Fallen Crest High (44 page)

"Well," she glanced towards Garrett. "I had no idea. I had dinner plans for the evening."

My mother cleared her throat. "Can we get back to the part where my daughter said she was screwing her future stepbrother?" She glared at me. "I'd love to hear how this came about and why no one else seemed surprised."

No one spoke a word.

Her head started to swivel around. As her eyes found James, he gave her an apologetic look. "I had my suspicions."

She gasped.

Garrett lifted another finger. "I knew too. I caught '
em
in the elevator."

"You did not." My hands found my hips. "We were standing in there and you got on. End of story."

"He had his arm around you and he kissed your shoulder. It was pretty evident, sweetie."

I snarled at him, "I'm not your sweetie."

David cleared his throat. "I knew as well,
Analise
. I was going to tell you, but I had hoped for a family dinner of my own this evening first." His eyes held mine. I felt my stomach drop at the sorrow in them. "That didn't occur as I had planned."

I looked away, burning. What did it matter? What did he matter anymore? He let me go… A small voice in my head told me that he didn't, though. He had fought for me since the beginning. I swung back to him and he gave me a small smile for encouragement.

"Who else knew about them?"

Helen gave her a polite, but lethal. "I walked in on them. They'd just had sex."

"You're screwed, brother," Logan whispered out of the corner of his mouth. Mason shot him a look, but stood beside me. He regarded the group with a grave look on his face. "What do you all care about? I screw girls. You know this."

"Not your stepsister!" my mother cried out.

He bore her down with a look that silenced her. Shivers went down my back, but I didn't dare glance up. I didn't want to remember that from him. Then he taunted her in a soft voice. "You should be happy,
Analise
. My father isn't a mechanic and my mother's not a cashier at the local grocery store. Your daughter did well for finding a bedmate."

Logan hooted out in laughter now.

She flushed as she remembered her own words. "This is not right. The two of you should not be—"

Garrett rolled to his feet again. "You can't do a thing to stop her,
Lise
."

She whirled to him. "Shut up, Garrett. You've had nothing to do with her all your life. You have no right to start now—"

With two steps he was in her face. "I have every right. I had a daughter that I didn't know about. You kept her from me! You had no right to do that. Maybe it's my turn now. Maybe I should be her parent now."

She paled even further. "No!"

David stepped forward. "I wouldn't be averse to that. I've been in talks with
Analise
about sharing responsibility of Samantha. I've offered to pay for her college already."
"You have?"

"I have." His eyes gentled as he turned to me. "I wanted to talk with you about some of those plans I've made with your mother at dinner tonight."

"You did?"

"Well, that's just dandy! You all knew my daughter was boning her stepbrother and no one had the decency to call me?"

"Watch it,
Analise
. Your age is showing." Garrett smirked at her. "And I did call you."

David stiffened as he turned. "Why would I call you when you haven't had the decency to consult me in any matter? You wanted to take her from me completely. You wanted to wipe her from my life."

"She's a bitch, isn't she?" Garrett threw an arm around David's shoulder.

"She is." Then his lip turned downwards. "Samantha, as the man who has raised you all your life…" He glanced upwards.

Garrett gave him an approving nod and patted his shoulder.

David continued, "I have to ask if this is a cry for help? Are you with Mason because you wanted all of our attention?"

Helen snorted and crossed her arms again. "Well, she got it."

I glared at her, but gentled as I looked at my father. "It's not a cry for help, David. It's—"

"They're hot as hell for each other!" Logan shot to his feet. "I can't keep quiet anymore. You all are stupid idiots if you think that. Don't you know her? Don't you know Mason? My god, I'm embarrassed to call you
ass
-
dults
!"

"Logan," his mother hissed. "Shut up. You promised."

He flipped up his middle finger. "I don't care. I can't handle this. My game is talk. You tried to take that away." He shot an arm towards Mason. "He fights. I talk. That's the magic of our twosome fearsome. Sam's one of us, man. She's got the guts to do the dirty deeds if we don't. She watches out for us too. Ya'll are stupid if you didn't see this coming." He thrust his arms out wide. "The three of us are a magical team. No way are you screwing this up."

James asked him with a dry voice, "Really?"

Logan puffed up his chest before he downed the rest of his beer. "You don't know what it's like being a
Kade
. Sam does. She's conquered and proved her loyalty runs deep." He flinched. "Real deep if I'm guessing at how far Mason goes in her—"

"Logan, shut the hell up!" Mason smacked him in the back of his head.

He came back up with a brighter smile. "And I'm proven right, again! You guys should hire me for this talent I have. Mom, I bet you have a better sex life with that Garrett
dude
than you did with dad."

"Logan!"

He turned towards James. "And dad, I bet your sex life is pretty good with
Analise
. She strikes me as the slutty type."

"Logan!"

He grinned broadly. "And David…I don't know you that well, but you strike me as conservative. You're only going to be with a conservative woman, maybe one that looks exotic though. I can tell you have control issues. You don't like anyone who is wilder than you, probably why you had problems with your ex, huh? As for the current one, she's hot under the covers, but I don't know if you want her to be." He shook his head in sympathy. "You might want to take care of that."

David frowned as he looked away.

"And Garrett," Logan
tsked
tsked
him in approval. "You're a wild one, I can tell. That's why I know Mason's got a good one. You and
Analise
both are hot ones in bed. I can tell. It's why my mom and dad like the both of you. Both of them are vanilla in bed, I bet. I'm sorry about that. I bet the two of you had wild sex together." He shook his head in wonderment.
"Two of the same types rarely work out, too much drama.
A wild one and a vanilla one always go the distance. They balance each other out."

Garrett chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment as he regarded the sudden outburst. Then he nodded in approval. "I like you. You speak the truth.
Inappropriate, but the truth."

Logan puffed out his chest. Then the smirk dropped from his face and he clipped out, "Good. Then leave Sam and Mason the fuck alone. You've screwed up our lives enough."

Mason slid him a look. "I was going to get to that. I was waiting for the right time."

Logan looked annoyed. "Whatever. I had enough being quiet."

I slid my eyes towards him and he saluted me before he dropped back on the couch. "Continue on as you were…" He pretended to bow to them as he opened another beer, and passed one to Mason.

I caught mine as I sat on the couch with him.

Mason slid down beside me and Logan curled an arm around my shoulder. He drawled against my cheek, "It'll throw them off. Their visionary senses will tell them we're screwing and they'll get confused." His hand slid down towards my breast.

Mason warned, "Don't even try it, Logan. I'm the fighter, remember?"

His hand slid back up to my shoulder. He gave me a pat.
"Threesome fearsome.
No one stands a chance."

I grinned at him. "What about Nate?"

He tapped his beer with mine. "When he's around, it's the foursome fearsome. You can add any 'some to that name. Thank goodness, huh?" Then he groaned. "I really need to get laid tonight."

Mason tipped his head back. I felt the tension in his body and reached for his hand.

Logan leaned forward. "We might be having that party in your suite." Then we looked at the room as their voices were raised at each other. "Something's telling me the adults aren't going anywhere tonight."

My mom chose that moment to lift her hands in the air. "I don't care what you think I've done wrong in my parenting. I've been the one there for her all her life."

I closed my eyes. It was going to be a long night. I already knew it.

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

The adults remained in the top suite so the party was moved down two floors when Logan paid for the other suite on Mason's floor. Text messages were sent out and soon the elevator had started to ring its arrival. The two doors were left open and it wasn't long before a swarm of people filled the floor. I had been with Mason and Logan for awhile until their public friends started to show. After Ethan sent me a few frowns and narrowed glances, I took my exit and it wasn't long before I heard Becky's excited voice.

She squealed somewhere, "I can't believe this! This is awesome!"

When I stepped on a chair, I saw them inside the doorway and sent a text that I was near the kitchen. It wasn't long before Becky and Lydia pushed their way to me and landed with flushed faces.

"Hey, guys." I narrowed my eyes.

Lydia let out a silent burp and tugged her skirt down to flaunt her hipbones.

"You guys are drunk."

Becky flung herself at me for a hug. As she fell against me, she gurgled out, "Am not.
Spoilshoret
."

"We're not drunk." Lydia pulled her back and linked their elbows together. She puffed up her chest and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"You are. I know what you look like when you're drunk and I can smell the booze on Becky's breath."

"So what if we're drunk?!
It's Friday night. We're allowed." Becky seemed sure of herself. "And besides we're celebrating your awesomeness. Oh yeah. You're awesome. You're the queen of being awesome. You are a god-
dess
, you are." Her head bounced up and down with each word and her smile grew at each nod. "And you're my friend. I'm so glad you're my friend."

"Mine too." Lydia beamed.

"Oh boy."
I sipped the beer Logan made me take. "How are you getting home?"

Becky pointed a finger at me. "How are you getting home, missy? Or are you sleeping here…with your boyfriend?!"

"Yeah.
Your boyfriend."
Lydia giggled at Becky, who bumped heads with her.

"Don't worry," Adam's voice came from behind me. "I promised Becky's parents that I'd watch out for her. They weren't keen on letting her attend a
Kade
party, but I persuaded them. Plus, I think Lydia's staying at Becky's tonight anyway." He gave me a small smile, but I caught the apprehension in his depths.

"Thanks," I said lightly.

Lydia had been watching us and cooed, "You guys will make a great couple."

Becky nudged her.

"I mean, someday…maybe…not." She hung her head, but snapped back up with a bright smile. "I forgot to tell you.
Jessica's hating
you right now. She's so jealous of you. You got Logan
Kade
. Can you believe it? Well…I guess you can, but still—you're dating Logan
Kade
."

An arm was thrown around my shoulder and I closed my eyes.
Speak of the devil…

I didn't need to look to know a very smug smirk was on Logan's face as he drew me against him. "When did this phenomenon happen?"

Becky's eyes went wide, but Lydia edged closer with a secretive smile. "Maybe about the time you realized you couldn't ignore her phone calls. I mean, she lives with you, right?"

Logan drew back with a frown. His arm tightened around my shoulders. "You're saying that I'm stuck with her?" He threw me a look. "Your friends suck."

Lydia flushed and moved back again.

Becky's mouth dropped open before she got red in the face. "Hey, I'm sick of people saying that Sam doesn't have good friends. I'm her friend. I'm her best friend, even if she doesn't know it, but I know I am."

Adam added, "She is. I've seen her in action."

Her finger jerked back up. "And you better treat her right, not like her last boyfriend. He sucks." She pounded her chest with a beer in hand. "I know. I'm his cousin. I can say that. And he cheated on her. He was a fool. You better not cheat on her, Logan
Kade
."

A look of admiration took root in his eyes, but he deadpanned, "And if I do?"