Chapter 15: CHAPTER 15

"Wow, you're so good at that." Jennifer's voice dripped honey, her hand coiling around Cross's bicep like she owned it. She rested her head against his shoulder, admiring the fluid snaps of the cards.

I remembered her, the one who spammed his phone with nudes like an audition tape. And she sure got the role for a night, but the credits must've been rolling, because Cross let her comment die in the air and offered no response. The faintest twitch of his shoulder let me know he wanted her off him, and fast.

On my other side, Theodore made himself comfortable, already in deep conversation with James--Amy's boyfriend. Hopefully this wasn't the game she played that culminated in her kissing my ex.

I glanced at the deck. "What game is this?" I asked, wary of the unfamiliar card design.

Hilary's grin spread like the Mad Hatter's. "Truth or dare, but with a twist."

Great, it was this game.

Right as I hesitated, Cross flicked a card onto my lap. One after another he dealt around a circle until each of us held ten. Then he set the bottle in the middle, eyes locking with mine. "Four rounds. No backing out."

He may have been speaking to everyone, but the warning was for me. He was watching my movements carefully, unnerving me, and disappointing Jennifer who had yet to receive a glance. He explained the rules clearly, and by the end I was convinced that as long as I played my cards

right, I could come out of this unscathed.

It was simple. Always pick truth.

Someone like me had nothing to hide. Nothing these cards could ask, anyway.

Drawing the cards to my chest, I spread them to analyze my options. Not bad. I could see why we're given more cards than rounds. It gave room for options and the use of specialty cards, of which I had two - one useless group dare, and one I'd have to be careful about. They didn't go into much depth with these, but the use seemed straightforward enough.

Hilary began the game by spinning the bottle. It landed on Theodore.

"Truth or dare?" she asked, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"Dare."

Her lashes lowered as she skimmed her cards. Then, she smiled impishly. "Take your shirt off."

"Of course Princess. Should I pull it over, or strip for you?"

Hilary leaned back against her wrist and blinked. "I'll never deny a good show." Her calmness stirred Theodore as he went into full performance mode, undoing each button with sultry eyes and a bite to his lip that didn't fail to cause bubbling laughter. By the time his abs were out I

had to turn away, cheeks tinging as he drove in the sensuous movement.

Hilary's laughter intensified, and of course Theodore, charming as ever extended the invitation. "You can

too, Clara."

I shook my head. "I’Il wait 'til you sit down." Theodore threw his top at Hilary, who casually put it on as though it belonged to her.

My turn came next. I spun the bottle, and it pointed on a girl named Casey.

"Truth or dare?"

She pursed her lips. "Dare."

Going through my options, I chose a decently safe one. "Take a shot."

She downed it in one go, mouth curling in disgust. Theodore was up next, but instead of spinning, he threw a specialty card on the pile. All hands on deck.

"Everyone takes a shot!" He grinned.

While everyone cheered, I grimaced. Hilary also, who was still recovering from the episode in the bathroom. Thankfully, jello-shots were passed around which made the experience less unpleasant.

The game rolled on until it was Cross's turn. The bottle whirled in circles before slowing down and landing squarely on me.

"Truth." I blurted, not giving him a chance to ask. Cross shook his head like I was a naughty child.

Right, like I would ever trust him with a dare.

He slapped a card already in his hand, as though expecting my choice.

He leaned forward. "Ona scale of 1 to 10, how attractive do you think I am?"

The room hushed, and my tongue pressed against my teeth. He was baiting me. At this point he knew he was attractive, the trail of girls made it obvious enough.

But he wanted to hear it from me.

The one girl who in all our friendship never admitted to an ounce of attraction for him. Denied it, even. So he waited, expectant.

And as much as I wanted to keep this to myself, this game was about self-preservation, even at the expense of feeding his oversized ego.

"Ten," I said evenly.

His eyes widened minutely, surprised. But instead of the arrogance I expected or the cocky grin, the look he gave me was feral.

His gaze sharpened, narrowing like a shark scenting blood. For a heartbeat, I swore the air raised several degrees.

I swallowed uncomfortably and forced my attention to Jennifer, who was next. But even then, I could feel him, the heat of his stare pressing onto me until my skin prickled. Was he..wary? Satisfied? Entertained?

I couldn't tell what was crossing his mind.

Similar to Theodore, Jennifer didn't bother spinning. She flipped a card for everyone to see.

Gents, give a kiss on the cheek to the gal you find the cutest.

For a moment, Theodore leaned in my direction. Then, seeming to think better of it, he went beyond me and planted a kiss on Hilary's cheek instead.

Really, Teddy?

It would've been better if he never made motion to me in the first place. Now it was just awkward. I hid my embarrassment by pretending I didn't notice, though if the roles were reversed, I would've kissed him despite finding Cross more attractive.

I bit my lower lip, squashing the flicker of betrayal that tried to root itself. Whatever. This was a game. By the looks of it, they seemed to have some chemistry anyway.

"I thought this was truth, not self preservation," Hilary said quietly, if not a little amused, holding Theodore back when he tried to slink back to his spot.

"You look good in my shirt, you should keep it." He deflected, giving her one of his charming smiles.

I would've dissected their conversation more if I hadn't noticed Jennifer. She looked every bit the betrayed partner as she watched Cross not gravitate to her, but to…

No way.

He hovered in front of me, undaunted as he bent to press a kiss on my cheek. My heart immediately accelerated, refusing to slow as his lips lingered. Two seconds..four, then-the edge of his teeth, a quick roguish bite that elicited a squeak from me before he finally drew back.

Heat surged up my neck. My hand immediately went to the offended cheek, feeling the light mark of his doing. I gave him a look.

What game are you playing now?

Back in his spot, Jennifer sat rigid. Unmoving, even when James gave her a kiss on the cheek. Her fingers twitched in her lap, and with a sudden spark of anger, she whispered to Cross indiscernible, sharp words.

He gave a half-shrug, leveling her with a remorseless expression. She breathed deeply, looking ready to say something else, but it was too late. He turned away from her, attention back to the game as though her words were no more than passing traffic.

Then it dawned on me. Of course. Cross didn't kiss me for me, but to dismiss her-a girl whose hopes probably rose too high and was getting annoying.

Another one.

I fought a sigh. Being used as his defensive wall was getting annoying. He needed to find another way that didn't include me.

Then, unexpectedly, a softer touch brushed my cheek. Startled, I turned and met warm eyes framed by waves of chocolate hair. His smile was hesitant, almost shy, before he slipped back into his spot.

I leaned in to Hilary. "Who's that?" I muttered, finding myself smiling back.

At least his kiss was genuine. I hadn't paid much attention to the others in the circle until now.

"Jacob. He's on the football team." Her gaze flickered forward.

I followed her line of sight and was met with Cross, who looked none too happy of my inquiry. He's so nosy. I stuck my tongue out, and he shook his head like I'd committed the most heinous crime.

Ridiculous. He was like a toddler who couldn't stand when anyone else noticed his toy, even if he didn't care for it. Why was he bothered by my curiosity of someone else?

"You should get to know him," Hilary said.

"Jacob..." I said, feeling his name. "Maybe I will."

"Yes. him too."

Wait, what? Isn't that who we'd been talking about? Regardless, I nodded appreciatively. Jacob was really cute. And honestly, I would've been all for it if I hadn't just ended a relationship recently. It's ridiculous to even call it that, but I didn't want to seem like a guy hopper.

My turn arrived. When I spun, the bottle veered its neck at Hilary. Rather than give her the question, I threw a specialty card. Her brows arched, intrigue flickering across her face.

Swap.

This card let us trade--her card for mine. Problem is, she could easily saddle me with something far worse than the one I was giving away. Still, I wanted to test Hilary. The things she told me earlier were puzzling, and as of now she was a complete wild card. I wanted to know if I could trust her.

We laid our exchanges faced down. When I lifted the one she gave me, my mouth dropped. If I doubted the 'help' she was giving me before, I didn't anymore.

This card...it was gold. And if Cross's predatory gaze was anything to go by, I would definitely need it.

And sure enough, at Cross's turn the bottle landed on me, again. Without hesitation, he laid a most peculiar card.

Dare or Do.

My mouth dropped. Impossible. A card that forced you to choose between dares. I scanned the options and grit my teeth. Take my shirt off…which, considering I was in a dress would leave me practically naked-or sit on the dealer's lap for ten minutes. Peals of laughter rippled from the circle.

Right as I inched to the card Hilary gave me, her touch stilled me. Her countenance, though mild, was clear. I would hold onto that.

But as Cross leaned back, spreading his arms with a shameless tap on his jeans for emphasis, I couldn't help but want to defy that confident smirk. He awaited me like a puppet master pulling the strings of his mnarionette, communicating I had no choice.

But I did. And right then I would cut these strings. I slammed my card above his. Everyone gasped, except for Hilary, who began laughing.

Immunity.

Cross's eyes widened before narrowing dangerously. Usually he was more playful of these things, but tonight that playfulness was gone, erased by something more sinister that I didn't understand.

"I tried to be a gentleman, Clara." He said, carefully rearranging his cards with immaculate precision. "You won't escape on the next round.

A chill trickled up my spine, spreading as his displeasure morphed into the faintest of smiles. I knew that smile, it's the one he had when he was close to a'checkmate'.

If I pick truth, I’ll be fine.

I tried to reassure myself while the others went. Jennifer had to show everyone the last photo on her camera roll (a selfie she took before getting here).

The next person hada specialty card that forced everyone in the circle into a dare (taking a shot, of course), another had to admit how they cheated on their ex-girlfriend (twice).

On James' turn it landed on Hilary, who was dared to take a shot. Just the word made her blanch. With an apology my way, she slid a card.

Skip

I groaned. Skip meant you could dump your dare on the next person clockwise. In Hilary's case, me. To make it worse, the shot they gave me had an undertone of peaches, my least favorite. Each consecutive turn I sat straighter, anxious the closer it reached Cross.

There's no way it'l be me again.

Highly unlikely. It's already an anomaly he managed to land me twice. The odds weren't in his favor if I was the target.

At his turn he didn't spin. He held the bottle, rolling it between his thumb and index finger as he watched me squirm. He softly placed it down, pointing the neck directly at me.

"You can't"

Before I could finish my protest he flipped a card onto the floor.

Dictate.

Dictate let the user pick their target, and worse, decide the challenge with no escape.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

I should've held onto my immunity card! Especially once I saw which of his collection he settled for me to do.

Lock & Key. Behind closed doors, suck it.

I was speechless. No. No way.

I mildly relaxed. These cards were so suggestive I couldn't help but picture the worst.

Before I could react, Cross hauled me off the ground and carried me ten long steps through a room tucked down the hall. The door slammed, the lock snapping shut like a trap.

Here, in this space, I was officially stuck with the

dictator of the game, only it didn't feel like he was

playing anymore.

________________________________________________

Cross's POV

The cards felt like silk against my callouses. Snap. Snap. Snap. I kept my movements fluid, a mindless rhythm to distract from the dead weight of Jennifer’s hand on my bicep. She was leaning into me, her voice dripping that artificial honey that usually made me tune out, but tonight, it just made my skin crawl.

​I didn't answer her. I didn't even look at her. I just dealt the cards, my focus locked on the girl sitting across the circle who looked like she’d rather be anywhere else.

​Clara.

​She was wary, her eyes tracking the deck like it was a loaded gun. I flicked a card onto her lap, then another, until she held ten. I felt Jennifer’s grip tighten on my arm, her head resting on my shoulder in a move that screamed ownership. I let out a sharp, barely-there twitch of my shoulder, it was a warning. I wanted her off. I wanted the space between me and Clara to be clear of any static.

​"What game is this?" Clara asked.

​I saw Hilary’s grin widen. I knew what Hilary was capable of, and I knew exactly what kind of chaos these cards could stir up.

​"Truth or dare, but with a twist," Hilary said.

​I set the bottle in the middle of the circle, my eyes locking onto Clara’s. She looked like she was ready to bolt. "Four rounds," I said, my voice low. I wasn't talking to the room. I was talking to her. "No backing out."

​She was watching me, and I was watching her back, mapping every flinch, every press of her lips. Jennifer was still chirping in my ear, a background noise I’d completely muted. Clara was the only one who mattered in the circle. She analyzed her hand, her fingers fumbling slightly as she spread the cards. I knew she’d pick truth.

She was too smart for her own good, luckily for me I was smarter.

​I wanted to prove her wrong.

​The game started with Theodore, predictable, loud, stripping his shirt off for a show. I watched Clara turn her head away, her cheeks tinging pink. It wasn't the hot blush Jennifer was trying to force out of me, it was genuine. It was soft. It made my jaw tighten for reasons I didn't want to examine.

​The bottle spun, rounds went by, shots were taken. I stayed focused, waiting for the momentum to shift. Then, I put my hand on the bottle. I didn't just spin it; I controlled it. I watched the neck whirl in circles, slowing down, dragging across the carpet until it stopped.

​Squarely on Clara.

​"Truth," she blurted out. She didn't even wait for the question.

​I shook my head, a slow, mocking movement. Naughty girl. She really thought truth was the way to escape me.

​I didn't reach for the deck. I already had the card in my hand. I’d been holding it since the first deal, waiting for this exact moment. I slapped it onto the floor, leaning forward until I was deep in her personal space.

​"On a scale of 1 to 10, how attractive do you think I am?"

​The room went dead silent. I could hear the faint hum of the air conditioner and the rhythmic thud of my own heart.

I knew what the answer was supposed to be. I knew what the Jennifer-types would say. But I wanted it from her. I wanted the girl who had spent years acting like I was invisible to finally say the words.

​She hesitated. Her tongue pressed against her teeth. She was looking for a way out, a way to lie without lying. But the cards didn't allow for it.

​"Ten," she said evenly.

​The word hit me like a physical blow. I felt my eyes widen minutely. I’d expected a seven or a six just to spite me. I’d expected a joke. But the way she said it, evenly, without the fluff triggered something feral in my gut.

​My gaze sharpened. I felt the heat in the room spike. I didn't smile. I didn't give her the cocky grin she was clearly expecting. I just stared at her, scenting the air like a shark that had finally caught a trail of blood. She swallowed, her eyes darting away to Jennifer, but I didn't let her go. I kept my stare heavy, pressing onto her until I saw her skin prickle.

​I was satisfied. I was wary. I was... hungry.

​Then Jennifer decided to play her hand. She didn't spin, she just flipped a specialty card.

​Gents, give a kiss on the cheek to the gal you find the cutest.

​Theo moved first. He leaned toward Clara, my blood turned to ice but then he shifted, planting a kiss on Hilary instead. I felt a flicker of relief that I masked with a bored expression.

​Then it was my turn.

​I saw Jennifer sit up straighter, her eyes hopeful, her hand reaching out for me. I ignored her. I didn't even give her a sidelong glance. I stood up, my movements slow and deliberate, and walked around the circle.

​I hovered in front of Clara. She was looking up at me, her heart practically visible through her chest. I bent down, the scent of her hitting me full-force. I pressed my lips to her cheek. Her skin was warm, soft, and I didn't just give her a peck. I lingered. Two seconds. Four.

​I felt the edge of my teeth graze her skin, a roguish bite, a claim and she let out a tiny, high-pitched squeak.

​I drew back, my pulse thundering. I saw the heat surge up her neck, her hand going to the spot where my teeth had been. She gave me a look, What game are you playing?

​The best kind, CJ.

​I sat back down. Jennifer was rigid next to me, her fingers twitching with a spark of pure, unadulterated rage. She whispered something sharp and desperate in my ear, words I didn't bother to process. I gave her a half-shrug, my expression remorseless. She was a ghost to me now.

​But then, the air shifted again.

​A guy named Jacob, he was part of the team, he had chocolate-brown hair… leaned in. He gave Clara a shy, hesitant kiss on the other cheek. And the worst part? She smiled back.

​I felt my jaw lock. My eyes narrowed as I watched them exchange a look. She leaned into Hilary, whispering, asking who he was.

​"Jacob," Hilary said. "You should get to know him."

​"Maybe I will," Clara replied.

​I felt a surge of possessiveness so sharp it was heinous. I was acting like a hormonal teenage boy, and I didn't care. I couldn't stand the way she looked at him, the way she looked like she actually wanted to be there. I shook my head at her, a silent reprimand, and she just stuck her tongue out at me.

​Ridiculous.

​It was my turn again. I didn't bother with the bottle this time. I looked at the specialty card in my hand, the one I’d been saving.

​Dare or Do.

​I watched her eyes widen as I laid it down. It was a trap.

Sit on my lap for ten minutes or take her shirt off. I knew which one she’d choose, and I wanted it. I sat back, spreading my arms, tapping my jeans with a shameless smirk. Come here, marionette.

​But Clara had a wild card. Hilary had handed her a lifeline.

​Immunity.

​She slammed it down, and for the first time that night, I felt my eyes narrow dangerously. The playfulness was gone. I’d tried to be a gentleman, in my own twisted way but now the game was shifting into something more interesting.

​"I tried to be a gentleman, Clara," I said, my voice dropping an octave as I rearranged my cards with immaculate precision. "You won't escape on the next round."

​She looked chilled. Good. She should be.

​The rounds went by like a blur. Jennifer showed a selfie. Someone admitted to cheating. Hilary dumped a peach-flavored shot on Clara using a skip card. I watched Clara sit straighter, her anxiety building as the turn came back to me.

​I didn't spin. I held the bottle between my thumb and index finger, rolling it back and forth, watching her squirm. It was the most entertaining thing I’d seen all year.

​I placed the bottle down. The neck pointed directly at her.

​"You can't…" she started.

​I didn't let her finish. I flipped the card.

​Dictate.

​I scanned my hand and pulled the gold. The one that ended the debate.

​Lock & Key. Behind closed doors, suck it.

​The room erupted in laughter, but I wasn't laughing. I stood up, not giving her a chance to protest, and hauled her off the ground. She was light, her body stiff in my arms as I carried her ten long steps down the hall.