Page 75 of Pay the Price

I nursed a beer in the shade of a giant maple tree. It was hot and humid, the way it was in Blackwell Falls in July and August, and I was already looking forward to tubing. As magical as Wolf’s meadow had been when I’d given him my virginity there, I’d made it clear there would be no detour out of the water for fucking.

I wanted to get in the water and stay there.

I looked up to see Honey approaching with a big bowl of watermelon.

“Hey, sugar! Nice to see you again!”

“You too,” I said. She was almost literally on fire in nothing but a star-spangled bikini, her long legs lean and tan, nipples barely covered by the stars and stripes. "You look amazing. I love your suit.”

I’d gotten a lot bolder in the months I’d been living with the Beasts — having nothing but a T&A-baring wardrobe andgetting fucked by two of my brother’s best friends probably had something to do with it — but I could only aspire to the kind of confidence Honey had.

She was gorgeous and she knew it, but she was also at home around the Blades, and she gave them shit like she was one of the guys, which I guess she kind of was even though I’d never seen her actually ride a bike.

“Thanks,” she said. “Even the devil’s sweating today.”

I grinned. “Truly.”

She held out the bowl of watermelon. “Thought you could use something besides beer to cool you off.”

“Oh my god, yes please.” I took a piece of the ice-cold watermelon. “Thank you so much.”

“Anytime, sugar.” Her gaze traveled through the crowd to the Beasts. “I see your men still only have eyes for you.”

I felt myself blushing. “I hate to say it, but the feeling’s mutual.”

Honey nodded. “It must be one unholy mindfuck.”

I laughed, because what else could I do when we were talking about sleeping with the three men who’d murdered my brother? “That’s one way of putting it.”

“Well, it must be worth it. If I wasn’t such a slut I’d be embarrassed by the way they’re looking at you.”

Now I was really blushing. I’d thought I was the only one who could read the naked lust — emphasis on the wordnaked— in the Beasts’ eyes. Now I wondered if everyone at the party could see it, all four of us thinking not about grilled steak, watermelon, and fireworks, but fucking each other until none of us could walk.

I laughed nervously. “Yeah, it’s pretty… intense.”

Honey lifted her eyebrows. “No better kind of sex than intense.”

So far, it was the only kind of sex that I’d had, so I couldn’t credibly disagree, but I had a feeling I wouldn’t have disagreed even if I’d had the experience to back up the opinion.

“Hey, Honey!” one of the bearded Blades called out. “Bring your sweet tits over here with that watermelon.”

“The sweet tits are off limits, sugar, but the watermelon is on its way.” She smiled and shook her head. “Gotta get a move on before these monsters get rowdy.”

I watched her cross the dirt- and grass-covered party area to the guy who’d asked for the watermelon.

My life had changed so much in the months I’d been living with the Beasts that it was barely recognizable. I was in an alternate universe where no one was going to judge you for showing your tits and ass, the men weren’t at all shy about showing their appreciation, and somehow it all felt friendly and respectful.

I thought about my conversation with Gray yesterday and felt a cold chill even as the sun beat down on the compound.

I told her I’d give her a tour. Seems only right to… nurture her natural curiosity.

I’d felt more threatened standing with Gray in the lunchroom at Cantwell than I felt with the leather-clad bikers at the Blades’ compound. They were just having fun, and I had zero doubt that if Honey told them to knock that shit off, it would stop then and there.

I also had zero doubt if it didn’t, at least one of the other guys would make it stop.

Somehow I wasn’t sure I would’ve been able to say the same if I’d been in the company of Gray Cantwell and a bunch of his rich buddies on a drinking binge.

Or Calvin, despite his expensive clothes and designer sunglasses.

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