I stole this swimsuit from the Hellhole when I was sixteen, but I've never worn it. Until now.

Somehow, I feel like Hael knows what's underneath my robe.

He steps forward, reaching out for the tie around my waist and very carefully and meticulously untying it. As soon as the robe opens up, Hael sucks in a sharp breath and curses in a very violent and colorful sort of way.

“Fuck a nun's dry cunt,” he murmurs, and I choke on a bit of laughter. “I know I saw this bikini yesterday, but holy damn, your sister was swimming with us, and I was trying not to look …” He trails off. He is most definitely looking at me right now. “Man, if Vic weren't in such a mood …” Hael reaches his palms inside the robe and puts them on the curve of my waist. The connection between us fires up like the motherfucking Fourth of July, and I have to squeeze my eyes shut to bear it. “He's so insufferable now. I knew he would be, after the wedding.” Hael pauses, and his full mouth twitches with bemusement. “How'd you like that twist, having Aaron give you away? What a hoot and a holler. Victor really is the king of assholes.”

“Do you think he meant what he said?” I ask, loving the way Hael absorbs every inch of me, cataloging my body for future jack-off material, no doubt. I want him to keep looking; I just wish I could look at him, too, naked and thrusting above me. I lick a bit of the sweet cherry gloss from my lips. “About me and him being exclusive after the wedding?”

Hael shrugs his shoulders all of a sudden and steps back, acting like he cares as much about the blue sportscar as he does my breasts. And the lie detector test determined … that was a lie.

“Hah.” He barks a laugh and reaches up to mess with his hair. “He meant it alright. Doesn’t mean I’m going to listen.” Hael winks as he circles the Ferrari. “Besides, you heard Callum and Aaron; I said my piece.” He grins, because in reality, he didn't really say much at all, did he? I keep wondering if I'm going to blink and Hael will suddenly be back to his old ways, cavorting around campus with occasional forays into Fuller High or Oak Valley prep pussy. He better not. “We all agreed that you'd be our girl, Bernie. I guess we each have to define what that means, what we want out of a relationship with each other.” Hael points between me and him as he bends down to examine the rims. He pulls his phone out, pops the stylus from the bottom, and starts scratching down notes.

“Yeah?” I ask, following him around the car as he makes his rounds, taking note of certain things and marking them down. He's barely looking at me now, acting like he doesn't give a shit that I'm in here. Lie. He knows damn well where I am, and he's avoiding me.

Out of respect for Vic, no doubt.

“I think Oscar would be satisfied at using you for target practice,” Hael suggests, rising to his feet. His red faux-hawk is styled to perfection in a crest along the top of his head, the sides shaved. There's a single tattoo on the side of his neck, a skull and crossbones that reminds me of the image on my bikini cup.

I smile.

“As long as the offer goes both ways, and I can shoot him in the balls, then I'm okay with that.” I exhale as Hael looks at me again, his honeyed eyes softening slightly before he looks away. “What about you?” I ask, trying to draw his attention back to me. I love the way I feel when he looks at me, like I could slide into his Camaro and take off down the highway with the windows rolled down and never look back.

Freedom.

That's Hael's particular taste, and I'm craving another bite.

“What about me, what?” he asks, flashing a saucy smile. “What do I want from a Havoc girl?” He puts a hand on the hood and then hops up on it, sliding over and then slamming his boots onto the pavement in front of me. Hael parks his elbows on his knees and rests his chin in one hand. “You know what I want, Bernadette Blackbird. I've been sweet on you since we were homeless together.”

“Don't you play with me, Hael Harbin,” I say, crossing my arms again and taking a small step back. He catches me by grabbing onto the ends of my robe ties and pulling me a bit closer. “You have a lot of things to answer for.”

“Do I?” he echoes, and I give him a look.

“Do you not remember stripping off my homecoming dress and giving it to that pond-scum, bottom-dweller Kali Rose-Kennedy?” I quip, popping out a hip and resting my hand on it. The motion only serves to open up my robe even further. “Or what about that time I walked in on you with one of the blond math teachers?”

Hael stares back at me like I'm crazy for a moment, and then flicks his gaze to the ceiling in thought.

“Math teacher?” he asks, but I just narrow my eyes.

“I know what I saw: you and some blond faculty member with her lipstick smeared and her hair mussed. Don't try to tell me that what was going on in that classroom was innocent.”

Hael drops his attention back to me again, and then gives a crooked grin, one that's just dripping with cocksure impertinence.

“Oh, baby bird,” he laughs, shaking his head. “You got it all wrong. I do know what you're talking about, but let me explain.”

“Please do, Harbin. I'm waiting.”

Hael pulls me even closer, and I just know that if Vic walks in, we're going to get into trouble. Not sure that Hael would accept being ousted from the room a second time, and I really can't bear to see Havoc splintered into pieces over me. Obviously I'm aware that none of that would be my fault—it's ludicrous to blame a girl for the actions of a bunch of guys—but nonetheless, the fallout would suck.

“I'm not going to lie and say I never screwed a teacher, Blackbird. But the ones at Prescott are just … not my type. What you're talking about is the time I caught Miss Addie fucking the other blond math teacher, Mrs. Daines. You just saw me blackmailing Miss Addie is all.” Hael taps underneath my chin with his fingers and smirks. “So cheer up, little bird. No harm done.”

“Oh, I'm sorry. All you were doing was blackmailing a faculty member? Right, excuse me for thinking it was something sordid.” Hael puts his hands on my hips, and I don't stop him, even though I know we're sliding into dangerous territory here. Me plus Hael plus an empty car hood … Gah. I wanna see how well those shocks really work. Can the Ferrari handle our particular brand of speed bumps and potholes?

Mm.

We cannot push the envelope and find out.

Victor has to come to this decision on his own; he has to know that he made the final choice. He has to choose Havoc.

Otherwise, this will never work.

“Any other burning questions I can answer to soothe your weary soul?” he asks, digging his thumbs into my pelvic bones and making me bite my lip to hold back a groan. My eyelids snap shut, and I have to really work at not throwing myself at him. When I feel Hael's breath against my bare belly, I almost lose my shit.

“Did you really try to kill Neil for me?” I ask, and he pauses. The energy in the room shifts, and I open my eyes just in time to see Hael pull back, his expression morphing into something completely different. I touch my hands to either side of his face, loving that he's clean-shaven again and smelling like coconuts. Come to find out the asshole likes to shower with a very specific shampoo and conditioner. Gotta keep the hawk fresh, he'd said, pointing at his hair. He's such an asshole. “I'm not a mind reader, Hael. I don't know what any of you are thinking, what you've done, where you've been.”