Adversaries by T.L. Hodel

“Hey, you!” I snapped my fingers at one of the girls scrubbing my car.

Yes, I knew her name. Cammie, how much more country could you get than that? Still not as bad as my roommate. Freaking Ava. I know she roomed with the Mayberry prom queen on purpose.

Ah well, I could worry about that later. Right now, Miss Cammie was using her country muscles to wash my car. I wanted it clean, not stripped.

“Careful. That paint job is worth more than your tuition.”

There was a reason I didn’t let Ava drive my Mercedes. Last time, she tore the top off. I still had no idea how she did that. The top was down.

Cammie perked up and fluttered her eyes innocently. “I’m just cleaning.”

Cleaning, my ass.

“I’m sure those cow wrangling muscles are useful back at the farm, but lighten up on my car.”

For half a second, when the other three girls snickered, I thought she might challenge me. She had that defiant look in her eyes. Unfortunately, all she did was grumble as she hung her head.

I sighed. Sorority life wasn’t supposed to be this boring. It should be more sophisticated and upper class. Not needy and naive. Never thought I’d miss Riley Adams and her smart-ass mouth.

She was just another piece of docksider trash. A nobody from a low-class neighborhood. Yet here I sat, silently hoping one of these girls would lash out at me. I may not have liked Riley, but at least she was a challenge.

Why Micha Kessler chose her, I’d never understand. That girl literally had a criminal record. Which was saying a lot considering her dad was sheriff. My dad wouldn’t let me spend a minute in jail, let alone be there long enough to get a record, and she wasn’t the only one.

Three of Ashen Springs’ best and brightest were scooped up by lesser beings. Apparently, slumming it was the way to go back home. Though, Parker and Lana were kind of forgivable.

Seeing as she was technically a mafia princess, one might consider her in a slightly higher elevation. I could even understand Logan Hudson’s choice. Shelby Grace was gorgeous. But Micha and Riley?

I glanced over at my car. Hulk version 2.0 had finally eased off. Now, I could relax. Letting out a breath, I stretched back on the lounger. Ava was always harping on me about being nicer to people.

This coming from the girl that stabbed a guy last week because he was wearing pink. While I agreed the color didn’t compliment him, it was no reason to stick a knife in his gut.

On the upside, he’d probably never wear pink again. So, in reality, Ava saved us all from that fashion faux pas.

Part of me hoped I’d find more highbred girls at college. It was a sorority after all. But none of these girls were like Ava and I. They were small-time princesses, begging for guidance. More puppies to add to my collection.

I slid my sunglass over my eyes and sunk back into the warm rays. My mother got her color from the salon, whereas I preferred the natural look. Fake was her thing, not mine. Then again, I suppose that was the position for a trophy wife.

Nothing in her life was real, not even her marriage. Was any marriage? Just like these girls, Puppy was the perfect title for my mother. My flawless skin and hourglass figure were the only good things she ever did for me.

“Perfect day to soak up some sun.”

Speaking of puppies…

I peeked over the rim of my sunglasses at a pair of sparkling blue eyes.

This wasn’t the first time Dennis Copland stood around gawking at me. He was more my type, that much I’d give him. Well-styled blonde hair and designer labels. It was the nice guy crap that I couldn’t stand.

Dennis tipped his head and gave me a smile. I couldn’t help but think of someone else as I eyed the crooked curl on his lips.

Chase Mathers was an insufferable asshole, but at least the glimmer in his dark eyes was real. That didn’t mean I thought he was attractive, despite what Ava said.

Just because the guy had the whole ruggedly handsome thing going on didn’t mean someone like me would ever be interested in someone him. Even if he did have arms as big as my thighs.

“You going to the party this weekend?”

“No,” I sighed, settled back in the lounger, and closed my eyes. “Frat parties are so last year.”

High school girls got excited about drunk college guys.

“You’re looking pretty good today.”

Really? Was that the best he had? The way girls talked about him. I expected more. Sit down, ask me out, hell, grab my hair and kiss me. Ugh, be a man. For Christ’s sake, Chase had more balls than this guy.

I could still feel his fingers around my neck, twitching with my pulse and giving me a taste of the power in those massive muscles. And they were massive.

All hard and firm bulges of might, highlighted by the ink marking his tanned skin. Pfft, whatever. He was probably all fat and flabby under that faded t-shirt.

Or he’s as chiseled as a Greek god.

I grumbled under my breath and stretched my arms over my head. My mother was the one who liked to slum it.

“Is that a new suit,” Dennis’s annoying voice cut through my thoughts.

Ugh, is he still here.

“It looks good.”

Was that supposed to be a compliment? Some line that would make me drop to my knees and beg to suck him off. Clearly, Dennis wasn’t as good at this as he thought. Of course, my suit looked good. Why would I waste my time buying something that didn’t.

My eyes fluttered open as I rolled my head his way. “What do you want, Dennis?”

“Well, I saw you out here,” I bet you did. Were you watching from your room with binoculars? “and I thought you could use a refreshing drink.”

Uh-huh.

I lifted my head to eye the open beer bottle in his hand. “What’d you drug it with?”

“You don’t think I’d do that, do you?” His head fell back with a loud chuckle that was way too exaggerated.

“Yes.”

He stood there staring at me dumbfounded for a few seconds as condensation from the bottle trickled across his fingers.

“I-I wouldn’t.” He stuttered out and took a long swig of the beer. “See, it’s perfectly safe.”

Alright, so this one wasn’t drugged.

I didn’t say anything, just laid my head back down. Apparently, he didn’t like being ignored because the nice guy façade dropped faster than an addict ready to earn her next fix.

“I can have any girl I want. You should be honored.”

Bored by his pathetic attempt at a threat, I yawned out, “Should I?”

“Careful bitch,” he hissed back, “I can make or break you.”

Is that what he thought?

“I’m the king around here.”

I had to hold back a laugh. King around here? What kind of crap was that? Micha Kessler, Logan Hudson, and the other Knights, now those were kings. They had real power. Power I’d seen them flex numerous times.

Dennis was nothing more than a jock with a big head. I couldn’t wait until he ran into Micha on campus. Now, that I wanted to be there for.

“So how about you play nice,” the corner of his mouth curled, “and I’ll play nice.”

Dennis wanted to play? Alright. I wasn’t blinded by his sparkling eyes. Nor did I give a shit if he was president of his fraternity.

I wasn’t the mousy little girl in the corner he could make fold with a few words. I was a lioness, built to devour and destroy, and had no problem wiping that entitled delusion from his mind.

Because it wasn’t the king who ruled.

It was fucking the queen.

“You know what,” I sat up, pushed my sunglasses to the top of my head, and gave him a sweet smile, “I think we got off on the wrong foot. Why don’t you come sit with me?”

Like the puppy that he was, Dennis flopped down beside me with a victorious smile. Two seconds later, his hand was running up my back.

I wanted to roll my eyes at his predictability. Instead, I slid closer and ran my hand up his thigh.

“You’re right,” I leaned in, bring my lips a breath away from his, “it is better when we play nice.”

I held back the gag as his breath washed over my face, “I told you.”

This was too easy. It was a bit disappointing. I pushed him back on the lounger and crawled over his body, straddling his thighs. Which he was all too happy to let me do. Cocky bastard even folded his hands behind his head, like he excepted me to just pop his dick in my mouth.

I went with it, taking my time to smooth my palm down his chest to the buckle of his belt.

“Is this what you want?” I purred while slipping my fingers under the waistband of his jeans.

“Yeah, Baby, this is what I want.”

I reached down, wrapped my hand around the pathetic thing he called a dick and yanked. The yowl that followed made my lips curl.

“You bitch,” he growled, reaching up to grab my hair.

“Uh-uh,” I tsked and gave him another yank, “careful.” I tipped my chin back at the girls washing my car. “My girls might come over here,” I leaned in and added in a whisper, “wouldn’t want them to find out how tiny your dick is.”

He pulled roughly on my hair and raised his hand to slap me.

“Go ahead,” I dared him. “Hit me. There’s plenty of witnesses.”

“Exactly,” he growled back, “you’re crushing my dick. No one would blame me for slapping the shit out of you.”

“Am I? Or am I the girl giving you a hand job?”

Realization filled his face as he glanced around because that’s exactly what it looked like. Unlike this simpleton, I knew what I was doing.

“Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to leave and never talk to me or any of the other Pi Kappa girls again. Or our little rendezvous will become the hot topic on campus.”

He was going to test me. I could see it in his glare. Like most of the guys I knew, Dennis didn’t like backing down. Especially to a girl. Unfortunately for him, I spent years learning how to play the daddy card. I could cry on demand.

When his hold in my hair tightened, I twisted my lips and cried out, “Ouch, you’re hurting me.”

That worked, his hand immediately fell away as heads turned to look at us.

“You won’t get away with this,” he growled quietly.

Yes I would.

“Careful, I play victim real well,” I pulled my hand out of his pants and leaned down to whisper in his ear, “Don’t. Fuck. With. Me.”

With that, I got off him and sauntered inside to wash my hand.