: Chapter 37

King Caleb has returned to his throne.

At least, that’s what it feels like.

The Lion’s Head football field, located behind the school, seems newly built. Crisp, white-painted lines. Bleachers on either side and a small building manned by two adults selling food and drinks. It’s a giant campus abutting a state reservation, and it’s much more peaceful than I would’ve guessed.

Caleb keeps me tucked next to him as countless people approach him from the top of the bleachers. He slaps guys’ hands, waves off girls. Smiles and jokes. He’s charming, which shocks the hell out of me. I don’t know why I expected grunts and stares, which is what most people usually get out of him.

He squeezes my arm, and I’m reminded of the last time we did this. The first and only time we did this. It didn’t really end well…

I let my head rest against his shoulder. We came prepared in winter gear. Ian wasn’t exactly thrilled to let Riley and me into his house to change, but Eli barged past him, Riley right behind.

Riley and I giggled to each other, shrugging out of the white uniform t-shirts and the dark skirts, putting on skin-tight black leggings and gold shirts she found at the mall. Mine shimmers like silk, and hers has a rough, purposefully ripped vibe. The outfits aren’t for the game—it’s too cold for that—but for the after-party. We painted on makeup and fixed our hair, and finally we were ready.

An impatient Ian stood by the door, periodically checking his watch.

Caleb and Eli thundered down the stairs, decked out in black and gold, and we were off.

I sink farther into my black coat, grateful for the hat Lenora gave me a few weeks ago. It’s an Emery-Rose winter one, black with gold tinsel-like threads woven through, and an eagle stitched on the side.

Riley and Eli are just below us on the bleachers, and Caleb’s teammates run interference for him a few rows down. They’re sprawled out, being generally loud and rowdy, but also blocking a lot of people from reaching our bubble.

Liam and Theo, I suspect, will be here later.

“How does it feel?” I ask Caleb.

He glances at me. The game hasn’t started yet, but he and Eli seem particularly keen on the Lion’s Head sidelines. They keep staring like a monster is going to pop out.

“What?”

“Being so popular,” I elaborate. “It must be weird, right?”

He shrugs. “I’ve always been popular. Even when we were kids. You just never noticed.”

True.

“My parents prepped me for this type of lifestyle.” He throws his shoulders back. “You think my dad was able to go anywhere without being recognized? His face was on billboards around town.”

I raise my eyebrow. “I don’t remember that.”

“Well, Uncle took them down after a while. They lost their effectiveness.”

Weird. But he has an odd expression, so I don’t question it.

The cheerleaders run out across the field, shaking their pom-poms.

Two familiar people climb the steps, and I shoot to my feet.

“Claire! Hanna!” I race toward them.

Hanna’s face lights up, and she crashes into me. I throw my arms around her, squeezing tight.

“I swear you grew five inches,” I tell her. “How are you?”

She grins at me. “Good! Claire said she saw you, but I couldn’t go.” Her lower lip pops out. “I miss you, Margo.”

“I miss you, too.” I rub her arm. “Are you liking this school? Claire said you were making some friends.”

Her hair is pulled back in two neat French braids, and the sisters are decked out in Lion’s Head colors.

I touch the purple hair bands and smile. “You guys went all out.”

Hanna beams. “Claire helped me with my hair, and she got me this shirt from school, see?” She unzips her purple jacket and shows me the purple-and-black shirt. Lion’s Head Forever is scrawled across her chest. “My friends are sitting on the other side, but we saw you.”

“Aww, well, I’m so glad.”

Claire steps up and hugs me. “You guys really got prime seating, huh?”

I glance back at Caleb, but he’s talking to someone else. The boy dressed in purple and black is vaguely familiar.

I shrug. “I guess.”

“We’re on the other side.” Claire hooks her thumb toward the field. There are stands on the other side, and it’s very clearly divided: Lion’s Head fans on one side and Emery-Rose on the other.

“Well, thanks for coming to say hi. I don’t think I would’ve spotted you otherwise.”

Claire shrugs.

“Hey, Margo.”

I turn toward the Lion’s Head boy who was just talking to Caleb. He towers above me. “Matt Bonner,” he reminds me. “We met at a game a few months ago.”

I nod. “Right…”

Claire clears her throat, raising her eyebrows.

“Oh, right. Um, Matt, have you met Claire? She’s a junior at Lion’s Head.”

Matt grins at her, extending his hand. “Pleasure.”

She blushes.

Ooh. So much for that nice boy who asked her out.

Matt takes a second to release her hand, and my attention bounces between the two of them for a hot second. Then Claire pulls away. She steers Hanna back toward the ground.

“Nice to meet you.” Her voice is gruff. “Margo, I’ll see you later.”

“Maybe at the after-party?” Matt asks. “Fletcher’s hosting.”

“Lion’s Head students are going?” I ask.

Matt watches Claire for a second, then turns back to me. “Yeah, well. Depends on who wins and who’s a poor sport. But I’m Caleb’s friend, so I plan on going.”

“I have to take Hanna home after,” Claire says, stepping down. “So…”

I get it. Responsibility is bound to rear its ugly head for her at some point. Hanna pouts, but her older sister ignores it. They both give me a wave and head back to the Lion’s Head side.

Matt pauses beside me. “She’s a junior, huh?”

“A transfer.” I eye him. “You’re friends with Caleb?”

“You betcha.”

“How’s that work during hockey season?”

He coughs. Maybe he’s shocked by my question, because he takes a long moment to answer. “We know to leave our friendship on the benches during a game.”

I’m not surprised to find Caleb’s gaze on me.

“Your school rivalry allows that?” I ask. “The games just… end when the timer reaches zero?”

The teams run onto the field, and the crowds have grown thicker. Matt’s purple-and-black colors stick out like a sore thumb in a mass of gold.

Matt chuckles. “Is that what you’re worried about? You think whatever game he’s playing hasn’t ended yet?”

I purse my lips. I didn’t say that—and I don’t really like having words put in my mouth.

An announcer’s speaker clicks on, and they begin a welcome speech.

“Shit, that’s my cue. See ya around, Margo.”

I go back to Caleb, who’s had a delivery of concessions. He hands me a soda and popcorn.

“Where did this come from?” I ask.

“You and Bonner have a nice conversation?”

I roll my eyes. “I just wondered if he saw Claire in school. And then I asked how you two managed to be friends with the whole rivalry thing.”

“Eh, Matt used to go to Emery-Rose. We were friends before he transferred, and it just stuck.”

“That’s sweet.” I pop a kernel into my mouth. Salt and butter explode on my tongue. “Is Theo gonna go crazy again when he gets here?”

Caleb snorts. “Probably. See the girl with the camera? By the Lion’s Head coach.”

I squint, but then I see her. Her blonde hair is pulled back in a braid, slung over her shoulder. Dark-framed glasses. She’s drowning in a huge black jacket. There’s a camera around her neck, and she periodically raises it to her eye.

“What’s his problem with her?”

Caleb shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t ask. But he might freak out on her.”

Eli turns around. “Might? Hundred bucks says he’ll do something stupid.”

Caleb’s eyes narrow. “Define stupid.”

“Touch her in some way. Push her or break her camera.”

“Maybe he’ll just yell at her.” I don’t really want anything to happen to her—because I know how it is. I know what it’s like to have someone gunning for you. Especially someone as dark as Theo. As dark as Caleb.

“Is that a bet?” Eli asks me.

“I sure as hell don’t have a hundred bucks to give you.”

Caleb snickers. “I’ll pay if you’re wrong.”

Eli and Caleb shake hands, and I roll my eyes.

“He might not even react at all,” I murmur.

“Nope. See?” Eli points.

Sure enough, Theo and Liam have arrived. They’re wearing mostly black, but they’re on the Lion’s Head sideline. And they stalk right past the players. Well, Theo stalks. Liam follows, seeming resigned.

“Ah, hell,” Caleb mutters. “Game hasn’t even started yet.”

Theo stops just shy of her. She stands still. He waves his hands in front of her face, but he doesn’t touch her. He might be on the edge of it, because I picture steam pouring out of his ears, but Liam grabs him and yanks him back.

Theo goes.

And it’s over.

Caleb hoots. “Pay up, Black.”

Eli grumbles and holds out a crisp hundred-dollar bill. More money than I’ve ever held at once, I’d reckon.

I eye it like it’s kryptonite, and both boys laugh at me. Caleb takes it and tucks it into my front pocket, patting my thigh.

“Good call,” he whispers, kissing my temple.

“Well, we did fake date. You really get to know a person that way.” I realize the instant the words leave my mouth that I shouldn’t have said it.

Caleb’s expression drops. “Is that right?”

“Um, no…”

He takes the cup from my hand, setting it on the bleachers, then yanks me to my feet. “Let’s go for a walk.”

Riley watches me with wide eyes, but she doesn’t say anything.

We’re past the point of Caleb torturing me.

Right?

We get to the grass and keep going. The roar of the crowd quickly fades the farther away we get.

“Caleb, stop.” I yank my arm, but his grip doesn’t loosen. If anything, he holds me tighter. “Oh, come on, I was joking.”

The cold mask I had grown to recognize has settled over his features. Scary Caleb.

I was wondering if he would ever make a reappearance.

We round the back of the concession stand, and he backs me against the wall. He cages me in, leaning down. His lips brush the shell of my ear.

I stay perfectly still.

“Hearing you talk about dating Theo makes me want to go out onto the field and pummel his ass.”

“Fake dating,” I breathe. “Which we only did for about fifteen minutes to get a rise out of you.”

“A rise out of me, huh?” He draws back, smirking, then presses his hips against mine. His erection digs into my belly.

My lips part.

Shit. He’s really turned on.

“I guess it worked.” He tugs on a lock of my hair. “Now what?”

Distant cheering, but I don’t know if it’s for our team or theirs.

As much as Scary Caleb is hot—in an intimidating way—I prefer the other version of him.

“Now…” I push up onto my toes and get in his face. “We go back to the game.” I slip out from under his arm and walk away. I ignore the tingling down my spine.

If I were to look back, I’d see him staring. Jealousy suits him.

“Every action has a reaction, little wolf,” he calls.

I shiver.

He follows me back up the bleachers. To our seats. He grabs my hips before I can sit, though, and pulls me onto his lap.

After a failed attempt to get up, I loop my arm around his shoulders. We watch the game, the players moving up and down the field. Their grunts and the creaking of equipment, the way they crash into each other. Eli and Riley are absorbed in the game. Theo and Liam join our bubble, and they watch just as intensely.

Everyone is focused on the field.

Caleb’s hand starts on my thigh. I think nothing of it until it slides up just a hair, under the edge of my coat. I ignore it. I ignore him and whatever game he’s trying to play right now. In public.

“The thing I love most about your outfit, little wolf?”

“What’s that?” I’m hyper-aware of his thumb’s circular path.

“You can still feel everything through leggings,” he comments. His hand climbs higher, and his thumb brushes my center.

I gasp, pressing my legs together, but it’s too late. He’s already there.

“You can’t keep me out.” He darts forward and kisses my neck. “I wonder who will notice your face when you come on my hand?”

He rubs my clit through my leggings and panties. I bite back a groan, already strung out on a wire from feeling his erection and standing up to him. It was an unexpected high. And now, it’s too much.

I turn my face into his neck. “You’re wicked.”

“It’s your game,” he says into my hair. “Will you scream my name?”

I grit my teeth and shift, trying to get some relief. He’s driving me wild. Every inch of me is focused on the drag of his finger on the most sensitive part of me. I dig my fingernails into his shoulder.

“Stop,” I moan, but I don’t push him away.

I’ve gone insane.

He reaches higher, to my waistband. I angle toward him, trying to shield myself. My coat is doing a pretty good job, but even then…

His hand slips into my panties, and the feel of his fingers on my skin almost undoes me. Two fingers thrust into me, and I yelp, burying my face back in his neck. I expect him to laugh, but he’s silent, moving faster.

Something good happens on the field, because students below us surge to their feet. We alone remain sitting as the crowd goes crazy.

“Scream,” he says, teeth on my earlobe.

The orgasm rips out of me, and I do scream into his shoulder, the noise getting carried away by the cheering. He pulls his hand out of my pants, straightens my jacket for me, and waits.

The crowd settles.

My heart seems to be bursting out of my chest, and then it goes quiet, too.

And shame trickles in. Burning embarrassment follows it.

Holy shit, I just had an orgasm on the bleachers at a fucking football game. Surrounded by students. The last time he fingered me in public, someone captured it on video and sent it out to everyone.

And our best friends are right in front of us.

As if on cue, Riley asks, “Is she okay?”

“Fine,” Caleb says, shifting me closer to him. “Just overwhelmed.”

“Margo?”

“Yep,” I say into his chest. “Peachy.”

“Peachy,” she echoes. “Um, okay.”

Caleb’s chuckle rumbles in his chest. He doesn’t force me to come out of hiding until my face has stopped flaming. I grapple with my anger, letting my hair fall in front of my face.

When I pick up my head, Caleb turns his attention away from the game and toward me. “A state championship we’ll never forget.”

I stare at him, shocked. A laugh bubbles out of me, and I clamp my hand over my mouth. It doesn’t stop the giggles. I thought I was the insane one—turns out, we both are.