The Original Crowd (A Whole New Crowd 0.50)

“I gotta call you back,” he murmured, placing everything on the counter. “Hey.”

In that second, looking at him, I realized how tired I really was.

Not just of the senseless drama, but of everything.

I’d been running for so damn long. Running to a better life. And now that I got one, I’d lost the only family I’d ever known.

“You got a deal tonight, huh?” I murmured, hopping up on the counter. Tray came to me and stood between my legs, his hands coming to rest on my thighs.

“Yeah.” He breathed out. “That a problem?”

I shrugged and kept quiet.

“It’s a problem,” he stated, sighing.

I shook my head and rested my forehead on his shoulder. “Like I can talk after all the stuff I’ve been doing.”

Tray moved closer and pulled me into his arms. Then he lifted me up, sliding his hands underneath my legs and moved from the counter. I gasped, but quickly grabbed around his shoulders and neck. He carried me out of the house and into the pool-house. He turned once, to lock the door, and then we walked back to the bedroom, dropping lightly onto the bed.

I sighed. Until th

is second, I didn’t even realize how much I missed its warmth.

He moved in behind me, wrapping one arm around my waist and pulled me tight against him. Nuzzling my neck, his breath caused me to shiver. “So, what’s the problem?” he asked.

This was it. Time for the conversation.

And I wanted to be anywhere but there…well…maybe not.

“I’ll leave it alone,” I announced, my voice clear.

“What?” Tray asked, lifting up and rolling me on my back. He gazed down at me in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“Jace. Galverson. Everything. My guy got some stuff on ‘em, but I haven’t looked at it yet. I’m not going to,” I promised, hoping he read the earnestness in my eyes. “I’m going to leave it alone.”

He sat up, pulling me up with him. I rested my back against the headboard. Our legs were intertwined with each other, around the bed sheets.

“Why?” he asked, point-blank.

“Because—” I hedged, sighing.

“Taryn,” Tray said firmly.

“Because…I don’t know if it’s worth it,” I finally managed to get out. Holy hell, confessing you’re wrong is hard. “Because...everything that happened with you and…you’re right. I can’t go after Jace without going after Galverson. I’m not that much of a moron. I may do stupid shit, but tangling with a guy like Galverson would be reckless and suicidal.”

Tray seemed to be holding his breath as he watched me.

Suddenly, he let it out and whispered, “Thank God.”

I let out my own breath that I didn’t realize I was holding.

Tray leaned closer and whispered against my lips, “We have some serious making up to do. You weren’t here last night.”

I grinned and then gasped as he lifted me in the air and strode into the bathroom. Turning on the shower, he grinned. “We both need to clean off.” Then his lips were on mine, rough and insistent.

I leaned upwards and wrapped my arms around his neck, jumping and wrapping my legs around his waist. Tray walked us into the shower and pressed me against the wall, his hands sliding forcefully underneath my shirt where he untied my bikini straps. He broke away from me, pulling my bikini top off my arms and threw it over his shoulder. I took that time to grab the ends of my shirt and yank it up and off. Tray did the same, my legs still entwined around his waist. Then he was bending over me, kissing and licking me all over.

My eyes closed, and rolled to the back of my head.