Sticks and Stones (Shadow Valley U, #1)

by S. Massery

I lean back and smile at her. “I’m moving in, Sticks. Welcome to Hell.”

“Hungry, Sticks?” I stay quiet because I don’t trust him. He’s probably poisoning the food. “There’s a nice spot out back.” Stone peeks over his shoulder, and his lips tip in a devilish grin. “Perfect for sunlight. I’ll water you every other day, and I picked up a bag of soil after practice.”

I switch on my phone’s flashlight and shine it at the floor. She’s surrounded my bed in half-filled plastic cups, like a petty, prepubescent child with a stick up her ass. I smother my laugh at that. Sticks with a stick up her ass.

“Oh, shut up!” I place my hands on my hips, which looks ridiculous because I’m holding a pink, dick-shaped vibrator that just so happens to have an extra part on it for more stimulation. “You act like you’ve never seen a vibrator before!” “I have!” Evan turns around and bends over at the waist. He’s dry heaving. “I’ve just never seen you with one! Fuck.” “Bro.” Grant shrugs. “She’s not even your real sister. You can’t honestly say that you’ve never thought about having sex with her.” He glances at me. Does he think I’m deaf and can’t hear him? “I mean, look at her.” “I’m right here!” I shout.

“Ahh.” A breathy noise comes from the left, and that’s when I quickly pop up and pull open the shower curtain. Grant flies backward with his dick in hand and piss streaming throughout the bathroom like a water hose with too much pressure. “Oh my God!” I yell, dodging a stream of pee and using my blanket to block the fiery liquid. It smells like he hasn’t drank water in days, but that is the least of my worries. “What the hell, roomie? Make yourself known next time!” Grant tucks his dick away, something I am unable to pull my attention from. Wow. “I…” I am too stunned and confused to even form a sentence. Why the hell am I in the bathtub?

“Hey, hey. Shh.” Archer’s hands are around my shoulders, and then I’m pulled to my feet and crushed into his body. I shake my head against his warm chest. I refuse to say a word. It’s fine. Get it together right fucking now, Wren. “Is it Stone? What did he do to make you storm out onto the ice like that? I can piss in his Cheerios tomorrow morning if you want me to.”

I’ve kissed girls before. But tell me why my breathing stops as soon as our mouths are on each other? Tell me why my heart fucking skips? And most of all, tell me why Wren Davis kisses me back?

“And would someone so self-centered sleep three feet from you every night in case you start screaming and wake the whole neighborhood?”

I was going to see about transferring in, but fuck that. But I can be in the same hallway when her class gets out…and happen to be walking in the same direction of her next class. If she were to ask—which she won’t. Because I’m stealth incarnate. “You look like you’re plotting something.” Okay, maybe not.

“Look at my eyes, baby.”

“Are you propositioning me, baby?” She bites her lip to hide her smile and slowly nods. Oh, fuck. I’m a goner—and judging by the glimmer in her gaze, we both know it.

“Sleep,” Stone whispers from somewhere close by. I inhale the scent of his pillow and submit to the warmth of his blankets when he drapes them over my bare skin. “I’m here, and I’m not leaving, Sticks.”

There’s a snicker of laughter from down the hall, and I cross my arms, leveling my housemates with a withering stare that they all laugh at. “I’m moving out.” “Over my dead fucking body.” Stone’s hands dip into his pockets, and he walks over to Evan, leaning on the same wall, waiting for my reaction. “Over all our dead bodies,” Grant adds.

I’ve graduated to full-fledged stalker. Which, upon further examination, is probably not the best thing for Wren.

Did I stop to even put on a freaking condom? Nope. Let’s hope she doesn’t kill me for that.

“You’re awful.” “And you’re mine.” I shrug. “Fair’s fair.”

Something buzzes, and she pulls her phone out of her boot. A neat trick. I narrow my eyes as she answers it. Silence. Then— “Why are you calling me from an unknown number, Brad?” Her brow is pinched. I shoot to my feet, but she waves me off. “No. I don’t care that you’re sorry. Don’t call me again.” She hits end and tosses her phone onto the bench beside her. We stare at each other for a beat. “Don’t even think about it,” she warns. I raise my hands in surrender. “I wasn’t thinking anything.” I definitely wasn’t thinking that fucking Brad just got moved to the top of my shit list.

My obsessive infatuation with Wren is fine. It’s not out of control. It’s not taking over my life. I’m not constantly thinking about her.

She yanks out her earbuds again, glaring at me. “What?” I raise my hands in surrender. “I don’t need to be babysat.” I scoff. “Archer is an excellent babysitter. E and I have some business to attend to.” Arch grins. “You don’t want to hang out with me, Wren? I got you coffee…” He slides one of the cups toward her. She pinches the bridge of her nose and takes a moment. Maybe reining in her temper. But she eventually drops her hand and points at him. “I need to study. No talking. No loud music. No distractions.” He lifts one shoulder. “That’s fine, I’ve got an econ paper due on Wednesday.” She takes a sip of the coffee and nods. “This is bribery. But I accept.”

“Where are we going?” He makes a face. “Your text was a little vague. And freaking early. What’s up with you and Wren anyway? Are you⁠—” I elbow him. “If you’re about to ask me something you don’t want to know the answer to, I suggest you shut up. Because I’ll answer it. Explicitly.” He scowls.

on the field. I stride toward him, leaving Evan rushing after me. “Do you have a plan here?” my best friend whisper-yells. “Yep.” No time like the present to throw caution to the wind.

Evan grabs for me, but his hands slide off my shoulder. “Stone, no⁠—” I punch Brad as hard as I can. In the nose. Pain radiates down my arm, familiar and new—not quite as masked by game-day adrenaline as during hockey fights. But it’s worth it, because the slimeball folds like an accordion. There’s blood coming out of his nose, and he otherwise doesn’t move. Evan stops beside me, belatedly gripping my arm. And I didn’t even get to warn him to not call Wren anymore. We stare down at him, and the soccer teammates start yelling from across the field. I glance at Evan and shrug. “Too late.” Ah, well. Brad didn’t stand a fucking chance.

“Did you seriously sic your psycho boyfriend on me for calling you one fucking time?” Why did I ever like him again? “He better watch the way he fucking talks to you.” I shuffle backward so Stone can stop using his supersonic hearing and listening to the conversation. “One time?” I ask. “I have multiple calls a day from Unknown, Brad.” “Well, it isn’t me!” he argues. “And you want me to believe you? You cheated on me for months and lied right to my face. How could I ever believe a thing you say?” “Fucking bastard.” “Maybe we should all take turns punching him?” “Fuck yeah.” I glare at the guys, who are all staring at me with their arms crossed.

“Oh.” He glances over the banister, and I’m leery of his smile. “I put a tracker on your phone, so if you decide to try and pay me back for hitting your ex, and not show up to my game, I’ll be able to find you.” My mouth drops as I stare at the device in my hand. “You are unbe⁠—” “Unbelievable,” he finishes for me. “I know. I’ll show you later how unbelievable I really am.”

“You’re mine, Wren Davis. What more do I need to do to prove it? Fuck you in front of Evan? Get my name tattooed on your skin?” I cup her jaw, forcing her head up. “Or your name on me? Now that sounds tempting…”

I run my hands up the outsides of her smooth legs. To her panties. “Don’t—” I rip them off.

Just because she’s mine, and I’m hers, doesn’t mean I don’t hate her for it.

“Well, my dick likes you.” I frown. “Obviously.”

I ignored seething looks from Evan and dodged Archer’s questions about the jersey she may or may not have had on earlier. I was wrong earlier. I have a feeling I’m going to end up paying for Archer’s replacement.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Wren mumbles. I raise my eyebrow. “I think everyone knew what was going on here, Sticks.” Evan’s face slowly turns red. “What?” I continue to Wren, rolling my eyes. “It’s not like you weren’t yelling, ‘Yes, Stone, fuck me harder!’ about two seconds ago.” And that’s how I end up getting punched by my best friend.

Evan huffs. “Don’t be inappropriate? Are you fucking kidding?” “Watch it.” Stone’s tone is lazy, but we all know better. “You fucked her so hard I heard her screaming your name, and then I find out the door is open. That’s inappropriate.” Archer snorts, and Grant chokes on a piece of popcorn. I sigh. I feel bad. I do.

“Baby, I’m fucking obsessed with you.” His deep voice is hot. “I can’t sleep if you’re not beside me. I can’t eat if you’re at work and I’m not sitting there in a booth, watching your hips sway with your tray. Even during my practices and games, if I don’t know where you are at all times, I fuck up and nearly fall on the ice.”

“Tell me you feel the same.” This isn’t a time for jokes. I would usually have some snarky rebuttal and say something like, “Or what?” but I can’t find it in me to shut him down, because if this is Stone’s version of pouring his heart out to me, I’ll take it and run. “I do,” I whisper.

My lip wobbles, and it’s something he notices. “Wren?” His brow furrows. “Out of all the times we’ve fucked, I didn’t think this one would hurt.” I swallow roughly. “I’m not hurt.” “Okay…” The bed dips, and he brings me close. Our naked bodies are wrapped around one another. “Then why are you crying?” A shaky breath clamors from my lips. “I’m not used to someone taking care of me.” His chest expands beneath my head, and the steady release of air tickles my neck. I sigh at the soft kiss on my temple. “Sleep, baby.” I shut my eyes to hold back the tears, knowing I’ll sleep better than I ever have before.

“No, baby,” Stone growls. “You have no idea what I’m capable of. Especially when it comes to you.”

“When Stone told me he was bringing his girlfriend I almost fell out of my chair.” Stone whispers behind me, and I’m thankful Martha didn’t hear. “It was probably all the cocktails.”

She’s going to be the death of me. And I think I love her for it.

He meets me in the kitchen, where I slide him a toasted bagel and the tub of cream cheese. “Uh-oh. Are you trying to…well, fuck, the butter pun would’ve worked better if you didn’t offer me cream cheese.” “Coffee.” I snap my fingers. “That’ll make you make sense.” He agrees.

I think about how to say it delicately. “Let’s just say he used his brains for the wrong reasons.” Jessie Davis is actually a highly intelligent man. I got my love for chemistry from him. We are both impeccable when it comes to working out equations, and he taught me everything I know. Except right from wrong. That, he wasn’t so good at. “What do you mean?” Ally turns to me. I nibble on my lip. I have no idea how to dig myself out of the hole. “He’s a convicted felon,” I blurt. “Makes meth for a living.” Silence fills the car, all except Taylor Swift singing about being a vigilante, which is honestly quite fitting.