Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 102335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
We pass by people on the patio and I wave and say hello to the ones who greet me. It’s all of them. I make a beeline through the groups of people and pass the lounge where people are making out, mostly half naked or all the way naked with cocaine sprawled out over ass cheeks and someone taking a hit from a bong out of a girl’s vagina. I let out a deep breath as I put space between us all and we finally get outside.
“Holy cow!” Poppy screeches, still looking back at what’s happening in the lounge. “That is what?”
The music changes to Side Kick, the atmosphere instantly less chaotic. Betty bounces her way toward Jason Bear and I take Poppy’s hand in mine as I lead her toward the group of people all seated around a small inbuilt fire pit. It’s not exactly cold, but you give these boys any reason and they’re lighting one.
“Baby giiirrrllll!” Howard hollers out, his arms stretched wide.
He’s the captain of our basketball team and you can tell. His shirt is off and tied around his forehead, and his jean shorts are pulled down slightly to show the top of his boxers.
“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.” I place Poppy down on a chair before tapping his fist with mine.
“I almost didn’t. This is my friend Poppy.” I gesture with my thumb to where she sits.
They all nudge their heads at her. It’s half of the basketball team and football team out here with their girlfriends or their girls for the night. I know I promised Betty I would let loose and have a good night tonight, but now that Poppy is here, I don’t want to get too stupid. I need to somehow sneak past the fact that Betty is always the one feeding us drinks throughout the night.
“So.” Betty takes a seat on the chair beside Poppy. “How much do you think your brother is going to hate her after he finds out that she brought you here?”
“My brother doesn’t hate people,” Poppy says, and I ignore Betty’s attempt at stirring the pot. “He simply doesn’t care.”
I watch as people dance around the place, drinking and snorting. It becomes painfully obvious how much Poppy has had to drink, so around the three-hour mark, I take her by the hand and pull her to her feet. “I’m going.”
Betty flicks the rolled up hundred-dollar bill at me, wriggling her ass on her take-home for the night. “Oh, come on, Rubs. Have fun!”
“I’m taking her home. You coming or not?”
Betty shakes her head slowly, and even though I already knew she was staying behind, I wanted to triple-check.
“Betty…” I know no one will hurt her here, mainly because they all know she is practically my sister and well… everyone knows who my dad is. “Are. You. Sure?”
Peter, the guy she is currently sitting on, waves me off. “Come on, Rubs. You know I’ve got her.”
I smile down at him sweetly. You better.
Tucking Poppy beneath my arm, I start directing her out of the house and through the same way we came. Finding Oscar near my car, I rub my finger and thumb together to gesture my keys and he tosses them at me just as a loud Harley guns it down the street, slowing to a stop behind Oscar’s car. When his long body rolls off the bike, I unlock my car and push the button to open the doors.
“Hey…”
Wicked looks straight past me and brings his hands to his sister’s face, forcing her up to look at him. “How much has she had to drink?”
“A bit…” I admit, tossing my keys into the car.
“And you?” When he turns around to face me, I feel my heart speed up in my chest.
“Um, none since being here. Once I realized how much she had, I stopped.”
He drags his eyes away from me and carefully puts her into the back seat of the car, pushing the button for my door.
Oscar looks between Wicked and me before backing up slowly and slipping back into his car. Now it’s just he and I, and—I expect his anger.
“First, she’s fourteen, so I don’t know what kind of shit she has told you.”
My mouth falls open as I’m sure shock sprawls over my face.
“Second”—he slams my door closed so she can’t hear—“why the fuck didn’t you run this past me before taking her?” His chest is a whisper from mine and the goose bumps that prickle on my arms have nothing to do with the temperature of the air.
“I’m sorry… I didn’t know she was young. I thought she was my age.” I fold my arms in front of me and his eyes fall down to the movement before following down past my thighs and back up to my face. I feel his eyes move over my exposed flesh like hot laser beams.