I smile, watching the gears turn in that pretty little head of hers as she struggles to find a way to get rid of me. Not happening, baby girl. Kasey coming to Suncrest U is a disaster waiting to happen. She’s seventeen for chrissakes, and her idiot mother thought it’d be a great idea for her to join the biggest sorority on campus. What a joke.
Football and training for football are what I’m focused on, so it’s become a habit of mine to avoid all things Greek, but only a hermit wouldn’t know Kappa Mu and their frat counterpart Alpha Ze are the two most notorious party houses here. Problem is, when shit goes down, it gets ugly.
There have been plenty of rumors about girls getting drugged and guys taking turns at some of their parties, and I’ll be damned if anyone is going to try shit like that with Kasey.
I can’t stand the girl, but that doesn’t mean I’ll sit back and let anything happen to her, either. I’m not a complete asshole, despite what she might think.
It’s why I suggested to Aaron that she move in with us. I’m willing to take one for the team if I have to, not that it’d be some big hardship. I’m barely home during the week. Most of my time is spent in class, on the field, or at the gym, and most Saturdays I have games. Half of them are out of town.
I’m home on Sunday afternoons but usually gone in the evening to see my sister. Sundays are the obligatory Price family dinners. My parents made them mandatory when Monique and I moved out for college, and while I managed to find a way out of them, my sister wasn’t so lucky. She goes to school out of state and she still has to fly in for those fucking dinners, so I make it a point to at least catch up with her while she’s here and take her to the airport for her return flight whenever I can.
Where Kasey and Aaron’s parents are damn near absent, mine take overbearing to an entirely different level.
Aaron liked the idea of Kasey moving in. He’s protective of his little sister the same way I am of mine, so it should have been a done deal, except Kasey refused to get on board with the program. The pretty little idiot.
When she shot down the idea, there wasn’t shit I could do about it, and Aaron wasn’t willing to pressure her. Something about her being independent and responsible and yeah, compared to most females her age, maybe she is. But she’s still young. Impressionable. Guys are going to take one look at her small body, perfect tits, and seductive mouth and think she’s theirs for the taking.
“Why are you here?” she asks like she doesn’t already know.
“I’m helping. That’s what friends do.” I put more emphasis on the word friend than necessary, but sometimes I need to remind myself that’s what we’re supposed to be. Friends. Not enemies. Not rivals. She’s part of our crew, which means I’m obligated to look out for her same as I would for Allie and Bibiana—Roman and Emilio’s girls.
But fuck, the way she gets under my skin, sometimes it’s all I can do not to spank her ass to get her to behave. Kasey Henderson is a match just waiting to be lit, and I’m the spark that gets her temper roaring. The way we verbally spar with one another, her tongue like a whip intent on tearing me down, it makes my cock jerk just thinking about how she’d be in the sack. Would she be just as wild and unrestrained? Or would she be shy and submissive?
Get your shit together, D. I fight the urge to adjust myself and force my face to remain impassive. I’m not interested. Not really. I’m just also not blind. Kasey’s all grown up. Her waist dips beneath her ribs, giving her an hourglass figure that should be illegal on a seventeen-year-old girl. Her tits are full and round and her ass is more than a handful that I’ve definitely considered squeezing a time or two. Again, not because I’m interested.
I lock down thoughts like that as soon as they occur. Kasey Henderson is one hundred percent off limits. For one, she is too fucking young. Four years might not seem like a big deal to everyone else, but it sure as shit is when the girl in question is a minor. And for two, I don’t do relationships.
Between school and football, I don’t have time for one, nor am I particularly fond of having someone all up in my business. Women are needy and temperamental. If the urge arises, I’ll find a girl to take home for the night, but that’s all I’m interested in. One night.
Besides, I’m pretty sure Aaron would have my balls if I made a play for her. There’s an unspoken rule between friends. Thou shall not fuck one another’s siblings.
He and I are damn near brothers at this point. No way can I cross that line.
After graduation, the plan was for Roman, Emilio, and I to get a place off campus together. But both fuckers had to go and couple up senior year of high school, so that plan went down the drain real quick and left me with two options. Move into the dorms—not fucking likely—or get my own place off campus. But then money would be tight and I didn’t want to ask my parents to cover it. Doing that would lead to trouble. Nothing given was ever given freely, and I didn’t want the strings I knew would be attached.
My grandmother set up a trust fund for my sister and I that we got access to the day we turned eighteen. It’s not much, but it covers my monthly expenses and would cover rent on a house off campus if I could find a roommate.
The idea of living with a stranger isn’t something I could get on board with, so I buried my shit with Aaron and got a place with him since the fucker was the only other one in our crew riding solo like myself.
Since he and the girls are all close, it made sense. We weren’t going to be getting rid of him anytime soon. Looking back, it was the right call, even if I didn’t love the idea at the time.
Aaron’s good people. He fucked up when we were all kids but since then, when any of us need him, he shows up. He’s there when it counts, and he’s put his ass on the line for me more times than I can count. I won’t repay that by banging his sister behind his back, even if there was that one time we kissed, and it still fucking haunts me.
“You good, man?” Roman asks.
I grunt, refusing to take my eyes off the girl in front of me. “Fucking peachy.”
Roman snorts and places his hand on my shoulder.
“Right. Well, while you pine over baby Henderson, I’m gonna go get my girl before Emilio tries to steal her.”
“I’m not pining,” I retort. I don’t pine after chicks, least of all a freshman with too much sass and too little sense. What the fuck does she think she’s doing right now? And where the hell is her brother. Shouldn’t he be watching her or something? At the very least, he should be fending off the assholes who just want to take advantage of her. No way would I let guys be all over my sister like that.
He laughs, shaking his head. “Call it whatever you want but your jealousy is showing, man. Might want to get that in check.”
I grind my teeth together, flipping off his retreating back. Rome doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Baby Henderson isn’t anything special. A piece of ass and soon to be jailbait. Not someone I’d be jealous over.
Speaking of Hendersons, Aaron walks up beside me and hands me a Coke. I accept the drink, knowing the fucker is just being nice, and against my better judgement I ask, “You cool with older guys all over your baby sister?” I feign indifference and take a drink of the soda waiting to see how he reacts. It has nothing to do with wondering if the age difference between her and I would matter to him and everything to do with making sure he knows what’s going on with Kasey right now.
As expected, Aaron follows my gaze. His eyes narrow and he mutters a curse. “Shit. I’ll have to drag her away from a fucking harem and I’ll have to deal with her bitching about it the entire way home today.”
I force a laugh. “She’s a handful.”
He shakes his head. “That’s putting it mildly. I don’t know what her deal is, man. Lately, it’s like she’s looking for trouble.” He sighs. “I better go deal with that.”
I thrust a hand out to stop him. “Let me.” I don’t know why I made the suggestion but I don’t try to walk it back once it’s out there.
His dark blond brows pull together. ‘You sure, man?’
I nod. ‘Yeah. Let her be pissed at me. Then on the way home when she’s bitching you can pretend to agree with what an asshole I am.’
He smiles and slaps me on the back. ‘Thanks, man. I owe you one.” I nod like it’s no big deal. Just helping the guy out. I don’t have a single selfish reason for making the suggestion.
Allie calls his name and Aaron turns. “Go,” I tell him. “I’ll get it handled.”
He hesitates for a moment. “You sure, man? Kasey can be—“
I cut him off. “Bro, I’ve got it. Go see what Allie wants.” He walks away, heading toward Roman and Allie on the other side of the yard, and without missing a beat, I head straight toward my quarry. She’s got herself surrounded by some of Allie’s friends from back home. I met the guys earlier, Gabe, Felix, and Julio. They seem nice enough, but that doesn’t mean any of them should be talking to her right now.
When I’m within hearing distance I slow my steps, casually walking closer to the group. Gabe, who’s on her right, is laying it on thick. He’s smiling at her like she’s all that he sees. Not happening, asshole.
As soon as I’m behind her, I pull her back into my chest and wrap my arms around her, pinning her in place with her back to my front. I ignore the way she feels pressed up against me and focus on the miscreants in front of me.
Kasey doesn’t bother trying to twist to see who’s grabbed her. My dark arms banded around her is telling enough. I’m the only black guy here. She doesn’t have to see my face to know it’s me, and being the smart girl she is, she doesn’t bother putting up a fight to get away.
‘You know Baby Henderson is jailbait, right?’ I direct the question first to Gabe before making eye contact with the other two. Kasey stiffens in my arms and a beautiful shade of pink creeps up her neck.
‘For you, maybe,’ Gabe retorts with a shrug.
The corner of Julio’s mouth lifts into a smirk like he’s in on some secret, but he doesn’t say anything. He takes a drink of his soda and rocks back on his heels, watching things play out. Felix, on the other hand, gives a hard shake of his head. ‘Ain’t no one trying to tap that,’ he says. ‘We’re all friends. Just having a conversation. No one’s crossing any lines.’
Gabe snorts. ‘Speak for yourself,’ he tells him, and then looks Kasey right in the eyes. ‘I have no problem saying I am very much interested.’ He licks his lips and gives her a heated look that makes me want to punch the fucker in the face. ‘Wanna blow this place? Go have some fun?’
I can’t see her expression, but if I had to guess she’s probably eating this shit up, if only to irritate me more. ‘Why not?”
‘She’s fourteen,’ I grind out.
‘I’m seventeen. Age is just a number, man.” He shrugs.
Kasey squirms in my arms in an attempt to get away, but I shift her around, putting her firmly behind me before stepping up and getting in Gabe’s face. ‘She’s too young for you, so knock that shit off. No guy here is going to let you put the moves on Henderson’s little sister.’
Despite having to look up to meet my stare, Gabe doesn’t back down. “Did it sound like I was asking for permission?”
Before I do anything that will land me on Allie’s shit list, like beating her friend to a pulp, I turn on my heel and grab Kasey by the arm, pulling her with me as I go.
‘Dominique, let go of me,’ she complains, but her steps follow. A glance over my shoulder shows Julio with a hand against Gabe’s chest while he mutters something in his ear. Whatever it is, it keeps him in place and that’s good enough for me.
I drag Kasey around the side of the house where no one can see us and press her up against the brick exterior, my arms caging her in on either side and offering her zero chance of escape.
Does she look worried? Not one fucking bit. The girl looks pissed and ready to raise hell.
“What is your problem! You had no right—” she snarls, shoving against my chest, but it’s like a kitten swatting at a bull. I barely feel it. ‘You can’t manhandle me like that. You are not my keeper. And you do not get to dictate who I hang out with.’
‘I have every right,’ I grind out the words and her eyes widen. Shit. I didn’t mean for that to come out. The girl gets in my head. Under my skin. She is so goddamn infuriating.
‘What is it exactly that gives you the—’
No answer is a good answer, so instead, I close the distance between us and capture her lips with my own to shut her up. At least that’s what I tell myself. She jumps, but I don’t let that deter me. I step forward into her space, pressing my mouth more firmly against her own and deepening the kiss while grabbing her beneath her thighs and lifting her into my arms. Her legs wrap around my waist instinctively and I press her back against the house. A small moan passes across her lips and I want to hear it again, so I press my hardening cock against her jean-clad center and grind my hips against hers.
She gasps, tearing her mouth away and sucking in a lungful of air. I nip at her full lips and trail kisses down her jawline. Her neck. All while thrusting my hips against her, letting her feel how badly I want her right now.
‘What are you doing?’ she asks with jagged breath.
I don’t answer. Instead, I capture her lips again and drink down her soft sighs and sweet moans. If I were being honest with her, I’d say I had no fucking clue what I was doing, but as soon as I open my mouth to speak, all of this stops and I’m not ready for that to happen just yet.
I shake out the memories from that day and focus back on the here and now.
“We’re not friends,” Kasey retorts, arms folded across her chest and mouth pressed into a tight line.
I shrug like her words don’t affect me.
“We’re not even friendly,” she adds.
She’s not wrong. Since that kiss, shit between us has gone from bad to worse. Kasey and I are like cats and dogs, or oil and water. We don’t mix. When we do, things get heated and not in a good way. It’s my fault for the way things are between us, and I’m man enough to own that, but when I pressed my mouth against hers and swallowed her soft cries of pleasure I knew right away it was a mistake.
“I’m friends with him.” I nod in Aaron’s direction. “And I’d be a shit friend if I didn’t at least offer to help the guy out. We both know he’ll do most of the heavy lifting while you and your mom talk with whoever it is running this show.”
Her jaw works and I can tell she’s barely keeping herself in check. I love it when she gets like this. All fire and brimstone, ready to raise hell to get what she wants. But before she can say anything else, her mom tugs on her arm. “Kasey, leave the poor boy alone. He’s only trying to help. Besides, there are so many things I want to show you before I have to leave.” She tugs on her daughter’s arm, who reluctantly follows, throwing one last look my way before admitting defeat.
I give her a small wave and her eyes narrow even further. She’ll come up with a way to get me back.
I’m looking forward to it.
