Chapter 14 #2
“In that case, Ant may be a little pissed off, but whatever. He’s been hot-headed a lot lately,” Liam muses.
I stand up straight and look at the object of my obsessive desire. He’s clad in all black—jeans that ride low on his hips, a t-shirt tightly stretched across his pectorals. He’s wearing his gold watch and his long dreads are loose. He’s so fucking hot.
“You’re so fucking hot, Liam,” I blurt before I can stop myself.
“Oh yeah? You can thank my mama for that.” He smirks. And that simple statement sends panic zinging through me.
“Um… speaking of Ms. Janet.”
The smirk falls from his face as he grabs his board. “Do we need to tell her?” he grouses.
“I mean, I don’t want to any more than you do. But we have to at some point. We can’t just be two single roommates forever; she’ll catch on sooner than you think.”
“Forever, huh? I like the sound of that.”
I grab my board, and we simultaneously drop them to the ground and kick off. Skating alongside Liam is one of my favorite things— we’re well matched in speed and skill. It’s something that has always brought us closer, it’s like second nature to us.
The warm evening air whips through our hair and we coast at a chill pace the whole way there. When we arrive, we don’t bother knocking, just let ourselves in. I doubt they’d hear it over the loud music blaring throughout the apartment. It’s a good song too— “Lydia” by Highly Suspect.
Elation floods me and a huge smile splits my face in half.
Having the whole gang together in one place rarely happens anymore since we’re all so busy with college and work and life.
I spot Ben sprawled on the couch behind a thick cloud of swirling red smoke from the LED lights, a dopey smile pasted on his face.
I rush over to him and plop down on his lap; he immediately wraps his arms around me from behind and rests his chin on my shoulder.
It’s a good thing Damon got over his stupid jealousy issue because I’ll never stop acting like this with Ben. It’s just how we are.
I’m obviously the softy of the group.
Liam shakes his head at us and heads to the fridge to grab a beer.
Before long, we’re all piled onto the couches and passing a blunt around.
Damon and Liam are sitting together probably talking about work, which is like a different language to me, so I tune them out, and Ant is next to me and Ben.
I notice the barely there bruise on his cheek, and concern washes through me.
“You gonna explain what that’s all about? ” I ask, pointing at it.
He frowns angrily.
“Yeah. Please share with the class, man,” Liam interjects.
Ant rubs his hands over his face. “Jasper’s a fucking prick. That’s all.”
“I mean he definitely can be, but what did he do to you? I didn’t even know you were friends,” Damon says, sounding just as confused as we all feel.
“We’re not,” he grumbles agitatedly, then stands up and grabs the vodka from the table and upends it.
Ben and I look at each other at the same time, shock written all over our features. He’s completely flustered and so different from his usual self. He’s the reliable one, the calm and smart one of us—things don’t usually work him up like this.
“Have you slept lately, man?” I ask, noticing his bloodshot eyes and the dark bags rimming them.
He scoffs. “All I do is fucking work and go to school. I barely get to sleep. And it doesn’t help that—" He stops short as the front door swings open.
And guess who graces us with his presence.
Jazz—who’s sporting a black eyeliner, like me, and damn, it looks good on him.
As soon as his eyes find Ant’s, a wicked grin spreads across his face and Ant’s frown deepens.
He storms off and opens the sliding glass door to the balcony taking the bottle of vodka with him. Ben stands up, rushing after him.
“What’d you do this time, Jazz?” Damon demands as if he’s talking to a child.
He lifts his hands in a placating gesture. “It’s not really my business to tell. He’s a big boy, he’ll be fine. Don’t worry your pretty heads,” he says sarcastically. “Tough crowd. Sheesh.”
I still don’t know him very well, but I do know one thing—he’s the type of guy who’s always intimidated me.
One of those ultimate players. Guys and girls want him, and he fucks them all.
His family is probably the most well off out of all of us, so he always dressed nice as fuck, and it might be a rumor, but I heard that his dick is pierced. I grimace at the thought.
He takes the spot Ant just vacated next to me.
“Is it true that your dick is pierced?” I ask him with a quirk of my eyebrow.
“Teddy!” Liam chides.
“Would you like to see?” Jazz smirks. I thought Liam had the creepiest smiles, but this guy looks like a vampire or something with his pale as snow skin and sharply angled face. He reaches down to unzip his pants.
“No. No. No. I’m fine, I was just wondering, you don’t have to show me,” I say quickly.
“It’s definitely pierced, I’ve seen it with my own eyes,” Damon chimes in.
Liam doesn’t look too pleased with the direction of this conversation, so I smile at him apologetically, shrugging my shoulders. “What? I was just curious.”
“Curiosity killed the cat, and you’re kind of like a cat, aren’t you? Small and cute, draping yourself all over everyone,” Jazz muses, until his eyes fall on Liam’s sneer. “Oh! Did I miss something? You and him?” he asks, looking between us.
My mouth falls open in astonishment. “I am not like a cat! And yes. That’s my boyfriend.” It’s the first time I’ve ever said the words out loud and a small smile creeps across my face.
Liam leans forward, planting his elbows on his knees, looking Jazz in the eyes. “I know you’re used to getting whatever you want, but you won’t be getting him. I suggest you don’t speak to him like that again, alright?”
Even though Liam is trying to be calm and friendly about the whole thing, it’s very obvious that he’s not fucking around at all. His face is set in stone, his brows in a hard line.
Jazz’s lips curl into another sinister smile. “Oh, you have nothing to worry about, man. I’ve got my sights set somewhere else currently.”
“Great,” Damon says sarcastically. “Who’s your newest victim?”
Jazz grabs his chin in mock thought. “Hmm. So there’s this guy. He punched me in the face the other weekend.”
I gasp, “Ant’s not even gay!”
The crazy fucker just laughs like there’s a joke I’m not in on.
“For fuck’s sake, Jazz! Just leave him alone. Play your games with someone else,” Damon groans.
Jazz shakes his head, clearly amused. “Guess he hasn’t told any of you what happened. I’ll keep it to myself then.”
I glance over at Liam only to find him already staring at me, and he must’ve tuned out of the conversation because the way he’s looking at me is anything but friendly. It’s insane how he can do that—how he can make fire lick my veins from across the room with a simple facial expression.
He’s always reminded me of a lion, with his angled eyes and strong cheekbones. His mane of hair and the way he carries himself, head held fucking high. Anyone could feel the dominance constantly emanating from him.
I wet my lips as my heart begins to race. I wish he’d pounce and attack me right now in front of everyone.
The sliding glass door slams open and Ant stomps inside, face set in stone.
“I’m out,” is all he says before retreating through the front door. Jazz scoffs next to me.
Liam stands up, downing the rest of his beer. “Well as enlightening as this evening has been, T and I are gonna head out too.”
I stand up quickly and turn to Ben, who looks like he’s just seen a ghost, and give him a tight hug. “Is he okay?” I whisper.
“I don’t think so,” he mutters.
It’s extremely unsettling seeing Ant like this. I just hope that whatever’s going on gets fixed soon. We all need him.