Page 87 of Play The Game

I’m panting the second his hands cup my tits, kneading and toying with my nipples, and for a second I’m so distracted I don’t feel the buzzing of my phone. It’s only when Ash curses into the skin of my neck that I realize what’s pissed him off.

911. Our room. Now.

I glance at the text from over Ash’s shoulder as he works his way down my chest. I’m only checking it because I know it’s Avery and my stomach fucking drops. I shove at his chest to move him and dial her number frantically.

“Atticus asked me on a date! A real one. He’s going to come pick me up after my recital tomorrow night. We need to plan out everything, Lips. My outfit, my hair, my opening line, how I’m going to turn him down if he tries to kiss me because I want to string him along a bit. Stop sucking face with your man-meat and get over here.”

I groan at her. “911 means ‘life threatening’, Aves, not ‘help-I’m-freaking-out-over-a-guy’! Fuck, I nearly shanked Ash to get to the phone.”

Ash grunts, flopping over onto his back dramatically while I drool at the sight of him, and snaps, “I’m not giving Lips up just for your pathetic boy troubles. Which idiot did you snare this time? If you say Sebastien, I will walk to his room right now and rip his fucking throat out.”

I cringe, and he eyes me for a second before it clicks.

He snatches the phone away from me and hisses, “You are not going on a date with that spineless fuck Atticus! Over my dead fucking body, Avery.”

She screeches at him so ear-piercingly that I hear every word. “Well I guess you’re dead then, asshole!”

I refuse to get involved in their little spats, but I do leave Ash to go help Avery. He’s fucking livid about it, but I know it’s about Atticus and not me leaving him. He even tries to talk me into helping turn Avery against him but I stand firm.

Avery deserves to be fucking happy and if Atticus Crawford is it, then he’s it. I’m not questioning her.

She is standing in the living room in her skimpiest lingerie when I arrive and I decide that Atticus is a fucking lucky guy. She’s a hot piece of ass and any guy would be fucking begging to have her.

“Would you go with the red or the black? Atticus always likes me in black,” she says without looking back at me.

I kick my shoes off and join her. The dresses are both stunning and sexy without showing much skin. There’s nothing Ash could possibly complain about when he sees her in them.

“Black with red lipstick. The dress and your hair will make it pop and he’ll be falling over himself to kiss you. It’ll make it that much better when you decline his advances.”

Aves smirks and cuts me a little smug look. “This is why we’re friends. How would you say no to kissing him?”

I snort out a laugh at her. “Well, I’m not a refined and graceful lady like you. I usually say no by breaking people’s bones.”

Avery hums and runs a hand down the black dress. “How did you say no to the guys while you were oblivious to them last year?”

I groan at her. “I didn’t. I kissed them and then remembered I couldn’t and told them that. Well, except that one time with Harley where he was the one who stopped us because I couldn’t help myself.”

Avery pretends to gag but she laughs while she does. “Was that before or after he got you drunk and found out you were a virgin?”

I head for the freezer. If I’m going under the Spanish freaking Inquisition then I need some cherry fucking ice cream. “I am a virgin, and it was before.”

Avery hums and throws a robe on, grabbing a spoon to dig around in my tub of cherry goodness. “I would never have believed those three horn-bags would take this so slow. My screeching is working wonders.”

I cackle at her. “And how much of your screeching is real discomfort?”

She shrugs. “I’m pretty sure you could fuck Morrison on the couch in my general vicinity and the only real concern I’d have would be the cleanup required. Oh, and the fact I’d have to see his dick, ugh. But they don’t need to know that.

I wait until Ash takes Avery down to the gym for her last ballet practice before her recital, and I call Illi. I don’t want Ash thinking I’m siding with him but there’s also no way I’m going to let Avery get involved with Atticus before I’ve done a full background check on the asshole. Rory looked like the perfect gentleman on paper, great breeding and the poster boy for an all-American football player, and he’d tried to fucking rape her in a bathroom for dumping his cheating ass.

Blaise arrives as Illi picks up and I motion for him to stay quiet.

“What’s up, kid? Who’s dead now?” He laughs, and I snort at him.

“You shouldn’t joke like that when we’re being fucking hunted like game. I need a full-scope background check. I’m going to call the Coyote also, but I need your sources as well.”

Illi grunts and I hear him moving around. The blaring horns and shouting tell me he’s out in the Bay, probably chasing up the Jackal’s hired muscle. “Who’s it for?”

“Avery’s new man. Don’t ask, it’s a potential shit-show waiting to happen. Ash is going to gut the fucker if he so much as side-eyes her.”