Chapter 2 #2
“Fuck,” he mutters, threading his fingers through his slicked-back blond hair. “Um, okay. Just stay here. I’ll be right back.”
Travis goes to the bar and then my gaze finds Tripp with some redhead hanging on his arm.
“Maybe I shoulda dyed my hair, and he woulda liked me,” I mumble toward Noah.
“Huh? What’re you—” Then she realizes who I’m looking at. “Oh, shush your mouth. Tripp has his own issues. It has nothin’ to do with your hair color.”
“You sure?” I blink a couple of times when my vision gets fuzzy. “He’s lookin’ at her like he’s ready to devour a medium-rare sirloin steak smothered in mushrooms.”
Noah snorts, hanging closely as we study her brother. “Of course you’d know his favorite meal, you psycho stalker. But if it’s any consolation, I’d say he’s lookin’ at her like she’s a bowl of cold pea soup.”
I furrow my brows at the visual. “What’s that mean?”
“He hates soup. And pea soup is the worst of ’em all.”
We’re in a fit of giggles by the time Travis returns with a tray of shots. Noah grabs one, then holds it up high. I wave our friends over and tell them to grab a shot, but I take one of each for myself.
“To the motherfuckin’ birthday girl and my best friend!” Noah shouts, and everyone hollers in return. By how much she’s yelling tonight, she’ll have no voice tomorrow.
We down them quick and easy before slamming the glasses on the table. Then I hold up my second one. “Who wants a BJ?”
Travis shoots me a disapproving scowl, so I ignore him. If he doesn’t want to have fun with me, then I’ll find someone else who will.
The commotion of our little party gets Tripp’s and Landen’s attention, and they walk over.
“Tripp, you wanna BJ?” I ask mostly to toy with him but also to see if he’ll actually do it.
“Am I supposed to know what that means?” His gaze shifts from mine to Travis, who’s no doubt giving him a murderous glare.
“Kneel in front of me and do what I say,” I order.
Once Tripp begrudgingly does what I ask, I stand in front of him. “Now open your mouth.”
He raises a brow, but I nod confidently. Once he does it, I tilt back my head and pour the shot in but don’t swallow. Holding it in my cheeks, I lean over Tripp, then spit the liquid into his mouth. Before he can swallow it down, I smash my lips to his.
His eyes widen as his throat moves.
“Yeah, go birthday girl!” one of my friends cheers, but I’m too stuck on the fact that my lips are touching Tripp’s to holler back.
After all this goddamn time, and it’s happening like this.
In front of my boyfriend. Oops.
Neither of us moves, our mouths glued, yet both too afraid to take a taste.
“That’s enough,” Travis barks, yanking me back.
I stumble on my heels and blink my eyes open to get used to the bright lights.
“That’s how a BJ shot works?” Landen asks, helping Tripp to his feet.
Shrugging, I wipe my lower lip. “It’s how I do it.”
Lies. I made it all up to see if Tripp would take the bait and he did.
“Hot damn, now I need me a cowboy to give a BJ shot to. Any takers?” Noah skips around, looking for a victim.
She hasn’t dated since she and Jase broke up last year, so I’d love to see her finally getting back out there again.
Between working on her family’s ranch and a busy horse training schedule, she hasn’t made time for it.
“You might wanna get your sister home soon before the ecstasy kicks in,” Travis tells her brothers in a hushed voice, but I overhear every word.
Did he say ecstasy? When did Noah take that?
“Excuse me?” Tripp’s booming voice can be heard from a mile away.
Oh fucking shit.
“You drugged our sister?” Landen snaps.
“Wait, what’d you do to me?” Noah’s voice falters as she stops dead in her tracks.
“Shit. No, I-I didn’t mean to. It was for Magnolia, but she didn’t keep her own fuckin’ drink, so it ain’t my fault,” he hisses, shooting a glare at me.
“What?” I shriek. “You drugged me? And it’s somehow my fault?”
“Well, if you’d stop swappin’ spit with everyone, it wouldn’t be a big deal.” He stands in front of me as if to block me from everyone else. “It was part of your gift. I wanted you to have fun and let loose for…later.”
I step back from him, trying to comprehend his logic.
“You can’t just drug me without my consent, then get mad I didn’t end up takin’ it. How could you do this?”
He closes the gap between us, lowering his mouth to speak. “You wanted to try anal, so I thought this would help ease your nerves. This way, you wouldn’t even feel the pain.”
“When the hell did I say I wanted that? I’ve been tellin’ you no for weeks!”
“Yeah, because you thought it’d hurt, which is why I got the Molly for you.”
“Oh my God. That cannot be your excuse.” My head bobbles and the floor starts to open in front of me.
“Are you…how much of your drink did you have before you gave it to Noah?” he asks, holding my shoulders.
“Like a third of it, probably. Less than half.” I try to remember, but I can feel the blood rushing to my ears, and it’s freaking weird.
“Shit, you probably drank some of it then.”
“Guys. I’m feelin’ it. Holy shit. I love you so much, Magnolia. You’re my best friend.” Noah’s smile is so wide and goofy I can’t help but laugh.
“You dumbass, look what you did to her. She’s high as shit.” I smack his shoulder, but he doesn’t even flinch.
“You will be soon, too. We should get home. I’ll order an Uber.” He unlocks his phone screen and clicks on the app, but I don’t want to go yet. And right now, I don’t want to go anywhere with Travis after this.
Tripp steps between us, taking me off guard and nearly making me fall back on my ass. Luckily, Landen’s close enough to grab my arm and keep me on my feet.
“You ain’t takin’ her anywhere, asshole. You drugged them, and you’ve been drinkin’. Take your fuckin’ Uber and go home alone.” Tripp gets in Travis’s face with his hands balled into fists at his side.
Oh shit, this isn’t good.
“Fuck you, Tripp. She’s my girlfriend, not yours. So back off.” Travis shoves Tripp’s chest, then leans around him to find me. “Magnolia, let’s go. We’ll wait for our ride outside.”
I’m too dazed to be angry because all I feel is relaxed and happy. Glancing at Noah, I notice her toothy grin, and by the way she’s hanging on Landen tells me she’s beyond trippy.
“Landen, take ’em to my truck. Now,” Tripp says without glancing away from Travis.
“Dude, no. You can’t have her. She’s mine!” Travis sounds like he’s ready to kill him.
“Why’re you being so goddamn loud? It’s a party! Let’s dance!” I raise my arms and lift on my tiptoes. “Oh my God, I love this song! Noah, let’s—”
“No!” Tripp grabs my hand and pulls me away from the dance floor. Landen follows with Noah in his grip, and I pout.
“It’s my birthday! I don’t wanna go!”
“Me neither!” Noah whines. “We can have a dance party at my house!”
“Yes!” I shout at the same time Tripp and Landen bark out, “No!”
“The fuck? Magnolia!” Travis catches up, grabs my arm out of Tripp’s grip, then raises his fist. Before I can warn Tripp, Travis punches him in the nose.
“Oh my God!” I squeal, falling back into another body.
Landen shoves Travis, then kneels to check on Tripp.
Shit, I see blood.
“Let’s go!” Travis yanks me toward the door, making me lose my footing and my heels.
“Slow down!” I bend to grab my shoes, but before I can, Travis hauls me into his arms.
“Those are my favorites!” I whine.
“I’ll buy you new ones. We need to get outta here before…”
Before the cops show up.
“Magnolia!” Noah shouts behind us with Landen on her tail. “We didn’t ride the bull!”
“Oh my God! We have to!” I yell back, then turn to Travis and kick my legs. “Lemme down!”
“You hate the bull, Maggie. It’s just the Molly. It’ll wear off.”
I scrunch my nose. “Who’s Molly?”
“You definitely have some in your system. Why would you share your drink?”
“Asks the person who put drugs in my drink,” I mock as he searches for our ride in the parking lot. Perk of being in a small town is not having to wait long for an Uber, but a part of me doesn’t want to go back to his house. I don’t trust him even if I am feeling an adrenaline rush.
“Maybe I should stay with Noah and go home with her so I know she’s okay,” I say when he sets me down.
Travis opens the passenger door and shoves me inside. “Just shut up and buckle yourself.” He slams the door in my face before I can respond.
Oh, he’s more delusional than I thought if he thinks he’s getting anal after this.