Chapter 8
RYDER
Kelsey starts to sway from all the alcohol, her eyes fluttering open and closed, so I decide it’s time to end this game.
I stand close to her, where she’s perched on the table, worried she’s going to fall over.
I don’t want her to get hurt. We already had one drunken injury tonight, and we don’t need another.
I can’t bring myself to tell her to get down, because she’s so fucking beautiful.
Her sexy curves and her plump, juicy ass perched perfectly on her heels.
Watching her in the pool on Hayden’s shoulders had my body vibrating with rage. The way she looks at him with those same lust-filled eyes. I hate it.
Hayden is my childhood best friend, who has grown to be like a brother to me.
His parents and little sister were killed when he was young, and I took him under my wing.
Our parents were never present. That’s how it always was; I didn’t know any better to have questioned it.
They left us with nannies until I was deemed old enough to raise my sister myself.
They provided money for whatever we needed or wanted.
I’ve taken care of my sister, Hayden, and myself for as long as I can remember, making sure none of us go without and setting them both up with a dependable future.
“Alright, get down. We need to get you home.” She doesn’t protest that plan, so I offer my hand to help her down.
Her heel catches the edge of the table, and she falls forward, squealing.
Thankfully, I have her arm, and I catch her by the waist to steady her back onto her feet.
She needs to get these heels off, but as I look around at the disgusting floor, I realize it’s best she keeps them on.
Spilled drinks and other mystery liquids puddle on the floor.
I’ll have to tip our cleaning service heavily after this night.
“You absolutely won’t be driving yourself,” I state firmly.
She’s too intoxicated to get more than a few mumbled words out.
Holding her upper arm with my other hand on her hip, I guide her over to a folding chair and make her sit.
I keep my hands out around her, in case she topples over.
When I trust she will be okay for a minute, I turn to grab her clothes off the floor and begin to dress her.
She can’t keep her eyes open, much less walk up two flights of stairs, so I hook my arms behind her knees and carry her up. She nuzzles into my chest, and I hear the faintest snore. It’s cute as fuck I won’t even lie.
I wonder where my sister is. She left with the rest of the crowd when I ordered them to leave.
When I dared Kelsey to remove her shorts, her eyes darted around the room, and I could feel her unease as it poured from her body.
I’m an asshole, but I’m not that big of one.
Besides, I like the thought of keeping her all to myself.
Cradling her soft, warm body in my arms has me fighting from pressing a kiss to her temple. Something about her feels…Right, but I know I can’t keep her. It’s for her own good. I’m going to hate what I have to do to get her to leave.
Permanently.
I lay her on the couch, so I can still see her from the kitchen. She rolls onto her back, facing me, and her arm lies limp over her chest. She’s out.
“Hayden!” I whisper-shout. “We need to figure out how to get her home.”
“I can take her home if I need to,” he offers. “I only had a couple of drinks earlier, and that’s worn off already,” he adds.
I glance at Kelsey, while she snores faintly on the couch.
Part of me doesn’t want Hayden to take her.
I don’t want any man close to her besides me.
Unfortunately, that can’t be our reality.
She’s not safe with us. She’d be better off graduating and making a life of her own. A life I could never give her.
Once I figure out who she came with, I’ll make it clear they can’t bring her back. It’s far too dangerous for her, especially if word spreads that she was with me. She’s an easy target. Not to mention, there were well over two hundred people here; it would be nearly impossible to pinpoint the leak.
“Did you ever figure out who she came with?” I ask, completely ignoring his offer.
“She seemed to cling to Jessie most of the time. That’s who she was with at the pool.
” He looks away before smiling widely. My teeth grind at the mention of that.
Not only did I notice Kelsey’s reaction to Hayden tonight, but I saw Hayden’s too.
Which is why I made sure Kelsey saw me with Lexie.
I’d never sleep with her again, especially now that all I can think about is bright green eyes and long brunette hair, but I knew she would be just the thing to get Kelsey’s attention.
“Alright. Keep an eye on her while I go hunt down Jessie.” If she came with Jessie, then getting Kelsey gone permanently will be harder than I thought.
My sister is very strong-willed and headstrong.
Getting anything through to her is nearly impossible.
Don’t get me wrong, she’s incredibly intelligent.
Without her, my whole operation wouldn’t exist. Literally, I organized this because of her—for her, and she is crucial in running it.
I ultimately decide against finding Jessie, because that’s an argument I’ll save for a different day.
I kneel in front of Kelsies curled body and smile. She’s sleeping so peacefully, and has a drop of drool pooling at the edge of her plump, pouty lips, with her hair a mess.
I brush the stray hair out of her face and caress her arm while whispering, “Kelsey, wake up, we need to get you home.”
I repeat her name a few more times before she finally growls like a wild animal. Raising my brows, I can’t help but chuckle at her. She has continuously surprised me tonight. She’s kind of like Jessie in a way, so I can see why she’s taken to her.
“Kelsey, don’t make me have to carry you out of here.”
“Mmm,” She moans, but her eyes remain closed. “I can’t go home,” She mumbles.
“You have to. Who did you come with?” Her bloodshot eyes snap open, looking horrified, as she scrambles to sit up. “You don’t understand, I can’t go home. My parents would send me to an early grave after they interrogated me about my night.” She rushes out, pleading with me.
I don’t know how to respond because I have no experience with having strict or even remotely caring parents. Mine were just nonexistent. I brush a few flyaway hairs out of her panicked face and cup her cheek. I feel myself caving in to her.
“Fine. Come on.” I stand, picking her back up to carry her upstairs to my room, and she giggles.
“Where are you taking me?” She asks between the laughter.
“My room.” Her laughter dies, and I feel her heated gaze on me as she searches my face for a hint that I’m joking. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am.”
“But where will you sleep?”
I don’t answer. I’ll figure it out.
I sit her on the bench at the foot of the bed, handing her one of my T-shirts, and I help her put it on.
It swallows her body, but I have to admit it makes me hard as fuck seeing her in it.
It falls halfway down her thighs, and the way her long hair drapes down her back makes me want to wrap it around my fist and pull it, making her scream out as I fuck her from behind.
Shaking that thought from my head, I pull the covers back on the bed, motioning her into it.
She lies down on her side, tucking her arm under the pillow.
“Stop looking at me like that.” She says, as her cheeks flush.
Her eyes are heavy, and her breathing has picked up. I could ask her, ‘like what?’ Just to hear her explain, but she’s exhausted and needs the rest. So, instead I say, “I’d prefer you sober when I fuck you. Get some sleep. I’ll bring you something for the headache.”
“I don’t have a headache,” She argues.
Oh, but you will, Little Bird. She had way too much to drink.
“And if you prefer me sober, then why did you get me so drunk tonight?” I keep my back turned to her and glance over my shoulder to see that she’s now sitting up.
My brows crease, “You chose to play. You could have said no if you truly didn’t want to.” And then I walk out, softly shutting the door behind me, cutting off whatever she was about say.
Entering my bedroom, it’s quiet. I look over to my Bird lying in bed, her eyes closed, and her chest softly rises and falls.
She’s asleep. Setting the pills and water on the nightstand beside her, I walk around the bed to my side and sit.
She wiggles at the creak in the bed, but quickly settles.
The air that blows up when I pull the covers up carries Kelsie’s rich scent, and it caresses my senses like the sweetest dream—warm vanilla and honey.
I could live off the smell of her alone.
It’s funny how she makes me feel all soft inside.
It’s such a stark contrast to the heaviness I carry every day.
I lay with Kelsey’s back to my front—only a small space between us.
I’ve never kept a girl overnight before, so I’m not sure how to cuddle or be nurturing.
However, something about Kelsey triggers that protective response in me.
I want to keep her locked away, safe forever. I want her to be mine and only mine.
I lie here for hours, just watching as her breathing escalates and settles while she dreams. The way her body twitches and her eyes flutter. The sun is just barely starting to peak through the opening in the blackout curtains before I finally doze off.