Page 33 of In Too Deep

“I’ll make you suffer.” He gropes her leg and starts sliding up her skirt. She slaps his hand away and glares at him.

“Hey, I gotta drive. Behave or get in the back.”

“Oh, I do like it when you’re bossy. Those dominatrix videos are working.”

I widen my eyes as Coby chuckles.

Caro disapproves. “You’re an arse.”

“You love my arse.”

“Shut the fuck up!” She starts the car.

Shaking my head, I turn to Coby. He wraps his arm around my shoulders, and I lean into him. Our relationship is so different to Caro and East’s. While the affection is the same, Caro and East tease each other. Coby only ever tells me how beautiful I am. I don’t think I’ve ever heard East tell Caro the same. But who knows what they’re like behind closed doors?

“Don’t Let Me Down” by The Chainsmokers echoes throughout the car. Caro sings along quite nicely. East dances interpretatively to the music. He flails like a ninja robot on meth. Coby and I chuckle along in the back seat as he kisses my hair.

We find a parking spot just as the song ends.

East prays.

I have no idea why East does anything he does.

Caro turns off the car and the stereo. East takes in a deep breath and nods. “My Zen is in alignment after that spiritual dance.”

We all raise an eyebrow as he grins and gets out of the car, ducking to step out.

“I swear that guy shocks me every time he speaks,” Caro mutters before hopping out of the car.

I grin at Coby and slide out, closing the door behind me.

East stands in front of me, stretching like he’s been curled up for too long.

“So, Zen master, are you all set for some arcade fun?” I ask.

He smiles as Coby and Caro walk around, then we head toward the entrance of the shopping centre.

“You have no idea. I will‘Outplay, Outwit, Outlast’all of you.”

Caro chuckles. “Are you aSurvivor?You not gon’ give up? You not gon’ stop? You gon’ work harder?”

“Oh, oh. Oh, oh. Oh oh. Oh, no, no, you didn’t, girlfriend.” East waves his hands from side to side like she should’ve “Put a ring on It.”

I burst out laughing at his tone. Coby screws up his face in confusion. Caro smiles. “Well played, Mr. Summers, well played.” She puts up her hand, and he high-fives her. I shake my head and laugh at them all while Coby stares ahead.

“What just happened?” he asks.

“East just out Beyonce’d Caro.”

He raises his eyebrow and winces. “And that’s a good thing?”

Giggling, I wrap myself around him and bob my head. “Not up with your pop or R&B music, then? Never mind, just understand Caro got nailed.”

We walk inside. The guys gawp at the centre. “Wow! This place is huge,” East exclaims. “And no mention about cock size, please, Caro, unless it’s about how ginormous it is.”

“Yeah, and this is only the start of it,” I reply as we head up the white stairs toward the cinema.

Coby takes hold of my hand and interlaces our fingers. I smile up at him. He winks as we step to the top and turn right, heading toward the giant arcade. East’s face lights up—I swear he’s like a kid in a candy shop.

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