Hollow Hearts (The Harkwright Trilogy)

“It’s your turn Luna.”

“I don’t want to play anymore,” I reply, knowing that I don’t really have the right to refuse so when he says, “okay,” I’m instantly on edge. What is his game and why can’t he just go back to being an asshole? At least that way I know where I stand.

I am more than ready to head back to the limo and put an end to this day, it’s not even that it’s been bad. I’m confused by everything that has transpired and I don’t know how to act. Tucker is supposed to be a bastard and I hate him for making me see him in a new light. I also hate myself for preferring the bastard over the version he’s shown me today.

“Were not going back just yet,” Tucker says as he leads me down the sidewalk and Darius follows obediently behind.

I sigh despite myself and force myself to keep up with his long legged stride, I don’t know where he’s taking me but I hope we can call it quits soon.

“Here we are,” he looks at the store he’s dragged me to and I’m not sure what reaction he’s hoping for, but I’m just standing here looking at him.

“Seriously, come on Luna, don’t disappoint me now,” he scoffs as he drags me inside and leads me to the back. It’s a department store, what do I care about this kind of place?

Only, as he grips my cheeks between his hands and guides my head to where he wants me to look, my mouth falls open and all I can see is row after row of cooking supplies.

“I don’t understand, why have you brought me here?” Looking at him in wonder, he steps closer and his nose brushes against mine.

“I’m in a good mood Luna, it won’t last but at least while it’s here let me enjoy myself. Pick something that you want and then you can stand around bored while I find something for myself,” he brushes his hands together and I shake my head with a faint smile on my lips as I look at the supplies and decide on a set of chef knives.

“They look deadly, remind me not to piss you off the next time I come into your room uninvited,” he says with his signature smirk and I can’t believe he’s making me laugh.

By the time we leave he’s got a new game for whatever console he needs it on and a set of legal books - that he dragged me into another store to get - before finally allowing us to go back to the limo.

“So, Thirty-Four, did you have fun?” I hate that I’m back to being a number, but it probably is better this way.

“I did, thank you,” I reply, tucking my hair behind my ears before I freeze and realize what I just did. What the fuck, no I am not tucking my hair for Tucker. No, no, no!

Shit, this is not good, it’s very, very bad. Come on Tucker, say something to remind me of what a gigantic asshole you truly are. Come on, I’m counting on you here, don’t let me down now.

“I did too, I wasn’t…” I turn to face him as he stops talking and I’m stuck between not wanting him to say whatever he was planning on, and wanting him to do nothing but finish it.

“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it. You’re a conundrum L… Thirty-Four and I can’t wait to figure you out,” he’s looking at me, his eyes trailing over my body as though the answers to all his questions are written across me.

“Can I ask you something?”

“You just did,” he smirks but it drops when I just sit here, playing with the skirt of my dress. “I should say no after you stopped my fun, but go for it.”

“What was the big deal with those dresses, you were spitting feathers over me trying that last one on and then when I picked you y-y-you l-l…”

His hand rests over my mouth as his eyes heat up, I wonder if he’s remembering what happened in that changing area as well and if it’s as vivid for him as it is for me.

“Three of us picked out a dress for you, that hideous gold one was Aeron, believe me I think he just liked how easy it would have been to grab a handful of you,” his eyes drop down to my chest and my skin flushes. “The last one I picked and I knew it would be perfect for you, I thought you’d pick number two despite it but you didn’t. I guess it made me… happy,” it’s almost as if he’s tasting that word on his tongue, the way he draws it out, testing it.

“Who picked out the other one?” I ask, but I don’t think I need to.

“Emmet, oh yeah he will be pissed that you didn’t pick his dress. But don’t worry, your decision doesn’t mean anything, only that I have better taste when it comes to… shit yeah maybe you should change your mind. I do not want to be known as the Harkwright who has good taste in dresses,” he shudders and I can’t stop myself from laughing and there’s an honest to god smile on his face. Fuck my life, if it isn’t one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen and he has dimples, life just isn’t fair.

“Finding something funny there, are you,” his voice drops even deeper as he pushes me until I’m lying against the seat and he’s lying between my legs.

My eyes meet his as his hand skims my thigh and delves between us, finding my nub instantly and slowly torturing me for the rest of our journey. Constantly bringing me to the edge, but never letting me find release.

16

A Short Goodbye

Throwing myself down on the sofa with my dress hanging on the back of my closet door, I am more than done for the day. Tucker didn’t even look back as he dropped my necklace into my lap, climbed out of the limo and headed inside the Academy, and it was Darius who brought my stuff up to my room for me. In all honesty, I’m glad Tucker didn’t stick around, I enjoyed myself more than I should have and it’s dawning on me that out of all the Harkwrights he could be the most lethal to me and my sanity.

Although I am dying to try out my new knives, and I’m not too proud to admit that I did a silly little dance when I got back and placed them in my breakfast area. I wonder if I can get away with squealing and not having it overheard by one of the other girls down this wing?