Untouched

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EXCERPT

CHAPTER ONE: THE LAST

Harper

My high school motto:

Stay under their radar.

Eli Jacobs, Jack Hill,

Caden Ross, and the worst of them all, Luke Foster.

Gods who choose to walk

amongst us. The guys who will one day rule the world. Giant walking assholes

who exploit everyone’s weakness.

Of course, they are all

completely gorgeous with a long line of willing female victims to service their

every need. They have it all. Money, looks, sex, and actually smarts. While

also being horrendous bullies.

Their nickname on and off

the football field is the four horsemen. Yup, like the apocalypse. They destroy

anyone in their path and took the Sherman High School Mustangs to their first

State championship in twenty years. And their second. And their third. This

year will mark their fourth.

Making it to senior year

without a major incident with one or all the horsemen is unheard of.

But I, Harper Lynn

Davidson, have managed it.

Mostly. No major

incidents, at least.

My first incident

sophomore year with Eli. He came barreling down the hallway after third period

and I was in his path. I didn’t notice I was in his path because I was talking

to my bestie MacKenzie. Granted, I barely registered to his six foot five self

as I’m a full foot shorter. He grabbed my hips, lifted me out of his way, and

went on. I had bruises on my hips for a week, but he hadn’t even been aware of

who I was so crisis averted.

My second incident came

junior year with Caden and Jack. If there ever was an unholy pairing, it’s the

two dark demons of the pack. Both built to tackle with speed and agility and

brute force. Both have dark hair, but Caden has green eyes and Jack has blue.

Both of their eyes are fascinating to look at if you are bold enough to dare

look them in the eye.

The incident happened on

the south lawn during lunch. I sat below my favorite tree reading with my legs

outstretched. Apparently, Caden was “going long” while Jack threw a football.

Caden ran under the tree, not noticing me, and would have tripped over my legs

if I hadn’t pulled them back just before. That could have been disastrous.

It wouldn’t have mattered

that it wasn’t my fault. If he’d gotten hurt or even embarrassed, they would

have taken it out on me.

Caden jumped to catch the

ball and landed on his side beside me. His green eyes roamed over my body for a

hot minute as he grinned, but then Jack ran up and grabbed his hand to pull him

to stand again. I managed to escape before either could say anything to me.

Frankly, they are

beautiful, and I don’t mind looking at the beautiful boys. What girl doesn’t,

but I’m not about to become one of their notches. They’ve made their way

through almost every girl in school and rarely go back for seconds. They also

don’t fuck with freshmen. At least not after our own freshman year.

By now, the beginning of

senior year, I feel confident I managed to slip under their radar. I’m not one

of their termed ugly girls, aka unfuckables, but I’m also not the hottest. I am

thankfully unnoticeable. They don’t have a lot of cause to mess with me, and I

avoided them at all costs the previous three years of school.

First day of senior year,

I put on my favorite black skater skirt, knee-high socks, a Nirvana graphic tee

(because vintage), and a pair of black and white saddle shoes. I even tie my

long brown hair up in a high pony. It’s cute, but not in a distracting way. At

least it shouldn’t catch their attention.

This is my last year in

high school and I’m going to crush it.

Quietly. Without

attracting their attention.

I already started

applying to colleges and writing all the essays required, which is a fuck ton.

I just need to keep myself aware and avoid them for one more year. God knows

what they’d do if they knew a virgin is in their midst. Fortunately, I’m not

the only senior virgin.

Not dating or going to

parties had assured me staying off their radars. But also meant I remain

untouched. Not that I’m keeping to myself because of any reason other than

staying off their radar. And a guy I want to get busy with doesn’t really exist

at this school.

I don’t dare go to my

locker. I went once freshman year and noted how close it was to theirs and

decided never to use it. My backpack is my locker and even that matched my

current aesthetic. Just because I’m a nobody doesn’t mean I dress to be a

nobody.

Unseen, yes.

I dip into my first class

and pick a seat near the front and away from the door. If one of the horsemen

happens to be in the same class, they sit in the back row, but they almost

always note who sits in the first row. So the second or third row is my spot

and by the windows so they don’t have to pass me on the way to their seats.

I check my phone as

students file in, talking to their friends like they hadn’t spent all summer

hanging out. Because there is obviously new gossip the first day back to

school.

One more year and I am

out of here. College would be where I could shine.

MacKenzie drops into the

seat beside me. “Oh my God, I have to tell you about last night.”

I slip my phone into my

pocket and smile at my bestie. The only gossip I could think of was… “Let me

guess, you finally went all the way with Brandon.”

She grins and nods,

leaning in to keep it quiet. “I’m pretty sure that makes you the last virgin in

our class.”

My brow scrunches up.

That can’t be right. “Margaret Carter.”

“This summer. Band camp.”

MacKenzie holds up her hand. With each name, she puts down a finger. “Rachel

Hayes, Eli Jacobs at a pool party. Parker Ford, Jack and Caden at her house.”

“Wait, both of them.”

That is one dedicated virgin to get a double hitter. Can’t say I’m not

impressed. To get not just one horseman but two on your first time is unheard

1. Or was. From all accounts, these guys have the equipment to back up their

reputation as huge dicks.

MacKenzie nods. “Melody

Griffin, some other camp guy. Me, Brandon.”

She wiggles her pinkie

finger.

“Oh, fuck.” That leaves

1. Might as well paint a fucking target on my back for the four horsemen.

Suddenly I’m regretting wearing a skirt.

They made it their

mission to defile virgins. Granted, it took them almost four years to get

through our grade level and surely, there were plenty of junior and sophomore

virgins to get through. They also don’t do all the defiling, since they have a

category of girls they won’t touch.

But our class is almost a

point of pride for them to leave no virgin unfucked.

“They can’t know that,

right?” I whisper to MacKenzie. I don’t stand out. They probably don’t even

know my name. That’s my hope.

“If they are keeping

track…” She shrugs. “Probably not though. I mean, it’s not like they know who

has had sex and who hasn’t unless it was with one of them. Girls talk, but not

to them. That would be stupid.”

The hairs on the back of

my neck stand on end and I can’t help but look at the door.

Luke Foster. Quarterback

extraordinaire. The dick who rules the horsemen and the whole damn school. If

he weren’t one of the hounds of hell, he could be an angel. Blond hair, cold

blue eyes, the body of an Adonis, and from the whispers in the girl’s locker

room, he knew how to use that body and wasn’t shy about it.

Normally I don’t look

when they walk in, keeping my eyes on my desk, but the reason my hairs stood on

the back of my neck is because those blue eyes lock on me with a determination

that set my poor heart to pounding.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I can’t seem to look away

as his gorgeous full lips tip into a half smile and he changes direction from

the back of class to cut through the desks.

Fuck my life.

My knee bounces

uncontrollably. I got this far. So close to the finish line. I should have gone

to band camp and fucked someone like Margaret Carter did. I should have been in

band. Now I’m completely fucked.

Luke slips into the seat

behind me, and heat engulfs my back. MacKenzie presses her lips together and

faces the front.

That isn’t where he’s

supposed to sit. He sits in the back. His desk presses against the back of my

chair. His long denim-clad leg sprawls into the aisle next to my chair,

blocking my escape route. A sharp tug on my ponytail makes me feel like we’re

in middle school.

“Harper Davidson.” His

voice is like a soft caress against the back of my neck. It’s deep and rich and

melts panties like the fires of hell he probably holds in his hands.

I have no choice.

Ignoring a horseman would set me up worse than being a virgin. I twist in my

chair to meet Luke’s cold eyes. His smirk is almost evil as he leans back in

the desk like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

“I heard a rumor you are

the last virgin in the senior class.” His voice is not quiet. The entire room

is practically leaning forward to listen to our conversation. His eyes glance

over at MacKenzie meaningfully.

She blushes and faces

front. Her boyfriend is on the football team. Apparently, boys do talk as much

as girls do.

“I’m sure that’s not

true.” I have to play this right or I’ll become a target, if I’m not already.

Maybe if they focus on someone else, I’ll find a way to blend back in. Off

their radar, out of their sights.

He sits up in his chair

and leans forward on his desk, bringing him so close I can smell the mint on

his breath and the fresh scent of his cologne. “Are you saying you aren’t a

virgin?”

His finger trails up my

bare arm to tug on the sleeve of my T-shirt. Shivers trickle down my spine. I

am so fucked.

“I’m saying I can’t

possibly be the last.” I try to sound confident. Maybe I can take this year

virtually. Surely mom would understand the need to preserve my state of mind. I

just have to get through today and then I can have a frank discussion with my parental

figure over the virtues of staying at home for my senior year.

His eyebrow lifts. His

eyes scan my face. “How did you slip by us?”

“What?” My eyes widen.

“You’re definitely

fuckable. I’m sure those didn’t just develop over the summer.” His eyes drop to

my breasts. “I’ve seen bigger, but they definitely aren’t small.”

“Jesus,” I breathe out. I

feel the need to cover my breasts but don’t. Again, antagonizing him would be a

mistake.

“I know you’ve been here

since grade school.” His fingers capture my ponytail and he twists it around

his hand. “But you escaped us until now.”

I barely manage to keep

from tugging my hair out of his hand. I can’t afford to make him mad. I also

can’t give him what he wants from me. It’s not that I’m afraid of sex, but sex

with a horseman… yeah, not for me. I don’t want to be party to their game.

“I’m not sure what you

want me to say.” Honesty might work best in this instance.

He leans in and pulls my

hair to keep me from retreating. Tight enough to cause pain. His gaze drops to

my lips, so close to his.

My heart pounds a frantic

rhythm. The truth is I spent so much time avoiding them I didn’t do what normal

girls do. I hadn’t even had my first kiss. But normal girls don’t have to deal

with the four horsemen. At the time, it was worth it to lie low, but right now,

that seems like the worst thing I could have done.

“I don’t like to do

anything half-assed,” he whispers, and the words are soft against my lips.

“Consider yourself marked by the horsemen. No one else will touch you until

we’re through with you.”

My eyes shut at his words

and my heart sinks. My lucky streak has run its course. My only recourse is

home schooling. I would miss a lot in my senior year, but it would be better

than being stalked by four guys determined to get under my skirt.

The door opens to the

classroom and the sound of the teacher arriving filters through my brain. I

open my eyes to Luke’s icy blue ones.

“If you run, it’ll just

make it more exciting for us, unicorn.”

“Unicorn?” I can’t help

asking.

“You are one of a kind,

Harper Davidson.” His grin makes me flinch.

“Mr. Foster, could you

please take your hands off Ms. Davidson, so we can get started?”

Luke gives me a wicked

smile before drawing his hand out of my hair and lounging back in his chair.

“Of course, Mr. Wick. Do your thing.”

“Thank you for

permission.” Mr. Wick shakes his head and gives me a slight look to ask if I’m

okay.

Fuck, no, I’m not okay.

The year just started and the horsemen have decided I’m their newest toy. I’m

screwed unless I want to screw one of them and I most definitely do not.

I give Mr. Wick a small

smile and face front. Turning my back on a horseman makes butterflies start

spinning drunkenly in my stomach. I know I’m not worth their time, but how can

I make them see it that way?

While Mr. Wick outlines

our English course for this year, I notice MacKenzie texting on her phone and

feel the responding buzz of my own. I peek at my screen.

KENZ:

Holy shit, H! What are

you going to do?

ME:

*shrugging emoji*

I lean to slip my phone

back into my backpack, but a hand snags it from me. Luke.

Heat gathers in my cheeks

as I start to turn to ask for it back when Mr. Wick turns from the board. His

eyes on the classroom.

My phone is unlocked. I

didn’t have a chance to hit the off button. So Luke could do anything he wants

on it. Looking over my dismal text messages. Checking out my miniscule contact

list. Verifying my lack of a life with my level on Candy Crush. Scrolling

through photos of my cat.

What can I possibly do to

a horseman? They basically run the school and if they want me, they can get me

and no one will stand in their way. A shiver courses down my spine again.

The end of class draws

closer and Luke still has my phone. I’m going to have to ask him for it back.

What will he ask me to give up in return?

The bell rings. I grab my

bag and stand. Luke blocks my path.

“You’re a small thing.”

He smirks down at me. My eyes land in the center of his chest. I’m not

technically small. More average, but the horsemen are tall and built.

“May I have my phone

back?” I clench my teeth as I add. “Please?”

“Mmm. I like it when you

beg, unicorn.” He presses something on the screen and his back pocket buzzes.

“We have your number now. If you ignore us, you’ll be punished.”

I lift my gaze to meet

his. “Punished?”

His hand snakes out, and

his fingers trail down my arm to my hand. A trail of sparks follows in its

wake. That’s alarming. He lifts my hand and places my phone in my palm. “You

are ours now until we decide you aren’t.”

He squeezes my hand

around my phone. Warm and hard enough to make me wince a little.

“Who knows? Maybe you’ll

give it up fast and we’ll be bored in a week.” He catches my pony tail and

yanks me into him.

I gasp as his hard body

presses into my softness. Sparks ignite everywhere.

He dips his head beside

my ear. His lips move on my ear as he says, “I hope you aren’t boring, unicorn.

I think I’d like to play with you for a long time.”

He releases me, and I

almost fall back into my seat. He strides away and all I can do is stare at my

phone like it betrayed me. I’m fucked.