Forever Golden: Dark High School Bully Romance (Kings of Cypress Prep Book 3) by Rachel Jonas (books like beach read txt) 📗

the diner, after West accused me of spitting in the one I served him. Granted, I was definitely guilty of messing with his drink, but he deserved it. The third is a heart because, according to him, I’ll always have his.

Blue: I’ll show you everything when I get home.

Jules: K. So happy you’re happy. Wish I could be there :(

Blue: Next time.

Jules: Definitely! Now go enjoy your man and your Christmas. Love you, woman!

Blue: Love you right back. Apparently, I have a game of truth or dare to get to. Wish me luck <3

I set my phone in the nightstand drawer, then rush downstairs. From what I can hear, the family’s gotten much livelier since dinner, so I follow the noise and I find our crew and the five wild ones we met a couple nights ago settled in the great room. The massive, mahogany fireplace is roaring and the gang’s getting riled up for what I’m told will be the most invasive game of truth or dare I’ve ever played in my life.

Should be fun.

Not really.

I scan the room for Scarlett and find Linden—the persistent one—sitting beside her on the hearth. He’s leaned forward with both elbows on his knees, smiling while whatever he’s saying seems to be charming my sister’s pants off. Here’s hoping that summation isn’t a literal one.

She did a good job of keeping him at bay the other night, but I’m not sure how long she can keep it up. Yeah, she cares for Shane, but this boy looks like he could be just the heartbreaker to change her mind.

West spots me and halts his conversation with River and Stoney to slap a hand to the couch cushion. While I texted Jules, he saved me a seat between him and Joss. Shockingly, Dane’s got her laughing free and easy now, which means she’s feeling more like herself.

“It’s about time you brought your sexy ass back down here,” West groans in my ear. I settle in beside him, drawn to him like a bee to honey, but catch myself just shy of planting a kiss on his lips.

Scar’s in the room—although she isn’t paying me an ounce of attention—but I do try to behave myself in front of her.

Try.

West opts to kiss my neck instead. Heat from his mouth moves toward my collarbone and I nudge him to stop. If he keeps at it, we’ll never make it through this game. He pulls back with a smile, but I still feel his stare. He knows he gets to me.

Every damn time.

“All right, now that we’re all here, let the games begin,” Dane announces, grinning like he’s about to open another round of Christmas gifts. “Who wants to start?”

It doesn’t surprise me when none of us girls’ hands shoot up into the air. Nor does it surprise me when each of the wild five seem to be eager to get things going.

“I’ll go,” Beau volunteers.

“Okay, truth or dare?”

Zero thought goes into Beau’s response. “Dare.”

Dane smiles and reaches into his back pocket. “I dare you to let River draw a tattoo on your back with permanent marker. Then you’ve gotta walk through the parlor where the adults are hanging out.”

“Easy.” The next second, Beau slides his t-shirt up his back and tosses it to the floor.

Then, we all watch in horror as River writes the words, ‘I love pussy’ on his back in bold letters.

“There,” River proclaims with a smile. “Make sure Grandpa gets a good look at this.”

Completely unaware of what’s been written, Beau shrugs, then fearlessly heads across the foyer where all the older members of the family decided to congregate. We can’t see in, but we can certainly hear.

“What the hell is wrong with you boy? Get your narrow ass out of here with that foolishness!” Boone yells, half a second before Beau sprints back toward us, sliding across the freshly polished floor in his socks. He’s almost home free, but catches Boone’s slipper to his back when it’s hurled at him from some unseen place.

The eruption of laughter drowns out the sound of Beau sucking in air through his clenched teeth, a reasonable reaction to the sting of having a rubber sole slap against his bare skin.

“What the fuck does this shit say?” he wants to know, walking off the pain as he casts a frustrated glare toward River.

Instead of repeating the phrase, River snaps a pic of the ‘tattoo’ and shoots it to Beau in text.

“No wonder I almost got my ass beat,” Beau growls at River. “All right, your turn, motherfucker. Truth or dare?”

“Truth,” River answers.

“Fine. Why don’t you tell everyone when you last pissed yourself.”

River’s face turns bright red, and I’m already intrigued.

“First of all, let me preface my answer by stating that I was shitfaced,” he explains. “But since I’m not a pussy, I’ll just come out and say it. Three months ago. But also note that I passed out outside, so it’s not like I wet my bed and shit.”

“Does that make it any better?” Sterling asks.

Scar covers her mouth when she laughs, trying to hold back. Unlike the rest of us who have no problem further embarrassing the kid.

“Joss,” River says, clearly hoping to get the heat off himself. “Truth or dare?”

Joss strikes me as a ‘play it safe’ kind of girl, so I was beyond shocked with her choice.

“Dare,” she says, holding River’s gaze.

He seems pleasantly surprised, too. “Sweet! Take out your phone, call the last guy you screwed, and tell him you’re pregnant.”

Joss smiles. “Guess I get a pass, because there was no last guy. There’s never been any guy.”

“Bullshit,” River says with a frown.

Joss shakes her head. “I shit you not.”

As if all five share a brain, each of West’s cousins stare at her, as if they can’t possibly understand how a girl who looks like her managed to get through life unsullied. Then, on cue, their gazes shift to Dane in unison.

“It’s true,” he confirms.

“Well, damn. I guess you do get a pass,” River