Page 166 of Cruel Steps

Holden pulled into the school parking lot a few minutes later. The dinner was being held in a ballroom in the Fine Arts Building. Several people were walking in dressed in suits and dresses. I rubbed my arms, wishing I’d thought of grabbing a jacket. It had been warmer today, but it had gotten colder now that the sun was gone.

“So, which of your teammates has the biggest dick without being the biggest dick?” Taylor asked.

Colter stumbled, and Holden snorted. “Um, excuse me?” Colter asked.

“She wants to know which guys to ignore,” I added for clarity.

“Oh. Well, I don’t really check out my teammate’s junk,” Colter added.

Holden stopped and pointed at two people. “Those are your best bets. Both single, not assholes, and have decent girth and length in the cock department.”

This time, I was the one who gaped at my boyfriend. Colter joined me while Taylor smiled and patted his arm.

“Thanks, Mr. Sexy Stare. I knew I could count on you.” She hugged me. “Time for me to hunt for my dinner.” She smirked as she sauntered off, heading for the two guys Holden had pointed out.

Holden rolled his eyes at Colter and me, taking my hand and leading us to a table. When we sat down and hadn’t stopped staring, he huffed, crossing his arms. “Was I wrong?” he asked, daring his friend to deny he looked at his teammate’s dicks.

Colter’s shoulders dropped, and he smiled, sitting back in his seat. “Nah. I guess not.” Holden lifted his chin triumphantly, and I laughed, loving moments like these. Rose, Hope, and my dad joined us at the table, and a few people stopped to talk to Holden about the game. Taylor sauntered over later, smiling like she’d gotten exactly what she wanted and taking her seat as dinner was served.

The next hour was boring as hell as different alumni spoke about Hayward’s legacy and what Homecoming meant, blah, de, da. I was ready to get out of this dress, and the dreaded need to pee had emerged. At least this time, I wouldn’t embarrass myself in the bathroom. I nodded to my guys; I needed to slip away, and Colter stood up to join me.

People looked at us as we walked off, and I ignored them as best I could. The bathroom was full, as usual, so I stood in line, shuffling on my heels. When I was only a few spots from the front, two girls walked in, their voices carrying as they gossiped.

“I can’t believe that fat cow is with Holden. There’s no way she’s going to win Home?—”

“If you spent more time being nice to people instead of tearing others down, you’d understand exactly why he’s with her. Mer’s beautiful inside and out. She’s kind and smart, and I can’t wait to see her win Queen. It’s time for someone else to rule this school, and it’s not you,” someone said behind me.

Stunned, I spun around, seeing a girl I’d never even talked to before defending me and two other girls I didn’t know.

“Thank you,” I said, shocking all three as they faced me. I lifted my chin, accepting her praise. The girl nodded, smiling at me while the other two looked appropriately chastised. I slipped into the bathroom stall, confidence surging in me.

CHAPTER

FORTY-NINE

EMERSON

Colter’s smiling face greeted me when I exited the bathroom. He eagerly pulled me into his arms, kissing me deeply. His body was hard beneath mine and naughty thoughts invaded my mind.

“This dress looks incredible on you, sweetheart,” he breathed, his lips ghosting over mine.

“Thank you, handsome.” He grinned, and my heart skipped. I loved this man so much.

“I wish I could steal you away and show you how hard you’ve had me all night, but Holden would murder us for leaving him out this time.”

I giggled. “True. Let’s see if we can leave, then.”

“You have the best ideas.”

Colter wrapped his arms around me, and we walked back into the ballroom. People continued to stare, but it didn’t bother me anymore. Or at least not as much. Believing in myself made some of the anxiety disappear.

Tables had been moved away for a dance floor, and soft music played over the speakers. The dance area was filled with older couples, the parents of the players, and previous alumni. Hope and our parents were no longer at our table, and Taylor was flirting with two guys at the bar, leaving Holden alone. Except he wasn’t exactly alone, considering he was surrounded by almost the entire team. Colter and I shared a look before picking up our pace. This didn’t look good.

“What’s going on?” Colter asked, pushing through two big guys. Holden glanced up from his phone, his face hard.

“It’s nothing. Thanks, Pierce. I’ll handle it.”

I spotted Cody; his features were just as solemn as those of the rest of the team. I lifted my brows, and he nodded for me to step away from the group. When we were a few feet away, he leaned in to whisper.