Chapter 19 Liam #2
“Just because Liam’s a dumbass—” Maggie starts, but she’s cut off by Rebecca.
“Maggie! Don’t be a bitch. Liam’s an adult, and if he’s into it, he’s into it,” she chides. “Honestly, this is why your girlfriends always leave you. Stop being so judgmental.”
Okay, point to Rebecca for defending me, but she instantly loses them by rubbing salt into one of Maggie’s many, many wounds.
Now I have to stand up for Maggie, even if she is being a bit of a bitch.
“Hey!” I interject. “Talk about being judgy.”
“Whoa, don’t talk to my girl like that,” Carl says, sitting up straighter. “I don’t know what you all are talking about, but maybe chill?”
Ryker sits back, placing his hand on the back of my neck and rubbing his thumb over the skin. “I really hope I haven’t caused trouble. I can always leave. Actually, I probably need to get going anyway. I’ve got an early day tomorrow.”
“What? No,” I protest. “You just got here. You have to dance with me!” Or give me an encore in the bathroom, I don’t say. “You can’t bail on me already.”
“You’re here with your friends!” Ryker leans in and gives me a quick kiss. “Stay, keep having fun. Well, not too much fun.”
I stare at him.
“You are not bailing on me without dancing with me at least once,” I tell him, pouting. “Come onnn.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea! Let’s all go dancing,” Rebecca says. “Since we’re here.” She places a couple of fifties on the table, then looks expectantly at us.
I sigh and drop a few bills too, as does Maggie.
Ryker adds a hundred dollars, even though he didn’t drink, and Carl gets up without even getting his wallet out.
I grab Ryker’s hand. “Just one dance,” I plead.
Ryker glances down at my hand, then back at my face. “One,” he agrees.
I wonder if he can actually dance, or if he’s going to be a robot.
Either way, I beam up at him and drag him in the direction of the dance floor. “Thank you! You won’t regret it.”
He probably will.
But whatever.
Maggie is absolutely dour as we join the throngs of people. I ignore her, more focused on Ryker and how his hand tightens in mine—and how he pulls me against his chest, his hips already moving to the beat of the music.
I’m beyond giddy with excitement, and I wrap my arms around his shoulders and move. It’s not my best dancing, but grinding my cock along Ryker’s is a lot more important than proper dance moves.
Ryker leans and mouths along my ear. “Do you think Maggie would thank me if I slit Carl’s throat?”
I shiver, imagining the blood cascading down Carl’s neck until it soaks his shirt, the life slowly draining from his eyes. “Oh yeah,” I reply, already breathless for reasons that have nothing to do with the dancing and everything to do with the image he’d summoned.
“I could do it here, on the dance floor,” he continues as his hands settle on my hips. “Nobody would notice at first.”
The irresponsible part of me wants to encourage him to do it. Of course, I know he never would, but I appreciate the fantasy he’s feeding me right up until the point when I remember I’m not allowed to make myself come until he lets me again.
Ugh. I’m going to be so hard, and I won’t be able to do anything about it.
“Not until it was too late,” I agree, grinding my ass against him.
“And then Rebecca would sob into your arms,” Ryker continues. I can feel his smile against my ear.
“Maggie would pitch a fit,” I say. “But maybe Rebecca would let her kiss the pain away after.”
She wouldn’t.
But Maggie would dream of it.
Ryker’s hand goes up to my chest, and he draws a circle over my heart. “Maybe Rebecca would comfort Maggie after I cut your heart out.”
I breathe out slowly, imagining that, too. Then reach up, grabbing Ryker by the hair so I can kiss him hard on the mouth.
He kisses back, and it’s wild, ruthless, the way he’d kissed me last night, not some soft little peck that’s suitable for company. I’m breathless by the time he breaks the kiss.
“More,” I beg, rolling my hips against him.
Ryker smiles, then he points behind me.
I turn to look, and I see Maggie there, dancing closer to me. She pulls on my wrists in an effort to get me to dance with her instead of Ryker.
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
If I turn to dance with Maggie, Ryker’s going to disappear. I’m sure of it. But if I don’t, she’s going to have all sorts of words for me, and I’m not in the mood for a temper tantrum.
“Don’t go anywhere!” I shout at Ryker.
No wonder I’ve never had a steady anything before. Trying to balance Ryker with Maggie is proving to be a major pain in the ass, and the only pain I want in my ass is from Ryker fucking me senseless again.
Maggie smiles and dances in front of me, finding a rhythm that matches the music perfectly. She’s a great dancer, unlike Ryker… But I’d still rather dance with him.
I look over my shoulder, afraid that Ryker’s already left.
He steps closer and wraps his arm around my shoulder, his phone in one hand.
My brow furrows in confusion until he holds his phone up in front of me.
See you in two weeks, it says.
No.
Two weeks is forever, especially without being able to come. I’m going to dream of Carl’s bloody throat, and I won’t even be able to get myself off when I wake up.
I shake my head quickly.
Ryker releases me, already moving away from the dance floor. I grab his wrist and try to keep him here, but he keeps walking. I’d rather be with him than here on my own, so I follow him until we’re no longer amidst the throng of people.
“You can keep dancing,” Ryker says, audible now that we aren’t right by the speakers.
“I don’t want to dance anymore. I want you to take me into the bathroom and fuck me senseless,” I tell him.
I sound desperate, and I resent him a little for making me feel that way.
But I don’t want him to go yet, especially not without making me come first. “Let’s go get something to eat. Go back to my place. Something.”
“I wouldn’t want to get in the way of you hanging out with your friends.” Ryker brushes a strand of my hair aside. “That’s only something abusive dicks do,” he adds with a smirk.
“You’re about to abandon me for two weeks,” I remind him. “It’s reasonable for me to want to spend time with you when you’re actually in town.”
Ryker leans in, and I tilt my head up in expectation of a kiss.
“There you are!” Maggie shouts, wrapping her arms around mine. “You abandoned me to be groped by some straight guy!”
I’m going to kill her.
I don’t ordinarily kill women, and Maggie’s my best friend, but right now I’m feeling murderous.
“Maggie,” I hiss. “Give me like five minutes, okay?”
Ryker laughs. “It’s all right. I need to get going anyway. I’ve got an early morning.” He gives me the kiss I was begging for, and as he pulls away, he whispers, “Be good while I’m away.”
I glare at him, but he only turns and walks off.
I spin around to face Maggie, real anger welling up within me. “I get to see him like, every two weeks, Maggie,” I snap at her. “You scared him off.”
Maggie pouts at me. “No, he left because he wanted to. I’m pretty sure I have no control over what he does. If anything, maybe he thinks you’re too desperate.”
My eyes narrow at her. “Excuse me?” I demand. “I’m not too desperate for wanting to spend time with my… my…” I still don’t know what Ryker is to me. Boyfriend is childish; partner is wishful thinking. I’d called him “my person” with Jimmy from the park, but that seems weird with Maggie. “Him.”
Maggie rolls her eyes. “Him. Okay.” She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. “I don’t know. It’s weird that he fucked off like that, all right? You shouldn’t have to beg for attention.”
“He fucked off like that because—” I begin, my voice heated, but I force myself to calm down. I don’t want to destroy my friendship with Maggie. I don’t.
Do I?
“Anyway, he doesn’t like clubs. He was just here to meet everyone. So he did, then he left.” I still glare at her. “And I’m not begging for anything.”
I’m totally begging.
And he eats up every second of it.
“Yeah. Sorry.” Maggie looks around. “Rebecca is probably still with Carl. Let’s get out of here, grab food. We can debrief. I’ll politely not tell you what I actually think of Rider.”
“We should probably invite Rebecca and Carl,” I tell her, though it’s mostly because I want payback for her getting in the way of me spending more time with Ryker.
It’s partially because I want to stare at Carl and imagine crimson dripping from his slit throat, too, though.
My phone buzzes—well, it might be ringing too, but I can’t hear it over the music. I quickly check the new message.
Rider
Are you mad at your friend? Don’t be.
I’m at the Mexican place two blocks down.
I instantly perk up.
I turn my screen away when Maggie tries to peer at it. “Hey!” I protest.
“See!” Maggie exclaims. “He’s just playing with you. But come on, let’s grab Rebecca and Carl and meet your not-boyfriend there.”
“He’s a tease, but it’s whatever,” I say, tucking my phone back in my pocket. “Hurry up. I’ve been wanting to check out that place.”
I didn’t even know there was a Mexican place by the club. I itch to check its overall rating, but I’d go even if it was one stars straight across the board because it means I get to spend more time with Ryker.
“I’ll grab them. Don’t leave without us!” Maggie glares at me. “I’m serious. I know where you live, and I know the password to your socials.”
“That’s just playing dirty,” I tell her, making a mental note to change all of my passwords.
I wait anyway, for all that I’m beyond impatient.
I don’t know how this will go.
But I can’t wait to find out.