8. Love Isn’t Real
LOVE ISN’T REAL
Axel
“How about it, Ax?” Cordelia opened her palm to reveal two pink pills that would turn an ordinary night into a wild and unforgettable one. “Want to get into some trouble with me?”
Mischief sparkled in her emerald eyes as she swayed her hips to the music pumping through the speakers in one of the party rooms at the Sigma Delta house. That look alone was enough to make me cave. She had me completely wrapped around her little finger.
Unfortunately, I had to be the responsible one tonight. “No can do, Cordi. I have an early morning team meeting and then practice.”
Football players had to stick around for most of the summer for practice, and even though we didn’t have a full campus, plenty of students stayed for classes or just hung out in Copper Cove to party.
The summers at Stonewall could be just as wild as the rest of the year.
Cordi scoffed and pressed her body against mine, the cleavage spilling out of her skintight dress tempting me. “Since when did that ever stop you from letting loose? Besides, Coach Carson lets you get away with anything.”
I could walk into that meeting hung over and half asleep, and the coaches wouldn’t say shit. But we were discussing strategies and new plays, and I didn’t want to fuck up on the field.
“Sorry, babe, I can’t tonight.” I sipped beer from the sweating red plastic cup and mentally kicked my own ass for turning her down.
Cordi pouted, and I wanted to bite that damn lip. “Well, this sucks.”
“You can still get a little crazy.” I flashed her my signature panty-dropping smile. “Who am I to stand in the way of someone’s fun?”
“You’re the best, Ax.” She lifted on her toes, and I met her halfway, our lips brushing together. “But I’d definitely have more fun with you.”
“You still can.” My hand roamed down her back and squeezed her ass, rocking my hardening dick into her. “I know exactly how to make you scream.”
She giggled as her cheeks flushed. “I’ll catch up with you later.”
I couldn’t help but watch her ass as she sauntered across the room and vanished through the crowd of drunk frat guys and tipsy college hotties. Regret hit instantly, and I almost went after her.
Fuck being responsible. I didn’t want her to party with some other guy.
“Could they be any more sickening?” Lorelei suddenly appeared at my side and flicked her perfect waves over her shoulder, the strapless dress hugging her curves and showing lots of skin. “Do they want to make everyone nauseous?”
I followed her eyeline to Killian and Lexi snuggling on the couch, giggling like kids. “They’re in love, Battenberg. Don’t you want that?”
“Love isn’t real. It’s all bullshit.” She jerked her chin toward the happy couple. “One day, he’ll get bored, and she’ll realize what a psycho Killian really is.”
“I doubt that.” I downed the rest of my beer and strolled to the keg, shooing a few underclassmen away. “Those two are either gazing into each other’s eyes or going at it. Thank fuck they stay on Killian’s boat sometimes because I’d be locked out of our room most nights.”
Lorelei scowled as I pumped the tap. “I don’t know how you can stand being around them. You should move out.”
“Oh yeah? You know a place?” I filled my cup to the brim and stepped toward a giant built-in bookshelf housing a collection of framed photos. “Are you looking for a roommate this summer?”
A laugh burst out of her, a real one and not one of those rigid, forced responses. “You and me living together? I could see it now, your sweaty football crap and food spilling out all over my designer wardrobe and makeup.”
“It could be fun.” I licked foam from my lips. “You’d get to see me walk around in all my naked glory.”
Her peach skin flushed a delicate pink even as she gave a cocky smirk. “You’re not that impressive, Vanderhart. I’ve seen better.” Her gaze dipped to my crotch.
My hand went to my zipper. “Should we find out?”
Lorelei folded her arms right below her tits and waited for me to whip my dick out and prove how impressive I was.
All the Vanderhart men were well endowed.
Someone bumped into me, and I dropped my zipper while Lorelei snorted and called me a pussy under her breath.
“Dude, what happened to my pledge class photo?” Kyle Hammond, a junior, glared at the bookshelf with bloodshot eyes.
I shrugged and avoided the blank spot where that frame used to sit—until I got drunk the other night and snatched it off the shelf. The sight of it, knowing one guy was missing, had been poking and prodding me for years, and I finally snapped.
“Ask Killian. He’s the president.”
Kyle muttered something and stumbled toward the leather couch where Lexi and Killian lounged.
Lorelei flicked her hair again as she studied me, something nefarious brewing behind those unusually bright eyes. “I need a drink that doesn’t have a thousand calories or taste like ass.” She spun and sashayed toward the bar across the room.
Battenberg definitely had a nice ass. What would it be like to sink my teeth—
“Do you know what happened to the pledge picture?”
I jumped and turned to Killian, feeling like I’d been caught doing something naughty.
“What?” It took a moment for his words to settle in, and I shook my head, averting my gaze to my boots. “Oh, uh, nope. No clue.”
He gave a skeptical sigh, knowing damn good and well I was lying through my teeth, but he wouldn’t call me on it. If anyone understood the darkness that occasionally gripped me, it was Killian Davenport.
“What’s the deal with you and Lorelei?” he asked. “Please tell me you’re not hooking up with her.”
I chugged my beer, savoring the bitter flavor. Battenberg didn’t know what she was talking about. It didn’t taste like ass. “We were just talking. Besides, why do you care? She’s not chasing after you anymore, and you and Lexi are so in love you walk around with little hearts in your eyes.”
Killian folded his arms over his chest and broadened his stance, attempting to intimidate me. “I do not have hearts in my eyes.”
But he couldn’t even resist peeking across the room at Lexi sitting on the couch, listening to Slate babble, probably about a recent prank he pulled.
Jealousy spilled through my veins for my best friend and his girl.
Why couldn’t I have that with Cordelia? We’d have a great life together, and I’d let her do whatever the fuck she wanted.
If she wanted to travel the world, I’d follow her.
If she wanted to get married and have a small army of kids, I’d do it.
“I see you didn’t heed my warning to stay away from Lorelei out of respect for my brother’s friend.” Vaughn sauntered toward us with that smarmy smile, twirling an unlit cigar between his fingers.
Was he trying to become Bass?
I groaned and stared at the coffered ceiling. Since when did talking to a girl translate to fucking her? “Why are you two on my ass about Battenberg? People talk at parties.”
“Someone told me they saw you two coming out of the Zeta house the other day.” Vaughn slipped the cigar into the breast pocket of his navy blazer and cocked his head, waiting for my explanation.
The atmosphere around Killian darkened as he stepped closer to our frat brother and newly crowned Lords’ leader. “Are you having us followed?”
Vaughn shrugged and smoothed his hand over his gelled brown hair. “As your Domnus, I can have all of you followed day and night if I want.”
“Things didn’t turn out so great for the last Domnus who thought he owned us.” More shadows crawled over Killian’s face, and his hands curled into fists.
“Let’s all calm down.” I used my wide frame to force them apart before a fight broke out. “Nothing is going on with Lorelei. I came here with Cordi.”
Vaughn scoffed. “Cordelia Chesson? She and Kyle Hammond just snuck off to the gathering room.”
My stomach dropped, and it took all my control to maintain a blank expression. “She’s just having fun.”
I excused myself and bulldozed through the crowd. Somehow, I could feel Killian’s stare glued to my back. He knew I had feelings for Cordi even though I pretended to be cool when she hung out with other guys.
I wasn’t. And she used to hook up with Kyle before I started monopolizing all her time.
As I stormed down the hall and turned the corner, Lorelei emerged from the bathroom, her gaze flicking to the gathering room where we held informal meetings.
“Don’t go in there.” She moved incredibly fast for someone in towering heels, throwing herself in front of the door to block me. “Trust me. You don’t want to see this.”