by A. J. Logan
Unhurriedly, I ease back, gathering every bit of strength to let her go. Even if it is only temporarily, it freakin’ blows. “I’ll let you get back to your laps.”
She doesn’t say anything as her bright, haunted eyes watch as I step to the side, pulling myself out of the pool. Walking down the length of the pool, I grab my things off the floor and leave her be for now.
It’s time. Time for me to work on getting Quinn to the party and to get Asher in a good mood because somehow, some way, he will know the truth about what’s been going on between Victoria and me the last few months. With any luck, I’ll clear all hurdles without anyone wanting to throat punch me.
22
Elliot
Halloween. It’s as big of a bash as the bonfire, but I’m sitting here, passing shots to Asher while he sulks. He refuses the refilled shot I hold out to him, so I down it instead. I’d mentally prepared all day to tell him that I’m in love with Victoria. I was ready to prove to her that I will do whatever it takes to make us work. Only this time, it hadn’t been my nerves that had gotten in the way. It was everyone and everything else, but mostly small fires I had to put out with the big Halloween party. Now that it’s in full swing, I can focus all of my attention on confessing. My intention is to get him away from the main party in case he decides to deck me in the nose, only that clearly isn’t happening since a smiling Quinn walks up to Asher. He looks as shocked to see her as I am. I’d spent the better part of the week trying to convince Quinn to come to the party after Victoria cornered me early in the week, yelling that the only person she’s made friends with won’t come to any parties because of Asher and me. I never thought I was the reason, but I’m not so sure Asher is either because she’s leading him away. Welp. Plan H (I think). I’ll confess my sins to him tomorrow since his night is now occupied.
Making the rounds, I chat up a few guests, pretending to enjoy myself but the whole time I’m busy scanning the room for Victoria. And when my eyes land on her, I know they won’t be leaving her all night. The sexy pirate has my undivided attention as I take in the black corset with a lace skirt barely covering the thighs I crave to lick.
She spots me coming her way and bites back the smile peeking on her lips as she takes in my appearance. That mocking expression is much better than the annoyed look I’ve received all week. Common sense tells me I should try to gently pry away her stubborn mask as planned, but there’s no way I can approach anything gently tonight.
“I didn’t realize Tinker Bell was a pirate,” I grin, trailing my eyes over her body again.
Her hand covers her mouth as a laugh escapes at my expense. Looks like I got played. She’d known exactly why I’d asked her what she was dressing up as four days ago at school. “I don’t recall asking you to dress as Peter Pan or wear green tights.”
I snake my arms around her waist, pulling her flush against me. Her eyes dart around the room and she stiffens in my embrace, a shocked look on her face. “For the love of everything holy, please let me be your wench.” Dropping my face to her neck, I tease the skin on her neck, twirling my tongue as her fingers dig into my biceps.
“What are you doing?” she whispers, pushing away from me.
“Volunteering to be your hostage … all night.”
Her cheeks are flushed as she looks around the room. I’m aware of several curious gazes watching our exchange and Victoria seems to notice the same. Everything will be confessed to Asher tomorrow, but there’s no way I can stay away from her tonight.
“You’re drunk,” she says, walking past me into the kitchen. She grabs a shot Wade passes to her as he whoops in approval of her sexy costume.
The pissed-off look I send his way is lost on him as he hands her another shot, which she downs before hopping up to sit on the counter. “Just trying to catch up because you are way past gone.”
She still doesn’t believe I won’t chicken out. Once again, I’ll let my actions show what my words can’t convey because I’m not backing down this time.
Stroking my palms up her bare thighs, I push her legs apart, moving between them as my hands skim around to grip her ass, pulling her to the edge of the counter. “Yes. For you.” I flick my tongue over her mouth, parting her lips as I kiss her, eager to get her out of the alluring pirate costume and to get these green tights off. I’m sure the damn things are not concealing exactly what’s on my mind at the moment.
“Whoa!” Wade says from behind me.
“It’s about time everyone knows you’re mine, and only mine.” I’m met with her stunned silence. Can’t say that I’m not shocked by my own boldness, but I said I’d prove it to her and I intend to follow through.
Grabbing her hand, I help her hop off the counter, slightly in awe of the fact that I believe I’ve shocked her into silence. I’ve never known Victoria to be at a loss for words when it comes to telling me exactly what’s on her mind.
“Let’s go upstairs.”
Walking through the crowd, I keep her hand in mine until we reach the staircase. Then I guide her in front of me so I can enjoy the view of her ass as we make our way up the main staircase that leads to my bedroom, the only place I want to be right now. She halts on the landing as I move to the side to keep from bumping into her. Following her gaze, I see Grant’s smirking face, his sleazy eyes studying Victoria’s body while a blonde has her face tucked against his neck—Allison, of course. His hands grip Allison’s ass and he winks suggestively at Victoria, only noticing me when I step in front of her at that moment.
What the fuck is he even doing here? “Everyone’s invited” doesn’t include him, which he’s been informed of, and evidently needs to be reminded of. Charging forward, I pry Allison off of Grant, and my hand immediately clutches his throat, pinning him against the wall. “I warned you to not look her way again. I made it clear you weren’t welcome here or anywhere she is in attendance. Now, you’re in my house, you pansy-ass bitch, and you are about to pay the price.”
“Elliot, please don’t.” Victoria clings to my arm, attempting to jerk me back, but I keep Grant pinned against the wall, unable to release him. Clearly, the last ass whooping he’d been handed hadn’t delivered the message strongly enough. He’s still taunting her, thinking I wouldn’t see it. What else has he done that I’m unaware of? “Please, I’m begging you. For me, not him.”
Damn it. If I give him the beating he deserves, it will push her further away. Releasing slightly, I slam him back into the wall. I won’t pummel his face again, as he deserves, but he will leave her alone once and for all. “Do not show your face again in her presence. If you see her, run the other way. If there’s a party she might consider attending, you won’t. Because next time, no one will stop me from kicking your ass. Again.”
He nods in agreement, gasping for air but I’m not done. I can’t let go just yet.
Releasing his neck slightly, he chokes, sucking in air as I command, “Apologize. Now. Tell her you’re a sorry piece of shit, and will never lay a hand or even catch sight of her again.”
He remains silent so my grip tightens, and I slam him into the wall as Allison lets out a dramatic scream, pleading with me to release her cumbubble.
“Say it. Beg for her forgiveness … for all of it and tell her how you’re going to earn it.”
His frightened eyes meet Victoria’s as he chokes out, “Sorry for everything. I’ll delete the picture.”
My hand squeezes his throat, pulling him to me as I growl in his face. “What picture?”
He gives Victoria a panicked look, realizing he’s just confessed to something I hadn’t been aware of. As I look over my shoulder at her, I notice her body trembling, her face pale. “What picture?”
I’m met with silence from both of them. My anger rages, threatening to undo me, as I snarl to Grant again, “You can tell me now or after I put my foot up your ass, and no one will stop me this time.”
His hand reaches into his pocket, fumbling, then pulling out his phone as I ease up enough fo
r his stupid ass not to pass out. Tapping on the glass, he hesitates as he looks to me. Snatching the phone from his hand, every muscle in my body tenses when I look at a picture of Victoria. Her dress is hiked up with her thong pulled to the side, baring everything. Clearly, she’s unconscious.
Fury surges through me as my fist connects with Grant’s face. Victoria screams, wrapping her arms around my waist. Her words barely registering in my infuriated haze. I knew something happened that night. The night he dropped her shoes at my feet. He’s taunted her since, all while carrying a picture of her, exposed and violated. “I want to know exactly what happened that night.”
“He took the picture then I woke up. I didn’t realize he’d taken it until later.”
Reading my thoughts, Grant says, “I didn’t screw her. I was lying. I swear, I didn’t do anything else to her while she was passed out.”
Bile rises in my throat. “Delete it now. Every single copy of that photo better be erased now. If I find it on anyone else’s phone, you’ll pay.”
He clicks a few buttons, holding the phone up to show me he’s deleted it. It does little to stifle the rage inside me as I snatch it from his hand, stomping on it and cracking the glass screen.
Victoria’s fingers grip my elbow, pulling me back. “Let’s go. I just want to forget about it. Please.”
I’ll never forget but I’ll do as she asks, it was her body on display. But he will know the feeling of having his body on display without consent.
“Pants off now,” I command, releasing him. A frightened look covers his face, thrilling me as I bark, “Now.”
His fingers fumble with the button on his jeans, pushing them down as he looks scared out of his wits. Good.
“Your shirt.” He stiffly removes his shirt, dropping it in the pile. “Now your boxers.”
“Oh my God, I can’t watch this,” Allison says, backing away.
“Stay. Enjoy the show. You’ve seen it all before, Allison,” I snicker, my glower not leaving Grant. He removes his boxers as Victoria moves around me, looking away.
“Elliot.”
“Now get the fuck out of my house.”
He goes to reach for his clothes but I kick his hand away. “Leave those here.”
“I … my keys.”
“Walk.”
His hands cup his junk as he backs away, his eyes on my taunting face, his ass to the crowd below as a few catcalls sound, signaling he won’t escape unnoticed. Turning, he hurries down the staircase, disappearing out of sight as the whoops and hollers from the party crowd grow louder. The recourse is justified, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. It doesn’t erase what happened to Victoria or the times I made jabs at her expense regarding Grant. “I’m sorry. If I’d known, I would’ve never—”
She hurries towards my room, slipping inside as I follow behind her. “I just want to forget about it.”
“That’s not going to happen, and you know it.”
“You’re right. But I don’t want to talk about it or think about it.”
“Okay.” I reach for her, engulfing her in a hug as she lets out a quieted sob. “But can we just laugh for a second about him getting his ass handed to him by Peter Pan?”
She laughs … it’s the best sound I’ve heard in a while because she’s smiling through the tears. I adjust her in my arms, holding on and not letting go.
23
Elliot
Knocking on the bedroom door, I push it open to find Asher sitting on the edge of the bed. His phone in his hand as he looks up to me.
“Where’s Quinn?” I ask, stepping into the room and pushing the door shut behind me.
“She left last night.”
“Oh, I thought she would’ve stayed.”
“Nope.”
Great. He’s in a pissy mood because him and Quinn are fighting, which is more often than not. Either way, it’s past time to confess. Hopefully, his prickly demeanor doesn’t set the tone for the news of my overdue admission.
“I need to talk to you about something.”
“Yeah. I know.”
“What do you know?”
Asher tosses his phone on the bed, standing as he widens his stance, turning a heated look on me.
Not a good sign.
He cocks his head to the side as he says, “You know it’s never the lie that pisses me off. Big, small, or in between, I couldn’t give a fuck.” He takes a step towards me. “What really pisses me off is the person telling the lie believes I’m a big enough fucking idiot to buy the BS they’re feeding me. Repeatedly.”
He knows.
“It just happened. I didn’t mean for it. I didn’t plan for it or her, or to lie to you.”
“But you did. You also told her about the abuse my dad inflicted on me.”
“It slipped out. She was comparing me to him, and I lost it. Man, I’m so sorry. You’re my best friend. I didn’t want to lose our friendship, so I lied. But it’s not fair to you or her.”
“I suspected it. I did. But I didn’t want to think either of you were lying, making me out to be a moron. And maybe I’d feel differently if my best friend had told me. Instead, my suspicions were confirmed with a congratulatory high five from Wade … for my sister and my best friend hooking up.”
“It’s not like that.” I take in a deep breath, struggling to say it. I’ve only said the words out loud to her, and it didn’t go so well. “I’m in love with her. It’s not a fling. It’s not a joke. I care about her. I need her.”
“That’s worse.”
His words are a stab in the gut. I knew it wouldn’t go over with balloons and confetti, but damn.
“How is it worse?”
“Because it’s going to hurt her even more when you flake out.” His nonchalant words slice into me.
Even Asher knows I’m hopeless. He’s always been the person that I thought knows me best, but it’s not going to happen. Not again. I might need to muster every bit of strength inside me, but I won’t flake out on her. We belong together.
“That’s not going to happen. I’m not going to hurt her.”
“Hope not. For your sake.” He grabs his phone off the bed, walking past me.
“I knew you’d be pissed. I had a feeling you’d hate that I was with Victoria.”
He turns, looking to me. “I’m pissed you’ve been lying to me for who knows how long. I’m pissed because you didn’t tell me the fucking truth. But most of all, I’m pissed because I want you two dumbasses to be together and just be happy, especially with everything that’s happened. But the two of you can’t be in the same room without wanting to strangle each other. How the hell are y’all going to make this work?”
“I’ll do whatever it takes.” I have to.
“Good. Because shit’s about to hit the fan, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it.”
Without another word he walks out. His statement makes me uneasy but it doesn’t matter what’s headed our way. We’re better together than apart. At least, I hope so.
It could’ve gone better with Asher, but it could’ve gone a helluva lot worse. The conversation replays in my mind as I head back to my bedroom where Victoria is hopefully still sleeping. Freakin’ Wade blabbed, but I can’t even be angry with him. I was the one who put us on full display last night. And I don’t regret it. It was way past due—everyone needed to know she’s off-limits.
Stepping into my room, I close the door behind me, thrilled when I see her still curled up in my bed, clothed in my T-shirt.
Slipping under the covers, I entangle my body with hers, letting out a deep sigh as I relax against her. I’m so glad the conversation is over, but I have an inkling that even though Asher didn’t kick my ass, our friendship isn’t fully intact. Time. I just need time to show him how it’ll be. I’ll be good for her and loyal to him. No more lies. No more hiding. My hand slips under the T-shirt, stroking my palm up the silky skin of her back. Sex and sleep. That’s all that’s on the agenda. Everything else can wait
.
However, there is one thing I can’t wait to do. If it makes me a chump, I’ll accept the title with a smile on my face.
Stirring, she snuggles closer to me, tucking her face against my chest.
“What’s on the agenda for today?” I ask.
“Nothing, but I should probably go.”
Groaning, I pull her tighter to me. “No. You need to stay here. Or better yet, let me take you on a long-overdue date.” She shifts, looking up to me. “He knows. I went to tell him but Wade beat me to it.”
“How did it go?”
“He didn’t kick my ass, so it went well,” I tease, but she doesn’t smile. An anxious look clouds her face. “He’s pissed about the lies, that we didn’t tell him sooner. He was still a little puffed up when he left, but the important thing is he didn’t tell me to stay away from you. Not that I would’ve listened anyhow.”
She lowers her head, hiding her eyes as she tucks her face back against my chest.
“He’ll forgive me eventually. And you have sister credit, so he’s probably already forgiven you.”
“Doubt it.”
“I’m sure he has.” I hope. Time to talk about the good part. “So, where are we going on our first official date?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It should.” Why do I care more about this than she does? I really am a chump. A happy one though.
“I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just crazy to think we don’t have to sneak around anymore.”
“It’s long overdue.”
“It’s too good to be true.”
“Well, it’s true. So, how about you get dressed, and I’ll swing by your house to pick you up. Leave all the details to me.”