Page 34 of Her Wicked Knights
Tripp cringes next to me, his fingers clenching into fists at the sound coming from her. It's funny, really. He's usually hard to ruffle, not caring about things that don't really effect him. But when it comes to Audrey, Tripp gets almost comically annoyed with her. It's why he distanced himself from Marley, as much as he hated doing it. It's why I've taken a step away from her too, from the solid little friend group we used to have.
I can't blame him, either. Audrey annoys the fuck out of me, too. I think it’s especially difficult for him because they were closer than any of us ever were. He was her best friend, the one who she went to for everything. Before Jake, she had Tripp, and while their friendship may have suffered a little from the awkwardness of her dating one of us, that was nothing compared to how Audrey edged Tripp out, intentionally, deliberately. It would have been bad enough if she just did it so she could take his place, but Audrey doesn't even treat Marley like a friend. She's toxic, gross, and she's one thousand percent sleeping with Jake... or she will be soon enough.
Not for the first time, I wish someone could make Marley see the truth they hide right under her eyes. I care about her, but she won't listen to me. Tripp's in love with her, but she'll think he's just jealous. Colton refuses to say anything."She'll never see what she doesn't want to", he said. I know he's right. We've known her since she was a kid. Marley thinks the world is a magical place, beautiful and fair. And to her credit, she's got no reason to believe otherwise. Her parents worked hard to give her a charmed life, and I know it's wrong of me to resent not having what she does. But knowing it's wrong doesn't stop me any more than knowing it's wrong to sleep with a different guy or girl everynight stops me from doing it. I crave love, but I'll never give it, so I know I'll never receive it. I can, however, enjoy the company of people who are looking for the same thing as me.
"When the founders killed the witch, they killed the source."
"The sauce?" Carson laughs, lifting a bottle in the air and wagging it back and forth a bit. "I've got some fireball right here."
"Thesource," Whit corrects, oblivious to Carson's idiocy. "The source was the individual with the magic. In this case, a woman."
"Magic pussy, eh?" Nick snorts, and this time Mark joins in with him.
"I've heard of that." He smirks. "Pussy so good, you'll die for it."
Carson laughs. "Where do I get me some of that?"
"Right here," Audrey raises her hand, giving it a little shake so that her bracelets clank together and draw the attention of everyone left in the room. It's not much- Jake and Audrey, Nick, Carson and Mark, me, Tripp and Colton. I'm only here still because I'm intrigued by Whit's performance. It's like watching a train wreck and then all the cars catch on fire, a shitshow that just keeps going. I'm guessing I'm not the only one, either, considering Colton and Tripp are both still seated. I know they can't be buying into this shit.
Colton laughs loudly and shakes his head. "It's not worth dying for."
Audrey's mouth falls open in shock, and Tripp laughs a little louder than the rest of us. Jake's eyes flick back to the guy who's supposed to be his best friend, his face carefully composed as he appraises him.
"Colt," she laughs, desperately. "Don't be salty because you don't want to share with your friends."
"I share with my friends whether I want to or not, right?" Colton challenges, smirking when Audrey's face goes blank.Jake's shoulders drop along with his face, and I guess he thinks we're all fucking deaf, dumb,andblind. You'd have to be to not notice that they're fucking.
"Back to the treasures." Nick says, handing the floor back to Whit as Audrey turns in her seat, crossing her arms and slumping like a toddler on the verge of a tantrum. "How do we get that? You said I could conjure it? Summon it?"
"Is this like... manifesting?"'
I don't bother looking to see who asked, glancing at my watch.
Five minutes ‘til midnight. I'll never get back to my house in time to meet Cami... or was it Cortney tonight? I guess I'll find out when I get home. Cami will wait for me, Cortney will ice me out until the morning and then send me a string of hate texts calling me a fuckboy. I like women, but they're so much more dramatic than the men. Although, Whit's being pretty fucking dramatic right now.
"It's nothing like that. This is aboutmagic. Witchcraft."
"Ooh," Carson wiggles his fingers in time with the pitch of his voice like he's casting some sort of spell, feeding the ridiculousness of this whole thing.
It's my cue to go. I stand, saluting Whit with two fingers to my forehead. "It's been fun, but next time, you can forget to invite me."
Tripp chuckles as he stands too, following me out into the aisle.
"Aw, come on," Colton calls after us. "Don't you want to help pick the virgin sacrifice?"
I hear a couple laughs before the door shuts behind us and I turn to Tripp.
"What the fuck was all that?" He laughs, shaking his head. "That guy isn't right in the head."
"Neither am I." I lick my lips, chuckling at the absurdity of what we just escaped. A glance down at my phone tells me it'sjust before midnight. If I head home now, I can be balls-deep in Cortney or Cami by 12:15.
"Do you..." Tripp clears his throat, his eyes flicking out to the parking lot on the other side of the heavy glass doors behind us. "Do you wanna go do something?"
Heat flickers deep inside me at the implications my mind is running off with, imagining whether Tripp's cock is as big as I think it is and whether he's a whimpering kind of guy. It's fucked to have these thoughts about my best friend. I'd fuck Colton if he'd let me, but he's made it clear he's not interested in anything other than pussy- Marley's pussy, specifically, which he'll never fucking have so he should really get over it. But the seed of lust for Tripp is more than that, more than just taking what someone offers. Despite all the shit people talk about Tripp, I don't think he's into men, which is a shame because I crave him in a way I don't crave people... the way I crave good weed or the perfect steak or to feel Marley Lavigne come undone beneath me.
I crave his warmth, his taste, his love. Just spending time with him is enough, but it's also a bit of self-imposed torture. And normally, I'm happy to torture myself for him. But tonight, my balls are heavy with need and while hanging out with him a bit longer would soothe a different sort of ache in me, I can't imagine things would end well tonight. I don’t want to throw away our whole friendship over one night.
"I've… got someone waiting for me."
