“Oh, it is,” Marcy answered so confidently it sent unease skittering over Jaike’s spine. “You just haven’t found someone you’re willing to trust yourself to.”
The elevator doors slid open then, saving Jaike from replying.
“Hey. You okay?” Worry underscored her friend’s tone. Behind Marcy were the mirrored walls of the elevator, its full-length reflection displaying the slim back that her friend’s beaded gold dress exposed, together with Marcy’s shapely legs, a direct contrast to how Jaike was covered virtually head to toe. An embarrassment really, considering Florida’s weather.
“Yes.” No. Not really, Jaike thought with a heavy heart as she got out of the elevator. But she couldn’t tell Marcy something so disloyal.
Outside Blake Hall, Jaike and Marcy stopped by the nearest lamppost as Marcy lit a stick.
“What are you going to do now that the little—-” Marcy sighed, seeing Jaike’s warning look. “—-I mean your AWOL boyfriend won’t be coming over?”
“I still have a couple of papers to research—-” Jaike grimaced at her friend’s groan. “What? You know I hate TV, I hate surfing the Internet, and I hate listening to music.”
Marcy took a long drag from her cigarette. “Why am I friends with you? I just don’t understand why. I’ve tried and I’ve tried to be the bad influence everyone thinks I am but I’m not! You’re un-influenceable!”
“That’s not even a word.”
“And you’re still not letting me influence you,” Marcy muttered.
“Trust me,” Jaike murmured with a twist of her lips, the irony of her friend’s words something only she could enjoy. “You don’t need to influence me. I’ve got my bad side, too.”
Marcy threw her cigarette butt into the trash bin. “Yeah, yeah, so bad you can’t even make yourself skip classes if you’re not on your deathbed.” Arranging the strap of her bag around her wrist, she asked, “Why not come with me to the party?”
“No, thank you.” She didn’t even have to think about her answer. She hated it that much.
“You’ll enjoy yourself, I promise,” Marcy wheedled.
“Nope.”
“Please?”
“Marcy—-”
“We’ll just stay for, like, thirty minutes, max! Please?” Marcy batted her eyelashes at Jaike, and even she wasn’t immune to the pitiful expression that her friend had perfected over the years. Maybe she should practice it herself. Maybe getting goo-goo eyed at Angelo could reform his un-boyfriend-like ways.
She answered with a sigh, “I don’t think it’s a good idea. Angelo doesn’t like it—-”
Marcy’s expression became steely. “Now I’m not taking no for an answer.” She started dragging Jaike with her. “We are going whether you like it or not, and if you turn me down now we are not going to be friends again.”
“What are you, twelve?”
“No. I’m a hot 21 year old with a twelve-year-old mind.”
Jaike shook her head, knowing it was pointless to argue when Marcy had that look on her face. “At least promise me you won’t leave me alone like the last time.”
“I just wanted you to mingle.”
“Marcy, if you’re going to leave me again—-”
Marcy caught Jaike’s arm just as she turned around to go back to the dorm. “Okay, fine! I’m not going to leave you alone this time.” She cast an eye on Jaike’s appearance, her mouth turning down.
Jaike glanced down at her clothes. Pink buttoned-up blouse, loose slacks, and slacks. “This is fine enough. I don’t want to go back just to change.”
Without warning, Marcy pulled Jaike’s ponytail off, unleashing her long dark brown hair on her shoulders, the rest of it tumbling down her back in thick waves.
“Marcy!”
But Marcy was busy fluffing Jaike’s hair, the way her friend liked to do with her own. “There,” she said with satisfaction. “That’s better. You still look like a nerd but at least you look like a nerd who’s trying to fit in.”
Jaike snorted.
Marcy looked grossed out. “Stop that, you know I hate—-”
She grinned – then snorted again.
“Sheesh! Who’s the 12-year-old now? I can’t believe the uni’s given you their top scholarship.” Marcy continued with her complaints all the way to Eric’s pad.
“Don’t yawn,” Marcy ordered as she pressed the buzzer.
Jaike snapped her mouth shut just as a redheaded guy she didn’t know opened the door. His face brightened at the sight of Marcy’s smile and he immediately stepped to the side to let them in.
The walls’ varnished wood paneling made the living room appear more spacious, and the cream and leather overtones lent it an elegant taste. Or at least it was should have looked elegant if there weren’t beer bottles and used paper plates scattered all over the room. The floor was a mess, the carpeted tiles stained by vomit and heaven knew what else. Jaike’s OC tendencies for cleanliness kicked in, her body feeling itchy all over.
“Yo, Marcy!”
“Looking good, girl!”
There were more of that for Marcy as they made their way further in, stepping over bodies of those who had passed out on the floor and squeezing past couples making out.
Wolf whistles followed them as they reached the table where the beer cans were stacked next to opened boxes of pizza. Marcy didn’t bat an eyelash at the adulation, taking it all as her due. No one seemed to notice her beside Marcy, but Jaike didn’t mind it at all.
The entire place was crowded, all the way to the poolside lounge, where couples danced to mixes by the DJ from the university’s radio station. Eric’s pad smelled of booze and nicotine, which made Jaike a little dizzy. The music switching from hip hop to heavy metal didn’t help either, the loud thuds becoming a prelude to what was fast becoming a major headache.
Would Marcy get mad if she left without saying anything? Clearly, tagging along was a huge mistake. She just did not fit in this kind of scene. For one thing, everyone seemed to be wearing layers of glitter and body oil. Standing next to them, Jaike felt like she was a block of wood surrounded by gemstones.
Here, she thought morosely, was probably another reason Angelo was standing her up more often than usual. She chewed on her lip, wondering if it was time to try shedding off even just a bit of her hang-ups. Perhaps could try being more outgoing. She wanted to be an asset to Angelo, not a brick around his neck.
Her phone buzzed with a default tone, one that made the small clique of girls at the other end of the table titter.
“I told you to change your ring tone,” Marcy whispered to her.
“I don’t have the time,” Jaike said, still fumbling inside her larger-than-life bag for her phone.
“You mean you don’t want to make time.” Marcy sighed in consternation. “And would you pleeeeeeeaaaaaase bring a smaller bag next time? You don’t have to carry your whole house with you all the time!”
“I’m not.” Then she added honestly without looking up, “But I want to if that’s possible.”
“Two words: control freak.”
“Aha!” After three minutes, Jaike had finally found her phone – the tiniest Blackberry model, which she had purchased because it was exceptionally light. It was Angelo, telling her not to wait up for his phone call tonight. Her heart ached a little at the curt tone of his message. Something was so goddamn wrong between them, but she just couldn’t figure out what it was.
Returning the phone to her bag, she looked up to find Marcy gone.
“Seriously?” Jaike muttered to herself as she hastily scanned the room. Dammit! The no-good liar! She was so going to get Marcy for this the moment she found her friend in the crowd, which seemed to have grown ten times more in size since they had come in. It made her head throb even more painfully.
Yes, this was definitely a headache – and it was on its way to developing into a full-fledged migraine.
“Koukla mou.”
The hairs on her nape stood up at the so
und of the low deep voice coming from behind her with its faint Greek accent and teasing undertone.
The flawed part of her responded to the voice instantly, body softening in recognition as if it had found the missing half of her soul. But the sensible part of her veered away from it just as quickly, and Jaike scanned the crowded room again, this time searching for a place to hide.
“Are you really going to pretend you don’t hear me?”
Yes, she was, for her sanity. She clenched her teeth, hating the melodramatic turn of her thoughts. It was always, always like this with him. She quickened her pace, but it was just too late.
“Jaike.” It was louder this time, wicked amusement lacing her name, and drawing more attention to them. She could feel heads turning, ears attuned to gossip twitching.
“Are you avoiding me?”
Chapter Two
Pinning a smile to her face, she whirled around, her headache gone but her stomach queasy when she found herself gazing into dark blue-gray eyes that always seemed to uncomfortably see through her.
Jaike quickly looked away before she could see more in those eyes. Everything in them was a danger to her, a threat to the self-control she had worked so hard for.
“Having a nice time avoiding me?” A lazy smile accompanied the words, turning them into an innuendo.
“I wasn’t avoiding you.” She hated how he made it seem like they were playing a game of hide-and-seek, like she wanted to run away so he could go after her.
“That’s too bad. I like the idea of running after you.” Derek paused meaningfully, as if wanting her to fully experience the electric current that went through her body at his words. “I’ve gotten good at it over the years.”
And she obviously had gotten worse at dodging him.
Derek Christopoulos was the guy every girl in the university dreamt of. But to Jaike, he was her worst nightmare simply because he made her feel so disloyal to Angelo. Even the emotions Derek evoked in her were different. Angelo filled her being with serene peace. He had made her feel safe and cherished – or at least he used to. But Derek was the opposite, disturbing her like an emotional tornado, one bent on exposing Jaike’s secret flawed side at any cost.
“Nothing to say to that?” Derek crowded her shamelessly, uncaring of the incredulous glances that went their way as he stalked her, forcing Jaike to move backward. He was a few inches taller than Angelo, but unlike Jaike’s sweet and gentle boyfriend Derek liked to use his intimidating height to his advantage.
He cornered her whenever she could, like he did now, as if wanting her to feel small and powerless next to him. Worse, she liked feeling that way, loved how he could so easily crush her but knowing he wouldn’t. And he knew it.
“You’re too close,” she said between clenched teeth. With Derek so near, all she could think of was how large he was, how hard—-
A tiny cry escaped her when she bumped accidentally into something from behind. She turned her head around just in time to see a pyramid of empty beer cans toppling onto the table. When Jaike looked back, Derek had imprisoned her in the circle of his arms, his hands holding the edge of the table at each side of her.
“I’m serious.” And she was, even if she sounded a little too breathless than what was right.
Derek smirked. “Did you come alone?” Every word that dropped from his lips felt like an invitation to make love. He was so intensely sexual Jaike had trouble breathing normally around him.
“No.” It was so, so hard to keep her voice from shaking, and harder not to stare at Derek when he was this close. Hardest of all to ignore was the heat he exuded, enticing her to touch any part of his ruggedly toned body. He was muscled all over, and his tight black shirt and hip-hugging jeans made no secret of it.
He leaned close, his breath fanning her face as he whispered, “Want me to keep you company?”
That look, that voice, those words.
They were the reasons why Jaike hated being around Derek Christopoulos, would rather be anywhere else but near him. He made her feel clumsy and awkward, unable to decide where she should look or what was safe to touch.
“Nothing to say?” Look was such a tame word to describe how Derek’s eyes devoured her. There was never an instance he didn’t gaze at Jaike as if he possessed her, body and soul, and he was simply biding his time before he claimed ownership.
She needed to get away from Derek. Fast. Before her tumultuous emotions caused her to do something she’d forever regret.
“Get out of my way, Derek.” Jaike winced at how weak she sounded.
“Not until you say please.”
She bared her teeth. “Please.”
Several heartbeats passed before Derek slowly drew back, his arms releasing her from his prison. He gave her a heart-stopping grin. “That was the first time I heard a girl say ‘please’ like she wanted to kill me.”
Jaike scowled, just so she wouldn’t accidentally smile.
But he saw through her, and his laugh said as much.
When he didn’t show any signs of leaving, she almost pleaded, “Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere else?”
Derek raised a brow. “Why do you say that?”
She said baldly, “You don’t go to parties without a date.”
“That was before.” His gaze challenged her to ask the obvious follow-up question to his words.
She didn’t take up the gauntlet he tossed at her, but the silence that followed only made her feel more skittish. She wanted to look around for Marcy. Her friend’s vivaciousness would allow her to blend back into the background. Angelo was like that, too. He took care of small talk whenever they were out, and she liked it that way.
“So...” She felt like she had to say something again. “Were you here long?”
“Not that long.” A slow sexy wink followed. “But I would never mind waiting longer if I knew you’d be coming.”
“Stop saying things like that!” She scowled at him even as her body finally succumbed to the teasing seduction in Derek’s tone, her nipples hardening, her breasts aching for the unknown feel of his touch.
His eyes trailed down, causing her nipples to stretch longer, poking against the cups of her bra. “Oh, but I think I should.”
“You can’t say stuff like that. It’s not right,” she muttered, hating how only someone as insanely confident as Derek Christopoulos could say something like that without sounding cheesy.
Derek raised a brow. “What’s not right about it?”
“Because I have a boyfriend, that’s why!”
Derek stopped smiling.
The sight of it made Jaike instantly regret her words. It wasn’t his fault she was stressed out tonight. Jaike started to apologize, but the words remained stuck in her throat when a familiar figure had crossed her vision.
“Is that...” She tried to sidestep Derek, but he moved to block her way. “Hey! Let me pass.”
“Not until you say ‘sorry’.”
“Sorry.” Then she shoved him aside, taking Derek by surprise.
“Shit! Jaike, don’t—-”
Jaike remembered the last time she had seen her boyfriend.
This morning, Angelo had visited her at her dorm, his eyes widening when he caught her stepping out of the shower with a towel wrapped around her body.
She had cried out in surprise, turning away to dress because it wasn’t like that between them. But Angelo had stopped her, his hold firm and commanding, and Jaike slowly faced him again.
“Sit,” he had told Jaike, drawing her to the velvet-cushioned stool in front of her dresser. And then taking the brush from her hand, he had brushed her hair ever so gently, as if he had all the time in the world and wanted to spend every moment of it caring for her.
That Angelo was gone, her memories now overlaid by another image, the present blackening out the past.
Angelo was here, a tall dark figure standing near the doors, a bottle in his hand, his head bent as he gazed at a girl wriggling her ass on his crotch.
Chapter Three
The lascivious picture that Angelo and the unidentified girl painted hurled Jaike’s entire world into chaos. Angelo had been her rock, the one stable presence she depended on and looked up to. But now his role in her life had disintegrated, shattering with every second Angelo did nothing to stop the girl’s obscene take on booty shaking.
“You knew about this?” Jaike asked numbly, sensing Derek’s taut form as he stood next to her. Shame and hurt scalded her cheeks as her heartbeat slowed down into a dull throb.
“No.”
She believed him. In the three years she had known Derek, he had never lied to her, not even if it had been in his better interests to do so.
“I just got here a while ago and I saw him first with another girl. And then I saw you.”
“And then you tried to help him out,” she ended flatly.
Hands settled on her shoulders, forcing her to look back at Derek, whose beautiful face was cold in anger.
Girls were not the only ones who were lovelier when angry, Jaike mused absently. Derek Christopoulos was proof of it. Rage made the angles of his face more defined, his eyes deepening into the color of stormy clouds, and his beautiful lips thinned into a forbidding line.
“I don’t even care if he lives or not. It’s you I care about,” he gritted out.
The last words snatched Jaike out of the reverie she had lost herself in, flinging her back into the painful reality of the present. “I don’t need your pity!”
Derek met her gaze unflinchingly. “Pity is the last thing I feel for you, koukla mou. I’m just pissed that you had to see something like this.”
“I’m not your koukla, whatever that is, so stop calling me that.” It was an absurd thing to say, not to mention a lie, but right now Jaike needed to cling to the absurdities. She was desperate for anything that could blind her to how her boyfriend was practically banging another girl in public.
Derek didn’t reply, his gaze merely following hers, as did everybody else’s. Every person in this party had to know who Angelo was, and they had to have an idea who she was. But not one of them seemed incline to put a stop to Angelo’s source of private entertainment.
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