He slaps my ass. “Good girl.”

  The pleasant pain charges through my lower back. I moan as he resumes his domination of me. He has me so close again within minutes, and he groans with me as he races me to the edge.

  “I want to own this tight little body.” He wraps my hair tighter around his fist. I kindle at the deep growl of his voice. “Let me own you…”

  I moan, fueled by his perfect, dirty mouth. He reaches for my hips and guides me to raise my ass, sending his cock deeper. I gasp at the extra pleasure. “Right there! Don’t stop.”

  He bites my neck, etching a line into my skin. “I’m not stopping until you’re coming on my dick,” he teases into my ear, “and then I’m going to come all over your ass.”

  He reaches around me to cradle my clit between two fingers, rubbing and fucking me until I’m purring like a damn kitten in heat.

  “You’re mine, Ally,” he says. I spasm with lust. “Tell me that no one else makes you feel like this.”

  “No one—!” I gasp, barely able to speak.

  Climax takes over, crashing around me like a fierce ocean wave and there’s nothing I can do but lie here and drown in it.

  Junior kisses my neck as I come, chuckling softly in my ear as he does every time I submit to him.

  I settle against the pillow and he pushes off. I hear him tear the condom off before his bare tip touches my ass, dripping and shaking as he strokes himself with a tight fist.

  He lets out a final grunt and drops his cock, letting it twitch against his thigh. “Goddamn, I love this beautiful ass…” he says, slapping me again with his open palm.

  “It’s not that impressive,” I say.

  “Never tone down your strengths.” He raises a finger at me. “Even if you have to fake it.”

  I cringe. “Quoting my father probably isn’t the best thing to do after coming on my ass, Junior.”

  “Shit, you’re right. Sorry.” He gives my cheek another tap before climbing off the bed and retrieving a rag from the nightstand to clean me up with.

  I lie still, watching the sweat glisten on his skin as he moves across the room. “Did you mean what you said?”

  “About what?”

  “About owning me?”

  “I say that because it’s what you like to hear,” he says as he wipes me down. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but every time I say it, you come within seconds. I certainly have.”

  “But did you mean it?”

  He folds up the towel and tosses it across the room, easily landing it in his laundry basket in the corner. His eyes trail up my body to mine, but he quickly looks away. “I don’t know how to answer that.”

  I shift onto my side. “Why not?”

  He hesitates.

  “Answer the question, Junior.”

  “Yes, of course. I meant it,” he spits. “But no one could ever own you, Ally. That’s why I want to.”

  I let the words sink in and my brow furrows.

  “Look—” he says, overruling my chance to react. “Don’t read into that. What we’ve got going on right now is more than enough for me.”

  I push the disappointment aside. “Is it?”

  “Yeah. I enjoy having fun with you. There’s no reason that should change.”

  I nod, playing the part. “I agree.”

  His eyes shift to his bedside clock, and he sighs. “I gotta get to practice.”

  “Hope I didn’t wear you out too much,” I say with a grin.

  “Eh.” He shrugs. “That ass is always worth it.”

  “What are you doing later?”

  He snatches a fresh pair of underwear from his dresser. “I need to study for tomorrow’s geometry test.”

  “Need me to help you?”

  He laughs. “No amount of real studying will happen if I say yes to that.”

  “Decent point.”

  Junior steps into his pants and wanders over to the bed to lean over me. “But I’m sure you can change my mind with the right incentive…” He pecks my shoulder and travels upward, grazing his lips on my skin until he reaches my mouth.

  I lay my finger over his chin, blocking him from kissing me. “No, you’re right. We should take a little break. You have a rough weekend coming up and you need to stay focused.”

  His cheeks turn pale white. “The Homecoming game.”

  “You guys are going to kick some serious ass,” I say, punching his arm. “Trust me.”

  “This team slaughtered us last year,” he recalls. “I’m pretty sure we ended the game with negative five points — which you might think is impossible, but we managed.”

  “You’ve won every game so far this season. If anyone is shaking in their cleats, it’s them. Not you.”

  “Still…”

  “I’ll tell you what…” I sit up, leaning in a little closer to kiss his neck. “How about I give you some serious incentive?”

  Junior considers. “What kind of incentive?”

  “Well, if you guys win the Homecoming game and you ace this test tomorrow…” I lick his earlobe. “I’ll let you put it anywhere.”

  He flinches. “Anywhere?”

  “Anywhere.”

  “Including—?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  He forcefully exhales. “That is some serious incentive.”

  I slip off the bed and grab my panties off the floor. “I mean, if you think that’s too easy, I can make it more difficult.”

  “No.” He stands up. “Your terms are reasonable.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He watches me dress, his eyes blissfully riding my curves as I hide them under my skirt. “I got this.”

  “Good.” I toss his over-sized shirt off and put on my blouse. “Have fun at practice. Text me if you run into any study issues later.”

  Junior slides out in front of me. “What if I get a B on the test and we win the game?”

  I smile. “All or nothing, Junior.”

  “B-plus?”

  “It’s an A or you get no A.”

  “Shit.” He laughs. “That was clever.”

  I pop up onto my toes to kiss his cheek. “Bye, Junior.”

  “Bye, Ally.”

  I scan the street for any witnesses before stepping outside, a habit I’ve developed since the first time I strode down Shanty Row weeks ago. And, just like every other time, I tell myself that this will be the last time.

  Stupid girl.

  I used to hear it in Grant’s voice, but now it’s all me.

  I can’t resist Junior Morgan. I wish I could, I truly do, but something happens to me when he’s around. I tell myself it’s done. It’s over. We’ve messed around long enough, but it’s time to stop before anyone else finds out about us. Then, I open my mouth to tell Junior and… well…

  He puts his dick in it.

  I submit like the good girl he says I am.

  Welcome back to square one, Alyssa. Population, you. And only you, because it’s just sex, it’s always just been sex to Junior Morgan and, despite Grant’s instance to the opposite, he’s done nothing to show otherwise. We go over his homework. We run my lines. We fuck. Repeat. We haven’t even been on another date since the arcade. I tell myself that’s just because we’re both busy, but I know the real reason.

  He’s already getting everything he wants from me.

  I climb into my car as Junior steps outside to make his way back to campus. He throws a quick wave in my direction and I return the gesture. I think to blow him a kiss, but that’s not what we are.

  We’re having fun. That’s all this is. Just good, old-fashioned, casual sex. A quick wave is justified. A blown kiss means something we’re not.

  I can keep pretending that doesn’t bother me. I’m an actress, after all.

  The show must go on.

  CHAPTER 27

  JUNIOR

  “Pack it in, guys!” Coach shouts. “We’re done.”

  I pick myself up off the grass. That last tackle knocked the wind out of me. Not as much as Alyssa promising me her ass this weekend, but enough to make me lightheaded.

  “Hey, Junior!”

  I spit out my mouth guard. “Yeah, Coach?”

  He nods as I pass by him toward the locker rooms. “Excellent hustle out there today. Whatever action you’re getting at night, keep it up.”

  I grin. “Oh, I will.”

  He waves me off and I feel someone bump my shoulder. It’s Ty, of course, casting me a vicious side-eye through his face guard, but his lips still twitch with amusement. He hasn’t said a word to anybody about me and Alyssa, despite his protests to the relationship entirely.

  Relationship. I can’t really use that word, can I?

  I mean, I suppose we have relations, but that’s not the same thing. There’s no acceptable label for what Alyssa and I are — at least, not one I’d openly admit to my mother or anything. Alyssa hasn’t exactly showed that she wants more than what we are, and I’m not about to screw up a good thing.

  So, I’m keeping my mouth shut and my notifications on.

  Got an hour to help me run lines?

  That text is all it takes to get me hard now.

  I shower off the sweat and dirt, listening to the echoing banter of my teammates in the crowded locker room. Sometimes I hear the clack of her shoes beneath it all and I remember that first day. I remember the bolt of lightning that shot through me the moment I heard her voice inching closer to me. I could hardly move. Or think. Or even breathe. I had to have her. I had to feel her little body against mine. I had to pin her against the lockers and—

  “Hey, Junior, you coming or what?”

  I snap out of it as I spot John staring at me from the next stall over. “What?” I ask.

  “Delta Xi party,” he says, running a hand through his shaggy, brown hair. “One last blowout before two days of clean eats and protein shakes in prep for the game.”

  “Oh…” I twist the shower off and wipe the water from my eyes. “No, sorry. I gotta study tonight.”

  “Study?”

  I wrap a towel around my waist. “I have a test tomorrow morning.”

  He laughs at me and follows me between the lockers. “You don’t have to study. You play football.”

  “Maybe you don’t, Kirby,” I say, “but I need to ace this one to…” I notice Coach lingering outside the back office. He pauses, not even glancing at us, but I can tell he’s listening in. “To keep my grades up.”

  “And to please that little tutor of yours, I bet.”

  I blink. “What?”

  “Oh, come on…” He nudges my ribs. “Why else would you have gone all academic this semester? There’s a sexy tutor, right?”

  I hesitate. “I have a tutor, yeah, but she’s not—”

  “Is she hot?” he continues. “She must put out if she’s got you hitting the books so much.”

  I force my reply down my throat. Now isn’t the time for this.

  Before, I would have spilled every bean I had about a girl. What she sounded like. How tight she was. Where every little birthmark or freckle was on her body. But now?

  I don’t even want to mention it’s even happening — like it’s none of their business at all. That’s between me and Alyssa and it should stay that way.

  An odd feeling settles in my gut, but I push it away.

  “She’s a tutor,” I say.

  “That’s a yes.” John grins. “You should give me her number. I’ve got a D that sure could use a little extra attention.”

  The room erupts with whoops and cackles while John accepts his well-deserved high-fives, but I’m not laughing. The thought of Alyssa talking to any of these bastards makes my vision turn red.

  “So, what’s her name?”

  I grab a shirt from my locker. “She’s not available.”

  “Oh, come on.” He punches my shoulder and my blood boils. “We’re a team. We can take turns with her.”

  I spin to face him. “Back off,” I growl. “I said she’s not available.”

  His expression changes, shifting into something fierce and predatory. “My god.”

  “What?”

  “I never thought I’d see the day.” He looks me up and down. “Junior Morgan is whipped as fuck.”

  “Say that again,” I warn. “Johnny.”

  John smirks. “What, you think you can take me, Morgan?”

  “Pretty confident I can.”

  “Is that right?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Hey!”

  All heads swivel in Coach’s direction.

  “Hurry and clear out,” he barks.

  I back up, retreating to my locker to grab the rest of my clothes, ignoring the murmurs echoing throughout the locker room. John lingers for a moment, but I avoid his gaze until he leaves.

  Where the hell did that come from?

  John isn’t just some jerk. He’s one of my best friends. We never throw down like that.

  I feel a light pat on my back as Ty passes by me on his way out.

  “Delta Xi?” he says.

  A friendly battle-cry. A subtle show of support.

  Thanks, buddy.

  “Delta Xi,” I repeat.

  I finish getting dressed alone.

  “Junior.”

  Before I get the chance to leave, Coach steps out of his office.

  “Yeah, Coach?” I ask, pausing.

  “The team comes first. Nothing is more important,” he says, his arms crossed over his chest. “Not even a pretty girl. I don’t want to see you picking fights with the team like that again. She’s not worth it.”

  I bite my tongue. Would he be saying that if he knew it was Alyssa?

  “Yeah,” I say, swallowing it down. “You’re right. It won’t happen again.”

  He disappears into his office and closes the door.

  I see his point. If the team isn’t on the same page, we don’t play well together on the field. It’s my job as quarterback to lead the offense. I can’t do that effectively if they hate me.

  Maybe I should make an appearance at this party, after all. Just an hour to smooth things over with the guys before heading to the library to do a few practice problems Alyssa assigned me.

  It couldn’t hurt, right?

  CHAPTER 28

  JUNIOR

  Actually, this might hurt a little.

  I pinch the ping-pong ball between my thumb and pointer finger, gently rolling it as I line up my shot. Dozens of eyes lock on me, but I do my best to block them out. Just like the field, it’s just me and the end zone or, in this case, me and the red plastic cup on John’s side of the table.

  If I make it, I win.

  If I miss, I lose.

  For a split second, my concentration breaks. I look at John.

  His brow rises, complimenting his pre-victory smirk.

  Fuck it, I think.

  Let him have this one.

  I toss the ball, missing the rim by a mere centimeter.

  The crowd erupts with joyful applause, but they do that no matter who wins beer pong. This is Alpha Delta Xi, after all.

  Everybody wins in this house.

  I raise my cup to John. “Delta Xi,” I say.

  He does the same to me. “Delta Xi.”

  “Delta Xi!” the crowd shouts.

  We all take a drink. This one hits me a little harder than the last one. I did not plan on drinking this much, but I knew this was the best way to patch things up with John. The library is open until one. Still plenty of time left.

  I step around the table. “Good game,” I say to John.

  He bows. “Good game.”

  “I’m sorry about earlier.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “We cool?”

  He presents his hands. “We never weren’t. But she must be something if you’re willing to throw a game in front of all these promising young women,” he says with a knowing grin.

  I chuckle. “Yeah, she is.”

  “Well, I apologize, too. I said some uncool things back there.” He glances around. “Is she here tonight?”

  “Here? No, she wouldn’t be caught dead in a place like this.”

  “Damn. I’ll just stay curious then, I guess.”

  “I guess you will.”

  “Gotta say, I’m not too broken up about Junior Morgan being off-the-market.” He raises his cup. “Less competition.”

  He’s not wrong.

  “Long time no see, Junior Morgan.”

  We turn and look up to find Samantha Jaxx balancing on the back of the couch behind us, her cleavage hovering an inch away from my chin.

  “Hey, Samantha,” I say.

  “Sup, Sam?” John greets her.

  “Hello, boys.” She plops her arms over the back of my shoulders, clinging tightly to my neck. “You two in a tiff?”

  “No,” he says. “We’re good.”

  I shrug in agreement.

  Samantha ignores the answer. “Because I was just telling Tammy — y’all remember Tammy?”

  “Yes, we remember Tammy,” I say, wishing to distance myself from her potent perfume, but the scent in her breath tells me I’m about all that’s standing between her and hitting the floor in a drunken clump.

  “I was just telling Tammy that I can’t stand to see my boys at each other’s throats like this.”

  She fists my hair and yanks my head to the side to expose my neck.

  I laugh awkwardly as John chortles. “Samantha…”

  “Want me to take you home?” Her hand travels across my chest. “I’ve missed you…”

  I pause with sudden clarity. Last year, I wouldn’t have hesitated to engage in a sloppy drunken romp with Samantha Jaxx. But tonight?

  “No,” I say.

  “Oh, come on. Don’t you miss me, too?” she whines.

  “No,” I say again.

  I really didn’t.

  “Boo!” She leans in. “Let me lick your wounds—”

  Her tongue grazes my earlobe. I shift out from under her. She instantly plummets, but John and I easily catch her and stand her back up.

  “How many have you had tonight?” John asks her.

  “None yet.”

  “Drinks, Sam. Not men.”

  Samantha giggles loudly, and she folds herself into his arms.