Adrenaline Read online

  And we’d done it without a fucking condom, too. We might’ve been virgins, but we weren’t stupid. What were we thinking?

  I popped a couple Advil for my cheap beer-induced headache and walked back into my room, throwing on some fresh clothes. It was Friday, and we had school in an hour.

  “Hey, man.”

  I jerked around, seeing Jared step through the doorway and looking like he needed about twenty-four hours of solid sleep and a shower. Not in that order. He must’ve crashed here after the party last night.

  He strolled toward my closet. “Can I borrow some clothes?”

  “Yeah, help yourself.” I pulled on a gray V-neck t-shirt and slid my wallet in my jean’s pocket. “You feeling up to school?” I asked, seeing his shaky steps. He looked like he might still be drunk.

  “Better than being home,” he mumbled, disappearing into the walk-in closet.

  I fastened my watch and walked to the bathroom, gelling and spraying my hair. I was tempted to leave it without any product, because Fallon always said my head looked like a stuffed peacock. Or a duck’s ass. Or man-bangs pointing north.

  My chest shook with laughter, and I shook my head. She was clearly as sweet as pie. How did I not see it?

  “So what happened to you last night?” Jared called.

  I clenched my teeth, my brain suddenly blank as I walked back into the bedroom, grabbing shoes and socks.

  Madoc…is the door locked? Oh, God. Don’t stop.

  I swallowed. “Uh, nothing. I just got tired. Went to bed. That’s all.”

  I could feel his eyes on me as he plucked one of my hoodies off the hook.

  But then I heard a door open, and I shot my head up, my heart dropping into my stomach, seeing Fallon emerge from her bedroom. She stopped, and I held her eyes, masked by her glasses, and I instantly tensed.

  The light of day hadn’t changed anything. Nor had sobering up. I wanted her again.

  She dropped her eyes, folded her arms across her chest and hurried to the bathroom, away from me.

  Jesus. My forehead cooled with sweat, and it was a minute before I realized Jared was still standing there, staring at me.

  Then he looked back at the hallway and back at me, suspicion written all over his eyes. “She was wearing the Bears t-shirt you were wearing last night,” he pointed out.

  Fuuuuuuck!

  Dammit! I’d put her in the shirt before she’d fallen asleep and didn’t even notice. Shit!

  “Went to bed, huh?” he teased, slipping on the hoodie. “Okay, whatever. I’ll see you at school.”

  He walked to the door, but I cleared my throat, stopping him. “We need to deal with Dietrich,” I told him, changing the subject. He turned, narrowing his eyes. “Why?”

  “He was in Fallon’s space last night. Not taking no for an answer,” I explained. “And he’s sniffing around Tate, too. As much you don’t like her, I know you hate that.”

  He closed his eyes, ran his hand through his hair, and let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, well, we’re rid of Tate, Madoc. Didn’t you hear?” he taunted. “She’s off to Europe for her junior year, so in a few months, she’ll be gone.”

  He said it as if it had been the goal all along, but I caught the look on his face. The one that said he was about to be a very unhappy guy. And Jared unhappy was no joke.

  I watched him walk out, and I let out a sigh. “Shit.”

  Grabbing my cell and my keys, I made my way downstairs, ignoring the sound of the shower as I passed by the bathroom. I should talk to her. I needed to know what was going on in her head. I wanted to know that she was alright.

  But I didn’t stop. Walking into the kitchen, my heart jackhammering in my ears, I headed for the fridge and grabbed a Gatorade.

  The parents sat at the breakfast nook area, my father buried behind his morning paper, and Fallon’s mom, Patricia, digging into her half a grapefruit and dressed in workout clothes. Pretty much her uniform while she was at home.

  She plopped her spoon down, bringing a cup of coffee to her lips. “Well, I don’t see what phone call was so important that you had to miss nearly half of the performance last night,” she snipped at my father. “You left me sitting alone, Jason. For an hour.”

  He let out an aggravated breath and folded his paper. “I’m sorry,” I heard him say as I busied myself making a bowl of cereal. “I’ll make it up to you,” he promised and then called out. “Morning, how was your party?” he asked me, probably to get Patricia to shut up.

  I looked up, arching a stubborn eyebrow. My father used me to distract Patricia’s attention, so I ignored him.

  I turned around, put the milk away, and heard Fallon’s mom behind me.

  “They got into your liquor again,” she told my father.

  I almost laughed. She spent my inheritance on fucking hand bags, and she thought my father would care about a little lost liquor?

  “They were home,” he appeased, “not driving, and Addie was here. Madoc has my trust until he doesn’t anymore.”

  I stood at the island, letting them go back and forth and feeling the chill between them grow colder by the day. And then needles sprang up under my skin, and I was hot.

  Fallon walked into the kitchen breezing behind me, and I damn near choked, because I swallowed a mouthful of cereal without chewing it.

  Son of a bitch.

  Her hair still wet from the shower, and she set her backpack down on the stool at the island as she grabbed something out of the pantry.

  The hair on my neck stood up, and I watched as she came out and stood at the island a few feet away from me, her eyes glued to the task of unwrapping her breakfast bar.

  “Well, I don’t like all of those boys hanging around here,” Patricia snapped. “Around Fallon. It’s not safe.”

  I saw Fallon blink and almost look up, but then she didn’t. Why wasn’t she looking at me? A thousand different fears ran through my head. Was she mad? Was she scared?

  Or worse. Was she sorry?

  I set my bowl down, stepping up next to her and needing her to look at me. Her back stiffened, but I pushed into her space, my arm brushing hers. She looked different today. She still wore the same clothes, little to no makeup, and I couldn’t figure out what it was, but she was different.

  Everything was different today.

  My father’s voice broke through. “Madoc won’t let any of his friends near her,” he told Patricia. “Right?”

  Without even looking up, I knew he was directing the last part toward me. I looked at him, but I snuck my hand behind Fallon, brushing it over her waist. “No one gets near Fallon but me.” I smiled.

  I heard her suck in a breath, and I slipped my hand under her shirt, grazing my fingers across the soft skin of her back.

  My father stood up. “Well, I’ve got to hit the road,” he said throwing down his napkin.

  Fallon looked up, meeting my eyes, and she looked so nervous that I just wanted to pull the sheet over us again.

  “I’m going to have to crash in the city tonight,” I heard my dad say as Fallon and I stared at each other. “I have to be in meetings early tomorrow—”

  “Well, what am I supposed to do?” Patricia argued, following him out of the kitchen, both of them disappearing.

  Fallon shook her head. “Madoc,” she warned, but I couldn’t take it anymore.

  Grabbing her hand, I pulled her to the basement door, swung us both inside, and slammed it shut.

  Spinning her around, I wrapped an arm around her stomach, bringing her back into my chest, and buried my lips in her neck.

  “Madoc, stop it! Our par—” And I snatched up her lips, tilting her chin and meeting her with a raging hard on already in my pants.

  “Just remember, Fallon.” I needed to know that she liked it. “That it was real, what happened between us last night.”

  My hand scaled up and down her body, feeling the thighs that couldn’t get enough of me only six hours ago.

  My hand slid between her l
egs, over her jeans, and she moaned, pressing herself into me.

  Yeah, it was real.

  “Madoc, stop,” she begged, but she wasn’t pulling away.

  “I want more.” I pressed my hand harder between her legs. “Do you still feel me?” I whispered. “I was there, Fallon, and you can’t change that. I was there.” I stroked her, and even though she groaned, she pushed me away.

  “Stop.” She spun around and held her hands against my chest. “We’re going to get caught, Madoc. We can’t do this.”

  “Fuck them,” I growled. “We hate them, and we let it stand between us. Last night was the first time you ever really saw me, and the first time I took you in. I want to feel it again,” I admitted, my mouth gone dry. She was like a drug, and I wanted to go deeper. I wanted more time with her when she wasn’t mad at me and I wasn’t mad at her.

  “Stay with me today,” I pressed.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Screw school,” I shot out. “Stay with me. Let’s get in my car and just drive or…” I cupped her face, whispering, “or get lost in one of the spare bedrooms upstairs where Addie will never find us. I don’t care. Just so I can touch you any time I want.”

  I dove in, kissing her and eating up her whimper. I trailed kisses down her neck as she invited me in.

  “What do you like about me?” she asked softly, and I stopped.

  Lifting my head up, I saw her staring down the staircase to where my old piano sat. I didn’t know how to answer the question. I guess I barely knew her. But I liked her.

  Shit. Yeah, that didn’t make sense.

  She turned and looked at me. “Why don’t you want to go to school?” she asked. “Because you can’t acknowledge me there?”

  I shook my head.

  I wasn’t embarrassed by her, and as much as we didn’t feel like family, she was still my fucking stepsister. Of course I couldn’t touch her at school.

  “I’m like the piano,” she pointed out, gesturing down the stairs. “Best hidden, right?”

  “It’s not like that,” I countered. “It was you and me last night. Just you and me. Just us, and it felt fucking great. Don’t overanalyze it.”

  She turned away, fear written all over her face as she shot through the door back out to the kitchen. Addie was loading the dishwasher, and probably just assumed we’d been doing something innocent in the basement.

  Fallon picked up her backpack. “Addie, I’m ready for school,” she rushed to say, slipping the bag on her back.

  But I stepped in.

  “I’ll take her,” I said, seeing Addie’s surprised expression.

  I’d never driven Fallon to school, but I damn well wanted to today.

  “Really?” Addie asked, looking delighted.

  “No,” Fallon shot out, scowling at me. “I want Addie to take me. As usual. I don’t like the way you drive,” she said, clutching her backpack straps.

  “He wants to take you to school,” Addie urged. “Let him.”

  “No.” She started to walk out of the kitchen. “I’ll be in the car, Addie.”

  Addie dried off her hands, and I clenched my fists. If I argued more, it would look suspicious, but I couldn’t let this go.

  I’d try to give her a few days to calm down, but I wanted her in my hands again.

  Addie walked up to me, patting me on the chest. “Well, thank you for the offer to drive her, Madoc. It’s nice to see you finally acting like a good brother.”

  I dropped my head back and let out a sigh.

  And that’s one way to kill a hard on.

  Character Conversations

  Madoc: Ya know, you get off easy. Your anniversary is the same day as Tate’s birthday.

  Jared: Well, I didn’t plan it that way.

  Madoc: So what did you get her?

  Jared: None of your business.

  Madoc: Jax! What did Jared get Tate for her birthday?

  Jax: Uh, one nice thing! One naughty thing! That’s all I can say.

  Madoc: What the hell?

  Jax: *snort* It’s pretty naughty, too.

  Jared: Shut up.

  Jax: What? It’s hot. Didn’t know you were into public displays and all. Thought that was Madoc and Fallon’s kink, but...I learn something new about you every day.

  Jared: SHUT. UP.

  Madoc: Why can’t I know?

  Jared: Because you have no filter, and...

  Jax: It’s what she would’ve had to do if she lost the race. What he’s been wanting to do to her.

  Jared: I’m gonna kick your ass!

  Jax: Yeah, I guess that’s all you can reach now that I’m taller than you.

  Jared: Whatever. I don’t have time for this shit. I have to go. *walks off

  Jax: Come on. Let’s go see a movie.

  Madoc: I don’t want to see a movie.

  Jax: No, you want to. The theater is where it happens. This is going to be awesome!

  The theater anniversary scene was the continuation of this conversation.

  ***

  Fallon: Madoc should be a book boyfriend. He’s perfect.

  Juliet: Madoc is no longer a boyfriend. He’s a husband.

  Fallon: Well, what about Jax then? He’s a hell of a lot better than Jared.

  Juliet: *laughs* I’ll keep my man to myself, thanks.

  Fallon: Is someone going to tell Tate?

  Juliet: Who do you think nominated him in the first place?

  Fallon: *gasps* She didn’t!

  Juliet: Well, she knows how much he LOVES attention.

  ***

  Me: You were nominated for the March Madness Book Boyfriend Battle against Mason Kade.

  Jared: *eating, ignoring me

  Me: *arms crossed, tapping foot

  Jared: *eating

  Me: *tapping foot louder

  Madoc: *silently laughing at the table

  Me: *clears throat* Jared?

  Jared: *eating, ignoring

  Me: *arch brow

  Jax: *snort

  Me: Jared, I’d REALLY like to win. You can prove that you are book boyfriend material, after all.

  Jared: *arches brow

  Me: *looks away, fuming* It doesn’t hurt your face to smile. Why do you have to be so stubborn?

  Jared: ...

  Me: You have a soft side. Just show it! The perfect book boyfriend is bad in all the right ways, and they know how to be vulnerable. I’m not asking you to shed tears or anything.

  Jared: *eating, glaring

  Madoc: *laughing

  Jax: *smiling

  Me: For me? Try? Please?

  Jared: Do you remember the sixteen year old girl who was forced to go to confession and then refused to do penance, because she still wouldn’t admit she’d done anything wrong?

  Me: *slouches, looks away

  Jared: That was a long time ago. Have you done penance yet?

  Me: *scowls*

  Jared: *smiles* That’s the part of you I come from.

  Me: *scowls

  Jared: You want Book Boyfriend? That’s the Madoc part of you speaking.

  Madoc: :D

  ***

  Madoc: Fallon and I have more naughty business to share.

  Me: No.

  Madoc: But you didn’t tell them about us in the closet while our parents were sitting right out at the dinner table. That was hot. You should write about that!

  Me: No.

  Madoc: Why not?

  Me: Because you were sixteen at the time. I can’t write about sixteen-year-olds having sex.

  Fallon: *snort* I wouldn’t call it that. It was more like two minutes of Madoc groaning ‘Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.’

  Madoc: Oh, really? That wasn’t you tearing off my belt and wrapping your damn legs around me like a rubber band.

  Fallon: *shrugs* Might’ve been.

  Me: You attacked him?

  Fallon: He whispered in my ear. I just remembered it being kind of hot.

  Madoc: *laughing

 
Me: What did you say to her?

  Madoc: I said she was turning my two-by-four into a four-by-eight.

  Me: Ew!

  Fallon: You did not say that!

  Madoc: I did. It didn’t take much to turn you on. The next day I told you that I wanted to wear your thighs as ear muffs on the way to school, and we were late! Like really late! That one definitely worked on you.

  Fallon: I would never go for dumb ass lines like that!

  Madoc: *looks her up and down* Mmmmm, I’m not a weatherman, but you can expect more than a few inches tonight, baby.

  Fallon: *laughing* *wraps arms around him* You’re an idiot, you know that?

  Madoc: *throws her over shoulder, takes her inside

  Me: *creeps away, back to writing

  ***

  Madoc: What are you doing?

  Jax: Nothing.

  Madoc: It looked like something.

  Jax: *shuts computer off

  Madoc: Are you accessing traffic cameras on your computer?

  Jax: No.

  Madoc: Are you lying?

  Jax: Yes.

  Madoc: Good. I prefer to believe you just watch porn in here, anyway.

  Jax: Good man.

  Madoc: *clears throat

  Jax: *shifts eyes

  Madoc: *shuffles feet

  Jax: Sooooo.....how’s the Vampire Diaries going?

  Madoc: Dude, I’m so frustrated. No one ever really dies on that show.

  Jax: Hmmmm....

  Madoc: I don’t know if I’m supposed to feel worried or sad or just wait for them to come back the next episode.

  Jax: Yeah...that must suck.

  ***

  Madoc: I don’t think I’m ready to have kids. I just had to have a man-to-man with Lucas, and it was really uncomfortable.

  Jared: When is anything too uncomfortable for you?

  Madoc: Since I had to calm down a twelve-year-old whose mom just caught him in the bathroom.

  Jax: Caught him doing what?

  Madoc: What do you think he was doing? He was all bent out of shape, thinking there was something wrong with him, and I had to explain that that’s what happens to healthy men. What he was doing was normal, and he shouldn’t be ashamed.