Chapter 17
TRAVIS
Watching Ellie get her nipples pierced and then proceed to play with mine had me hard as a rock. Then I had to go and have my nips stabbed. That shit wasn’t actually on my bucket list, but when I saw that wall of muscle eyeing her like his next treat, my mouth opened on its own once again.
Ellie acted like it didn’t hurt at all, so I wasn’t worried. She’s a goddamn liar. It felt like a shark bit me. Of course, I played it off well. I couldn’t have her thinking I was a bitch. I’ve had my dick pierced—multiple times—and that didn’t hurt nearly as badly.
The horror didn’t end there, though. No. This shit takes months to heal.
Jesus Christ, I thought I’d be ready to go in a week or two. I was already imagining my cock getting sucked while Ellie—no, not her, someone else—flicked and pinched my piercings. Now that that’s off the table, I’m irritable. My nipples ache all the way down to my balls.
“This was so fun,” Ellie chirps as we ride the elevator up to her floor.
I grunt. She’s crazy. That was fun for her? I know she likes a bit of pain with her pleasure, but damn.
“I’m bummed they take so long to heal. I wanted to play with them.
” I take a deep breath through my nose, willing my dick not to react as I picture my cock sliding between her full tits, nice and slow, while she flicks the tip with her tongue.
I shake my head. This was a horrible idea.
I’ll never be able to stop picturing her face pinched in a mix of pleasure and pain, her eyes heavy with desire, staring into mine as she got pierced.
“Thanks for going with me.” She pulls out her keycard.
“Sure.”
“Well,” she hums, spinning the card, seemingly trying to stall. “Goodnight, I guess.”
“Night, May,” I say, walking backward. She watches me until I hop on the elevator, seeming disappointed that I’m leaving.
Me fucking too.
“I’m glad you got to see me for all of five seconds. Do you hate me?”
Olivia’s mouth falls open, a horrified and guilty look passing over her face.
“Dick.” Penn shoves me away as I try to wrap his girl in a goodbye hug. “Don’t listen to him, Barbie, he’s just jealous.”
I make a gagging sound. “Of what? Your sickening love?”
He cradles the back of Olivia’s head, raining kisses over her face and neck. I won’t lie and say it’s not ideal to have someone to keep your dick warm anytime you want, but the strings that come with that...I’d rather stick my balls in a bucket of ice.
Ellie and I had something good going for a while. I’ve been tempted to propose that arrangement again while on tour. The boring-ass, vanilla groupies aren’t doing it for me, and I know she would.
“I’m sorry, Travis,” Olivia says, peeling Penn off her face.
“Do not apologize to him. He’s fucking with you.”
I give her a crooked smile, and she blushes with embarrassment. Damn, she’s too easy. Now I feel a little bad.
“Can I have a turn now?” Ellie whines from behind me.
Olivia takes a step toward her, but Penn drags her back. “No.”
“You’re going to see her again in less than two weeks!” Ellie argues.
Penn shrugs, burying his face in Liv’s shoulder. “So are you.”
“Yeah, but she lives with you now.”
He lets out an aggravated sigh and ushers Olivia in Ellie’s direction. “Fine, two minutes.” He slides over to Pacey saying his goodbyes.
They’re about to catch an Uber to the airport and head home, and I can tell Ellie’s genuinely upset. Her eyes are puffy and her nose is red, like she’s been crying all morning.
“I don’t like sharing custody of you. I changed my mind about what I said.” She talks low, thinking only Liv can hear, but my ears strain to listen.
Liv giggles. “What do you mean?”
“I wanted you to be happy, but it’s really messing up my life. I miss you.” Ellie snorts through an onslaught of tears.
“Christ,” Penn mumbles, making his way to the girls. “I didn’t want you to make her cry.” He rubs Liv’s back while she and Ellie hug and sob.
I glance over my shoulder at Pacey. She’s smiling sadly at the girls, so I yank her to my chest. “Did you have a good time, baby Hayze?” I whisper in her hair.
She nods under my chin, and I lean back to inspect her face.
The bruising is starting to fade a tiny bit.
Penn was livid when I brought her back from our night out with more battle scars.
“Okay, we really have to go,” Liv says, wiping her eyes.
Ellie hugs Pacey next, but Penn refuses to stop kissing Liv long enough to let her get in the back of her waiting ride. Eventually, Pacey reaches out, snags her arm, and drags her away.
I watch Penn watch them drive away, wondering what that feels like. He looks miserable the second the car is out of sight. His shoulders slump, and his head drops. My best friend is disgustingly in love, but I called it the moment he invited her back to our room when he first laid eyes on her.
My eyes shift to Ellie, her emerald greens glistening with tears, looking as miserable as Penn.
Her head turns, gaze meeting mine, and she attempts to smile.
I swallow, something heavy sinking in my gut.
Must be that three-day-old taco I ate this morning for breakfast. Remind me to never do that shit again.
Ellie shuffles to me as Penn gets back on the bus, head hung low. Shit, that’s depressing.
“I miss her already.”
I sling my arm around her shoulders. “We’ll be home soon.”
“Yeah.” She stares at me, and I swear sometimes I see that same starry-eyed look she used to give me.
I could be imagining it. She never asked for more or pushed me in any way to make me think that; I just felt it.
She seemed to be content with the setup we had.
If we were horny, we fucked, plain and simple.
If we were bored, we fucked. She just wanted to fuck only me, which should’ve been good.
Great. But even that was a commitment I wasn’t ready for.
Because what would happen when she wanted more?
Dates and cuddles and hand holding? I couldn’t give her that.
And she deserves someone who could give her anything she wants.
“Are you excited?” she asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I lead us to the bus. “About what?”
“Being back home.”
“Hell yes. Sleeping in my bed is going to be amazing.” I may stay there all week. The pills are making it easy to function, but I want to sleep when I go home. I want to do nothing else.
I dump a bottle of water over my head then grab another off the table and chug it, my throat dry as the desert.
“Some girls are asking to come back here. Not bad looking, either,” Calvin says to me.
I internally groan. I’m exhausted. I’m tired of trying to get off only to be left softer than a damn marshmallow. Those girls can’t get my dick up. There’s one who can.
Nope, can’t go there. Even if just the thought makes my cock twitch.
I grab a towel off the plush emerald couch that is the same color as Ellie’s eyes and dry my hair.
“Well?” Calvin asks, arching a bushy brow at me.
The rest of the guys ignore him and slip out. I’d rather fuck my palm than entertain a dull-ass groupie right now who will no doubt make my dick limper than it already is.
“I’m good,” I reply, tossing the towel at him.
His eyes bug out. “Really?”
“Yes.” I walk out, leaving him gaping at me. I can’t wait to be home. We’ll be headed there first thing in the morning, and for a whole week, because yes, Penn got his way.
I’m not mad about it. I plan to catch up on some rest, then maybe I won’t need to keep taking these pills.
This isn’t my first time taking Adderall, like I said, I’ve dabbled before.
Tried a little of everything for the hell of it.
But I like to sleep, and the only sleep I get now is when it wears off for a few hours.
I curve the corner, taking the back way in hopes security hasn’t let anyone slip past them and I can get out unseen, but a throaty laugh stops me in my tracks.
My steps are light as I creep around the corner, following the sound.
Ellie is leaning against the wall, wearing a tight red top tucked into a pair of high-waisted black shorts.
Her hair is down and straight, the ends brushing past her smooth collarbone.
She looks like a damn professional snack.
But she’s talking to some dude in a STAFF shirt.
She gives him a flirty smile, touching his massive bicep.
I inspect my own, flexing. They’re not huge, but I’m strong…
I think. Damn, should I start working out?
She laughs again, and my shoulders straighten. Is she hitting on him?
I’m not close enough to hear their conversation, but he leans in close, too motherfucking close if you ask me, and says something that makes her laugh again.
My teeth clank together. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen her flirt with someone, but something about this feels different.
Her eyes are lit with a desire that I could spot a mile away. She’s horny. Shit.
I’ve known since the moment I met Ellie that she was a sexual person.
She was upfront about her desires and expectations of our relationship, which weren’t much.
I thought she was joking. When I realized she wasn’t, I thought I hit the lottery.
A girl who likes fucking as much as me and wants no commitment?
Sold. But the longer it went on, the stickier things became.
Weird feelings and shit started fluttering around inside me, and I had to shut it down before it got worse.
Her eyes flick up, landing on me. Her brows snap together, but then she gives her attention back to the beef stick in front of her.
My head spins, wondering what the hell I’m supposed to do. Just let her do her thing, or stay and make sure this dude isn’t a creepy fuck who doesn't know the word no?
Another piercing laugh hits my eardrums, making my blood roar. I focus on Ellie again, only now her back is to me, her ass hugged snugly in her shorts as she sashays out the door, the clown following her.
Well, shit.
My heart starts to beat harder. Before I can think too much about it, I slip out, too.
I’ll just make sure she gets to her room ok.
It’s dark out. This guy could be anyone, luring her outside so he can toss her in his car and drive her to his mom’s house to fuck her in his shoddy-ass basement.
He looks like he’s on steroids, too, so his junk is probably all shriveled up and doesn’t work.
He’ll blow in eight seconds and leave her unsatisfied.
By the time I make it outside, I see the shape of Ellie slipping into her hotel next door. I pick up my pace, but there’s a crowd of fans waiting. Shit. They’ll never let me through.
I keep close to the building, trying to hide in the shadows, but right before I reach the hotel doors, I’m flocked.