy a lot of ink.”

Her brow pinches together as she sits cross-legged on my bed.

“I didn’t think you cared what people thought. It’s always been one of the things about you that I envy.”

“I don’t care what they think. But Corbin’s mother will be there, and she won’t shut the hell up if she sees all my tats. I just don’t feel like hearing her mouth all night.”

She whistles low before blowing out an understanding breath. “So the mom doesn’t approve of you?”

“Never has. If his dad hadn’t been so adamant about shutting her down, Corbin and I wouldn’t have even been allowed to be friends. Unfortunately for her, Hershel Sterling has final say in their house, and he said Corbin could choose his own friends.”