Against the Rules (Liberty Cove Book 1) Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Eighteen Months Later

  Thank You

  About the Author

  Against the Rules

  by

  Julia Black

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2017 by Julia Black.

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Manufactured in the United States of America.

  First Edition May 2017

  www.authorjuliablack.com

  Any trademark, service marks, product names, or names featured are the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if one of these terms is used.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Kiera

  I shouldn’t have come.

  This party, this place, it wasn’t me.

  Pillar nudged me in the ribs. “At least you can pretend you’re having fun, chica.”

  I groaned. “I’m trying.”

  She scoffed. “No, you’re not. I know you, Kiera. You can’t pretend with me.”

  She was right. I wasn’t having fun.

  But she couldn’t hold that against me. I glanced around the fancy living room. The place was packed with people my age and I still felt like a fish out of water. Pillar had been invited by her college roommate, which meant these people were all college students who spent their days in the classroom and their nights drinking until they passed out.

  They had nothing in common with me.

  I lifted my empty bottle. “I should go grab another drink. Want something?”

  “Si, I want a dose of those hunks right there.” She jerked her chin to a few guys standing between the couch and the sliding doors to the back patio. “Hm, they look so fine.”

  I narrowed my eyes at them. Yes, they looked good with their strong arms and shoulders showing under their fitted polo shirts and college jerseys. If I cared even a little, I would probably be able to tell if they played football or hockey or baseball, but I didn’t. Guys like that … I bit the inside of my cheek. Guys like that were good for only one thing.

  Something throbbed low, south of my belly, reminding me that I hadn’t had any of that in over a year. Damn my pathetic life.

  Ignoring that always-present ache, I looked back at my friend. “Okay, other than the guys, can I get you something?”

  “Another beer, please,” Pillar said, her eyes still on the hotties.

  Shaking my head, I crossed the living room, weaving my way through the crowd, and walked into the kitchen. More people milled around here, grabbing beer from the fridge, or making drinks on the counter, and picking from the several plates of finger foods spread over the kitchen island.

  Pillar had told me the house belonged to the parents of her roommate’s boyfriend’s best friend’s cousin. Phew. Apparently, they were as rich as their fancy house with sleek furniture and industrial appliances implied, since they had gone to spend two weeks in Ibiza and two more weeks in Paris. Just because.

  Jersey City was a big town with two Ivy League schools nearby, and I could bet the owners’ son was a student in one of them. Just like the rest of the students here with their designers clothes and expensive cars parked outside. How Pillar, a girl who attended an in-state public college in Galloway with half her tuition covered by scholarship, and her roommate got mixed up with the likes of these people was beyond me.

  “Excuse me,” I said as I squeezed my way between a couple eating each other’s faces right beside the fridge.

  I opened the fridge and grabbed two beers. I wasn’t a big fan of beer, but I wouldn’t drink anything else at parties full of strangers. Who knew what these crazy people put in the cups, and the open vodka bottles? I wouldn’t risk it.

  I turned around to leave and bumped into a guy.

  “Sorry,” he said, stepping back.

  I looked up at him with an “it’s okay” on the tip of my tongue, but the words died the moment my eyes met his. Damn, this guy wasn’t just a guy, he was a man, probably a couple of years older than me. And he was fine. More than fine. Tall, with broad shoulders adorned by a black polo, tanned skin, a little stubble over chiseled jaw and a sharp chin, and brilliant light green eyes. The only minus was his short dark blond hair. I usually didn’t like blond guys, but for him? I could make an exception for him.

  One corner of his lips tipped up. “Are you okay?”

  I snapped my mouth shut. Shit, had I been gawking at him with my mouth open? Crap. I cleared my throat. “Yes, I’m fine. Sorry about that.”

  He shook his head once. “It was nothing.” His voice was rough, sharp, matching his gorgeous face perfectly.

  I didn’t have much money, but I could bet the rest of my meager savings account that this guy wasn’t a college student.

  “Hm.” I tucked a loose strand of my hair around my ear, suddenly too self-conscious under his intense gaze. “Excuse me.”

  I scooted past him, and past the mouth-eating couple, and strolled back to the living room. Of course, when I got back, Pillar was in the middle of the room, dancing and laughing with Karen, her roommate, and three other girls I didn’t know. The guys Pillar had been ogling before, had their eyes on them now. They were probably keeping tabs, analyzing the girls’ dance moves, their clothes, how easily they smiled—all to make sure they didn’t get a no when they came on.

  And Pillar with her long, wavy dark her, her big, bright hazel eyes, her contagious smile, and generous curves? She was probably the main target right now. If Ella and Charlotte, a writer and a model who lived in the same apartment complex as Pillar and I, had come with us as initially planned, Charlotte would be dancing in the middle of the room with Pillar, while Ella hung back with me. But unfortunately, Ella was behind on her deadline and had to write, and Charlotte snatched a small, last minute gig. Good for them. At least they were doing what they loved.

  Pillar twirled, and two of the guys pointed at her, smiling wide. Unease snaked through me, but I knew she could take care of herself, though. And that was why I decided to leave. I could call a cab and be home in less than thirty minutes. Besides, I was in desperate need of sleep. I took a step forward to talk to Pillar, but one of the guys—a big one, just the way she liked it—was faster and leaned close to her, talking to her.

  I could send her a message from the cab. She wouldn’t worry about me then.

  I put down the two bottles on a side table and, as I turned around to leave, a heavy arm draped over my shoulders.

  “Hey there,” a guy said, leaning into me. I almost gagged from the alcohol in his breath. “Wanna dance?”

  I bent my knees and tried to push his arms away. “No, thanks.” But his arm was too heavy, and he just leaned into me some more.

&
nbsp; “Ah, come on, babe, I’m a great dancer.”

  I put my hands on his chest and pushed him back. “I said no.” Again, the big brute didn’t move an inch.

  How come in a room full of people, no one saw what a jerk this guy was being? If I didn’t get him off me in ten seconds, I would scream.

  “Loosen up, babe.” He made a pout, as if coming to kiss me.

  “Let me go,” I growled.

  A hand snaked around my waist, pulling me back, and suddenly the big brute’s arm was gone, and I was standing behind the hot blond guy from the kitchen.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Hot Blond asked, his shoulders tense.

  “She was going to dance with me,” Big Brute mumbled.

  “My girl isn’t going to dance with anyone,” Hot Blond said, towering over the Big Brute. Damn, he was tall. Wait … he had just said my girl? “And if you try anything funny again, you’ll lose that arm. And maybe other parts too.”

  Then, as if to illustrate his point, Hot Blond took my hand in his, sending an electric shock up my arm, and pulled me away from the living room. Stunned, I let him.

  ***

  Josh

  Two of the many things I couldn’t stand: seeing a kid suffer, be it for having a scraped knee or for having been abused in some way, and fucking creeps who kept on advancing even after a girl had said a clear and firm no.

  My blood boiled, and it was a miracle I didn’t punch the guy and broke his fucking teeth.

  While I led the girl from the living room to the main foyer in front of the house, I inhaled deeply many times, calming down my rage.

  It hadn’t been my intention to call her my girl, but it just came out. And now, I had to pretend I was taking her away so I could check on her. But the moment I cradled her hand into mine, a jolt shook me. Something that sparked in my core.

  Most of the lights were off on this side of the house, since Peter didn’t want drunks wandering around his parents’ house. Right. Because that stopped people from sneaking up the stairs to have drunken sex in the bedrooms

  When we reached the library’s door, I turned to her. Light came from the big window above the front door behind me, illuminating her beautiful face.

  Fuck, this girl was hot. Delicate features in a perfect, porcelain skin. Big blue eyes, small nose, and pouting red lips, and just a hint of makeup to accentuate her beauty. Her long, light brown fell like a board over her back, and her body … I bit the inside of my cheek so I wouldn’t check her out once again. Because I had before. More than once. When she first entered the kitchen to grab two beers, then when she accidentally bumped into me, when she was walking away, then in the living room, before that guy hit on her.

  The fire in my blood spiked again.

  “Sorry about that,” I finally said.

  She immediately dropped my hand and took a big step back. “Hm, nothing to apologize. And I should thank you for helping with that guy.”

  “I have a weakness for damsels in distress.”

  A small smile crossed her lips. “Thanks.” The smile faded and she glanced at the door. “Hm, thanks again.” She sidestepped me and walked toward the exit.

  I felt a knot forming between my brows. “Where you going?”

  She stopped before the door and glanced at me. “Home.”

  “Did that guy scared you that much?”

  The closed lip smile was back. “No, I was planning on leaving anyway.”

  “I see.” I buried my hands in the pockets of my pants. “Have you parked far away?”

  A cute frown marred her smooth forehead. “No. I came with my friend, but she seems to be having a good time, so I’m gonna call a cab.” She fished a cell phone from her purse.

  “You mean you weren’t having a good time?”

  She glanced to the long, dark hallway leading back to the living room. “This kind of parties isn’t my style.”

  “I hear you. They aren’t mine either.”

  She stared at me with those beautiful blue eyes. “Then what are you doing here?”

  I shrugged. “Trying to be more social. Each time I force myself to do that, I just end up regretting it, though.”

  “Same here.”

  For some reason, I didn’t want her to go. “What’s your name?”

  She paused. “Kiera.”

  “Hi, Kiera.” I walked up to her and offered my hand to her. “I’m Josh.”

  One corner of her lips curled up as she slipped her delicate hand into mine. “Hi Josh. Nice to meet you.”

  “You too.” I withdrew my hand before she pulled hers. “What do you say we grab another beer, sit in the back of the living room, and just trash talk the drunken people making a fool of themselves? First row tickets to pure gold.”

  She scrunched her nose. “Are you gay?”

  “What?”

  She raised both her hands, palms turned to me. “Nothing against gays, really, it’s just … you mentioned trash talk, that’s usually a thing girls do.”

  I snorted. “Not really. Guys don’t usually say ‘trash talk’ but we sure do a lot of it. But to answer your question, no, I’m not gay.”

  She stared at me for a moment, the shine in her eyes changing to something I didn’t want to acknowledge. Not yet. Then, her smile widened and my stomach contracted. Fuck, she was too pretty.

  “All right,” she said. “Trash talking sounds fun, actually.”

  We walked along the dark hallway. Kiera was two steps in front of me, and as she turned a corner heading toward the living room, she bumped into the idiot who had crowded her before.

  “Babe, there you are,” he said, opening her arms to embrace her.

  Face paling, Kiera stepped back and bumped into me. I slid my arm around her waist and pulled her to my side.

  Straightening my back, I took a step forward, becoming a wall between the idiot and Kiera. “Hey, stupid, didn’t you hear me before? She’s taken.”

  “What?” From the haze in his eyes, I didn’t think this guy knew what he was doing. Tomorrow he would have one hell of a headache, and he wouldn’t remember a thing. Fucking idiot. He smiled back at Kiera. “You’re so pretty, babe.” He made grabby hands at her, trying to get past me.

  Oh hell no. I pulled my arm back, to push him away or to punch, I didn’t know, but Kiera hooked her hands around my elbow and tugged me back. “Don’t,” she whispered.

  It was all I needed to drop my arm. But Kiera didn’t let go. Instead, she tugged on me again, and slowly, we retreated back to the foyer.

  The drunken idiot seemed lost in the dark, and would probably bump into a wall and break his nose, but right now I didn’t care, because a pretty girl was guiding me back to the foyer. I wasn’t sure she knew what she was doing when she stepped into the library, pulled me in with her, then closed the door.

  Letting out a long breath, she leaned on the door. “That was disgusting.”

  Yes, it had been, but the guy had already left my mind. Right now, all I could think was the fact that this hot girl, with her intoxicating cherry perfume, and her tight black dress that molded to her delicious curves was only two feet from me.

  The curtains were drawn and that was the only light in the room, but it was enough for me to see as her eyes widened and her shoulders tensed.

  “Something wrong?” I asked, my voice low. Her eyes on mine, she shook her head. I took that as an invitation and took one step toward her. Less than a foot separated us now. I groaned on the inside. It was all I could do not to reach for her and ravage her before she let me know she wanted this too. She sucked in a sharp breath. “Is this okay?” Three seconds passed until she gave me one sure nod. I couldn’t hold the desire building inside me anymore. I reached over and ran fingers down her neck.

  Biting her lower lip, Kiera stretched her neck, giving me more access to her smooth skin.

  Then her hands bunched up on my shirt and she pulled me to her. “Kiss me,” she whispered.

  I wouldn’t, co
uldn’t, say no to that.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Kiera

  I didn’t know what came over me. I had never felt lust this strong for a complete stranger before. Not like this. I didn’t understand this need to touch him, to kiss and be kissed, to be taken this badly, but it consumed me in the moment.

  The words flew from my mouth before I made a sense of what I was saying. “Kiss me,” I whispered, my head in a daze.

  Josh didn’t waste a second. He stepped into me and, pressing me against the door with his palms flat against the wood, caging me in, he kissed me. His lips were warm and soft and made of pure honey. I melted into his kiss, partying my lips for him. His tongue sneaked in, teasing mine and ripping a moan from my throat.

  He groaned, taking my lower lip between his teeth. “Delicious,” he whispered, before taking my mouth again. His hands slid down my waist, down to my thighs, leaving a trail of fire across my body, and all I could do was moan in his mouth.

  He hooked his fingers under the hem of my dress and teased my skin. I gasped, sinking my nails into his shoulders. He groaned again, before splaying his big hands on the back of my thighs and tugging on them. My mind on a cloud of pure delight, I let him pull my legs up, and I was half conscious as I wrapped them around his waist. He thrust his hips against mine, rubbing his hard on on me. I moaned again.

  His lips trailed down my jaw, and paused at my neck. His elaborated breathing was all I could hear as he thrust his hips into mine again. Helpless, I moaned once more.

  “Fuck, these little sounds …” He bit the tip of my ear, then slid his hands to my ass and pulled me up against him.

  I let out a surprised yelp as he crossed the library and, after pushing the papers and pens aside, deposited me over a large desk. Sliding his hot hands over my skin, he pushed my dress up, until it bunched at my waist, revealing my lace panties.

  I didn’t have time to be embarrassed as Josh pressed his cock against my center, and I wished my panties would melt away. But then, he let out a hiss and hooked his fingers on the shoulder straps of my dress. He tugged them down, just enough to give him access to my bra. With agile hands, he unclasped my bra and pulled it out—without taking my dress off.