“This is yours. You’ve got the bathroom, so you don’t have to come out at night once you’re done partying.”
I nod, walking in to find the bathroom on the right of the room, not even a door to close it off from the small room. There’s a dresser and bed with a mini fridge tucked beside it, and nothing else. But it’s way more than enough.
“So, you guys don’t have a bathroom in your rooms?”
“No, but that first door we passed was one, so we have our own.” He turns to me with a glare. “Don’t let Royce tell you different.”
I laugh, dropping my jacket on the bed.
“This is cool, thanks.”
He eyes me a moment but then his brows furrow and he walks out.
“Come on.”
I follow behind him, stopping at the next door, the room right next to mine.
“This is me, across from me is Cap, then it’s Royce, a spare for Leo, in case he needs it, and then the bathroom. You’re the last room in the hall ... surrounded by us. Don’t try to pull no shit.”
Dick.
“RaeRae, Madman, let’s go. Shots!”
I wiggle my eyebrows then follow the boys’ voices up the stairs.
“Oh man.” I look around the room, grabbing the shot Royce hands me. “This place is dope.”
Wooden log futons act as couches on both sides of the room, a wide-open kitchen on the right and slider doors on the left.
Captain nods his chin, so I open the door and we all shuffle out on to the deck.
I lean over the edge and stare down at the ground then look out and over the creek that runs the back of the property, noticing a small bridge that leads to the other side.
“What’s out there?”
“Bears.”
When my eyes widen the boys laugh.
Whatever.
I go to lift my shot, but Maddoc stops me.
“Together.” His eyes lock on mine before moving along each of us and my chest grows warm.
I’m really sick of that happening.
“Watch out for each other and don’t act alone.”
They nod then all eyes are on me.
I’m not part of this team, so I don’t understand the sentiment or the seriousness that shines back at me in three separate sets of eyes, but I nod anyway and all at once we let the cinnamon flavored liquor run down our throats.
Right then, several sounds hit.
Music, laughter, slams of car doors.
Royce yelps and runs down the deck stairs, Captain heads inside for another drink and Maddoc’s eyes lock on mine.
I go to follow, but Maddoc blocks my move.
“A lot happens out here, don’t go disappearing.”
“You mean don’t follow a big bad wolf home?” I tease, using the Brayshaw mascot for fun.
But the way he grinds his jaw tells me he doesn’t think it’s funny.
He steps against me, until I’m forced to lean back over the railing to meet his eyes. “You want a wolf?” he murmurs and that pulls in my abdomen. “I can make that happen.”
I dig deep to force a steady breath. “I bet you can, big man...” I trail off and he steps back, disappearing the way Royce ran.
I need a drink.
The party isn’t really a party tonight, apparently most of the others will be here in the morning. Tonight, it’s just the ones who ditched last period or prepacked and loaded their vehicles. Still, there are a solid thirty or forty people around.
Honestly, it’s pretty chill. It’s dark out except for the glow of the fire pits, and some string lights trailing down the pathways. I’m assuming they lead to more cabins. I’m kind of looking forward to seeing what this place looks like in the daylight.
“So, Raven.”
I look to my right at the girl who spoke.
“Are you having fun?” she asks, her voice peppy as she looks.
She couldn’t care less – it’s gossip she’s after.
I lift my drink and wave it her way with a tight smile before turning my attention back to the boys who’ve got a little game of horse going with a trashcan. They’ve got a pile of pinecones someone rounded up they’re using as the basketball so they don’t have to dig out of the garbage every throw.
Course, Royce had to make it more fun and instead of earning a letter to spell out the word horse with each basket made, they have to spell pussy. He made sure to let them know he wasn’t referring to ‘pussy’ as afraid or an actual cat, but ‘the place his dick was spending the night’ kind of pussy – as if they didn’t know what he meant.
They had a childish laugh over it.
“So, Raven, what cabin are you staying in?”
“Depends,” I answer and all the females who have placed themselves near me, look my way.
The girl clears her throat and leans forward. “On what?”
When I smirk, the fluffy attitude falters and her claws show despite her best effort.
“You think you get top pick over all of us?” She sits back slowly and her friends glare along with her. “Nobody even knew you’d be here. You don’t get to ruin the plans the rest of us made because someone felt the need to drag you along.”
“Janessa,” a golden-haired girl warns quietly, her eyes wide in apology – she’s clearly worried about the Bray’s little “touch her not” rule.
But good ole Janessa, as she was called, is not deterred, she’s got some liquid courage coursing through her and purses her perfect lips and fuck this bitch.
I was fucking around, but now she’s insulting me.
No.
I see who she keeps eyeing when she thinks nobody’s watching. She’s not a sly as she assumes, but I do give her props for not going all out obvious.
Little miss blonde hair, blue eyes, prettier than me on my best day but more makeup on than my mom on cougar night at the bar, has her sights set on Captain.
“How ‘bout a bet?”
Her eyes narrow. “Bet for what?”
“The commander, the skipper...” I goad her, but the confused look on her face tells me it’s over her pretty little head. “You know, the Captain.”
Her mouth forms a tight line.
“Wonder if he follows the code and ... goes down with the ship.”
She flies from her seat, ready to get in my face, but I meet her one step forward with three of my own.
“This has been in the works for the last two weeks. Back off.”
“Bet.”
She falters a bit. “Bet what?”
“Bet if we approach him, he’ll walk away with you.”
A weak little chortle leaves her, and she looks to her friends who wear tight expressions. They’re as unsure as her, even though they pretend I’m talking crazy.
This is totally unnecessary, but now I want to ruin her fun since she got on my case for no reason.
“There’s no point.” She crosses her arms. “It’s already set for later. Once he’s done partying, he’ll find me.”
“I’m nothing for you to worry about then.”
“As if you could take my place.”
I shrug and step back.
She rolls her eyes and drops back in her chair. “Screw you and your bet, I already know for a fact he’ll be mine tonight.”