In His Home PT. 16

I took time to decide how the book was going to end thats why the updates were late in case I needed to come back and change anything. Im dropping a character list next, and then the long awaited LoveSong!

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My nipples pricked in the cool air, snow hadn't fallen and yet it was still just too damn cold. Jamie took to lifting me again when I slipped on an awry piece of ice one of the men trekked into the building and I haven't lived it down all day. He watches me like a hawk, I'm not allowed out of his sight, and should we move to another room, god forbid, I'm right back on his shoulder.

How was I supposed to keep all my boyfriends happy when my husband was being stingy like this?

From my vantage point I saw in the distance a squirrelly little girl with bouncing dark hair and too pale skin, her straight and narrow nose tipped up and her bowed lips parted on nasty words no doubt. Her brown eyes narrowed to slits when Rebecca saw me on Jamie's shoulder and it took everything that I was not to flip her off right in front of everyone.

I was still angry with Jamie behind closed doors but in public I pretended otherwise, doting on him just the same as before I received that shitty news in that shitty way. I gave her a little smirk and looked away like she was beneath me, that was the only thing I could get away with for now.

Jamie dropped me off in front of Landon and Bon with some quick excuse and asked them to watch me. Once he was out of eyesight I slid into Landon's waiting embrace and drew attention to my cleavage by pretending to wipe something from my chest. Bon all but drooled and I looked away as if nothing happened.

"The weather is getting so cold, and from what I hear it's only getting colder." I said absentmindedly, trying to pry more information from him than Tate would offer up even when my stiletto dug into his balls. "How much longer are we going to be here?" I said suggestively towards Bon to throw them off the scent.

"We'll be here another month, through new years." Landon answered eyeing me kindly. "Why is there something you want to do?"

I tilted my head softly and denied it even though I never tore my eyes away from Bon. "No one in particular."

"I see." He mused with a quieter voice.

"We plan on asking Jamie for another night before preparations." Bon pressed a cigarette to his lips. "What do you think he'll say?"

Landon looked at him as if he grew another head, surprise and something else flitted across his features before he fixed his face. "You never do the same woman twice, no?"

He sucked his tongue slowly, "people change all the time."

Landon raised his brows but said nothing else, and I didn't miss the way Bon's fingers sought out mine.

*

"What the fuck did you do?" Roman called incredulous, storming into the room and getting a little too close to my face for comfort. I withdrew my tongue from Ethan's mouth but didn't turn to look at him, or stop kissing for that matter. "Opal."

"What are you talking about?" I said between our lips and Ethan was the one to pull away, out of respect no doubt, but to my disappointment. I sucked my teeth and ran my fingertips along his length instead, he couldn't have sex yet but I was gunning for him the second he was cleared.

"Garret's family wants another night with you." He stated evenly, drawing everyone's attention. The room went silent and I shrugged.

"So?"

"So, I'll ask again, bird. What did you do while you were there?"

"Well," I sighed thoughtfully and fisted Ethan's cock, drawing my hand up and down along his length and felt him grow hard beneath my touch. He made pretty noises but remained still, his hand caressing my back and the roundness of my ass as I spoke. "If you must know, we had conversation, some drinks, lots of sex, and then I went home."

"Opal, they have never in their career been with the same woman twice." He enunciated each important word as if I was a stupid little child needing explaining to. "Your loudmouth, grating, disobedient ass goes in there, comes out with nothing more than hickeys, and a request to have you again, and you tell me you're not sure why?"

I took a dramatic deep breath and pressed my thumb to Ethan's tip eliciting a shiver and a few choice curse words. "Roman, you put an experienced older woman with big tits and a fat ass in front of eleven, maybe-twenty-year-olds and you think they left unscathed? Let me get specific for you, since you're oh so curious, baby boy. I sucked them off the way Tate likes, I kissed them the way Stelle likes, I arched for them the way you like, I touched them how I like, and I fucked them how Jamie likes, and I talked to them however I wanted to. I had half of them coming in their pants before they even touched me and the other half hard before I was even naked."

He grunted and rubbed his eyes clearly turned on himself. "Opal..."

"It really did take all those boys to get Bon off of me," I murmured as Ethan came into my hand and looked for all the world like he wanted to do more than bend me over. "But that might have something to do with... Oh, what am I saying? You don't like long stories, do you Roman? I'm sorry for wasting your time."

He flared his nostrils as I licked the cum from my fingers from anger, or maybe something more sinister, and he got to his feet. "Cute. That's real cute."

"Thanks, I learned that from you as well." I giggled.

He hummed humorless laughter and stalked away. "Stelle."

And like a good girl she got in her knees.

*

The girls gathered in the bathroom and I sat on a stool as Tawny did my hair and Stelle held out curious items of lingerie to me to choose from. One was nothing but straps, not a strip of cloth in sight. Another did have some cloth though it was open in the nipples, ass, and crotch instead.

I furrowed my brow and looked between her and the insane things she owned. "I appreciate you as a friend, I cherish you, I love you."

"Aw, thank you." She giggled and held up her chosen hero, the crotch less body suit.

"I am not wearing that, are you out of your mind." I screamed my laughter and the other girls joined in as she sucked air through her teeth and hit me with the hanger.

"You have no taste." She admonished.

" Perhaps, you're right." I patted her arm lovingly, "I am far too traditional, maybe one day I'll accept the new trends."

"Your generation is nothing but prudes." She said and flicked braids off her shoulder disappearing into the room before coming back with a pile of more acceptable items, ones from my own closet. "You should wear this one," she held up a pretty dress, smooth to the touch and a pretty burnt color. "The tags are still on it."

I held the hem of the dress and tilted my head at it, Tawny made complaints and I righted myself still thinking of this dress. It was one of the first ones Jamie had bought me before he even had me, it wasn't right to wear it for someone else and I said so. I made a mental note of it, though. I'd wear it one day.

*

Til walked bare chested in front of me, his sweatpants hanging dangerously low on his hips and one arm was loose at one side while his other hand was stuffed into his pocket. I flared my nostrils at that and walked at his side, catching up to him easily with my long strides.

"Can I ask you something?" I said once the halls were empty. At this time of night all the men were in their beds with a woman heating their sides.

He shrugged and wiped pale hair from his elven face, his soft eyes met mine briefly and he looked away just as quickly. "If you see me as the type to care about anything really, you don't know me at all."

My heels clicking against the ground was the only sound aside from his deep inhales of a cigarette. "You're right, I don't know you very well at all." I admitted clasping his arm and tugging him lightly to make him stop for a moment.

He acquiesced, shoulders falling against the wall lazily and his arm came around my waist pulling me closer to him. He blew the smoke across my face and ashed on my shoulder. It was all too intimate and yet, felt like nothing at all. His stern and strict features didn't match his personality, I had no idea what to expect from him. I shifted beneath his consuming gaze and yet found myself leaning in all the same.

"Are you going to ask me if I like you?" He spoke lowly, and yet it echoed, rattled in my bones.

"No." I answered. "I was going to ask what Catherine means to you."

His brows pulled momentarily, like the question was something he never expected in a million years. "Cath is a girl I keep around because I'm bored and she's easy." He dragged his cig again but this time he didn't ash it on me. "It's like taking candy from a baby, that's the best way to sum up our relationship."

"So you're aware she has feelings for you?"

"We've been in each other's company longer than even Roman had Stelle, before I was a mercenary, before I was an Executioner." He flicked it out and again blew the smoke in my face. He tipped my chin, looking me over as if seeing me for the first time. "You're prettier up close." He told me and dropped his hand.

"You don't like her?"

"We get along well enough." He said with finality. "She might have chosen to be mine but I am not hers, I made that clear from the moment I met her, whether she chose to fall in love with me or not is not on my conscious. I take no blame."

I noticed he moved his head like a snake as he spoke, it was so subtle I didn't catch it at first. But once seen, it could not be unseen. Like a form of hypnosis, and he rarely blinked, another reason I believed it. "Yet, you drag her along anyways."

"I have yet to seen her dig her feet into the mud." He replied. "I'm done talking about her, I want to know about you, what you said."

It was my turn to furrow my brows both in anger in defense of my friend and curiosity in what he could've overheard. But I chose the higher route, the right one. "I might be low, and dirty, but your sheets are something I will never be acquainted with as long as she loves you."

With that I pulled away, and began the walk myself. Men were so gross, how casual he said it, how easily he put her aside. If what he said was true then she has been by his side for more than a decade, and he doesn't even care. It hurt me and it wasn't even my life.

"I would throw her away then." He said calmly after me, "if you refuse to sleep with me on account of her I would kill her with my bare hands and be done with it."

My mind raced with her smile, her quiet mousy nature, her laugh, her loyalty, her sad eyes. I turned on him with disgust and anger. I was utterly speechless, pain laced through my veins like tourniquets. "Fuck you."

"No harm will come to her if you do." He pushed off the wall and grazed his knuckles across my cheekbones like before. "Choose between her friendship or her life, and give your decision to me before we get back home or find her dead in the hills of Nevada for all I care."

I made a guttural noise in my throat and he laughed- actually laughed, and walked off like nothing had happened. Like he didn't just put a price on the most beautiful girl in the world.

And it was worth nothing.

*

A soft song played through the speakers while Bon sucked on a weed vape, his arm laced around my shoulders and his cheek pressed to my forehead as the world screamed around us. Yet, he was so tranquil, undisturbed water in a rocking ocean. I had already had him and yet I wanted him again, and again, and again.

Stelle was right, his true intentions were quiet words and whispered seductions. Everything he said to me in my ear he meant in a way, even if its not what I expected.

Harper had taken plenty pictures of me, even now he straddled my waist, camera poised to capture me nude. I didn't mind, I had bigger things on my plate at the moment.

Evan's hand sifted through my hair as his other fingers found my entrance once more and he fucked them into me slowly, stretching and feeling before pounding them against a spot so pleasurable I thought I'd die. I clung to Bon and he let me, pressing soft kisses to my mouth before his tongue found it's way between my teeth.

The flash of Harper's camera gained my attention and my eyes flew open, I looked up at him as I kissed Bon and let a smile lift my lips as I came. Again the flash of his camera and this time he let out a low grunt.

"Can you hurry it up, I'm exhausted and I have to get her back to Jamie soon." Garret grumbled and sat up in his bed, his hair that was usually combed neatly now stuck out at random from the path my nails raked through the ash blonde strands.

Evan sucked his tongue but pulled me under his chest, shooing Bon off his own bed and kissed my shoulder as he fucked me. Harper recorded the whole thing and I wondered if that was allowed but I wouldn't snitch. That's what they call 'Men Business' around here, which meant I didn't have to tell unless I wanted to. Neat wasn't it?

*

Garret threw an arm over my shoulders and walked me through the halls and elevator, dropping me off as unceremoniously as before and disappeared after giving a quick report on how I behaved. Roman was all but steaming but kept his lips screwed tight, shaking Stelle awake he gathered all the girls into a semi-circle on the ground and the boys pulled up chairs in front of us. All stern and serious in their expressions and body language.

This was going to be a long talk.

I settled in and Stelle let her head rest on my shoulder.

Landon loosened a deep breath and parted his lips, "The games are tomorrow." He stated and the girls let out loud yelps of excitement. I furrowed my brow and Erik threw a nasty look at Jamie.

"You really didn't tell her shit." He chided. Jamie shrugged but Roman answered for him.

"That's exactly what he was supposed to do, they're not supposed to know, you know that." He replied curtly. Erik's feathers ruffled at the tone but he shut up, that's a first.

"That means LoveSong is in two days." Stelle told me quietly, "the games is like an assessment of sorts, gives all the men a chance to see what their odds are, just how good the prizes are."

I didn't reply, only looked to Landon for more information.

"Everyone settle," He told us and waited for the chatters to die down. "I'm sure you're all tired of hearing the rules for LoveSong but alas, I'll say them anyway. There is no teaming up, you run solo, the only time you're allowed to gather is to trade supplies or exchange information. You stay in bounds, one foot out and you'll be labeled a Runner, then you're as good as dead. If you are tired or run out of supplies and you cant find one of us, you find one of Garret's family. Otherwise I cannot guarantee your safety. I cannot guarantee your life."

I looked to Jamie and he nodded softly. "You belong... to who finds you."

"It's a temporary arrangement until the gathering is over and we go home. Should you get caught by another, you are not Jamie's, he has no say over what they do with you." Roman interjected.

"In some cases, men will settle debts with the life of their enemy's woman." Tawny told me, "there's not a man out there who doesn't have a long standing issue with Jamie... or Roman... or Tate. And now that Jamie has a woman, you're just not safe."

"At all." Landon emphasized. "I fear for you and Stelle the most this year, I really do." I huffed air but said nothing, looking down to my toes instead. "Your bags are packed, you'll be set out in the morning, given three days like usual and after that it's up to you. Have you chosen your songs?"

My hand found the strip of paper in my pocket and I dropped it in Jamie's waiting palm as Stelle did to Roman. He took it, read it, and stuffed it into his pants.

"Good, I'll run them by Halle in the morning and get back to you." He nodded and rubbed the stress from his jaw. "Do your best." He said to everyone, "make us proud." He said to me.

*

I smoothed the skirt to my skin tight dress. It was black with little sparkles woven into the silky fabric and barely covered my ass, and slit up the front of my thighs to my lower stomach. Stelle's heels clicked across the hard floor as she hung off Roman's arm and pointed out insignificant little things he didn't care about at all but smiled and nodded anyways. My heels were as pitch as my dress and had so many inches it was impossible to do anything but hold Jamie's hand as we walked side by side. Something else unheard of around here.

A dead kind of feeling overtook my chest as my mind whirled with the horrors that were pushed onto my shoulders. That I was to be thrown into an arena of sorts and left to be hunted or die until I couldn't take it anymore, and even then if I surrendered to the wrong shadow I was as good as dead.

Jamie nudged me sensing my foul mood no doubt but I said nothing back, didn't even look at him. He just couldn't do a single thing right by me, he really just fucking couldn't.

The gathering hall was as loud and as rambunctious as ever. More men than I ever cared to see in my life laughed and shook hands, exchanged women and money from tightly closed fists. I saw Bon and headed his way, letting my hands slide across his cheeks and arms close behind his neck. "If Jamie doesn't find me I'm coming to you." I told him just as Landon had told me to.

He barely even nodded, never once dropping that feline smile and let his palms drift wherever they wanted to. "Do you run or hide?"

"Both." I murmured as if telling him how badly I needed his cock.

"Good girl." He said just as softly. "Stick to packed areas, most the men are too big to get between them easily, and don't go to the river. That's where they wait."

"Why?"

He touched his forehead to mine as if it was common sense, "you're running day and night, Opal. You'd be doing their dirty work for them."

So don't get thirsty. "Right."

"Don't sweat it, bunny." He said with finality, "if I doubt anyone here, I don't doubt you."

I blinked at that and pressed a small kiss to his lips, walking back to Jamie but not finding him where I left him. Roman pulled me into an empty little cove, meant for impatient lovers no doubt, and placed a mean little smirk on his lips. "I have a favor to ask you."

I took a step back and clutched a hand to my chest. "I wouldn't for a million dollars."

"Oh, shut up." He sneered and slapped the back of my head. "Its about Stelle, are you listening or not?"

My eyes narrowed as I took him in. A light sheen of sweat coated his forehead and he seemed jumpy. It was true then, that both our heads were on the prettiest of platters. I could've screamed.

"I'm all ears."

*

We sat at a fine dining table, Stelle on Roman's knee, and I sat on Jamie's. Champagne and expensive looking brown liquor were passed out in glasses and flutes while they ate breakfast in their straight suits, hair laid neatly, and fed us the scraps off their plates while they talked and laughed along with each other.

A tall woman took to the stage after the last announcer exited, her brown hair pinned up at the sides and was left to flow down her slim back and beautiful shoulders. She was pretty with dark skin and older, maybe early forties, and the age around her eyes and mouth spoke of a life of bliss.

Her red lips parted and she commanded the room, every eye was on her, there were no whispers either. Only their full attention. In Jamie's eyes I noted respect, she meant something big around here. That was nice to see.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Cassie, and I'm here to present the very first task to your women today before you throw them against each other and they get filthy. Though you may enjoy that." Raucous laughter erupted from the men and I could've snorted. "Not every man was born to fight, some are poets, singers, artists, passionate in their own right. That speaks to women as well, so I would like to invite two up at a time and give them time to paint for you, whatever they'd like, with nothing but their bodies."

The idea was alluring, a woman messy and focused, to be looked upon as they used whatever god gave them for their Master. Another annoyance to me, but for Jamie it was something he had never thought about, another thing I could do for him. And so I would.

Until I noticed who they were bringing to the stage at the same time.

Women with bad blood against each other brought to duke it out in a quiet way, to avoid bloodshed later on no doubt when they put heavy things into our hands or where we could go concealed from man. They painted an array of things, flowers, portraits, landscapes, abstract, realism, shapes with meaning, silhouettes of dancers, even favored weapons their men used. Some better than others, but there wasn't one I could outright find a flaw with.

It was my turn and before my name left her lips I knew who would be coming to the stage alongside me. Rebecca slid off a man's lap, it was odd considering her obsession with Jamie, I thought she was like Hannah. All but abandoned with the shadow of a man's arm curled around the back of her chair. But no, her man was ebony, with the brightest brown eyes I had ever seen, his smile was broad and prideful. The way he held himself was fascinating. He was just as handsome as Jamie if not more.

But I didn't know his name.

And I'd bet it all that's why she didn't want him.

I exhaled haughty air and took my steps with grace and exuded a prowess I had gathered from watching. Even the way my hair moved was purposeful, I did it all.

We faced each other on each side of the stage, an empty canvas at our shoulder and fresh, clean paint on the table to my right. She looked skinnier than ever, though her dress fit her impeccably well. Red, seductive, and grabbed your attention at all the right places. I waited for Cassie's clap, the starting sound, and when it came I got right to business.

I bent low and unbuckled my heel, kicking it off and lifting my dress until it bunched around my waist, ignoring the wolf whistles and cat calls the room erupted into. Rebecca sucked her teeth at me and dipped her hand into some paint, turning to her canvas as I painted the back of my legs.

"Anything to get attention." She muttered.

"Anything." I replied obtusely and dipped my hand back into the light blue I had chosen. "You would know all about that."

She cut a look to me, "Whore."

I shrugged and drug the paint across my bottom, "call me whatever you want, it's still my pussy that makes his nose wet at night."

"I suppose that makes you happy," she bit out, "but from what I hear his nose isn't the only one you're riding these days."

Again a lazy lift of my shoulders as I sat down on the canvas, "you know you'd be a lot happier too if you took your fingers out your mouth once in a while and let a cock in instead." I smiled tightly and made a gesture of making myself puke.

She made a nasty sound and slapped her hand across her canvas, "not all of us want a loose ass for free."

I tipped my head back and laughed. "You see the diamonds on my neck, the one on my finger, even my dress has diamonds sewn into it and you think I'm giving it up for free? They might as well put their card in my hand."

Her nose scrunched up, "your ass is still loose."

"My ass is as tight as ever, it's my pussy you should be worrying about, they just can't seem to stay away from it. He just can't seem to stay away from it."

"He'll get bored, you know?" She paused her fingers for a moment before returning dutifully back to work. "They all get bored and then you'll be nothing but the bitch he used to keep around just like all the others."

I pushed off the canvas and used the paper towels to clean off my skin, "Unfortunately, Jamie is never going to get bored of me."

She hummed. "You sure about that?"

I pursed my lips and made a dramatic gesture of looking at the inside of my thigh. "Yeah, I'm sure."

Rebecca was so angry she could've spit. "That's what pisses me off about you. You think you're better- prettier, than everyone else in the world because for a moment you're his."

"There's always bigger fish." I told her evenly, "I may not be the prettiest, I may not be the tallest, the strongest, the sexiest, or even the smartest in any room. But, what I'm not worried about is Jamie looking anywhere else when I'm standing next to some 'Becky' who is desperate, and pathetic over a man who forgot she existed the moment he saw me."

Her hand dropped to her side and she looked at me fully. I lifted my painting and set it back on the easel, admiring my handiwork before slipping my foot back into my heel and presenting it to the room when she did. Everyone howled and praised mine, and again she faded into the background. I would've felt bad if she wasn't so... her.

"And Becky?" I said right before turning away, right before going to a bright eyed Jamie who looked at me like I was the only woman in the world, who waited for me at the bottom of the stairs. I just know that burned her so hot inside when she bit her lip in anger, drawing blood. "Next time you call be a bitch, go ahead and put 'Jamie's' in front of it."

And like that I left her behind.

Stelle was kicking her feet and banging her hand on the table when we got back and the boys had tears from trying and failing not to laugh their asses off. She held up her hand and I high fived it as I passed. "You tore her down."

"Someone had to." Cath muttered drawing everyone's attention, we all stared at her in variations of shock.

*

Music blared from all around the rather large field. Grass swayed in the light breeze that was cool but not exactly freezing unlike the other day. Still, at some points it was easy to shiver at just the right whip of wind. The women all stood shoulder to shoulder in front of their partner, or Master in most cases as I was noticing. Collars, tags, even leashes adorned their neck, ears, or nipples.

Distaste coated my tongue but what could you do? I wasn't about to say something about it, especially to a man who looked like he'd give the whole world for a reason to knock my head off my shoulders.

Garret's family stood proudly next to ours, my girls spread out evenly and comfortably in front of the twenty-two men where their women would stand if their family had any. It felt like a purposeful act. No one was next to us on either side, we were alone and paramount in the front, I could've laughed.

I heard whispers of Garret's family, that they were the prodigy of ours. That my boys had pulled them together themselves and trained them themselves, and that they carried all the weight that we didn't. Kings and princes, a bit of nepotism, and their women. That's what stood at the front.

An obstacle course that looked disjointed sat at the back of the field with four posts in front, each equipped with a bell a great deal off the ground. A wall, big and wooden, had three arches high and mighty, sat in the dead center, and groups of four foam rectangles declining in height but not size sat in front.

To the left was some sort of contraption I couldn't make out and to the right sat all kinds of rings and hoops for us to show off how high we could jump, how good we could throw, how hard we could hit. And a hard top track encircled the entire thing. Small cameras littered any surface they could and at any finish line.

I wrinkled my nose at the thought of physically performing for all these dudes but I wouldn't embarrass Jamie, not here and not now.

"Welcome to the Games!" An excited older gentlemen said from the stands, his hair was shock white and gelled down neatly, wrinkles creased his soft eyes and his smile was bright and welcoming. Cheers and whistles erupted from the crowd as he clapped quietly and mostly to himself. Cassie stood at his side and I tilted my head at that, at the way he looked at her- to her. It was all any woman could ask for. "My name is Halle, your dependable host this year. This year- as you can see, we have an obstacle course, ability assessments, and more entertainment all brought to you by the hard work each of you have done and the honor you have brought to the Society. We thank you for your efforts and blood."

They all muttered something unintelligible back that melded together and made the creepiest sound I had ever heard in my life. A shudder ran down my spine that I barely staved off and righted myself, this ever so suddenly felt like a cult. It probably was now that I thought about it. And 'Society?' Is that what they call themselves?

"I won't get all mushy on 'ya, so without further ado let's get into the Games!" Halle clapped again and everyone cheered. "Let me explain to you what we have here in the center. Michael, Jose, if you will?"

Two men as strong as boars from different families came forward coming shoulder to shoulder in the center with big smiles and a kind familiarity to each other as they nudged each other and made jokes no one else could hear.

"The woman will show unity by pushing the pillars down the center," Halle explained as the two boys demonstrated his words, banding together and pushing the biggest one down the field first with some struggle but not too much. That means that shit was heavy. Once they got the last one down by all but flinging it across the field, Halle went on. "They will then climb the staircase and unwind the rope wrapped around the post"- Michael made easy work of the pillars and quick work of the rope. It dropped into Jose's waiting palm and he climbed it as Halle asked him to. "They will then ring the bell, which drops the flag you will see here at the beginning, they will race back down the field and capture their flag, take it back to the finish line, and win a grand prize."

The girls oohed and ahhed at the prospect as Jose ran to bring the flag back and handed it off to a man waiting on the parapet above where the flag was lowered from rope. "Let the women bring your families honor." He said with finality and began pairing three groups of women, they split into their sections and one by one a single group were victorious and received different prizes, all involving something crude and sexual.

Couldn't wait.

"We're going next, we're paired with Vinny and David's families, they've won their groups every year." Stelle told me under her breath.

I cocked my head suddenly violently interested in this display of tomfoolery, "not this year."

She looked away from them and to me, a small grin lifting her lips. "That's what the fuck I'm talking about." She fist pumped and danced onto the field. I gave a little chuckle of my own and followed her flicking hair from my shoulder and coming to the start and finish line.

The girls on either side of us didn't give the air of physically strong but they moved together perfectly, all had a job and they knew it without being told. I looked over my girls and back to the foam pillars. "Des, Cath. You two grab the small one and run it down the field. The rest of you split into two groups and push the other two as far as you can, I'll come help when I'm done with the big one."

They all looked to me with wild looks.

"You sure you can handle that, princess?" Roman gave a wicked laugh as the whistle blew.

"Is that a joke?" I told him and ran off with low laughter behind me. I pushed the pillar just fine but it was too slow, I cursed and ran back, digging my heel into the ground and took off like my ass was on fire.

I bodied it and that was more than enough to get it going. I ran it down the field, past the other girls and kept going. My muscles strained and my breath was labored but I was getting it done. It slammed against the back wall and I bounced off it, using the momentum to run back. "Move!" I yelled and the three pushing the next one got out the way, flying into the fray of getting the next one as far as they could.

I didn't miss the look of utter shock on Roman's face and the surprise and pride on Jamie's and everyone else. I sent the next one down much like the first, using every bit of strength I could muster and when it slammed against the back wall I straightened it out and went back for the next. The girls had moved out the way already and Tawny and Hannah lifted the last pillar and ran it down the field at my side as I pushed the third firmly into place.

We were leagues ahead of the other groups but it didn't matter, that could change at any moment once they got their pillars down. I backed up and ran in a semi circle, taking the steps in stride and jumped off the highest peak, landing on the post and barely caught myself before I straddled and crossed my ankles and began undoing the knot. I threw the rope down as fast as I could, throwing it forward instead of taking the time to unwrap it as Michael had as the others pressed me to be faster and cheered like crazy.

Once undone I flew down the makeshift staircase and grabbed the rope, squatting to keep it firm and screamed, "Stelle!"

She took no time using my thigh as a boost and worming up the rope like the star she was. She rang the bell and yelled for me, I gasped as she threw herself down and barely caught her in time. I put her down and scooped up Des and Cath, the slowest runners and took off down the field back to the flag.

It sat way higher than we were expecting, no doubt a handicap to give the other girls who were still pushing pillars some time. I groaned and set the two down, my eyes flying to find a way up. I could try to throw Cath but there wasn't a guarantee I would catch her even if she did catch it.

"I can't fucking get that?" Tawny laughed, the previous high from victory dying out their hearts. "Opal?"

"No way." Stelle pressed her fingertips to her forehead, out of breath and frustrated.

I tilted my head and began the walk back, "I said we'd win."

Her eyes flew open and landed on me, "what are you going to fly?"

I pursed my lips and touched the sides of the arch, feeling the distance and deciding it was better than nothing. "Yeah."

I backed up and ran as fast as I could, hoping beyond hope the gymnastics class my mother forced me into as a preteen and crawling up walls as a toddler would pay off, if not, this was going to be so fucking embarrassing.

The bottom of my heel hit one beam and I used the momentum to push off, stepping on the other parallel and jumping back to the other side again and again. My arm reached up for the support beam and once it was firmly in my palm I swung upwards and landed perfectly on the beam on the side of the parapet. I was utterly astonished but hid it well, acting as though this happened everyday even as I shook with fear.

I walked across the wooden beam and ripped the flag off the rope, dropping it into Hannah's waiting hand as they screamed my name and my boys went utterly nuts. Yelling alongside with the girls and throwing their hands up beyond excited.

"Opal!" The girls cheered. I looked back and Stelle yelled louder than the others.

"And if you call her a bitch?" She said.

"Make sure to put Jamie's in front of it!" The rest yelled out.

I guffawed and fell into uncontrollable laughter, using the wall for balance until I recovered. "Damn straight!"

"Can you get down?" Harley called out over our chaos and I looked to the ground and back to him.

"Yeah." I swung onto the beam much how I got up and shimmied down the wood, ignoring the splinters sealing themselves into my hands and thighs and got to the ground. I looked at the other teams who were still pushing the first pillar and decided I could just walk.

I was swarmed and we were already celebrating even though we still hadn't crossed the finish line, I pushed the girls lightly to the border and one by one they went behind the line still singing the song and shaking their bottoms. Hannah laughed as I crossed but the whistle didn't blow.

"Oh." Tawny sucked air between her teeth awkwardly and took a step back. The whistle blew and everyone cheered as we threw our hands up and celebrated some more, I laughed quietly and stepped out the limelight, letting them congratulate each other and forget all about me.

It wasn't their attention I was supposed to grab, it was the men behind me. That's what Roman wanted, all eyes on me instead of her. Or her. Or her. Or her. I was to be the one thing everyone wanted most, and their hungry gazes didn't go unnoticed.

Be unnattianable.

Who wanted something attainable?

*

Abilities were next, and it was clear Jamie's family always went last. Stelle chucked her ball as hard as she could at the backdrop, it counted the power at which she threw and displayed the number big and bold at the top, where everyone could see. She smiled proudly at the number and danced back to my side.

"Should I send it or hold back?" I asked her.

"Send it, show these men not to fuck with you." She replied just as quietly. "You know what would be so funny?"

I looked to her.

"If you pretended to be a dumb bitch the entire time." She laughed so hard, quietly, but man did she think that was the funniest thing in the world. The boys directly behind us laughed too, Tate covered his mouth and Garret bit the inner skin of his cheek.

"Should I?" I asked Roman.

"Please do." Bon giggled.

"Okay." I shrugged and walked out to the field. A baseball was put in my hand by a man I had seen once or twice but had no idea who he was or who he belonged to. "And you just throw it?" I asked loudly in a ditzy voice.

"Yes." He answered, brows knitting together humorously.

"Does it matter how?" I giggled cutely and he softened towards me, obviously having a savior complex and he shook his head, doing his best not to get behind me and give half hearted help as he ground his dick into me.

"No. Just throw it, sweetheart." He cooed.

"Okay." I shrugged and threw that bitch as hard as I could, it whizzed past his head and his smile dropped slowly, unsure of if that actually happened as he turned to the screen and saw the numbers climbing higher and higher. I put my hand to my forehead to block out the sun and tilted my head. "Was that good?"

Tate visibly crumbled and Bon didn't care, his back arched as he laughed and all but fell to his knees, Garret and Micah caught him in time. Jamie looked at me curiously with laughter shaking his shoulders and Roman told him what was happening in his ear.

"That was good, Wife." He grunted after a moment of holding in his laughter.

"But it's red?" I twirled my hair.

That one got Garret.

"Still... good." Jamie got out.

"Oh. Okay." I lifted my shoulders and danced back to the line as Stelle had. "How was that?" I said normally.

Her lips quivered and a small laugh escaped, "everyone thinks you're an idiot."

"Perfect." I laughed it off easily and looked to Roman. He gave me a curt nod. That was what we needed.

*

One by one tasks were given and we crushed each one, the other girls didn't even want to participate after a while and it showed when they were either paired with us or against us. As I took my last opponent down in a faux wrestling match that involved taking our dresses off and slipping around in oil, it was clear she only tried to make her dude happy.

Again I straightened out and looked to Jamie, using that humiliating voice that made Stelle laugh, "I'm really good at this."

His smile never waned and neither did Landon's, or Bon's. Til's eyes only grew more needy the worse these games got, I feared when he went back on his word and gave me an ultimatum. Or worse. He was the one who caught me three days come.

As instructed we came to the marker of an obstacle course, a huge blow up gauntlet that had two levels, the hard one and the easy one it seemed as I noted the swinging baubles and hurtles obstructing the path on the higher level.

Cath made a low noise of annoyance and looked to Stelle who was eyeing the higher level like a carrot dangling in front of her face. "You two go high, I'm not doing that shit."

At her curse we both turned with mouths agape. "You're bold today." Stelle eyed her curiously.

Cath's eyes met mine and I didn't miss the anger in the corners of her mouth. I felt like such an asshole. Her gaze darted away and she got into her starting position. "I'm just annoyed."

Stelle's eyes narrowed to slits at me and I looked away as well, now was not the time or place, especially in front of Cath. To tell her she meant little to shit to Til, that he envied Jamie, that his eye was on me so obsessively, that he would cast her aside or worse just to lay with me... those words would never escape my lips.

Never ever.

I lowered into a running position and Stelle followed suit, her eyes burning a hole in my cheek as Tawny smirked to herself obviously in the loop which was the worst thing possible. She loved to add fuel to fire, it was her only source of entertainment no doubt, given that Henry was as dry as a sock in your throat. He only came sniffing around when he was horny so she was allowed to do whatever she wanted within reason. And boy, did she love to do whatever she wanted within reason.

I cut her a glare but she only smirked in response, swaying her head back to the tube tunnel she would worm through to get to the next obstacle.

Fuck me.

Halle's dutiful helper, Michael, came over and gave me a pointed look. "Are you sure you can fit through the tube?"

"I'm not going that way." I told him prettily and flipped my hair.

"What if you can't get up? Make sure you can fit in the tube." He all but commanded. "The games are meant to be fair, if you can't do it we need to know now."

I breathed out my annoyance but acquiesced, walking to the daunting hole that would no doubt would embarrass me today. Just from a glance I knew there was no way in hell I was fitting in that. I scratched my temple and climbed through, my shoulders barely finding purchase and my hips squeezing out it's last breath as I wriggled in. I gave a wry sound and made to push back out but all I accomplished was lifting my dress up and over my butt.

I reached back to pull the hem back down but it was impossible, I was utterly stuck, ass on display, and quickly getting hot and sweaty from the small space and hot air the pump blew between the stitches. I pushed back with all I had but my dress lifted some more so I went completely still.

"Help." I cried. Stelle's laugh was horrendous as she came over, her hands grabbed the sides of my thighs and she humped me, adding salt to wound. I thrashed around but that only made her laugh harder. "Please!" I begged, "that's not funny, I'm actually stuck!"

"You idiot!" She guffawed.

I screamed, "Jamie!"

Her laughter turned to howls and she barely got out her breathless words between laughing her ass off at me, no doubt she fell to the ground by now. "He's coming."

The warmth of his palms gave me relief as he made to pull me out, but then he stalled, and then he humped me too. I screamed bloody murder and his laughter reached my ears. They were having a ball, I thought bitterly. "Get me OUT!"

He wrestled me out and I fell to my butt at his feet, they were both still howling and the crowd's laughter heated my ears and cheeks until I burned.

I got to my feet and wiped the grass from my dress staring them down angrily. "I'm going to remember this." I told them evenly as they doubled over. "When you go to get the batteries for the remote," I told Stelle and swung my frustration to Jamie, "and when you lean down to tie your laces, I'm going to be there, and I'm going to get you back, you assholes."

I stormed off back to the marker and they followed, grabbing onto each other for stability as they barked and howled. Oh, how they barked and howled, I thought sourly.

Jamie slapped my ass as he passed, digging his hand into my flesh and squeezing too. I jolted and flushed even harder, narrowing my eyes at him but all he did was put that dirty little smirk on his lips that churned my insides and made my pussy wet. When his back was turned I fought off a smirk of my own tooth and nail.

God damn he was hot.

I bit my lip and turned around, facing the course with squinted eyes and short, quick breath.

"She wants the cookie so bad." Stelle told Hannah who gave a breathy chuckle.

"Shut up." I bit out and shook off his touch.

*

Stelle's name was called and so was mine, we went to the marker and Roman came to us. "Your heels." He held out his hand.

We looked to each other in confusion then back to him. "Why would we go barefoot?"

Jamie looked between us from the sidelines and said something to Garret who shrugged.

"You're going to break your ankles if you run in those, idiots." He shook his palm, "give me your damn shoes."

At that we laughed and I saw the other girls handing their men their heels. Stelle was the one who replied in a cocky tone, "Daddy, I could do this in stilettos and blindfolded, don't insult me."

At that his hand dropped and he scoffed, "go ahead and twist both your ankles then, why the fuck would I care?"

He went back to the line and Jamie came over then, not even giving me a choice and got to his knee to take my shoes. I placed my hand over his and gave him the first real kiss since that night at the party.

He paused his movements and looked up to me. "Dangerous."

My nails raked over the back of his neck, "for who?"

At that he set his jaw but got up, ruffling my hair as he passed and went back to the side, next to Roman and Garret. They exchanged words but we barely noticed, looking only at each other.

"Don't cry when I win." Stelle told me.

"Don't try to fuck me when I do either." I replied with a coy little smile.

"Oh, I'm definitely fucking you tonight." Was all she said before the horn blew and we were off.

My strides were longer than hers but she kept up, we raced around the track without a second thought to the women behind us who stared at our backs like they wanted to put a pretty knife in them. Only focused on each other as we overtook another turn and felt utter contentment at being at each other's side.

If I hated Jamie for everything in the world, I'd never hate him for this. For showing me her. Her beautiful soul, her bright smile and eyes, her companionship, her love, her days, her time. I could recall every moment I spent with her, under her gaze, under her hands. I loved her more than anything else in this world.

She was mine, and I was hers.

At the end of the track I sped up, finally giving it my all and she cursed me loudly and I laughed. She met my speed and we crossed the finish line at the same time. We were just going too fast, and in these shoes I'd have to run a whole other mile to slow down. She laughed crazily and headed for Roman.

"Catch!"

I geared towards Jamie and the other men dropped out the way and they switched places, arms out and ready. He caught me easily, spinning once to ensure I wouldn't be hurt or take his sturdy arm straight to my gut and set me firmly on my feet next to Stelle. She threw her arms out around me and jumped.

"Who won?" She asked Halle who seemed more than impressed that we did all that, in seven inch heels no less. He pulled out a remote and aimed it at the big screen that measured our numbers previously, rewinding the tape and putting it in slow motion to be sure.

As expected she crossed the finish line right before I did, the toe of her heel moving in the same motion but just a centimeter ahead. He replayed the tape a few times and nodded to himself as the crowd went crazy. He silence them, pointing to the left corner of the screen.

"At first glance," he said, "you would think it was Stelle. But if you notice, a sliver of black can be seen here." He paused it and clearly you could see the back of my other heel in the picture. "Opal was an entire stride ahead of our dear Stelle."

The roaring doubled in sound.

"That could be anything." I told her as her shoulders lowered. "When I run my legs are longer so I pick them up higher, I am taller so the picture didn't catch my higher strides."

She tilted her head at that but agreed after a moment, "maybe."

"They won't believe me, but you absolutely won that." I shook her arm and she perked up. "It's a sliver of black, it was most likely just my hair."

At that she bobbed her head, "Okay, I can see that, it looks like your hair."

I hummed and went to take my prize but gave the ridiculous dildo to Roman for her when it was possible. He nodded to me gratefully but I declined, I'd do anything for her happiness, deal or not.

*

I went up to the daunting bars and jumped, catching the metal and holding my weight easily, Stelle and Hannah at my sides as usual. Stelle let out a willful sigh and relaxed, her body stretched like a fat cat in the sun and she somehow got longer.

I furrowed my brows and dropped my head back to look at her fully. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was parted in pure ecstasy. "How did you do that?"

"Relax completely, your spine will stretch."

I tried to do as she said but I didn't accomplish much but make my hands hurt. I switched positions to find a more comfortable arrangement and relaxed easily, I felt the release of pressure on my back and my arms strained but it was still nice. I let a noise of contentment pass my lips and swayed in the breeze as we hung.

One by one the other girls dropped, leaving us to our devices as the timer ahead counted how long we had been hanging there. The minutes ticked by ever so slowly but I barely noticed in the dead quiet. Birds soared overhead, their caws and brays quieted by distance under the sun dimmed by clouds.

"You know what would piss everyone off?" Stelle rolled her head towards me. I looked to her out of one eye and hummed. "If we started doing pull-ups."

I giggled but admonished her, "that's disrespectful to the other girls efforts." She hummed back. "It's arrogant and ugly of us." She hummed again. "We shouldn't."

She looked to me and I looked to her.

She pulled herself up and I followed suit, pulling my chin above the bar several times and we let ourselves dangle, falling into a fit of giggles.

"I'm bored." She said after a while, swinging her legs. "It's too quiet, don't you think?"

I shrugged as best I could at that and let my legs swing as well. "I don't mind the silence."

"How do you stand it?" She all but scoffed.

My teeth rolled against each other in thought, "I was alone my entire life." I told her and shifted, "my parents died when I was young and my brother was many years older than me, I had a hard time making friends since I was stuck in my past." I murmured. "I lived alone, I worked alone, I ate alone, I was just alone... so it was always quiet."

"You said you had friends when Jamie got you." She opened an eye and closed it just as quickly.

I took a deep breath, "the people I was with were my brother's, girlfriend's friends. Jasmine was so in love, she couldn't take her eyes off Darren for a second, much less her hands." I gave a breathy laugh. "That's how the rest of us got close, you know? We were all a third wheel when they got near each other. You think me and Jamie are bad, you should've seen them." At that she laughed and I did too.

"God, the two of you are so bad." She blew a low tone.

"Yeah, we are..." I agreed evenly. "Jamie was as quiet as a mouse when we got together, never a word, but man could you hear him from a mile away. His footsteps and that god forsaken truck." I chuckled. "You could hear the engine roaring down the road ten miles away."

She let her head drop back and laughed quietly. "Roman is the opposite, you never know when he's coming and then he's all but yelling in your ear while you're still recovering from a heart attack."

I shook my head at that and laughed along with her. "I hated it, man. The slamming of doors, his boots on the stairs, the way the bed dipped and squeaked under his weight, and when he cooks it sounds like he's chucking the pans a million miles per hour at the wall, Jesus Christ." She leaned towards me and we giggled in each other faces. "All of it was just too damn loud, he made my life loud. Every noise, every breath, I just could hear it all." I thought on those times, "but then it was gone, and I was... all alone again, and I missed it. I missed him." I sucked in a deep breath, "anyway, he grabs me, middle of the night, and puts me in front of you. Puts me in front of Harley, and boy can you two just fucking yap.

"Yap. Yap. Yap. That's all you two do. And you can do it for fucking hours." I shook my head, "my ears would ring at night because of you two." I huffed my humor, "and then, one day, I realized my life would never be quiet again, and I didn't mind it. I really didn't."

She sucked in a deep breath and her smile wavered ever so slightly on her lips with emotion.

"That's not to say I don't enjoy the quiet moments." I let my head fall to the side, "when the sun has barely touched the sky and my head is on Jamie's shoulder while I read to him. When his fingertips touch my lips to tell me something he doesn't know the words for, but I can see the meaning in his eyes clear as day. Or when we're sitting on the rug and he watches me as he does and I watch him too." I whispered. "When your head is bent to mine in quiet laughter at something that wasn't even funny. When you nudge me with that smirk on your lips because you think a boy has a crush on me. When we lay in bed staring at the ceiling, holding each other's hand because the words we need to say can never leave our lips. When I tell you I love you and your lip pouts because you know I mean it..." I nodded. "I love those moments too."

"You're going to make me cry." She murmured, her nose red from unshed tears. I sucked up emotion of my own and shook my head.

"We've been up here almost an hour." I said instead. She sucked up snot and nodded.

"How much longer can you do this for?"

"Way too long."

"Me too."

"We should just drop."

"Put in a good effort."

"Shake your arms, or move your hands, make it seem like you're tired, but let me drop first. If I see another ribbed dildo in my life it'd be too soon."

"You bozo."

I nodded. "Rightly so."

"On the count of three."

"I'm going to drop on three, you drop after three."

"One, two, three."

Our heels hit the ground and we made noises of discomfort, making a show of being tired and uncomfortable. Our boys outright chided us and we made pained faces at realizing there were mics and we were heard loud and clear by everyone here. Jamie's mouth was pulled and he wiped tears from the corners of his eyes, the only one out of all of them who didn't speak and only looked at his hands.

*

I was sweaty and buzzing with something tangible, it built slowly, churning my insides and inducing the wildest feeling of euphoria as I showered the day off my body. Jamie's hands roamed my shoulders and back, lathering me with soap and massaging the taut muscles that threatened to break in my body.

"Tomorrow," he said in that guttural way, "you leave."

"Not for long if you're good enough." I grunted out as he worked a knot from my shoulder. That earned a small sound, but the severity still lingered in the air between us.

I leaned back into his embrace and his breath drew short and heavy, unsure of what to do no doubt since I was still angry with him for all he knew. His hand fell against my cheek and his fingers curled under my jaw.

"Yes." I moaned, "yes."

He stepped forward, crushing me against the cold wall and our movements turned violent as they always did. Nails digging, teeth biting, leaving nothing but bruises, blood and welts behind in our wake on each other's body. Too much that felt like too little. He entered me fully and I grasped onto what I could, knocking bottles and brushes to the ground while I grappled with the slick tile.

The door slammed open jolting us both right before Bon came running in the bathroom with Garret on his heels and a disheveled Roman in the rear. I made a face as Bon slipped across the floor, barely catching himself on the towel rack before his nose pressed to the steaming glass of the shower.

"You legend!" He howled, "you devil!"

Jamie made an annoyed sound and twisted us until I was concealed from sight. "Busy."

"Oh, I bet you are, big guy." Garret laughed alongside Bon.

"Hurry, I won't wait long." Was all Bon said as he closed the door behind them.

Jamie huffed but brought his attention back to me his palms moved from my body to the tile, I lifted a leg and arched my back, wrapping my hand around the side of his hip and brought him closer. "Its still a yes."