Chapter 22
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
Mascen
It’s funny how time seems to pass slowly and quickly all at once.
Lifting the beer to my lips, I look around the party, most people dressed in costumes for Halloween. The holiday—is Halloween even a holiday?—is still a few days away, but I guess there was some discussion that it’d be celebrated tonight. I missed the memo. Even if I hadn’t I wouldn’t be participating in a game of dress-up.
The party is being held at one of the frat houses that a large number of football players pledge for. I’m glad to not be the one hosting tonight. I stay on the recesses of the room, drinking more beer than I normally would, watching everyone else mingle.
My eyes find Cole dancing with a girl in the center of the room, but not just any girl.
I watched the two of them sit together at today’s game. I saw him make her laugh. Saw her smile at him. Banter. She looked at ease with him, happy.
It makes me angry.
I know it shouldn’t, but I can’t help it.
I keep telling myself I don’t want her, but it’s getting more difficult to convince myself that I mean it.
Finishing the beer, I head into the kitchen, and away from the lovebirds, for another. The smart thing to do would be for me to leave. I know if I stay, continue to see them and keep drinking, I’ll probably end up doing something I regret—or the very least feel kind of bad about.
“Hey, man, there you are.” Teddy smacks me on the back as soon as I enter the kitchen, his eyes glassy from something he smoked.
“Here I am,” I bite out, grabbing a beer from the fridge. I know I’m supposed to use the keg, but fuck that cheap watered down shit. Teddy continues to blink at me wearing a goofy grin. “Did you want something?”
Blink. Blink. Blink.
“Ah, fuck, can’t remember. I think I just wanted to say hi.”
I press my lips together. “Well, you did.”
“Mhmm.” His eyes follow a girl in a tight jean skirt leaving the room. He smacks me on the shoulder again. “I’ll see you later. I’m going to follow that.”
I don’t know if he means the girl or just her ass.
“Have fun.”
I wait a few minutes, nodding here and there to people who say hello, avoiding girls who get too close and gaining some confused stares in the process, before I return to the large living space where people are dancing. I could go to the basement, play pool or beer pong, or even find a willing girl to head upstairs with me, but I’m not in the mood for any of it. Especially the girl part.
My eyes stray to where Cole and Rory are still dancing, her head thrown back and her hair loose. One of her arms is draped around his shoulder and she’s smiling, maybe even laughing. Something flares inside me, and I hate to think it’s jealousy, but I know I could never make her smile like that. It’s funny how when she first moved away I was so sad and angry. She was my best friend, someone who wasn’t family, that I could share secrets with and who just got me. When she left it was a long time before I really made friends with anyone again, and even now I keep everyone, even Cole, at arm’s length. I’ve been used too much, especially in high school since I actually attended public school for that, and it’s made me jaded. I used to think it was okay to keep people at a distance, that I didn’t need anyone, but her reappearance is making me question everything and how I might’ve handled things if I had had a friend I could depend on the rest of my childhood. My attraction to her doesn’t help matters either, because fuck , I want to hate her. I want to blame her for my problems. But that’s my issue, I always want to blame everyone else, even my own father, for my problems instead of just owning up to it.
My jaw clenches and out of the corner of my eye I spot Mallory. She’s standing in the corner, looking around uncomfortably, but when she catches my gaze she gives a small smile.
Be better .
With a sigh, I set down the rest of my unfinished beer and walk over to her.
“Hi.” She gives a small smile, looking around awkwardly. “This isn’t normally my thing in case you couldn’t tell.” She bites her lip, shaking her head. “My roommate and her friends talked me into coming and well, here I am and I don’t know where they are.”
I wet my lips, fighting my internal conflict. Finally, I offer her my hand. “Wanna dance?”
“I don’t normally dance.” She eyes my hand warily.
“I don’t either. But let’s give them something to talk about.” I can already feel the eyes in the room on us, the guys now taking notice of Mallory since I have, and the girls taking notice too but in envy.
Mallory’s smile is hesitant. She’s clearly not used to this scene, probably more the bookish, nose to the grind type.
“Relax,” I tell her softly, my mouth close to her ear so she can hear me. “I’m with you.”
She gives me a thankful smile and begins to follow my lead. I try to ignore the persistent buzzing at my back, the one that annoyingly tells me Rory is nearby. It’s like my body has an internal alarm system when it comes to her.
A few songs later Mallory smiles up at me. “Thank you.”
“For what?” I’m truly confused. It’s rare for me to do anything worth thanking.
“Saving me, I guess.” She gives a shrug, her hips still moving to the beat of the music. “I thought I’d try to fit in and?—”
“And your roommate still ditched you,” I finish for her.
“Yeah,” she gives a sad sigh.
“People suck sometimes. Especially me.”
Her brows wrinkle. “What do you mean?”
“Haven’t you heard?” I spin her around and she lets out a giggle. I don’t miss the way Rory’s eyes flash in my direction, her cheeks heating in embarrassment because she looked this way. “I’m the biggest asshole on campus.”
“That’s what they say,” she replies. “Doesn’t mean it’s true.”
“What all have you heard about me?” I ask, truly curious what some of the rumors and half-truths are. Fuck, some of them are bound to be the actual truth.
“Well, for starters,” she blushes, “I heard you got caught having a threesome in the locker room last year.” My lips thin and her mouth parts with shock. “It’s true?”
“That one is,” I reluctantly grumble. “What else?”
“That you smashed your car into the opposing baseball team’s bus.”
I cock my head. “Do you think that’s the truth?”
She crinkles her nose. “No, you wouldn’t still be on the team if that were true. Besides…”
“Besides?” I prompt when she trails off.
“You’ve been nothing but kind to me, even when you didn’t have to be. I’m new here, you could’ve easily ignored me in class, or told me not to sit by you. You didn’t have to walk with me for coffee or to my next class. And look,” she adds with a light smile, “I’m not expecting anything from you, so I don’t want you to think I’ve read into any of this. I’m thankful for your kindness then and now. But if you were a truly bad guy you wouldn’t be dancing with me right now.”
I swallow past the lump in my throat, slowly processing her words. Releasing one hand from her hip I scrub it over my face.
She must sense my internal freak out, because she takes one step back, giving me space. “I’m going to get a drink. See you later?”
She frames it as a question, but I don’t give her an answer.
I watch until she disappears from the room and then I do the same, heading upstairs and down the hall to the bathroom that is hopefully empty.
The door is stuck, but not locked, so I give it a shove. A high-pitched shriek greets my ears and I close my eyes, wincing in irritation when I realize it’s Rory in the bathroom. Because of course it fucking is.
“I locked that!” She yells back at me, wiping her hands on the front of her jeans—much safer than the towel hanging haphazardly beside the sink.
“Apparently you didn’t, Princess, because here I am.”
She snarls at me, her hackles rising and God if my body doesn’t respond in pleasure to it.
“Not on a date tonight?” She arches a brow, leaning her hip against the sink and crossing her arms over her chest. She’s trying to appear like she’s unaffected by me, but I know she is. I can see it in the way her nipples begin to harden against her cotton t-shirt that’s paired with a short jean skirt.
My lips lift in a smirk. “My favorite waitress isn’t working.”
She narrows her eyes. “How do you know my shifts?”
“I have my ways.” I cock my head to the side, watching her, waiting for her reaction.
She shakes her head. “I shouldn’t be surprised. I’m sure you’re used to getting what you want.”
I narrow my eyes on her, shutting the door behind me in case someone comes along. I don’t want word to get back to Cole that I’m in here with Aurora, especially when nothing is happening.
She looks behind me, her lips pursing.
“Don’t worry, Princess. I don’t bite. Yet.” I stalk closer to her, not missing the catch in her breath when I’m right in front of her. I should’ve stayed by the door, the farther away from her the better, but I can’t help it. It’s like I’m always drawn to her by an invisible string. “Now,” I skim my nose along the side of her cheek, relishing in the way she shivers at my touch, “if you wanted me to, that’s a different story.”
Her body sways toward mine and I grip her elbows in my hands.
With one hand I reach up, gently cradling her cheek. “You can pretend all you want that you belong to Cole, but we both know it’s a lie. Your body responds to me , not him,” I growl, my tone nowhere near as soft as my hold on her. “I’m going to hate fuck the shit out of you, Aurora, and you’re going to love it. Fucking beg me for it.”
Her brown eyes roll to meet mine, her full lips parted and cheeks flushed. Then, she pulls away, skirting around me so her back is to the door and now I’m in her spot with my back to the sink.
“Funny. I thought you didn’t do Cole’s sloppy seconds?”
Before I can retort she reaches for the door, slipping out of it and slamming it closed behind her. By the time I cross the room and open it, she’s gone.