Page 19 of Play The Game

Ash waves down a server to refill his drink as I smirk at her. “We, Aves, can we start ruining his life now? I have some very creative plans for Mr. Blaine Morrison.”

That gets Blaise’s attention, his brow furrowing as he looks between us. “What plans?”

With zero shame or intention of putting things nicely, I lay it out for him. “I’m going to royally, and viciously, fuck that man up. I won’t even give him the mercy of taking him out until he’s been absolutely ruined first. He’s going to beg to be put out of his misery.”

Harley and Ash both whoop with excitement, and Blaise looks vaguely concerned, but it’s mostly aimed in my direction, so I’m not worried about having overstepped.

Avery continues to eat her salmon delicately, pausing to say, “Are they going to name the baby Blaise, too? Just completely replace you?”

It sounds harsh as fuck, but the scorn isn’t directed at Blaise. He scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. “Blaire. They’re naming him Blaire.”

I cringe for him. “At least it’s not Eclipse?”

FIVE

Driving through the gates at Hannaford in the front seat of the Maserati, earplugs in and singing along to the new and unreleased Vanth record like a total fucking groupie, senior year already feels like a completely different experience. I don’t know whether it’s getting easier to slip out of being the Wolf or if it’s the effects of being around Avery and the guys, but I feel more like myself already. Lips Anderson, a regular girl just trying to graduate and get into a good college.

Yeah, right.

Blaise keeps glancing over at me like he’s struggling to keep his focus on the road. The grin on his face only broken each time he bites his lip like he’s giddy or something. Maybe I am just a regular teenage girl because it has me squirming in my seat like I can’t sit still, laughter bubbling up out of my chest that probably has a manic lilt to it, but the music is too loud to hear it anyway. It all combines and makes me feel reckless, a distraction from the trauma noise in my head more effective than any other I’ve tried.

Harley is driving the twins in the ‘Stang behind us, thanks to an argument that started over dinner last night and only ended this morning after a match of ‘rock, paper, scissors’ that will go down in history as the most violent ever played. I stayed out of it, happy no matter where I ended up sitting, but when I grabbed my textbooks with the intention of getting an extra couple of hours of study in, Blaise turned the music on and all of my plans went out of the window. I’m not even mad about it, everything about this moment is like something from a dream I never dared to have.

After parking in the staff parking lot like the entitled rich kid he is, Blaise leaves the car idling for me until the song finishes. When we finally get out, Avery is there with her phone, grinning at me, and when the boys’ phones all ping at the same time, it’s obvious that she’s recorded my singing through the open car window. I shoot her a look but there’s no real heat in it and she’s immune to it anyway.

“Ash threatened me, Lips, I was forced,” she purrs, but I don’t believe her for a hot second.

Harley slings my duffel bag across his shoulder and gives me a curt nod when I shoot him a serious look. My safe and the diamonds are in there. I trust him implicitly, so I don’t mind him taking it, but I want him aware that they’re in there. Fuck it, I’ll probably get them to help me pick the hiding spot this year because I don’t want to get too comfortable and start slacking.

Blaise and Ash bicker happily while I tuck myself under Blaise’s arm, still nervous with being so open about touching them. Granted, I made it clear to the Jackal that I’m not going to quietly submit to his demands anymore, so a little bit of very mild PDA should be peanuts compared to that, but it’s still fucking nerve-racking. Having him aware of Harley’s existence was bad enough, but what if I paint a target on Blaise and Ash, as well?

Fuck.

Noticing my hesitation, Blaise curls around me protectively, and I have to swallow roughly at the lump that forms in my throat. I swear, I’m never going to get used to being protected and cared for.

Avery worked her magic and got us the same room as last year, and the moment they set our bags down she pitches a fit at the guys to get them to leave us alone. I wasn’t expecting it, but we’ve barely had the chance to hang out all summer, and it’s nice to get settled by ourselves. With classes starting tomorrow, we also have to come to terms with being back amongst the snakes we share the halls with, which is enough to send my mood spiraling to the depths of hell. By the time I’ve helped Avery unpack her shit, I already miss the little bubble we’d been in at the townhouse.

With a knowing look, Avery parks me on the couch with a tub of ice cream and when I grumble about it, she waves her own at me as she gets a blanket tucked over our legs. We watch Ghost together after she finds out I’ve never seen it, and we mope about being stuck here for another year. Okay, I mope; Avery plots on her phone and snarks at my shitty attitude. At least it’s senior year, so the moping will, hopefully, be short-lived.

When I wake up the next morning my mood is just as bad as when I went to bed, and it’s only as I get dressed into my uniform that I finally remember I have something to be fucking thrilled about this year.

Three words: Thigh. High. Socks.

Senior year is going to be the fucking best year at the shitty snake-pit known as Hannaford Preparatory Academy. Avery laughs her ass off when she sees me twirling around our room in my uniform, squealing like a child at the socks pulled all the way up my legs.

Fuck yes!

Now, if only I could convince the school board to ditch the kitten heels and let me wear my Docs, I’d be fucking set. Avery winces at me when I suggest it to her, the absolute traitor.

“What class do we have first? I’ve barely looked at my schedule,” I grumble as I finally tug my shoes on.

Avery hums under her breath as she fusses with her already perfect hair. “We have a full school assembly first. It’s a late addition, I’ve messaged Mr. Trevelen and the head of the school board but haven’t heard back from either of them to say what it’s for.”

I frown.

I’m not a fan of surprises and life just keeps throwing them my way.

The sound of our door unlocking startles me, and I shoot Avery a look as I straighten up, wincing as my bad leg jars a little at the sudden movement in these stupid heels.