“Do I owe you my Saturday nights, Theodore? That sounds like a boyfriend thing.”
In a flash, he was in front of me, scooping me out of my chair, taking my place with me on his lap. His hands threaded in the sides of my hair, tugging me into him, then his mouth covered mine in a deep, wet, possessive kiss. I tried to pull back, but not that hard. When he held my head and licked my mouth, I forgot everything but the feel of him.
Forehead to mine, his inhales were jagged. “I know I messed up with you and I have to pay for it. But we’re not playing games with each other. I don’t claim your Saturday nights, but if I ask you where you’re going, I expect a modicum of respect and for you to answer me. If you’re doing something you don’t want me to know about, then we need to have a whole other conversation.”
“You don’t have to pay for anything.” My fingers curled around his wrists. “No games. I’m hanging out with a group of high school friends Saturday night. We’re gonna go to a party at this guy Javi’s. If you want to come, I’ll text you the addy.”
His chin bumped mine. “You want me there?”
“If you want to be there. Warning, though, you’ll have to meet my boys, and you’ll have to be okay with that.”
“Boys you’ve fucked.” He said it flatly, but his displeasure was obvious.
“Yeah. And the girlfriends they’re gonna put a ring on as soon as possible.”
He stroked my bottom lip with his thumb, his eyes tracing the same line. “I’ll come.”
“And be decent?”
“And be decent,” he echoed.
This should be interesting.
Chapter Thirteen
Helen
In my hand, I held the most beautiful, intricate metal flower I’d ever seen. And it was mine. Slipping it over my head on a metal chain, I pressed it against my chest.
“Gracie.” I had to blink hard not to cry. I was not a crier. It just wasn’t me. But my girl, my boo, my tall drink of stunningly beautiful water of a friend, Grace Patel, had given me art. And not just any art, but art she’d created at the last minute when Bash had told her my request.
Grace wrapped me in her arms, giving me a hard squeeze. “If you’d given me more notice, I would have made you something better.”
“No, girlie. I can’t even. There’s nothing better.”
She pulled back and gave me a hard kiss on my cheek. “Happy birthday, Hells Belles.”
Sebastian took hold of his girl, nuzzling the side of her head. “Happy birthday, Hells.”
I touched my necklace with the tip of my finger, swallowing a big ball of emotion. “You’re the realest, you two.”
I liked Zadie. Lock was cool. And Theo...yeah, he was a little more than all right. But there was nothing like being surrounded by my people. The ones I grew up with and who shared my history. Being back at Javi’s with them was even better. Javi was a mysterious being who opened his legit lake house on the weekends for relaxed kickbacks. There was a pool, a big yard, sick patio, and an unending supply of alcohol and weed.
An arm slung around my shoulders, a blunt waving in my face. “You need this, boo.” Gabe squeezed me into his side, bringing the blunt to my lips. “This is my present to you. Pen got you a gift card for some fancy salon, and that’s cool, but this strain is top notch. You’re gonna thank me when your head is floating on your neck.”
Penelope, my angel friend, elbowed her boyfriend. “I haven’t given Hells her gift yet. You can’t just tell her what I got her!”
He grinned wide and let go of me to take her in his arms. “Can and did, Lucky-luck. Accept it.”
Pinching the J between my fingers, I took a long inhale. “I’ll smoke this in your honor.”
Poor Gabe couldn’t partake since he played college soccer, but he’d smoked enough weed in high school to make up for the time off now.
“Mine too.” Asher Beck, football star and golden god, had become absorbed in our group of miscreants when he hooked his little goth girl, Bex Lim. He’d come straight to Savage River after a day game just to celebrate little ol’ me.
Bex was sprawled on a lounge chair next to the pool, puffing away. “I thought that’s what I was doing.”
Gabe flung himself down beside her, practically knocking her off the chair. “No, you’re smoking for me. Everyone’s smoking for me.”
Asher hauled him off the chair, and Gabe went flying into Penelope, spinning her in a circle so they both didn’t end up in the grass. Penelope giggled, her blonde hair flowing in the wind while Gabe spun her silly.
Asher and Bex were curled up in one lounge chair, and I pulled one up beside them, watching the stars and enjoying my smoke. The party would get a little crazier later, but not much. That wasn’t why we went to Javi’s. We came for laughs and to kick back—exactly what I needed tonight. Theo wasn’t here. He had the address. Maybe he was coming, maybe not. I’d be disappointed if he didn’t show, but it wasn’t a huge deal. Not when I had all this.
Eventually, everyone pulled up chairs or loungers so we were in a circle. The athletes had drinks, the rest of us had drinks and smokes.
Grace kicked my chair. “How’s tricks?”
“Good, good.” I nodded. My head was definitely starting to float. “School, Shakespeare, boys. All the things.”
Bex sputtered. “That does sound like all the things.”
Gabe held up a hand. “Okay, no one wants to hear about you kissing a boy. That’s like seeing your sister boning and shit. Gross. You know what everyone wants to know.”
Bex muttered something about Gabe having boned his “sister,” but Asher smothered her with his mouth to keep her quiet. She didn’t object. Those two were gonna have so many sporty-goth babies, it was ridiculous.
“What does everyone want to know?” I asked.
Grace kicked my seat again. “Elena.”
I groaned. “The only reason I haven’t punched her is because she has Pen’s face. Chick is a terror.” I looked at Penelope Shade, tall, ultra curvy and deliciously plump, blonde and angelic Pen, and puffed a breath. “How do you share a gene pool with that hell beast?”
Pen’s full mouth spread wide. “She has all good things to say about you. I heard about your near-death experience last weekend.” Her brows popped.
I had no idea what she was talking about. Then again, I was high as fuck, so life was good and Elena was a distant memory.
Grace gasped. “What happened? You didn’t tell me.”
Pen snorted and shook her head. “Not my place to tell. I just think our Hells had a really good time. That’s all I’m saying.”
Gabe put his face in hers. “Are you keeping something from me, love of my fucking life?”
She pressed a hand to his scruffy cheek. “This is one of those things you don’t want to know about Helen.”
I finally caught on to what Pen was talking about. “Oh my god, no one is talking about my sex life. And Elena needs to mind her damn business.”
Bash grunted. “Change of subject.”