Page 89 of Rising Queen (Blood Empire 1)

Harlow looks over at me then back to Rosie. “How about we start with sleepovers first?” Harlow asks.

Rosie thinks about it, then nods. “Okay.”

Harlow chuckles and lets Rosie down. Penny comes out into the room and Rosie rushes over to her, giving her a big hug too. We say our goodbyes, and Penny takes Rosie’s hand, leading her up to Harlow’s penthouse with Daisy waddling after them.

“Hey, Cassy Boy,” Harlow purrs. “I can't get that night in the club out of my head. I think about it whenever I touch myself at night and when Neo pounds into me from behind.”

My brain short circuits, and I let out a low groan as my cock instantly hardens while my mind flashes back to that night. Her screams as she came, her nails digging into my neck as she held on to me during her release.

Harlow grins as she looks down and sees the evidence of my arousal. She looks back up at me as she reaches for my cock. When I don't stop her, she gives it a squeeze and my knees almost buckle. I bite my lip and try not to come just from her touch alone.

She takes a step back, laughing at the state she’s put me in. Little vixen, she is. She loves to tease and poke, but if it means more of little moments like this, I'll take what I can get.

She takes off, heading over to the girls who are getting up on stage, and leaves me standing there with a very uncomfortable boner.

Adjusting myself in my pants, I head over to the bar. “Hey,” I greet Evie. She looks up at me, pushing glasses I’ve never seen her wear before, up her nose.

She closes her laptop and lets out a sigh. “Hey.”

“You okay?” I ask. She eyes me warily. We’ve never really talked other than words in passing, but she's Harlow’s best friend, and if I ever have a chance at being anything more with Harlow again, being friends with Evie can't hurt.

“Not good,” she says, taking off her glasses, rubbing her eyes. She looks tired. Poor girl has been working nonstop. “Another girl went missing last night, and I don't want to tell Harlow just yet. She’s been distracted with everything else, and although she hasn't forgotten about Tracy, keeping busy has lessened her fits of rage. She can get a little scary when she has them,” she huffs out a laugh.

“You guys will find them. She won't stop until you do,” I say, sitting down next to her at the bar.

“That's what I’m worried about. She's not used tonotgetting what she wants. And she really wants this, to find these women. We know bad things are happening to them, and with our past, it’s fucking with her brain. She wants to save the world, but she forgets that she's only human despite what people might think.”

Evie looks over at Harlow, who’s now dancing provocatively with another dancer. I see a flash of hurt and jealousy in Evie’s eyes with a mix of longing. That’s not the way one would look at their sister or how a best friend would; it's the same look I find myself giving Harlow when she's not paying attention.

“So, how long have you been in love with her?” I ask, taking a sip from the can of pop Roxy hands me. Roxy chokes on a laugh and bites her lips shut.

Evie’s head whips around, and she looks at me with panic but quickly covers it up with one of false innocence.

“What are you talking about?” she asks, opening up her laptop again, tucking her red hair behind her ear, pretending to do work.

“How long have you been in love with Harlow?” I ask again, trying to hide my grin.

“I’m not,” she huffs out a nervous laugh, not meeting my eyes. “We’re best friends, like sisters. She means the world to me... but not like that.”

Roxy barks out a laugh. “Girl, please, you're not fooling anyone. Everyone knows you're head over heels for that woman. It would take a blind person not to see it, or Harlow herself.”

Evie looks up at Roxy with wide eyes, then over to Harlow to see if she heard. “Shhh, I am not.”

“It’s okay, you know. No one’s gonna judge you for liking a girl,” I say.

“I know no one’s gonna judge me, you dummy. I'm gay and everyone here already knows it.” She rolls her eyes and Roxy chuckles.

“Well, I didn't. I’ve never seen you show interest in anyone.”

“Because I don't have any interest in anyone,” she says.

“Only Harlow,” Roxy grins.

She looks between us for a moment, then sighs in defeat. She looks back at Roxy. "Everyone knows?”

Roxy gives her a sympathetic look. “Yeah, Babe, they do.”

“God, I must look like a pathetic, little schoolgirl with a crush on the hot, popular girl,” she groans, putting her head down on the table. “And what makes it worse, is thatshedoesn't even know it. And if she does, then she's damn good at hiding it,” she sighs.

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