Hate to Want You (Ellington U #2)

Chapter 1

Lainey

My heart pounds in my chest and the blood rushes in my ears as I’m pushed up against the wall. The stranger tangles his hands in my hair, our lips, tongues, and teeth clashing together as we devour each other.

The music from downstairs blasts through the house and I can feel the bass against my back. ‘No Name’ pushes my head to the side as he begins to suck on my neck and kiss down my shoulders. I’m panting and desperate as his rough hands begin to roam my body.

I didn’t exactly come here tonight looking for a hookup, and I feel bad for leaving my best friend downstairs, but she’ll understand after I tell her about how good this hot stranger got me off. At least, I hope it’s good. I could really use the distraction right now.

In between kisses and sucks, the stranger tries to speak. His voice is deep, his breathing unsteady.

“Don’t you want to know my name?”

he asks. I shake my head, not needing to know his name to continue.

“It doesn’t matter,”

I say against his lips, my eyes fluttering as his hand moves lower, stopping just above the waistline of my jeans. Knowing his name wouldn’t change anything. I’m never going to see him again after tonight, and I just need the stress relief.

His lips find mine again, and this time, it’s rougher, more urgent.

The guy tugs my hair as his other hands moves to squeeze my ass. My stomach flutters as the prospect of an amazing orgasm takes over my thoughts.

A light moan falls from my lips as No Name kisses down my neck again, and I momentarily forget we’re still in the hallway and not behind closed doors. That is, until I hear a throat clearing and then the deep, familiar voice of the one person I cannot stand.

“Woah there, Barkley. Stand down. You look like you’re trying to devour the poor guy,”

Holland Monroe, my best friend Ellie’s twin brother, and the bane of my existence most days says with a mischievous grin on his smug face. Ever since we were little, he’s been a pain my ass.

I pull away slowly, my cheeks burning with embarrassment and rage as my body comes down from its high. My eyes move slowly over to Holland, who is standing against the wall with his arms and legs crossed.

I can’t help the way my eyes roam over his body. He’s always been fit, especially with playing rugby.

His shaggy blonde hair is ruffled in a way that makes him look like he just had sex which does things to my lower half that it has no business doing.

The Dodger’s rugby hoodie he’s sporting looks almost a size too tight around his biceps, and the black jeans hug him just right. If the guy wasn’t inherently annoying, I’d probably find him attractive. His personality ruins it all. That, and being my best friend’s brother.

The smirk on his face makes me want to hit him, but I hold in the urge as I cling to ‘No Name’, barely even remembering he’s there.

“You enjoying the show, Monroe? Does it turn you on?”

I ask mockingly. ‘No Name’ looks between us both uncomfortably.

“Should I…”

he begins.

“No,”

I say, much sterner than I meant it to be but it does the trick. He straightens and watches the scene in front of him play out.

Holland’s eyes run up and down my body, stalling where ‘No Name’s’ hands sit on my waist.

“You know it does. Wanna see how much?”

he winks, and I roll my eyes, making a gagging face. Truth is, I don’t think I’d mind seeing him, however I’d never say that out loud.

“You’re disgusting. Don’t you have anything better to do than watch me?”

I ask in the snarkiest of tones. He shrugs, running his hand through his hair, then shoving them in his pockets.

“Ellie asked me to find you. She wants to leave, not feeling well or something. She seems to have had one too many drinks,”

he says, looking between my face and the hands that still rest on my waist.

Something unreadable crosses his face, but I don’t think about it long before I look back to ‘No Name’ to tell him I have to go.

“I’m sorry. I have to go find my friend, but this was nice. Thanks for, well, you know,”

I wipe my thumb over my bottom lip seductively before giving him a small smile.

His hands fall to his side, and he looks a bit disappointed. I don’t blame him, I was ready to go further and if the bulge in his pants is any indication, so was he.

My own disappointment floods my veins as I come to the realization that I’ll be using my vibrator yet again tonight instead of having this hot guy give me what I need.

“Wait, you’re really not going to tell me your name?”

I smile, shaking my head. If he has my name, he’ll likely try to find me, and I don’t plan on ever seeing him again. He’s nice enough, and he’s attractive, but I’m not interested in having a redo.

“Nope,”

I tell him, slinking away.

I glare at Holland as I pass him, and he begins to trail behind me. I can feel his body heat against my back as I make my way down the stairs to find my best friend.

Ellie likes to party, but once she’s done, she’s done. Luckily, the party is at the Elite mansion, which is right across the street from our house off campus.

Holland follows behind as I make my way toward the stairs. Without turning around, I say, “you can go now. No need to follow me.”

I hear the chuckle Holland releases.

“I have to go downstairs, Barkley. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”

Rolling my eyes, I continue down the absurdly elegant staircase. The Elite mansion is old and beautiful. Why they would give it to a bunch of men astounds me.

This is my senior year. Ellie and Hollands too. After our friends Ryker and Gwen graduated last spring, I thought our friend group would die down, but we’ve all remained pretty close.

Holland, his cousin Mason, and Ryker’s younger brother Logan still live in the Elite Mansion. They continue to throw wild parties and act like total dumbasses.

Ellie, our other roommate Haley, and I still live in the same house we rented junior year.

Gwen and Ryker got together last Fall, and by the end of the spring, they were engaged. Their wedding is coming up pretty fast too. Gwen told Ryker they didn’t need to get married so soon after their engagement, but Ryker insisted on having the wedding sooner rather than later.

So now it’s January, and their wedding is in 3 weeks. Ellie and Haley are bridesmaids, and I have the greatest pleasure of being maid of honor.

When Gwen asked me to be her maid of honor, I sobbed like a baby. Gwen is one of my best friends and watching her get her happy ending almost made me wish it would happen for me. However, I’m not naive enough to believe in happily ever after. It’s just not in the cards for me, and I’ve come to accept it… for the most part.

Growing up, my parents weren’t around much. We had a nanny, a chef, cleaners, and I spent more time with them than I did mom and dad.

Dad’s a lawyer, one of the most sought-after lawyers in Rhode Island, actually. Mom’s a famous model. Together, they have more money than they know what to with and they used that money to take extravagant trips and buy me luxurious gifts to make up for the fact they never took me on said trips.

Being an only child, I was alone most of the time. My nanny, Erica, was nice enough. She essentially let me do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. That might sound like a dream to some people, but it was a lonely existence.

When I decided I wanted to attend Ellington University in Connecticut, my parents were happy for me, but I think they were happy they’d have the house to themselves, whenever they’re actually there.

Sometimes, I think they took all those trips to escape me. The child they never wanted. At least, that’s the way it seems.

All I wanted was love and attention from the two people that were supposed to love me the most in this world. But not even parents can be counted on. Their careers always came first, and I was an afterthought.

The only good thing that came out of that whole situation was my ability to be independent. I don’t need anyone. I’m perfectly fine on my own, and that’s the way I prefer it.

That might explain why I’ve never been in an actual relationship. I lost my virginity in high school to a boy that made me feel like I was his world. Only to turn around and sleep with Izzy Carter, my sworn enemy.

Since then, the only kinds of relationships I’ve had are the kind where we fuck and don’t even know each other’s names. Quick and easy, no strings. That’s worked perfectly well for me so far.

Ellie’s family moved in next-door when I was eight. We quickly hit it off, and she became my best friend. Her annoying twin brother started tagging along just to bother Ellie, and in turn, bother me.

As we got older, he got more annoying and more protective over Ellie, which of course we found aggravating as hell.

With them attending the same college, and us living on the same street, it’s only gotten worse.

Holland and I aren’t enemies, but I wouldn’t call us besties either. I tolerate him because he’s my best friend’s brother, but I wouldn’t be torn up about it if he wasn’t here.

When I hit the ground floor where the party is full swing, the music blasting and the people drinking and smoking, my eyes wander.

I spot Ellie, her shoulder length blonde hair and pink dress standing in a corner by herself. She looks like she’d rather be anywhere but here.

I don’t blame her, now that my night’s been ambushed by Satan himself. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration. Holland isn’t Satan. He’s actually a good guy, always has been. Which has always been aggravatingly annoying because it makes him more appealing.

I’d never admit this to anyone, but I’ve definitely had a fantasy or two starring Holland Monroe. It’s hard not to when I’ve seen him almost every day since I was eight.

“Finally!”

Ellie exclaims as I approach. She looks a bit spooked, and a lot mad.

“What happened? Are you okay?”

she shakes her head, looking down to the ground. I can feel Holland stiffen as he walks up beside me.

“Ellie? What’s going on? Did something happen?”

Holland growls. The anger immediately taking over his body is palpable. Ellie looks back to me, her gaze only landing on her brother for a second.

“I…”

she takes a shaky breath.

“I went to get some fresh air on the deck, and Danny Larson was standing outside…”

my blood begins to boil, and I can feel Holland stand a bit taller as he listens to his sister.

“He tried to…”

Holland cuts her off before she can get out whatever she was about to say.

“Did he fucking touch you? If he laid a finger on you, I’m going to kill him,”

he spits. Ellie cowers a bit, but she continues to explain.

“He forced himself on me. I tried to push him away, but he was too big. He kept trying, and somehow, I was able to gather enough strength to knee him in the balls,”

she says. She straightens a bit.

“I rushed inside before he could do anything else,”

Ellie explains. She seems more pissed off than anything.

My own anger begins to grow as I hear a low noise from beside me. Holland looks like he could burst at any moment. I’m honestly a little worried being so close to him.

When it comes to Ellie, he is wildly overprotective. Especially when it comes to guys.

Holland begins to move through the crowd as Ellie and I trail him. A few dancing bodies bump into us as we maneuver our way through.

“Holland, wait,”

Ellie calls, but Holland doesn’t stop.

“I’m going to find that fucking prick, and when I do, he’s fucking dead,”

Holland calls back.

Ellie and I exchange a worried look before continuing to follow Holland through the sea of people.

We come to a stop when Holland finds exactly who he was looking for.

Danny Larson, captain of Ellington U’s hockey team stands with a drink in his hand and a smile on his face as he chats with a group of guys who I assume are his teammates.

Holland walks up to him, pushing him backward. Danny’s drink spills over the lip of the cup as he stumbles backward.

“What the fuck, Monroe?”

he yells, attracting the eyes of many other students in the vicinity. Great.

“Stay away from my fucking sister, man,”

Holland throws a punch at Danny’s face and chaos ensues.

Fan-freaking-tastic. Here we go.