For a while I felt bad for Molly, until I remembered they were both nasty, shallow, self-absorbed assholes.
Not until I stood at the end of the long metal table did he finally stop talking to address me. “What do you want, Lair?”
“I need to talk to you.”
His flat brown eyes stared at me for a beat, probably debating if it would be worth his while. He then stood and waved a hand toward the closest door leading out. “Okay… let’s talk.”
Without waiting for him, I turned and headed outside, pushing against the metal bar with such force the door swung open and slammed shut before he came close to stepping through it. I then folded my arms, waiting for him to appear.
Jett had come to Windsor-Horne for one reason, to try to get a football scholarship, of which he didn’t get. I also knew, thanks to the loose lips in his circle of friends, that his parents couldn’t afford the tuition for Windsor-Horne and had taken out a loan to pay for it. I also knew that because of that financial burden Jett couldn’t go to the university he wanted to and was enrolled in a community college this fall.
My idea had come to me last night. But I didn’t have much time and needed to set the wheels in motion ASAP.
The first step had been to pitch it to my parents. They’d listened intently to the reasons I felt Jett had been cheated out of his dreams. I’d praised his talent and his academic abilities, saying the only thing stopping him was money. None of that was a lie, and I didn’t feel bad cheating someone else out of the opportunity, because our school was filled with spoiled rich kids.
By the end of the conversation, my parents had agreed to help Jett out by setting up a formal scholarship program under JLL Productions. My mom had always wanted to begin an educational division of the foundation she had started years ago, and now Jett would become their first recipient. I hadn’t convinced them to do anything they hadn’t already done repeatedly. I merely suggested a new way to do it.
Having grown up by donating my time running food drives, helping at soup kitchens around the city, or volunteering at grammar schools’ sport functions, my suggestion hadn’t seemed out of place. So many times, my parents would randomly help someone in need to better their lives. Their generosity always went beyond the charities they started under their recording label. It was no different from how I came to be their son. They’d become aware of my biological mom’s illness and, when she passed, had adopted me without hesitation.
Jack and Leila Lair had good hearts, and all I wanted was to use that reality to protect my girlfriend.
But first I had to be sure Jett was on board with the stipulation part of my plan.
“What?” he barked. We may have been civil, but that civility went only so far.
“I have a financial proposition for you.” My family’s wealth had always been a bone of contention between us, and no doubt my statement piqued his curiosity.
Sure enough, one brow rose in interest as he mimicked my stance. “I’m listening.”
Finals were hell, but we got through them. It was time for seniors to have fun, beginning with Senior Cut Day. This year’s event was being held at an amusement park in Jersey. Except Alivia really didn’t want to go.
The decision had stemmed from a chain reaction. Without Chase, Kim had no interest in being a third wheel to Alivia and me. And without Kim, Alivia would rather spend the time alone with me. Since I had no interest in spending a day with people I merely tolerated, that made it an easy decision for me.
The other most important reason I didn’t care if we attended was what would happen for the entire school to see. Unbeknownst to Alivia, Jett and Molly would be making their first appearance as a couple.
He had accepted my offer—an academic scholarship in exchange for asking Molly out and dating her through the summer. This chick needed a distraction, and if one came in the shape of a willing dick, then fine by me.
Once fall came, if Jett wanted to continue to see her, that would be entirely up to him. Personally, I thought they were a pair made in heaven, and I was merely pushing them together. Jett just needed my incentive to help him see that. Helping Jett out made me feel good about my hidden agenda. It really was a win-win for all.
There wasn’t a doubt that Alivia would be livid if she found out. At some point, I needed to be the one to tell her. And at that time my line of defense would be that I had seen a solution and shamelessly taken it. I wouldn’t apologize for wanting to make her happy or stress-free. Eventually, I knew she’d forgive me.
When Alec pulled the car onto the pavestone driveway, I sighed in relief. “I thought we’d never get here.”
My parents were having a huge bash at the beach house this weekend. It was their birthdays, as well as their sixteenth wedding anniversary, and the entire band plus their families would be there to celebrate it all with them.
Things got crazy when you put Devil’s Lair together in one place.… ten adults and eight spawn, not including Alivia and me. There would be people everywhere, in the pool, on the beach, in the movie theater, at the kitchen island. Really just a typical weekend, but now that Alivia and I had entered a new phase of our relationship, the weekend would be even more torturous than normal.
“Feels like we’ve been in this car for days,” Alivia said, stretching once we stepped out onto the pavestone driveway. The tiny Hello Kitty T-shirt she wore rose to reveal that taut, tanned stomach, and bam, my cock woke up after the long drive.
We had the house to ourselves, and I could actually do something about it.
The only upside to hitting traffic so early on a Friday morning was that it would worsen with time, which would delay our parents’ arrival. Since Alivia and I didn’t have school, Alec had picked us up earlier that morning, giving us quite a few hours’ head start over our families. Personally, I wanted to drive us down myself… but I was all about picking my battles these days.
As was, Trey miraculously didn’t kibosh our plan, because having a house full of guests meant the place would be fully staffed… aka plenty of chaperones. My dad had insisted Edna and her staff be there as well so my mother, who usually preferred to do everything herself, could relax and have a good time.
Without delay, I grabbed our bags and bolted toward the front door. “Where’s the fire?” Alivia called out, having to run to keep up with me.
“You’ll see.” Two steps into the house and Edna quickly greeted us. “Hello, kids. Lunch is set up on the patio. If you need me, I’ll be in the kitchen.”
“Sounds good, Edna. We’ll get these bags out of your way first,” I said to her, taking our overnight bags from the foyer to carry upstairs.
“Thank you, Mr. Shane,” she said distractedly before rushing back to whatever she’d been doing before we arrived.
As Alivia and I climbed the stairs, I quietly asked, “Are you done with your period?” That was the reason we hadn’t fooled around the past few days, which further added to my misery of not having fucked her since prom weekend.
Her brows rose as her lips twitched. “Yes. Why?”
“You’ll see,” I repeated, rushing us to my room before locking the door. Like a tornado, I threw our bags on the floor and pulled her into my bathroom.
“Anxious, are we?” she asked when I pulled off her T-shirt, flipped off her Chucks, and quickly removed her shorts and panties.