But more than that, I can feel it. I can feel how upset she is. I sit down across from her, wondering if this is about Kylie.
Kylie slides in next to her. “Hey, Selene. What’s going on?”
“Fucking Matthew,” Selene says.
My back and shoulders tense.
“What happened?” Kylie asks.
“He dumped me this morning.”
Anger sears through me and I clench my fists.
“What?” Kylie says. “You’re kidding.”
Selene shakes her head and bites her lip. I can tell she’s trying not to cry. “No, I’m serious.” She takes a shaky breath. “Why do I do this to myself? Every guy I date is just like him, some wannabe player with a hot body and a bank account. I have my own fucking bank account, so why do I always end up with these men who think their money excuses all their bullshit?”
“What did he say?” Kylie asks. “You guys just went to Mexico. What’s up with that?”
Selene takes a sip of her drink. “I have no clue. He didn’t give a reason. He didn’t even tell me in person. He texted first, but I called him. Who the hell breaks up with someone with a fucking text?”
I shift uncomfortably in my seat. I’ve definitely done that.
Selene sniffs. “I knew things weren’t going well before we went to Mexico, but we had such a great time when we were away. I don’t know what happened.”
Kylie puts her arm around Selene and meets my eyes. She shakes her head, just enough that I can see. We can’t tell Selene. Not right now.
I want to smash that Matthew bastard’s goddamn head into a wall. I knew he was going to do this to her; I could tell the first time I met him. He wasn’t serious about her.
He was too much like me. At least, the me before Kylie.
Not that there was anything I could do about it. Kylie and I danced around the subject of each other’s relationships, but Selene just gets pissed when I try to tell her the guy she’s dating is an asshole. Even if I can spot them a fucking mile away.
I let the girls chat a bit longer while I calm down. I don’t trust myself to talk yet. I get so angry when Selene is hurt. I want to break something. She’s keeping it together pretty well, but I can feel her distress. I wish she’d quit dating these smug assholes who always leave her.
“I need to get my mind off this,” Selene says. She straightens and swipes her fingers beneath her eyes. “I’m sick of being a crybaby over these dipshits. Fuck them. Let’s talk about something else. What’s up with your guy, Kylie? When do we get to meet the man who beat out Derek Marshall?”
Kylie’s eyes widen with alarm and it’s all I can do not to let a smug smile cross my face.
Fuck yeah, I beat out Derek Marshall.
“Oh, right,” Kylie says. “No, that’s not really anything. It’s no big deal.”
“Come on, Kylie, give me something,” Selene says. “What? Is he, like, dumb as a rock with a big dick? Is that why we can’t meet him?”
Kylie laughs, meeting my eyes. “Yeah, huge. The sex is off the charts.”
I have to stop myself from smiling again.
“Good for you, babe. One of us should be getting some.” Selene’s eyes move to me. “You’re being quiet.”
You’re mad. Focus on mad. “I want to punch Matthew in the teeth.”
Selene sighs and leans her head on Kylie’s shoulder. “I know. I should just let you at him.”
“Selene, you need to adjust your standards,” Kylie says. “Take some time for you, but when you’re ready to get back in the game, quit with the pretty boys. Find someone different.”
“Hey, you committed to different, and you wound up with a fuck fling you won’t introduce to your friends.”
“Yeah, but, that’s … different,” Kylie says. “He’s different for me.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not judging,” Selene says. “Have your fun, girl. And I know you’re right. I’m such a sucker for the wrong men.”
“What do you need?” Kylie asks. “Wanna go back to your house and drink?”
“Yeah, but I think I want fries first,” she says.
“Atta girl,” Kylie says, and rubs her hand across Selene’s back.
Kylie meets my eyes again and gives me a tight-lipped smile.
As much as I want to tell Selene what’s going on, it doesn’t feel right. Tonight, she needs us. And I always give my sister what she needs.
A new song comes on and people cheer—Monster Mash. We’ve been listening to a steady stream of cheesy Halloween music, but I guess it fits. Selene decided to go all-out and throw a huge Halloween party, and she’s definitely outdone herself. She brought in a decorator to transform her house into a mass of black sheets, pumpkins, ghosts, spider webs, and twinkling orange and purple lights. She even hired a guy to bartend. He’s dressed like a zombie doctor, with some very convincing makeup, but his drinks are damn good.
Everyone is in costume. I think half the women went to the same section at the costume store—I see a sexy nurse, sexy cop, sexy French maid (although, is there any other kind?), sexy librarian. Some tall chick I don’t know is a Playboy bunny. The guys are dressed up as everything from superheroes and vampires to a dude in a scary clown costume who I wish would just leave already.
I fucking hate clowns.
I went all-out, too, with an old-school Wonder Woman costume. I’m not really tall enough, but I do have the long, dark hair. And hell, my boobs look amazing in this thing. I have the strapless bodysuit, knee high boots, and I even have a gold whip tied at my hip. It’s kind of kinky. I picked it because Braxton will be here, and he’ll have to look at me in this thing all night—without touching me.
Of course, my plan to spend the evening teasing him would work a lot better if he were actually here.
I know he’s coming. I saw him a few hours ago. But I went back to my apartment to change so he wouldn’t see my costume before the party. I’ve been here for a while, sipping a weird purple drink that’s dangerously good, and I haven’t seen any sign of him.
Selene is rocking a smoking hot witch getup, with a tiny black skirt that shows off her crazy long legs, and a corset with a sparkling silver spider webs all over it. Her lips are deep red, and she has long false eyelashes that make her look pretty wicked. She’s hanging out with a few people she must know from work, because I’m not sure who they are. It’s good to see her having fun. She bounced back from Matthew pretty well—I think it helped that she knew the end was coming. I hope she listens to me and tries to find a guy who isn’t such a player next time. Selene’s fucking amazing—she deserves someone great.
A wave seems to ripple through the party and I glance toward the front door to see what’s going on. People step aside, and in walks Braxton.
That fucker. He totally one-upped me.
He’s dressed as Magic Mike, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans and a tie, showing off his broad chest and rippling abs. His skin glistens, and his jeans sit low, revealing the top of that delicious V.
I clench my thighs together against the rush of heat. My panties are instantly drenched.
At least half the party stares at him. The Playboy Bunny girl almost drops her drink, her mouth hanging open. Even the guy she was talking to watches him open-mouthed. Braxton catches my eye, one corner of his mouth turning up in a smirk.
I’m going to kill him.
I make a show of looking away, and take a sip of my drink. I watch him from the corner of my eye. He says hi to a few people, making his way toward his sister.
Selene points at him and laughs when she catches sight of him. He goes in to hug her and she balks, pushing him away.
“Hey, looks like we belong together.”
I turn to find a guy in a Superman costume smiling at me.
“What?”
“Wonder Woman,” he says, gesturing at my costume.
“Oh, right, Superman,” I say.
“That’s a great look on you,” he says.
; Uh-oh. I didn’t even think about what to do if a guy hit on me. Brax and I are still on the down-low, and we’re not about to go public in the middle of Selene’s party. I glance in Braxton’s direction, but he’s still talking to Selene.
“Thanks,” I say, looking away so I don’t appear interested.
“Can I get you another drink?” he asks.
“Oh, no thanks, I’m good.” I hold up my half-full cup.
He steps closer. “I’m Paul. Care to give up your secret identity?”
Man of Steel here is not getting the hint, but I don’t want to be rude. “Kylie.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Kylie,” he says. He holds out a hand and I take it. He starts to shake, then brings the backs of my fingers up to his lips and kisses my hand.
I snatch my hand back. “Paul, it’s very nice to meet you, but—”
Paul’s eyes widen, and I stop mid-sentence. Someone is suddenly standing very close behind me, and I don’t have to turn around to know who it is.
“Hey, Kylie,” Braxton says. His hand brushes my ass and I try not to gasp. He’s standing so close that I feel a little dizzy.
“Hi, Braxton,” I say, barely resisting the urge to run my hands all over his abs.
Braxton shifts so he’s next to me and stares at my boobs, making zero attempt to hide what he’s doing. “Holy shit, you look hot as fuck in that thing.”
My mouth drops open. Does he not remember we’re supposed to keep this quiet?
“Um, wow,” Paul says. “Kylie and I were having a conversation here.”
Braxton looks over at Paul, then back at me. “Shit, I can’t compete with Superman. You two have fun.” He quirks an eyebrow at me and saunters away.
I watch him go, my mouth still hanging open.
“Who the fuck was that guy?” Paul says.
I can’t stop staring at Braxton’s ass in those jeans. “What? Oh, that’s Braxton. He’s Selene’s brother.”
“Kind of a dick, isn’t he?” Paul asks.
I laugh, my eyes still on Brax. “You have no idea.”
Paul looks back and forth between Braxton and me a couple of times, then shakes his head and walks away.
A girl in a purple genie costume walks up to Braxton. I take a sip of my drink, trying to pretend like I’m not watching them. He smiles at her, but angles his body away when she tries to move closer. His eyes dart to me and I arch one eyebrow. His shoulders tense up, and he rubs the back of his neck. He shoots another quick glance in my direction.
Oh, this is fantastic. He actually looks uncomfortable.
The girl reaches out to touch his arm, a classic flirty move, and he flinches. Under different circumstances, I’d be pissed, but I know he wore that so-called costume to torture me, so I love that it’s backfiring on him.
Selene sidles up next to me and slips her arm through mine.
“Having fun?” she asks.
I blink, trying to act like I wasn’t just staring at her brother. “Yeah, this is a great party. The decor is fantastic.”
“Thanks,” she says. “I’d take credit, but I just paid a guy to do it for me. It does look pretty amazing, though. I should do this every year.”
“Definitely,” I say.
“God, look at him,” Selene says, gesturing toward Braxton. He’s still talking to the genie girl, and two others linger nearby. “He’s such an attention whore.”
“Yeah, he is.”
“I wonder which one of those poor girls he’s going to hook up with tonight,” Selene says. “Although it almost seems like he’s been going through a dry spell lately. No, that’s probably my imagination. He never goes through dry spells.”
Nope, definitely not a dry spell. I try to sound uninterested. “Who knows?”
“What do women see in him, anyway?” she asks.
I really wish we weren’t discussing him like this. “Well, he’s your brother, so you just don’t see him that way.”
“I guess,” she says. “So, still seeing the dumb guy with the big dick?”
I laugh. “Um, I don’t know. Maybe? I guess?”
Selene looks at me and I almost blurt it out. I’m with your brother and I love him!
“Hey, Tina is here! I have to go say hi.” She flits off in her stilettos.
I blow out a breath. That was close.
I wander around for a while, chatting with people I know. These purple drinks go down so easy, I have a couple more. Braxton circles opposite me, always keeping distance between us. He meets my eyes and winks once in a while, but he doesn’t come near. The women of the party never let up, a new one darting in to talk to him every time another walks away. If he wanted attention, he’s certainly getting it. It’s weird to see girls flirt with him so openly without feeling the least bit jealous. They don’t know he’s mine, but I sure do.
And by the looks he keeps giving me, so does he.
After a while, I take my empty cup back to the makeshift bar in the kitchen. Zombie Doctor guy asks if I want another purple thing, but I grab an ice water and take a few sips. I need to hydrate or I’m going to regret it tomorrow.
Out of nowhere, Braxton appears next to me. We both stand against the island, facing out toward the rest of the party.
He leans down to speak quietly in my ear. “I don’t know how much longer I can look at you dressed like that. Did you do that on purpose?”
Tingles run down my spine and I look him up and down. “Yes, but yours is worse.”
He cracks a smile. “I don’t know about that. Those magnificent tits of yours are driving me crazy.”
I start feeling flushed, and I take another sip of water. “Look at you. Every woman in this place wants to fuck your brains out.”
He kisses my neck, right below my ear. “I only want you, baby girl.”
“Brax, quit it, someone will see.”
“Selene went outside.” He kisses my neck again and nips my ear with his teeth. He tugs on the lasso at my hip. “I want to tie you up with this and fuck you until you can’t breathe.”
I take a deep breath, my pussy throbbing. “We’re at a party, Brax.”
“I need you, Ky,” he says into my ear, his voice rough. “I need you right fucking now.”
I’m about to suggest we get out of here and go back to his place, but I don’t think I can wait. “Where?”
“My room.”
“Selene blocked off the stairs with decorations,” I say.
“Garage,” he growls. “I’ll go first. Meet me in sixty seconds.”
I wait near the kitchen, my heart hammering. Braxton walks away, heading toward the door to the garage. It’s near the front entrance, the door itself around a corner and out of sight of this side of the house. The girl in the nurse costume stops him, but he extricates himself pretty quickly. He disappears around the corner and I count to sixty, my eyes flicking around, looking for signs of anyone who might notice me heading in the same direction.
Selene comes in from the back deck, and I duck past the other guests before she sees me. No one is in the front entryway, so I open the door leading into the garage and slip through.
He’s waiting for me just inside. He pushes the door shut and we’re drenched in darkness.
“God, it’s so hard to keep my hands off you,” he says, pushing me up against the door. He kisses down my neck and slips a hand into my bodysuit, cupping my breast.
I run my hands up and down his chest and abs, feeling the hard edges of his muscle. “This is really unfair to the rest of humanity. No one should be this perfect.”
Braxton’s mouth comes to mine and he overpowers me with his kiss. All thought flees. There’s nothing left but his lips and tongue, his body pressing against me. His hand grips the back of my neck, firm but gentle, and he devours me.
I’m entirely his.
Braxton yanks on the Velcro on the back of my costume, ripping it off.
“This door doesn’t lock,” I say breathlessly. “What if someone comes in?”
“They won’t.”
I can’t see a thing. I kick off my costume, dropping the whip with it, and pull off my thong. I’m panting, desperate for him. I hear his zipper, and the next thing I know he’s holding me up, pressing my back against the cold door. I wrap my legs around him and he drives his cock inside me.
As soon as our bodies lock together, I feel whole. He pauses, holding me tight, his cock buried in my pussy. His breath is hot on my neck.
I love needing him so much. I would have fucked him in the bathroom or a closet if I had to. I love the way he fills me, unmakes me. I’m floating in bliss, high on the feel of his body melding with mine.
I don’t ever want it to end.
In the darkness, every sensation is heightened. He takes out the tension of the evening on me, fucking me relentlessly. Like he needs to show me, again, what he feels. How hungry he is for me. How desperately he needs me.
The music thumps through the door, drowning us out. I breathe his name, my mouth close to his ear, and dig my fingers into his back. He feels so good, I’m delirious, drunk on his love. We come together, our bodies stiffening, shuddering. It’s almost too much.
He lowers me to the floor, but doesn’t let go, holding me tight against him. He kisses my neck, my jaw, finds my lips. His tongue caresses mine, soft and slow. I keep my arms around his neck, my body pressed against him.
Finally, he pulls away. “Better?” I ask.
“For now,” he says, his voice throaty and low.
I laugh. “Is there a light? I don’t know where the costume went.”
Braxton flicks a light switch and I squint against the sudden glare. We must be quite a sight: Brax with his pants around his ankles, his chest glistening. Me dressed in nothing but red-and-gold knee-high boots.
“Oh, shit,” he says with a laugh, as he pulls up his pants.
“What?”
He puts his hand along my cheek and pulls me in for another deep kiss. “You’re a mess. You look like you just got fucked.”
I grab my costume off the floor. He finds a package of paper towels on a shelf and helps me clean up before I put the bodysuit back on. I do my best to smooth down my hair, but I’m sure my cheeks are flushed. If Selene corners me, I guess I can blame drinking too much.
Always Have: (Bad Boy Romance) Page 14