As I touched her clit, she grabbed my biceps and her head fell forward,

planting her forehead on my shoulder. It was mumbled against my dress

shirt. “God, I do.”
There it was. That fucking tremble of hers I loved so much.
She began to quiver as I pushed her panties to the side and touched her
with nothing between us, finding her wet. Her hands tightened on my arms.
Was she already having a hard time standing?
“You know, I’m torn,” I said, rubbing her fast enough it pulled a moan
from her lips.
She was already breathing hard. “Between what?”
“Getting you naked or fucking you under this dress.”
Her only answer was another moan, and her body undulated, riding my
hand. It was so hot. Of course, everything she did these days was sexy to
me. I eased a finger inside her, enjoying the heat of her body and the gasp
of satisfaction she gave.
“Do you have an opinion on that?” My tone was forced indifference,
teasing her like this was a simple conversation and I wasn’t finger fucking
her.
“Colin,” she whined.
Hearing my name on her breathless lips brought everything into focus.
It sharpened the need inside me until it was white-hot, the only thing I could
think about, and my body took control.
I withdrew my hand, letting her dress fall back into place, and like I’d
done when we auditioned, I scooped her up into my arms. She squeaked
with surprise, but I didn’t let it slow me down as I strode toward the end of
the bed, and then set her down there.
Her yelp of surprise was louder when I gave her shoulders a gentle but
urgent shove, forcing her down onto her back. I was impatient, and my
knees hit the carpet in a loud thud.
“You want some honesty?” I asked as I pushed the layers of fabric back,
billowing the skirt of her dress around her waist. “I got jealous watching
your scene with Scott and Nina.”
She lifted her head to peer down at me, kneeling between her legs, and
her mouth dropped open. “You did?”
I curled my fingers around the sides of her panties, which were sexy but
had to go. “You came when she went down on you.” She lifted her hips,
making it easier for me to tug her underwear down her legs. “That means
I’m the only person in the house who hasn’t done that yet, made you come
with their mouth.” I tossed them aside and delivered a determined look.
“But I’m about to.”
She swallowed hard, making her throat bob, and then uttered the same
thing she’d said during our audition, the phrase that had driven me wild.
Except this time, it wasn’t a challenge.
“Then fucking do it already,” she whispered.
Shit, she created a fire inside me, and sweat slicked my skin, making
my shirt cling to my back. I smoothed my hands up her legs until I got to
her knees and then pushed them back to her shoulders, opening her to me.
Her pussy was all wet and perfect, and I dove in.
My tongue barely made contact with her clit before the tremble in her
ratcheted up. Her legs shook, vibrating under my palms, and while I sighed
with enjoyment, she sighed with exasperation.
She put her hands on the insides of her thighs like she could stop it or
hold them still.
I paused and trailed my fingertips over one of her hands. “Does it hurt?
The trembling?”
“No. It’s just annoying.”
“I fucking love it.” I smiled before bringing my mouth back to her. She
didn’t like the tremble, just like she hadn’t wanted to be attracted to me, but
her body had other ideas.
I spun the tip of my tongue across her clit, fluttering it back and forth,
and as I worked, her little gasps and moans grew louder and more intense.
Her body arched and bowed and writhed, while her hands alternated
between clutching at the sheets, or gripping a handful of my hair.
Her skin was so soft and . . . sensitive. For a second, I considered
slowing my tongue and backing her down from the orgasm that seemed to
be building inside her, but—
No, that was a terrible idea.
I’d wanted this since our audition, and I wasn’t going to wait any
longer. I was pretty sure I would have gotten her over the edge with just my
mouth that night if she hadn’t distracted me with the blowjob.
I listened to the pace of her breathing. The whimpers that seeped from
her lips. How she stretched and contracted with pleasure, watching for any
dramatic change to signal she was getting close.
And she didn’t make me wait long.
 “Oh, yes,” she said urgently. “Like that.”
I moved my tongue in a flurry, lashing at her damp, lush skin. One of
her hands speared into my hair while the other reached out to ball the sheet
in her fist.
“I’m coming,” she cried, but I would have known even if she hadn’t
said a word. I’d watched her videos so many times, my ear was tuned to the
sound.
Her orgasm was short but powerful, judging by how hard she shuddered
and the gasp it punched from her lungs. I slowed my tongue, giving her
long, languid strokes while she came down, and I didn’t stop until her hand
on my head urged me back.
Her voice was quiet and appreciative. “Fuck.”
Hmm, yes. It was exactly what I wanted to do.
I planted a kiss on the inside of her quaking thigh before rising to my
feet. My shadow fell on her as she stared up at me, looking blissfully
happy . . . but still hungry. Her orgasm was just the appetizer, and I was
ready for the main course.
She studied me with eyes that were heavy with lust as I jerked off my
tie, hurled it to the floor, and got to work on the buttons of my shirt.
“I want to see your tits,” I demanded, yanking off my shirt. “Can you
pull your dress down, or do I need to take it off?”
She grabbed one of the straps and peeled it down to her elbow, then did
the same with the other side, giving me everything I wanted. Jesus, her tits
were my favorite part of her body, and I stared at her tight nipples while I
undid my pants.
As I finished getting naked, she didn’t just lie there, waiting patiently.
She reached a hand between her legs and moved her fingers back and forth
over her clit. Slow. Enjoyable. Teasing.
My gaze drifted from her hand up to her eyes, and I saw the provocative
gleam in them. She was showing me how she touched herself because she
knew how much I liked to watch.
When I climbed onto the bed, I kissed her and urged her to scoot back.
It was awesome not to have to worry about if this transition looked
awkward, or if I was blocking the shot, or if someone was going to make a
comment in my ear that our kiss ran a little long. Don’t get me wrong—I
enjoyed performing—like, a lot.
 But I didn’t know just how good it was going to be to have Mads all to
myself.
As our mouths melded, our hands explored. I cupped her breasts as she
wrapped her fingers around my dick and began to stroke me. Pleasure
seared up my body, intensifying my need to get inside her.
She was on her back with the dress trapped around her waist, and I was
naked, over her with my knees between her legs. I rubbed my bare dick
against her pussy, and it felt so good, my heart went into overdrive. She’d
come to the house to experience new things, and so had I.
She was the first girl I’d ever had without a condom, and I’d struggled
in that scene with her not to come too quickly. Because she felt so fucking
good.
I reached between our bodies and grabbed myself, brushing the head of
my dick teasingly over her clit, but she shifted under me. It felt good, but it
wasn’t what she wanted. It wasn’t enough. So, I lined up our bodies and
sank into her.
Our moans synced up, both sounding like relief. Maybe she’d wanted
this as much as I had, but was that even possible? The tight fit of my cock
inside her was insane. I had barely moved, and every inch of me was
burning with pleasure. Once I was buried as deep as I could go, I found her
hands and laced our fingers together, pressing them to the mattress beside
her head.
It forced her eyes to flutter open.
She was so beautiful it made breath halt in my lungs. Why the fuck had
we waited so long and fought so hard against this? I leaned down and
kissed her the way I wanted. Hard. Passionate. Unlike the way I’d kissed
anyone else.
I brought out a tremble in her, but she unlocked this part of me. This
desire to connect in a way more than just mutual pleasure.
The movement of my hips started slow. It was deep and sensual. It
wasn’t fucking, it was . . . something else. New. Different. Kind of
intimidating, but in a thrilling way.
The walls of her body surrounded me, gripping me with scorching heat,
and even though I wasn’t moving fast, I was out of breath and my heart
pounded in my chest.
But Mads was struggling to catch her breath too, and she broke the kiss
to swallow gulps of air. I shifted, inching my mouth across her cheek and
down to the place where her neck met her body, nipping gently and kissing
the sensitive skin there.
Her legs wrapped tighter around my hips, begging me to move faster—
so I did. It caused her hands tangled with mine to squeeze hard and
whimpers of enjoyment to roll from her mouth.
“It feels so good,” she gasped.
I couldn’t agree more, and I loved that it was real. She wasn’t saying
this for the camera’s benefit or because Nina was in her ear monitor
instructing her to say it. Mads was saying it because it was true.
But as I moved faster, the urgency in her labored breathing and moans
intensified. Was she getting close again?
It came from her abruptly. “Let me be on top.”
Well, how could I say no to that? I rolled off her and onto my back,
helping her hold her dress out of the way as she moved to straddle me. As
soon as I was lodged inside her again, she sat upright and began to ride me
at the pace she wanted.
When I’d pinned her hands by her head, it had lifted the straps of her
dress, and one of them was back in place on her shoulder while the other
hung down over her arm. I put my hand on her exposed breast, massaging
and playing with her hardened nipple.
It made her rock faster and grind harder. I’d told her during our audition
she’d get her chance to fuck me, and I had a large amount of regret that it’d
taken me this long to deliver on my promise. Because this? It was seriously
hot.
A few strands of her hair had escaped from the pins holding them up,
and they curled softly at her neck. Her skin was dewy with sweat and her
chest heaved as she panted for air. I had one hand gripping her waist,
helping her keep up with the demanding tempo she seemed to crave, and
my other hand drifted down the slope of her body.
I wedged my fingertips between us, touching her as I fucked her from
beneath. In response, she arched and leaned back, making it easier for my
thumb to press and massage her clit. The pitch of her moans rose, as did the
quivering in her legs on either side of me.
The view was so sexy, but . . . there was a downside.
I didn’t like how far away this position put her from me.
When we’d auditioned, I’d pushed her hand out of the way and told her
I was the one making her come, and I didn’t want it like that tonight. We
were a partnership. The thought made me move. I took my hand off her
waist and planted it beside me on the bed as I sat up. I hooked my other
hand behind her neck, giving her support as I thrust from below.
“Touch yourself,” I urged. “Help me get you off.”
She watched me as she did it; our gazes were locked on to each other.
There wasn’t anywhere else to look or anywhere else to be but with her. Her
parted lips trembled right alongside the rest of her body as her orgasm
seemed to approach. Whatever she was feeling, all that pleasure . . . I felt it
ten times over. Deep in my core, my body begged for release, but I had to
hold back.
“Oh, my God,” she gasped, and her eyes slammed shut.
I felt her violent shudders inside and out as she came, and it sent ecstasy
crashing into me so hard, there wasn’t a thing I could do to stop it. She
launched forward, maybe wanting the connection of our mouths as we were
connected in pleasure, and I was greedy for that, too.
My heart bounced out of tempo, and each pulse of my orgasm was
matched by the grip of her body, prolonging and intensifying the sensation.
It felt so fucking amazing, it was as if all the air had been sucked out of the
room. So, our kiss wasn’t one long one, but a series of desperately short
kisses while we struggled to catch our breath.
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her down with me as I
collapsed onto my back. As we recovered, our kisses grew longer and
deeper, and since I held her so tightly, I could feel her heartbeat slowing to a
measured pace.
Our bodies cooled, but it did nothing to calm the fire I still had for her.
The guy I’d been before Mads would have been looking for an exit strategy
now that the sex was over. But the idea of either of us getting out of this
bed? That was the last thing I wanted. It blew my mind how I was looking
forward to what came next.
Would we talk? Cuddle?
Either option was good with me. Just as long as we got to stay together
and be who we wanted with each other.
Eventually, she slid off me and wriggled out of her dress before curling
up at my side. Her hand rested on the center of my chest, and her face was
buried in the crook of my neck. Her lips moved, tickling me as she
whispered the word. “Wow.”
“Wow is right,” I said.
 Her fingers drummed mindlessly on my skin, right over my heart. “Is it
going to be like that every time?”
“No idea.” I had my arm around her and used it to pull her tighter to
me. “But I’m looking forward to finding out.”

Preston stared at me like I’d just told him I was going to become a
monk. He’d been lying on his back on a float in the deep end of his pool,
but when I’d mentioned I had a girlfriend now, he sat upright. It caused the
float to fold under him, making my friend sink chest-deep into the water.
“Are you serious?” Annoyance ripped through his expression. “First
Troy and now you. How am I the only one who’s single?”
Leave it to Preston to somehow make my news about himself.
“Whatever, dude.” I laughed to mask my irritation. “You were with Cassidy
for years while Troy and I were single.”
“Yeah, but that was a long time ago.”
I didn’t miss the way his gaze flicked up to the house. Was he thinking
about who his ex-girlfriend was with now?
His attention returned to me, and he flashed a lazy smile. “She must be
a special lady. Never thought you’d commit to one pussy.”
I snorted, and for a single heartbeat, I considered telling him what we
did in the house up on the hill, but—no. As much as I trusted my friend, it
was bigger than just me. Preston could keep a secret, but I couldn’t risk him
slipping up.
I could tell him Mads and I were in an open relationship of sorts, but
what if he judged us?
“She is special,” I said.
“How’d you meet?”
“She’s in the house,” I said. “The same mentorship program as me.” I’d
felt bad about lying and feeding him the same story Scott had given me, that
the Woodsons were mentoring us, but Preston lived next door to Judy
Malinger. It felt safer keeping things consistent.
 “You live with her?” His smile was incredulous. “Your parents must
love that.”
“Yeah, I haven’t mentioned it to them yet.” My tone was dry.
I wondered how long I could keep up the lie with my parents. They
were pissed when I told them I’d left the Sig house and moved into the
“program” without consulting them first, but they were pleased I didn’t
need money for housing.
They had questions, though. They wanted to know how and why I’d
applied, and more importantly, where the house was, no doubt so they could
keep tabs. It felt like eventually I’d have to ask Nina and Scott for help,
either to play pretend for a day and meet my parents, or . . .
I’d need to ask them for a loan.
I only had one year of school left, so it wouldn’t be for an outrageous
amount, but doing that was risky. What if it made things weird, or put me
under a contract I wasn’t sure I could fulfill?
There was movement behind the window upstairs that caught my eye
and disrupted my thoughts. Cassidy was in the living room, talking on her
phone as she peered out at the pool, and when she saw me, she gave a
friendly wave.
I waved back, somewhat confused. I hadn’t seen Dr. Lowe’s car in the
garage when I’d gone out there to grab another round of beers.
“Your dad’s home?” I asked.
“Nope.”
That made no sense. If her boyfriend wasn’t home, but her ex was, why
was she here? “Cassidy’s just, what? Hanging out at your house now?”
“Kind of.” His voice was flat. “She moved in at the start of the
summer.”
Oh, shit. I swallowed a breath. Cassidy had been with his dad for a
while now, so my friend had suspected this was coming, but it still had to be
rough.
It’d been hard for me to wrap my head around it when the whole thing
went down. I liked Cassidy as a friend, but my loyalty was to Preston, and
when she’d started dating his dad, I’d been so pissed. It was fucking messy,
and I didn’t know how it could work out, but somehow they’d all learned to
deal with it.
“How’s that going?” I asked.
 He stared at the ripples in the water and gave an unconvincing shrug.
“It’s not bad. I mean, it’s been two years, and he did ask me if it was okay.”
It’d always be awkward, but time had smoothed things over, and once
Preston moved out, that would be a huge help.
I was eager to take his mind off it, and I glanced across the lawn, up to
the house next door where Troy’s music manager and girlfriend Erika lived.
It was where he spent the majority of his time when he was in town, and his
tour had just ended.
“Have you seen Troy since he got back?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Not yet, but the three of us need to get together
soon. I can’t wait to see his reaction when he finds out hell’s frozen over.”
“What?”
He laid back on his float and got comfortable. “Colin Novak is no
longer single.”

After we got out of the pool, Preston and I played Call of Duty for a
while, and when I realized what time it was, I said goodbye and headed out
the back door. Mads and I had a date in the gym, and I needed to hustle if I
wasn’t going to be late.
Today we’d be working on our cores, and afterward I’d try to talk her
into showering together. The gym had a box AC unit, but it couldn’t
compete with the mid-summer heat. All it did was keep the temperature
bearable in the room, so we’d both be sweaty after the workout I had
planned.
It was great living close enough to Preston’s that I could walk home, but
it sucked I’d have to go by Judy Malinger’s house to do it. She was his
neighbor on the other side, and as I came out the gate on the far end of the
house, I peered across the lawn to Judy’s place.
There was an older model Ford Fiesta parked on the street in front of
her house, with faded paint, a big dent in the bumper, and a Davidson
University sticker in the back window. It seemed like the kind of car Judy
would despise and find a way to fine for marring her perfect neighborhood
—and yet it was parked in front of her fucking house.
Her front door swung open abruptly, two people came out onto her front
porch, and since one of them was Judy, I ducked behind an evergreen bush
in the front yard of the Lowe house.
I wasn’t so much trying to spy on her as I was hoping to avoid being
seen. Our last interaction hadn’t gone so well, and I was sure I’d run my
mouth if we spoke again. Plus, she hadn’t made the connection I was one of
Preston’s friends, and I wanted to keep it that way. If she put it together,
she’d find new ways to take it out on the Woodsons.
The man she’d come outside with didn’t look any older than I was. He
was broad shouldered, with big biceps and a shirt so tight it was almost
laughable. He was a total bro, and I wasn’t basing that just on his
appearance.
I recognized the guy.
He’d been in one of my advertising classes last semester. What was his
name? Parker? I couldn’t remember, but I was sure he belonged to Pi Kappa
Alpha.
“Pleasure doing business with you,” he lobbed toward Judy as he
strolled toward his car. He paired it with a huge grin, causing Judy to scowl
and glance around to check if anyone had heard him.
What the hell?
She stood on her porch watching him as he got into his car and pulled
away, and the way she looked at him as he drove off . . . it seemed like she
was missing him already.
Holy shit.
Was she fucking this guy? Because if so, that would be really fucking
rich. Parker was half her age. She’d gone after Dr. Lowe, telling him his
relationship with Cassidy was inappropriate because she was too young for
him. She’d given her neighbor Erika a hard time for dating Troy because of
the age gap between them, but if Judy was getting it on with Parker . . .
What a fucking hypocrite.
 TWENTY-TWO

Madison

Once Colin and I started dating, the summer seemed to move at light speed.
It was like it had barely started, and it was already coming to an end. There
were three weeks left before the fall semester would start, and then fifteen
credit hours were all that stood between me and graduation.
I finished dividing up all the chicken I’d roasted in the oven, filling the
containers laid out in front of me on the kitchen counter. Colin’s meal prep
containers were plastic, and it was hard to get the lids to snap into place.
That was the only thing I didn’t like about the arrangement.
I enjoyed cooking, and since I was doing meal prep anyway, it wasn’t
hard to make extra for him. He paid for his share and was super grateful,
and in exchange, he was training me. This helped me stick to a schedule,
and I didn’t struggle with motivation when I knew I was going to see my
boyfriend shirtless every day.
It was a total win-win. I enjoyed planning our menus as much as he did
planning our workouts, and we both loved getting to spend time together.
It was funny that I’d been so nervous to date him. Everything was
clicking for us these days. We didn’t always film together, but most of our
scenes were with each other. If one of us had a different partner, as soon as
the scene was over, we’d race to tell the other about it, or go down to the
editing bay to watch the footage.
Fuck, it was so hot.
We’d shot a scene earlier this week that played off it. I’d fucked Jaquan
in front of Colin after he’d encouraged it on screen. As he watched, he
jerked off, enjoying being a cuckold.
Just the memory of it made me shiver.
 I had to push down the lust swelling inside me and focused on sealing
the last of the containers. Colin would be here any minute, and then we’d
walk across the back yard to the pool house and begin our workout. He
wouldn’t let me distract him, either.
I knew because I’d tried multiple times.
But my boyfriend’s self-control was rock solid in that department. He’d
only let me get naked after his training sessions were over, and then he’d
reward me for being a good girl, or he’d show me just how much he
appreciated what I did for him.
We’d banked quite a few extra videos for Petal Productions too.
The door to the garage slammed shut, hurried footsteps rang out, and a
very sweaty Colin appeared, wearing regular clothes and carrying his
backpack. “Hey. My class ran long.”
He wiped a hand over his forehead, stopping the sweat from running
into his eyes. Walking up the Woodsons’ steep driveway was hard; I could
only imagine what biking up it was like, especially today since it was triple
digits.
“No problem,” I said. “I’m just finishing up.” I stacked the containers
on top of each other, picked them up, and as I moved toward the fridge, he
came over and pulled the door open for me. “Any sign of Parker when you
went by Judy’s?”
“Nope. I asked Preston about it the other day. He hasn’t seen him
either.”
So, if she was having a tryst with a younger man, she was doing a good
job of hiding it—but the whole thing seemed unlikely. From everything I’d
heard, she didn’t strike me as the type. Plus, she sounded too uptight to
have had sex anytime recently.
I put away the meals, shut the fridge, and set my gaze on Colin, noting
his street clothes. My tone was dubious. “You ready?”
“Let me drop off my bag and change,” he said, “and then I’m all yours.”
He probably hadn’t meant anything deeper, but a thrill shot through me.
Yes, I thought. You are mine.
Before he turned to leave, a chime rang out from the speaker on the
desk, followed by an electronic voice. “Unfamiliar person at the front
door,” the system said.
We paused, unsure what to do. The security system was linked to Nina’s
and Scott’s phones, not ours, and we’d been instructed not to answer the
door. But last time the doorbell went off, it’d been Judy, and she’d been
pissed she’d had to wait for Scott to open the door.
Swift footsteps grew louder as someone moved through the living
room, but rather than go toward the entryway, the person headed toward the
kitchen.
It was Nina, and she pulled to a stop when she discovered us standing
there. Her attention swung from me to latch on to Colin.
“This guy is at the front door asking for you.” Was she irritated? “Do
you know him?”
She thrust her phone forward, and I couldn’t help but look at the screen
too.
Holy shit.
“Is that Riley?” I asked.
I turned to stare at Colin with disbelief. We weren’t supposed to tell
anyone where we lived, and he’d told motherfucking Riley of all people?
“Yeah, I know him,” he said quickly, “but I don’t have a fucking clue
how he knows I’m here. I haven’t told anyone, I promise.” He scowled as
he stared at the live image of Riley waiting impatiently on the front porch.
“I’ll take care of it.”
He didn’t wait for a response from either of us, and as he stalked toward
the entryway, I followed. Maybe he’d been too focused on Riley to realize I
was behind him, because when he went out the door, he nearly closed it on
me.
“Mads, no,” he uttered under his breath, but it was too late.
Surprise hit the other guy as I stepped out onto the porch, pulled the
door closed, and stood next to a disgruntled Colin. He’d wanted to deal with
his former frat brother himself, but that wasn’t going to work for me. We
were partners.
Tension held Colin’s shoulders tight as he glared at Riley. “What the
fuck are you doing here?”
He tried not to look intimidated, even though Colin was taller and
stronger. “I was leaving my sociology class and I saw you on your bike.”
He rested his hands on his waist, maybe to look bigger. “I’ve been trying to
talk to you, but you won’t answer any of my text messages. So, I followed
you.”
It was then I noticed his Lexus parked in the driveway. Colin’s
expression darkened and he took a step forward, causing Riley to retreat
down the porch steps and put up his hands.
“Look, man, I just wanted to talk about getting an audition for Petal
Productions,” he said. “When I saw you, I thought maybe you were heading
to work, and I could talk to the director myself.” He tried to peer around us
and through the windows beside the front door. “Is that why she’s here? Are
you getting ready to film right now?”
“Leave.” Colin’s voice was frosty. “And don’t come back here. You feel
me?”
Riley’s face contorted, and I could practically hear the thought in his
head. He didn’t follow Colin all the way over here just to give up. “Okay, I
will, but you need to do me a solid. If I send you something, will you pass it
on to the director or your—I don’t know—manager?”
“Not a chance.”
He frowned like this was unreasonable. “Why not?”
“A bunch of reasons,” Colin snapped, “but mostly because of what you
did to Mads.” His posture straightened abruptly as the thought occurred to
him. “Maybe if you apologize to her right now, I might reconsider.”
Riley laughed, thinking it was a joke, and his amused look soured when
he realized it wasn’t. “What do I have to apologize for?”
Oh, my God. Was he serious? “You cheated, and then you lied to
everyone about it.”
He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “So, I got in
your way a little bit, but we were just having some fun.”
My mouth dropped open. “Fun?”
He smirked. “I mean, you looked hilarious when you were chasing after
the baton, but then you had to go and make a big deal out of nothing.”
I balled my hands into fists and prepared to breathe fire on him, but
Colin spoke before I could.
“You should have been disqualified,” he said. “Do you get that? It is a
big deal because it means the Lambdas actually won.”
Riley’s focus swung to the other man, and his eyes narrowed. “You’re
taking her side, after what I was trying to do? Some brother you are.” He
shook his head. “Yeah, I cheated, but it was for a good cause. I wanted us to
win so we could help Grady, but then she started that fight, which cost us
the prize money—all because she couldn’t handle losing.” He gave me the
full power of his sneer. “As far as I’m concerned, you stole that money
away from Grady’s sick mom. If anyone should apologize, it’s you.”
 I sucked in a breath.
I knew Grady from my time with Jack, and I’d liked him more than
most of the other guys at the house. But I hadn’t known his mom was sick,
or that the Sigs had planned to give their prize money to him. It only made
me angrier. If any of the Sigs had told us Lambdas, it was possible we
would have voted to give the prize money to Grady.
A new water heater seemed stupid in comparison.
But the idea that I owed Riley an apology—that was ludicrous.
Laughable.
“That’s never going to happen.” My smile contained no warmth as I
peered down at him at the base of the porch steps. “And since we’re talking
about things that’ll never happen, just know that as long as I’m here in this
house? You’re never getting in.”
I didn’t understand why Colin stiffened suddenly. It wasn’t until Riley
pulled his chin back and a line creased between his eyebrows that I realized
my mistake.
“Wait. Y’all live here?” He took a step back and stared up at the house
with new eyes.
Oh, God. A lump grew in my throat, clogging my ability to speak.
He hadn’t known we lived and worked here . . . but he did now. Despite
the heat outside, a cold chill washed down my back.
Colin stepped in front of me, like he could somehow shield me from
what I’d done. His tone turned absolute. “Remember our deal. You keep
your mouth shut about this, and I won’t tell anyone about your cheating in
the tournament.”
“What happened to you, man?” Riley’s voice was full of
disappointment. “You used to put your frat brothers first. Now you’re pussy
whipped. She’s got you wrapped around her little finger.”
“Fuck off,” Colin snarled, “and don’t come back.”
Whatever expression was on his face, paired with his confrontational
posture, was strong enough to knock some sense into Riley. He blew out a
frustrated breath, turned, and stormed back to his car.
Colin and I didn’t move or speak as he got in, started the engine, and
then sped off down the hill.
I was sick to my stomach. Not only did Riley know about our stage
names and what we did, now he knew where we did it too. Colin turned,
and I expected to see disappointment in his eyes, but it wasn’t there. Only
concern.
“I fucked up,” I whispered.
He didn’t deny it. Instead, he folded me into his arms. “It’s going to be
okay,” he said. “Eventually, he’ll lose interest and give up.”
It was a nice idea, but I was sure he didn’t believe it any more than I
did.

I sat on my bed and peered at the screen of my laptop, scanning the

HOA’s website. I was on their covenants, conditions, and restrictions page,
which listed every rule the homeowners agreed to abide by as long as they
lived in this neighborhood.
The page was daunting.
And endless.
But I wasn’t going to be defeated. The Woodsons had received a new
fine in the mail today, stating their mailbox was suddenly out of code. The
letter told them they needed to purchase the same exact style of mailbox
that the rest of the subdivision had.
Scott lost his mind when he saw it was five hundred dollars.
For a fucking mailbox.
The letter threatened if they didn’t fix it in the next thirty days, they’d
be fined another hundred dollars, and it’d continue every month until they
complied.
I was mad on principle, and eager to do something to help since I’d let
it slip that Petal Productions operated out of this house. It was a long shot,
but maybe if I read the rules, I could find a loophole. Something to exploit
or use in defense against Judy’s tyranny.
I read every line, making notes on my phone about questions or
possible vagueness in the rules, but . . . nothing immediately leapt out at
me. When I finished, I clicked the link to the board’s meeting minutes.
That seemed to be a non-starter as well. They had held a vote about the
mailbox rule, and since no homeowner raised an objection at the meeting, it
had passed unanimously. I scowled. Had they even given notice of a
meeting? It wouldn’t surprise me if the answer was no.
At the end of the minutes, there was a brief report from the treasurer,
and a link to the quarterly financial statement. Like the nerd I was, my heart
beat faster and I sat upright.
“Come to mama, you sexy spreadsheet,” I murmured as I clicked to
download the Excel file.
It wasn’t a complicated spreadsheet. Just a few rows and columns, and
for a moment, I was bummed at the paltry amount of data I could sift
through. But as I stared at one figure in particular, awareness pricked at the
back of my neck.
That couldn’t be right.
The number in the ‘fines collected’ column was too low. It was barely
three digits for all of April through June, which had to be wrong. The
Woodsons had racked up over three hundred in fees in June alone when
their AC units didn’t match. Plus, there was no way Nina and Scott’s house
was the only one in the entire subdivision—for three whole months—who’d
been fined.
Was it a typo?
I dug back through the posts until I found the previous quarter’s
statement, and when I saw the figure for collected fees, I tilted my head. I’d
moved into the house in April, so I didn’t have firsthand knowledge, but
this sum also felt low. There were forty-five houses in this subdivision, and
since I’d read the entire rulebook, I now knew how expensive most of the
fines were.
This figure accounted for one or two houses at most.
So, I went back farther, looking at the previous year, and discovered
more of the same.
The HOA had gotten out of control over the last two years, Scott had
said. Fining the homeowners for every little thing, and it had grown bad
enough that some of the owners tried to recall the board.
But these figures didn’t reflect that.
It looked a hell of a lot like there was some creative accounting going
on. Maybe a second set of books? I was so busy considering that, I almost
ignored the voice in my head telling me to keep looking. My subconscious
had recognized a pattern and wanted me to take note.
 One of the line items was for legal services, and the numbers from each
statement gradually increased in perfect increments. It meant the monthly
retainer they were paying now was more than double what it’d been two
years ago, and still seemed to be trending up. How did that make any sense?
The overall fund seemed low, and Scott’s gripe from two months ago
echoed in my head. With all the ridiculous fines they collect, how do they
not have enough money already?
I thumbed out a text to Scott.

Madison: Weird question for you. When the homeowners

tried to recall Judy, did someone put together a list of fines
the HOA had imposed?

Scott: Yeah.

Madison: Could you get me a copy?

Scott: I think so. Why?

Madison: I want to check something.

I had a hunch money was missing, but I wasn’t going to say anything
until I had more data, or even better . . .
Proof.

The union was one of the only places open for lunch during the summer
semester, and Jenn sat across from me as we ate. Every so often, the
conversation would lapse, and her skeptical gaze would drift over to Colin,
who sat beside me. She was still trying to come to terms with him being my
boyfriend, which I understood.
 Four months ago, if you’d told me I’d be here, I never would have
believed it. He wasn’t known for being with the same girl twice, and after
the tournament he was one of the last people I would want to date.
Of course, I wouldn’t have believed I’d be a growing adult film star
either.
She dipped her carrot in her hummus and was about to take a bite when
she abruptly froze. Her eyes widened and she melted down into her seat,
clearly trying not to be seen.
“What’s happening?” I asked.
She was halfway under the table. “I had too many White Claws at a
house party a few weeks ago, and in a moment of weakness, I went home
with that guy. It was supposed to be a ‘one night only’ engagement, but he’s
been blowing up my phone ever since.” Her tone was dry. “This is what I
get for being so good at sex.”
Colin nodded in understanding. “It’s a curse.”
I pressed my lips together to hold in my laugh. “Who is it?”
“The Pike.” She subtly pointed him out.
I nonchalantly glanced over my shoulder to take a look. There were
several guys in the area she’d pointed to, but only one who I recognized
from Pi Kappa Alpha. He was kind of cute.
But Colin’s tone turned serious. “You mean Parker?”
I turned back around and exchanged a knowing look with my boyfriend.
This was the guy he’d seen leaving Judy’s house.
“Don’t judge me.” She was almost completely under the table now. “It
was the White Claws, and sometimes I like my guys big and stupid.”
“He fits the bill,” Colin said. “Pretty sure he failed the class I had with
him last year, and it was a fucking cake walk.”
“It wasn’t even worth it,” Jenn whined. “He sucked so hard on my boob
it left a bruise.”
I snorted. “I believe when that happens it’s called a hickey.”
She ignored me. “After it was over? Oh, my God. He would not shut up
about how much money he’d just won from some bet he’d made.
Thousands of dollars off a stupid baseball game.”
Her statement hit me hard, knocking all the amusement clean from my
body, and an eerie sensation replaced it. When my father had gotten banned
from the casino, he’d searched for other ways to get his fix. Betting on
sports had been his main focus until my family finally convinced him to get
help.
“When was this?” I asked.
“Three weeks ago? A Friday.”
Hadn’t it been a Saturday three weeks ago when Colin had seen Parker
at Judy’s house?
Alarm bells clanged in my head.
 TWENTY-THREE

Colin

Mads shifted on the bed, rolling into me, and made a cute noise in her sleep.
It was weird I was awake before her, but she’d had more to drink last night
than I had. I glanced at the empty glass on her nightstand. I’d filled it with
water and gotten her to drink it before we’d collapsed into her bed and gone
to sleep.
I doubted she’d get a hangover anyway, but I was glad the water was
gone just in case.
Last night, I’d introduced her to my friends. We’d gone out to the bars
with Preston, Troy, and his girlfriend Erika, and because of her connections
and his rising fame, we’d been ushered into the VIP area of the club.
Preston and I were happy for Troy, but Preston was a little more excited
than I was, because he’d taken full advantage of our friend’s celebrity status
to lure women over to our table.
I glanced at Mads asleep beside me and grinned. My friends didn’t
know it, but we had celebrity status, too, except ours was as Annika and
Carter. Nina had created a section of Petal’s website that was for our
exclusive content, and it currently had the most followers.
Which reminded me—it’d be a good idea to shoot something else soon.
We had a few videos banked, but the fall semester was starting soon, and I
wanted to keep the buffer in case either of us got hit with a hard class.
Maybe when she woke up, we could shoot it on my phone, passing it
back and forth as we took turns going down on each other. Our followers
really liked the authentic stuff we’d been putting out recently.
But would I have enough battery? Since we’d crashed in Mads’ room, I
hadn’t plugged my phone in last night. I pulled it off the side table to check
and saw the notification for a text message that had come in after we’d
fallen asleep. I tapped the icon.
Shit. It was from Riley.
I knew I should block him, but not knowing what he was up to made me
uneasy. It was better to just deal with the sporadic messages he sent. They’d
been all over the place, though. Some were apologetic and others whiney,
but they all had the same goal. The guy was fucking delusional if he
thought I’d help him break into the business.
This message wasn’t text. It was a video, and I didn’t understand what
the thumbnail was showing me. I was too curious not to click play—even as
I sensed I’d regret it.
Oh, fucking, shit.
It was shot selfie style. The camera had been up close, and as the video
started to roll, it pushed out to reveal Riley sitting in a chair.
He was naked.
And while he held his phone in one hand, he used the other to stroke his
stubby dick.
“Yeah.” His over-the-top sexual voice had me cringing. “You like that?”
I was frozen in place with horror. Was . . . was this the thing he’d
wanted me to pass along to Petal? I’d already told him no, so why the fuck
did he think sending me this was okay?
“I’m going to use all of this big dick to fuck you,” he said.
Mads stirred when I jolted, and her voice was sleepy. “What are you
watching?”
I scrambled to stop the video and lock my screen before she saw it. The
image was unfortunately seared in my brain now, but I could spare her from
it.
“Just a stupid video,” I whispered. “Sorry, I thought I had it muted.”
She flopped over, turning away from me, desperate to go back to sleep.
I held perfectly still, waiting until the cadence of her breathing slowed,
before unlocking the screen again.
Beneath the video, there was a message telling me to send it to Petal
Productions. He wasn’t even asking—this was a demand. It felt like there
was an implied threat too. Send it to Petal Productions or else.
It made my blood boil, raising the anger inside me past my breaking
point. I’d tried everything else with him and it hadn’t worked. It was time I
got direct.
 Colin: Don’t send me shit like that. Give it up. You don’t have
the looks or the equipment to work for Petal.

It was harsh, but honest, and hopefully it’d break through to him.
The ‘read’ label appeared below my message, and then the three dots
blinked, signaling he was typing his reply.
But then the dots disappeared.
I waited, but there was no response, and I wasn’t sure if that was good
or bad. My gut said it was bad, and that I was stupid to believe this would
work. I wasn’t comfortable that he knew where we lived, but it wasn’t
something I could control, and besides . . . Riley was an asshole, I told
myself, but he wasn’t evil.
Right?
I needed this to be the end of it.
Fuck, please let him move on.

The second to last day of the summer semester, my dad texted me he

was free for lunch, was on this side of town, and would pick me up after
class. I tried to get out of it altogether, but he was persistent, and I had to
settle for meeting him at the deli.
At least he wouldn’t have my bike in the back of his car, so he couldn’t
use that as an easy excuse to drive me to the Woodsons’ house. My parents
were hungry for more about this mentor program I’d been accepted into, yet
all I’d given them was crumbs.
As we ate, I did my best to distract.
“A girlfriend?” My dad’s expression filled with surprise. “When did
this happen?”
“A few weeks ago.”
Now he looked displeased. “Okay. When do we get to meet her?”
“You already did,” I said. “Mads is the girl who asked me to walk her to
class.”
 He considered something, and then a tight smile twisted on his lips.
“Did she make up that story so she could talk to you?”
No, she did it to save me from you.
“No,” I said, which wasn’t a lie. Mads hadn’t made up the story because
she wanted to talk to me—we weren’t even friends back then.
“Oh.” My dad’s gaze dropped to the sandwich resting on his plate.
“Well, tell me about her. What’s her major?”
“Accounting. She’s graduating early, too. This fall semester will be her
last one.”
He brightened. “Sounds like she’s pretty smart.”
“Can’t be that smart,” I deadpanned. “She’s dating me, after all.”
My dad’s smile was pained, and it made me want to laugh. He’d never
gotten my sense of humor, probably because he’d been born without one.
My parents were so fucking uptight. Honestly, it was a miracle my sister
and I had been born, because I was convinced they were terrified of sex.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, only it wasn’t a text message. My
phone was ringing, and when I saw Mads’ name on the screen, a cold chill
slide down my spine. Up until now, we’d always texted. She wouldn’t call
unless it was something important.
I was instantly on edge but tried to play it cool as I motioned to my
phone. “Hold on. She’s calling me.” I tapped the button to accept the call.
“Hello?”
“Hey. Where are you?” There was urgency in Mads’ voice, or maybe
panic.
My gaze was fixed on my father, who studied me right back. “I’m
having lunch with my dad. What’s up?”
“A little while ago, someone tried to post our real names in a comment
under one of our videos.”
My heart began to pound. I forced myself to sound unconcerned.
“Riley.”
“The comment got caught in moderation, so it never went live.”
I relaxed my shoulders, but my relief was short lived because she
wasn’t done. The panic in her words grew more intense as she spoke.
“When that didn’t work, he posted it to social media instead. It’s on
Instagram and Facebook, with a bunch of screencaps from our videos, and
it’s all our information. Our stage names, and our real ones, and the fucking
address of the house.”
 I went numb, freezing into place. For a moment, my brain went blank,
unable to process what I was feeling because there were too many things at
once.
“Colin,” her tone shifted, filling with dread, “he tagged you in the
posts.”
I sucked in a sharp breath and if my unnatural posture wasn’t a dead
giveaway to my dad that something was wrong—this did it.
His head tilted. “Everything okay?”
I blinked, unable to answer because Mads was still going.
“I reported the posts, but they’re in review and—oh, God—everything
I’m reading says it could be more than a day before they come down.” She
took a breath, regrouping. “You need to get on your socials and un-tag
yourself right now. Call me back when it’s done.”
“Okay,” I said quietly. “Will do.”
After I hung up, concern filled my dad’s face. “Colin, what’s wrong?”
I was disoriented as I rose from the booth. “It’s nothing,” I lied and
gestured toward the restroom. “I’ll be right back.”
That did nothing to convince him, and he frowned as I walked away
from the table on unsteady legs. I had to focus on my actions, because if I
thought about anything else, it became overwhelming.
Go to the bathroom.
Get into a stall.
Look at your phone.
Once I got those tasks accomplished, I could think about the next steps.
My heart dropped into my stomach as I saw the notifications popping
up on my phone. I went to Instagram first and found the post Riley had
tagged me in. He’d been smart enough with the screencaps to not post
outright nudity, but it was heavily implied with me bare chested and Mads’
naked back. The Petal Productions logo sat in the corner.
Sure enough, everything was spelled out in the caption.
I removed the tag, reported the post, and then blocked his account. I
went as fast as I could, because every second that slipped by before it was
done made me feel worse. I was sweaty and jittery as I opened the
Facebook app. I hadn’t used it in ages, and it made me update and log in,
which sent my frustration through the roof.
Finally, I got it open and repeated the process. The post was less than
thirty minutes old, but already had a few ‘wow’ face emoji comments, some
left by my former frat brothers.
And when it was done, I angrily thumbed out a text message to Riley. It
took every ounce of restraint I had to compose it, because unleashing my
full fury wasn’t going to help.
As much as I hated it, I needed action from him.

Colin: Take down the posts.

There was no response. Only the checkmark that it had been sent.

Colin: This isn’t a joke, it’s fucking dangerous. Posting the

address threatens our safety.

Still nothing, so I had to move on. I punched the button to call Mads,
who answered right away.
“Have you told Nina and Scott yet?” I asked.
“Yeah. When she came to me about the moderated comment, that’s
when he made the post to Instagram.”
“At least he didn’t tag Petal Productions.” I clenched my teeth. “How
pissed is she?”
“She’s upset, but I think it’s more with worry for us.”
Even though she couldn’t see, I nodded. “Pack a bag. I’ll text Preston
and see if we can crash at his place until the address is down.”
I didn’t say until it’s safe because I didn’t know if that’d ever be true. It
was possible Nina and Scott would tell us we couldn’t come back.
“Okay,” she said. “Are you coming home soon?”
There was a desperation in her voice I hadn’t heard before, and it nearly
broke me. She was scared and wanted to be with me.
“Yeah, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
We said goodbye, and after I hung up, I got so angry, I started to shake.
I’d thought Riley wasn’t evil, but I’d been so, so wrong. He was trying to
ruin our lives, and for what? All because I wouldn’t help him get into the
business?
You also said he didn’t have a big enough dick.
Oh, fuck. My heart thudded to a stop.
Was this my fault?
 I didn’t think I could possibly feel worse until that thought hit me. But
I’d been gone from the table too long. I needed to get back there, find a
quick exit, and do it without raising my dad’s suspicion any more than I’d
already done.
I slid into my seat, only so I could grab my backpack. “Hey, so, Mads
isn’t feeling well and needs my help—”
Something was wrong. My dad was sitting so still, he’d become a
statue, and the air coming off him was icy cold. It was ironic because fire
burned in his eyes. He looked so upset, he could barely speak.
And he didn’t need to. He set his phone down in front of me, displaying
Riley’s Facebook post on screen. I wasn’t tagged in it any longer, but it
didn’t matter. The damage was done. I didn’t use Facebook anymore, but a
lot of my friends and family did.
I swallowed hard as I stared at the image of me and Mads, and the
caption that congratulated us on our new careers as porn stars.
“Your mother sent me this,” he said, “after your aunt Diane asked her
about it. Is this true?” His face twisted with equal parts of disgust and
horror. “You’ve been in a porno?”
I could lie.
I’d gotten so good at it with them over the years, but it was unlikely
they’d buy it with the photographic proof and how cagey I’d been about the
mentorship. Plus, I was so goddamn tired. My parents treated me like a
child, but one who wasn’t allowed to make any mistakes.
The second chance they’d given me after the prom incident? It hadn’t
really been a chance at all. Ever since they’d caught me in their bed, they’d
been waiting for this. They’d known without a shadow of a doubt I’d
disappoint them again.
Happy to fulfill the prophecy, I though bitterly.
He’d asked if I’d been in a porno, and I lifted my defiant gaze up to
meet him. “Several.”
The muscle running along his jaw flexed. He hated my answer, but he
hated how unapologetic I’d said it even more. His infuriated eyes demanded
an explanation, but I wasn’t going to give one.
“After that night,” he said finally, “I didn’t think I could be more
ashamed of you . . . but I was wrong.”
It was like a kick to the chest. My pulse raced and blood rushed loudly
through my head, but I didn’t show him the impact of his words. I
pretended they bounced harmlessly off me.
“Get your things,” he snarled. “I’m taking you home, and the first thing
we’re going to do is pull you from school.”
“No.”
My dad had already begun to stand and froze halfway out of the booth.
“No?” he repeated with disbelief.
“I’m twenty-three years old. I don’t have to do what you tell me.”
He sat back down and stared at me like I’d just spat in his face. “You
will if you want to have a roof over your head.”
Up until today, I could have told him I already had a place to live, but
thanks to Riley, things were less stable now. But still . . .
“What’s the point?” I sighed. “If I come home, it’s just going to be more
of the same, where you’re waiting around for me to disappoint you again.
I’m never going to be good enough.” The last three years, I’d done
everything to get back in their good graces, and it hadn’t made one iota of a
difference. “I tried so fucking hard, and for what? God, I wish I’d stopped
trying a long time ago.”
He recoiled, unsure of how to respond, but he didn’t deny it. He let the
statement lie between us that I wasn’t good enough, and every second it
remained unchallenged, the chasm between us grew larger.
Finally, his face hardened. “This is it, Colin.” He sounded grave.
“You’ve pushed us to our breaking point. Come home now, or . . . I don’t
think you’ll be allowed to come home again.”
We were really doing this, then. If I didn’t accept their complete
control, they’d cut me from their lives.
As I stared at him, I felt nothing but emptiness.
I didn’t have much money, and things were falling apart, so I should
have been scared shitless—but I wasn’t. Mads had done this. She’d walked
away from her parents and survived without their help.
She could show me how to do it.
I swallowed hard, hooked my hand through a strap to my backpack, and
pulled it on. “Okay,” I said. “Tell Mom I said goodbye.”
Maybe he’d been bluffing, because his mouth dropped open, but I
didn’t let it stop me. I had to get out of here. I slid out of my seat, not even
giving him a final look before I turned and walked out of the restaurant and
out of my parents’ lives.
 TWENTY-FOUR

Colin

Before I went to the Woodsons’ house, I rode my bike to my old frat,

pounded on the door, and scared the crap out of the guy who answered it
when I demanded to talk to Riley.
Except I was told he wasn’t there, and since his car wasn’t in the back
parking lot, I climbed back on my bike, rode home, and went straight to
Mads’ room. I found her sitting on her bed, her chin resting on her knees as
she peered at the screen of her phone like it was a ticking time bomb.
She looked exactly like I felt. Exposed. Raw. Drained.
But when she saw me, her expression lifted. She dropped her phone and
bounded off the bed straight into my arms.
“Hey,” she said, greedy to have her arms around me.
It made my heart flip upside down. I was just as glad to see her as she
was me and squeezed her tightly. “My parents saw the post.”
I felt the jolt go through her body, and concern flooded her eyes as she
stared up at me.
“It’s okay,” I said.
“It is?” She couldn’t have looked more dubious if she’d tried.
“I mean, no, it’s not. My dad told me to come home with right then, or
don’t come home at all.” I raked a hand through my hair before returning it
to rest on the small of her back. “But I’m okay.”
“I’m so sorry, Colin.”
“Is it weird that part of me is—I don’t know—relieved? At least it’s
done and out there. No more lying or hiding.”
“It’s not weird,” she said softly.
“How about you? How are you doing?”
 “I was feeling powerless earlier, but Nina talked to her attorney.
They’re creating a cease-and-desist letter for Riley, and then they’ll send a
copy to Instagram and Facebook. She’s told that makes the companies
respond faster.” She sighed. “I just want the posts down.”
“Me too.” I nodded toward the small suitcase sitting beside her bed.
“Are you all packed?”
She was, so I grabbed her bag and carried it downstairs. She hung out in
my room while I pulled my shit together and texted Preston.

Colin: Need a big favor. Can Mads and I crash at your place
tonight?

Preston: I’m sure my dad will be cool with it. I’m here
whenever you want to come over.

Colin: Thanks.

Once that was done, I put my phone on ‘do not disturb.’ The
notifications and texts from people were coming now in a steady stream,
but there was nothing left I could do to get the posts down, so I didn’t need
the constant fucking reminder.
As we got ready to leave, Scott was waiting in the hallway. Shame
instantly slammed into me. The Woodsons hadn’t asked for any of this, and
it was their address posted. Even though Petal Productions wasn’t tagged,
their logo was in the bottom corner of the screenshots Riley had posted.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I had no idea he’d do something like this.”
That surprised him. “You think we blame you?” His expression
softened. “You’re not responsible for his actions. Do I wish he hadn’t
posted our address? Yeah, absolutely. But Madison told us what happened,
and it sounds like he put you in a tough spot. So, don’t think Nina and I
blame you—because we don’t.”
I hadn’t realized how much I needed to hear it until it’d been said. It
took a small amount of weight off my shoulders that had been dragging me
down.
“Thanks, Scott.”
 He nodded, and his gaze went to the bags in my hands, then Madison at
my side. “Where are you staying? I’ll drive you.”
“My friend’s place. You don’t have to drive us; it’s just down the road.”
He waved my comment off. “It’s faster this way. Plus, if Judy catches
you walking down the street with suitcases, she’s going to have questions.”
It was a good point, so we loaded into his BMW and let him drive us
down to the Lowe house, where we found Preston outside mowing the
lawn. When we pulled into the driveway, he stopped the riding mower and
jogged over to meet us.
“Hey,” he said as I pulled the bags one at a time from the trunk. His
gaze slid over the BMW and on to the driver, and his head tilted in
confusion. “Do I know you?”
Scott’s window was down, and a shadow of a smile crossed his lips. “I
live up the street.”
That seemed to satisfy Preston, and when I shut the trunk, I was
surprised to see my friend pick up Mads’ suitcase and carry it toward the
house.
“All right, you two,” Scott said. “If you need anything, you know where
we are. Let us know if anything changes, okay?” He was only fifteen years
older than we were, but he nailed the fatherly concern. “Stay safe.”
Mads nodded. “Thanks, Scott.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Preston’s posture straighten abruptly.
We followed him through the open garage and up the two steps into the
kitchen, where Cassidy was baking cookies. When she saw us, her
expression hung.
“Hi, Colin.” Her voice was overly cheery, like she was trying too hard
to sound casual.
“Hey, Cassidy.” I motioned to Mads. “This is my girlfriend, Mads.”
“Madison,” Preston corrected before I could, amused. “Only he gets to
call her that.”
Because I’d informed him the nickname was mine alone when I’d
introduced her to everyone the night we’d gone out to the club.
“Nice to meet you,” Cassidy said.
Mads smiled. “Yeah, you too.”
Now that the introduction was out of the way, Preston zeroed in on me.
“Scott Westwood, huh? I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” But then a shit-
eating grin spread across his face. “Mentor program. If you’re going to
learn, learn from the best, am I right?”
Cassidy used a spatula to transfer the cookies from the baking sheet to a
wire rack. “What are we talking about?”
“Nothing,” I said.
Preston ignored that. “Colin and Madison just got dropped off by Scott
Westwood. He lives up the street. Fucking wild.” He paused. “Do you know
who that is?”
“Yeah,” she answered quickly, focusing all her attention on her cookies.
“Oh, really?” Preston either couldn’t leave it alone or didn’t believe her.
“You’re familiar with his large body of work?”
She set down her spatula and leveled a gaze at him. “I was more
familiar with it when we were together. I don’t need to watch it these days
when I want to get off.”
Holy shit, Cassidy.
Mads sucked in a sharp breath, and the air in the kitchen crackled with
tension. I expected my friend to lose his mind, but instead he laughed,
snatched up one of Cassidy’s cooling cookies, and raised it at her. Almost as
if saying, sick burn and I respect it. He took a bite of the cookie, which was
too hot because he left his mouth open.
Cassidy turned her attention back to me and her voice was hesitant.
“How are you doing?”
I sighed. “You saw the post.”
“Not to be a dick,” Preston said, “but everyone’s seen it, dude.”
“Your dad?”
He swallowed his bite. “I doubt it. He doesn’t really do social media.”
“Plus, he’s been in surgery all afternoon,” Cassidy added.
“Any idea how he’s going to react when he finds out?” Because there
was no way Dr. Lowe would stay in the dark about this. Our suburb of
Nashville was like any other small town. Everyone was in each other’s
business.
“You worried he’s going to say you can’t stay here?” Preston’s tone was
skeptical.
Maybe it was a stupid question. Dr. Lowe had let me stay here after the
prom debacle, and he’d always been a ‘cool’ dad. Part of it was because he
was young, and the other part was he wanted desperately to repair his
relationship with his son.