Dynasty (Boys of Winter 1)

I head back over to the bartender and get a refill of whatever the hell I was drinking and walk right down to the water, putting my feet into the shallow waves and feeling as the tide draws in and out of the beach, sinking my feet into the sand.

Why can’t every night be like this? Instead, it’s full of shit and I have to deal with assholes like Irene and Kurt. At some point, my life is supposed to get easier, right? It’s not fair of the world to keep throwing me shitty curveballs.

I stare out at the water, watching the shimmer of the moonlight shining against the horizon, and as peace settles over me for the first time since being in Ravenwood Heights, my mind finally calms, and I can see everything clearly again.

This week has been shit, but I’ve been stuck on one thing. After Sara showed the video to the world, the boys declared that they were going to handle it, but they saw me hand Sara her ass, so what could they have meant by handling it? What was left to handle? It’s not like they have the power to have the video removed off the site, or do they? I’m not going to even pretend that I know how that works but I’m sure one very expensive email from a lawyer might do the trick. Apart from that, the only other participant was the douchebag twenty-two-year-old who tricked me into sucking his dick, but that was years ago.

They couldn’t have meant him, could they? But how the hell would they find him? I don’t even know his name, though I’m sure I could identify him by his less than impressive … equipment.

I try to put it to the back of my mind and go back to enjoy the party, but with every passing moment, the thoughts become louder in my head until I find myself back up by the road and hitching a ride with a few girls back into the heart of Ravenwood Heights.

They drop me right at the gate for the private road and I instantly hash in the code I’d remembered from Cruz last weekend. The gate opens and I can’t stop the thought that I belong here, which is completely ridiculous.

I start walking down to the guys’ homes, and as I go, I realize that I’d completely forgotten to tell Ember that I was leaving. I whip my phone out of my bra and get busy.

Winter - Dude, I’ll be back in a bit … maybe.

Ember - Don’t worry about me. I’m good. Soooo freaking good, babe!

I roll my eyes as a grin stretches across my face. That’s my girl.

Winter - Wrap it before you tap it, girl, and remember, not all guys like a finger up the ass.

I put my phone away and just as I’m reaching the big iron gate in front of Carver’s home, a set of headlights appear over the hill and come straight for me, slowing as they reach Carver’s driveway.

I recognize the Escalade as easily as though it’s a part of myself, though I should, I spend more time looking out for it than any girl ever should admit to.

Carver pulls right up to the gate, and as his window rolls down and he leans out to hash in the code, I quickly notice that the other guys aren’t with him, and I’m momentarily caught off guard. Since when are these guys not tied at the hip? “Get in,” he grumbles without bothering to look at me.

I pause for a brief moment before deciding that I have nothing to lose. Besides, the worst that could happen is Carver telling me to get lost when I start demanding answers, and really, does that even matter so much? Probably not.

I hurry around to the passenger side and climb up into the Escalade, feeling awkward as he hits the gas and slowly rolls down the long drive, the gate closing behind us.

The short drive to the front of the house is agonizingly awkward, and I want nothing more than to roll out the door and make a break for it, but when we finally reach his house and Carver swings his door open, the tension seems to fly right out with it.

“Come on,” he says when I don’t automatically make a move to get out of the Escalade.

I hurry after Carver and circle the front of the car until I meet him at the massive set of stairs. I can’t help but look up at the imposing house, and while it’s not quite as big as the one at the end of the road, it’s definitely still remarkably bigger than anything I ever grew up living in. I wonder if it bothers him that he doesn’t have the biggest house on the street? Carver strikes me as the kind of guy to want the biggest and the best and refuses to settle until he has it.