Hooker (43 page)

“Hey Brad, here comes Indi,” I hear one of the guys say. My head snaps towards the entry.
What’s it to him?
She’s walking towards our table. She has a friend with her. She’s not bad. I might need to add her to my list of conquests. I’m sure that would piss Indiana off.

“You tapped that yet?” one of them asks. I’m presuming he’s asking if he and Indiana have got it on. Why that pisses me off I have no idea. That cocksucker better not say yes.

“Not yet, but this weekend my parents are going away. I’m gonna invite her over,” he chuckles. The cock sitting next to him gives him a high five. I’d like to high five his fucking face.

“I bet you can’t get her to go all the way,” another one adds. Fuck. Am I going to have to take on this whole damn table?

“How much?” Brad asks.

“Fifty bucks.”

“You’re on,” Brad answers reaching over the table to shake his hand. Seriously, they’re making bets on her now? “It won’t be the first cherry I’ve popped and your fifty will make it all the sweeter.” He rubs his hands together when he says that.
Like hell will he be having her over this weekend.
I have no idea how I’m going to put a stop to this, but I will.

As the girls walk past, Brad reaches out and pulls Indiana onto his lap. “Hey, beautiful,” he whispers in her ear. It instantly gets my back up. Why do I care that his hands are on her? But fuck me, I do.

“Brad,” she giggles, trying to get up off his lap. I want to tell him to let her go, but I keep my mouth shut.

“Don’t make any plans for Saturday night, okay?” he murmurs in the crook of her neck. She pulls her head back and smiles at him. She has a pretty smile. When she’s around me, all I seem to get is a scowl. I guess with the way I treat her I deserve it.

“What’s on Saturday night?” she asks.

“You and me. We’re going to do something. Just the two of us,” Brad answers.

“Like a date?” she asks. When he looks around at the other guys sitting at the table and smirks, it takes everything in me not to lunge at him. My blood has reached boiling point. I try to act unaffected when the guy next to me mumbles, “A date with his bed.” I swear I want to knock him out.

“Yeah, a date. I’ll call you, okay?” Brad replies, smiling at her sweetly. Fucker. There’s nothing sweet about him. He’s a fucking snake.

“Okay.” He lets her go and she rises from his lap. Her eyes quickly scan the table before landing on me. The smile drops from her face and her eyes narrow. That makes my lips turn up for some reason. Sure I’d prefer one of the smiles she gave that fucker, but I like that my presence affects her.

“Hi. You must be new here,” I hear her friend ask. Tearing my eyes away from Indiana, I find her friend smiling down at me. She’s even prettier up close, but has nothing on Indiana.

I can feel Indiana’s eyes boring into the side of my head, so I decide to turn on the charm. “Carter,” I say, plastering a huge grin on my face. I extend my hand to her friend and she takes hold.

“I’m Megan,” she giggles, batting her eyelashes at me. That shit pisses me off. I hate it when girls act this way. Like the rest, she’s putty in my hands.

“Let’s go,” Indiana snaps grabbing her elbow and dragging her away. I chuckle. If talking to her friend pisses her off, I may have to do it more often.

“I think I’m in love,” Meg says as I drag her away from that arsehole. He can put on the charm for her. Why didn’t I get that kind of greeting when I met him? God, he gets on my nerves. I hate that seeing the way he was with Meg just now made me jealous.

“You need to stay away from him,” I demand as we weave our way through the other students, making our way towards our table.

“What? Why? Have you heard something about him?” she asks.

“That’s my new neighbour. The one I was telling you about.”

“Shut the fuck up,” she says looking over her shoulder in his direction. “No way. That hottie is your new neighbour? Damn girl, you get all the luck.”

“Don’t let his good looks fool you. That’s all he has going for him,” I say.

“With a face like his that’s all he needs,” she laughs.

“Meg,” I exhale, frustrated. “Please.”

“Okay. Don’t get your panties in a knot. Anyway, I think he has the hots for you.” Her comment makes me laugh. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.

“Trust me. He doesn’t have the hots for me. He can’t stand me,” I admit as we take our seats. Maybe I should’ve sat on the other side. I have a clear view of my infuriating neighbour from here. Pulling my lunch out of my bag, I realise I suddenly have no appetite.
That smug bastard is eating hisfood like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

“Oh, I beg to differ. I saw the way he was looking at you when you were on Brad’s lap. If I’m not mistaken, those gorgeous brown eyes of his turned green.”

I ignore her observation. She must be seeing things. I know how a guy acts when he’s interested. Carter’s definitely not interested. “What do you think I should do about Brad?” I ask, trying to change the subject.

“Are you seriously asking me that? He’s been chasing you forever. Go out with him. He’s a babe. Anyone else would kill to be asked out by him.”

“Well I’m not just anyone. I’m not sure if I want to be serious with a guy yet. You know what his reputation is like. He’s going to expect sex.”

“So give it to him. You’re nearly seventeen Indi. You can’t hold onto your virginity forever.” She’s right. I know that, but I don’t want to give it up to just anyone. I was hoping to give it to someone special.

Brad and I have hung out a bit. Mainly in a group. Never on our own. Well, except last weekend when he walked me home from a party. He kissed me goodnight. Technically it was more than a goodnight kiss, but it never went any further.

It’s not like I haven’t made out with guys before. I have. But, now we’re getting older, the guys expect more than kissing. I know I’m ready. I’m just not sure if Brad is the one.

“Stop overthinking this,” she says reaching for my hand when she sees the worried look on my face. “We’ve been over this a thousand times.”

“I know. It’s just …”

“Just what? At least he’s had experience. He should know how to please you. My first time was horrible.” I laugh at her comment. She was fifteen when she lost her virginity. It was the first time for both of them. Going by what she’s told me, it was a disaster.

I try to put it out of my mind for now. I only manage to pick at my lunch. My gaze keeps wandering towards the boys’ table. Damn my traitorous eyes. Instead of looking at Brad, they’re focused on Carter. I can’t help but notice all the pathetic girls that walk past his table whispering and giggling like a bunch of morons when they see him. It infuriates me no end.

••••

After fifth period, Meg and I run into Carter in the corridor. “Hi, Carter,” Meg purrs.
Bitch.

“Megan,” he says nodding his head. At least he uses her name. That makes me jealous too. I shouldn’t let it worry me, but it does. “If you want a lift home, meet me in the car park,” he adds turning his attention to me. I choose to ignore him. After the way he acted this morning, he’s delusional if he thinks I’ll get in the car with him again.

“He doesn’t seem as bad as you’re making out,” Meg says on the way to our next class.

“Don’t let him fool you. He’s a monster.” She laughs at my observation.

“He was nice enough to offer you a lift home. That’s got to count for something.”

“Yeah, and he gave me a lift to school as well. Trouble is, he stopped at the end of the street and told me to get out of the car. He was worried if people saw us together it would ruin his reputation.”

“He said that?” she asks, shock clearly evident in her voice.

“Yep.”

“What a bastard,” she says pursing her lips.

“I know right. Now do you see where I’m coming from?”

••••

I steer clear of the car park after school and opt for the bus instead. Sure it will take me longer to get home, but it’s worth not having to put up with Carter’s rudeness and insults. I’m surprised he even offered. It was probably a ruse to fool Meg into thinking he’s actually a nice guy, which he’s not.

Also
by J.L. Perry, author of the #1 bestseller
Bastard:

Available now in ebook!

It’s been two years since reformed bastard Carter and his treasured wife, Indi, had their happy-ever-after in the #1 bestselling
Bastard
…

Contains:

Luckiest Bastard
, a novella with a HEA

First White Christmas
, a bonus story

Two years and two children after their happy ending in
Bastard
, Carter and Indiana have settled into married life after their tumultuous pasts. But a shocking event will threaten everything they hold dear.

J.L. PERRY

J.L.
Perry is a mother and a wife. She was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1972, and has lived there her whole life. Her other titles include
My Destiny, My Forever, Damaged, Against All Odds, Bastard
and the novella
Luckiest Bastard
. J.L. Perry is currently writing two novels:
Jax
and
Nineteen Letters
.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to the actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in Australia and New Zealand in 2016