Razor's Edge (Underworld Kings)

“I’ll try.”

Those words were true. Try would be the name of this game. I’d try my best and let fate take care of the rest. If we were meant to be, I told myself, it would happen

Chapter 14

CALVIN

Days turned into weeks and weeks into months. From that first night at dinner Ellison and I just connected. She made me lighter and had this way about her of making the world seem like it wasn’t full of darkness. Ellison was passionate and interested in so many ways. She was always up for a challenge and made me remember past times I loved doing, but had forgotten completely, like riding bicycles, or going to the town pool and swimming, diving off the diving board, making root beer floats in her family’s kitchen. She gave me hope, that’s what it was. Hope for a future with all of the trappings I'd never wanted before I met her.

By the time school started in the fall, we were already a solid item. An unbreakable couple who only had eyes for one another. My mom let me use one of the cars from the club on loan. I would have loved to show up to South Vale high with Ellison on the back of my bike, but it was more important to me that she be comfortable than me looking cool. I drove her to school, carried her books, sat next to her at lunch, and monopolized all of her time.

That first day of school, Ellison turned heads, just like I knew she would. We came in the front double doors, arm in arm. She was wearing a white cap sleeved t-shirt, and pink jeans that hugged all of her curves. She’d brushed her hair into a high ponytail and secured it with a white bow. The guys looked at her like a piece of meat to devour, and the girls gave her side-eye, both for being new and being pretty. Bright blue eyes, freckles dusting her button nose, perfect tits, ass for days, and the sweetest, smartest, most considerate person I’d ever known, but they couldn’t see that part.

I stared them all down and let them know she was mine, untouchable, protected, and off-limits for anything other than friendship. I was a Montgomery so that counted for something. The kids at South Vale were rich, privileged, and spoiled to no end. But I had a reputation that preceded me, first from my older brother Fox, and even dating all the way back to my dad, who’d attended the same school in the eighties. We might not have had the wealth and the mansions, the pools or the vacations, but students at South Vale knew they’d get their asses handed to them if they ever tried to mess with me. Just walking down the halls, people gave us space. Everyone wanted to know who Ellie was, but they knew not to fuck with a Montgomery if they could help it.

I waited at her locker to see her in between classes. She didn’t think kissing in school was appropriate, so I respected her boundaries. But every time some preppy jock walked by and checked out her ass, I wanted to shove my tongue down her throat to demonstrate how much that ass belonged to me. Instead, I settled for a hand on her waist just grazing the curve of her hip, making out in the parking lot, dragging her to parties just so I could keep my hands on her the whole time, kiss her in front of every mother fucker who wanted a piece of her.

“Why do we even go to parties?” She was pissed as we walked out of Todd Frampton’s mini castle. His parents were in Bali and the kid knew how to throw one hell of a house party. Ellison had on skin tight white jeans, a sparkling beaded tank top that was nearly transparent, silver strappy heels instead of her signature sneakers. My dick had been through the wringer and back. She’d let me put my hands up her shirt in a pantry off the kitchen.

“Cause I love to see you dressed up. I can’t let you hide at home. We’re not married yet. Besides, you’re sixteen and we’re supposed to be having fun.” I yanked her arm as she huffed away from me, pulling her into my arms and planting my lips on hers.

Her lips were cherry red and swollen from kissing. She had hickeys blooming on her neck, so I knew we were in for a week of turtlenecks, and I wanted to enjoy the view as long as possible.

“Amber thought we were having sex. She asked me if we wanted to use Todd’s bedroom.”

I eyed her, gauging her mood. She was flushed and I could see the faintest evidence of sweat around her hairline. Her nipples were hard and standing at attention through her bra, eyes glassy. She licked her lips and continued staring at me with a serious expression. My dick strained against my jeans and I wanted nothing more than to take Amber and Todd up on their invitation.