My cold, dark heart thaws and my eyes soften as I watch him. “Thank you,” I whisper, “but just so you know, I never would have thought you were telling me just because he did. I see it in both of you. I know it’s true. I can feel it.”
King dips his head to mine, and just as our lips finally meet in another bruising kiss, the classroom door flies open and Ember stares at me with a stupid grin on her face. “Well, well, if it isn’t my favorite human pin cushion,” she says. “Where the fuck have you been? I’ve been waiting for you for ages. I have to tell you about the graduation party.”
“What graduation party?” I ask, pulling out of King’s arms and feeling him right behind me as we make our way out of the classroom.
Ember’s smile only widens as she meets my stare. “My graduation party,” she tells me as we head toward the cafeteria. “It’s going to be insane. My parents are going to be away for the weekend and we’re all getting fucked up.”
My brow raises as I narrow my gaze. “Just how fucked up?”
“Like I’m inviting the whole senior class kind of fucked up.”
“No way.”
“Yes way, but that’s not even the best bit,” she says, her tone raising an octave as she continues. “I just snuck out of fourth period History, met Corey in the student parking lot and fucked him in the back of his car.”
I gape at her, shocked to my core. “What?”
“Yeah,” she laughs. “That was after he ate me out on the hood and I sucked his dick like I was applying for the cock-sucking championship. And for the record, if I were, I would have won. This tongue is a bad freaking bitch. Got me out of my speeding ticket last Christmas.”
My mouth drops and I just stare at her as King laughs from my other side. “I guess that means the parking lot is free now,” he mutters under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear. “You still down for that four-way?”
CHAPTER 13
Music blares from Ember’s house as Cruz slings his arm over my shoulder and practically struts up the massive stairs leading to her front door. I smile up at him, loving the feel of his warm arm wrapped around me and the smile that always seems to accompany it.
Cruz has been a busy boy these past few weeks working hard on Sam’s ledger and trying to find his victims, wherever they may be. Lately it’s been rare that I get to see Cruz or Grayson, but not tonight—tonight they’re all mine. Don’t get me wrong, I understand more than most their need to spend hours slaving over that ledger, but the only thing that is more important is that they’re looking after themselves as well, which is exactly what tonight is about. Besides, they wouldn’t miss tonight for the world.
Tonight’s graduation party is like a breath of fresh air. School is done and now every single one of us seniors are finally moving on to the next stages in our lives, whether that be a shitty desk job, college, or ruling over a billion-dollar secret society filled with corruption, murder, and secrets.
Yeah … when I moved to Ravenwood Heights and into Kurt and Irene’s shitty little home, this really isn’t where I expected my life to end up by graduation. Hell, for the most part, I figured that I would have been living under a bridge by now with my ankle chained to my bike as I slept, just so it wouldn’t get stolen.
The door of Ember’s gorgeous home has been left wide open, and though they don’t show it, I know each of the boys are now second guessing whether we should even walk through it or not.
An open-door policy means that anyone could be inside. We could potentially be walking into a death trap, and I’m sure the guys will have something to say about it later, but for now, they’re sucking it up and taking the risk, knowing this is the only graduation party I might ever have. Though, one thing is for sure, my night of reckless drinking and letting loose just turned into a night of watching my back and checking every dark corner.
Fun times.
Intent on having a good night, I put the invasive thoughts to the back of my mind, allowing Cruz to pull me through the front door. The music vibrates through my chest as I take in my surroundings. Ember’s loving family home is now a full fucking rave. Colored spotlights shine over small stages. Girls I never got the chance to know are grinding against stripper poles, and a massive bar spans the length of Ember's living room.
I stare in shock.
How the fuck did she get this shit past her parents? Surely they have to know about this. It would have taken a week to set up, but she said they were only gone for the weekend.