I frown. “I don’t know. Could be about my mom, I’m about to try and call her right now. If not that, then it’s about the fight with the fuckhead in the locker room.”
“He’s been watching you guys all day, you know,” he says, referring to Alex.
“Good. Let him think he can take her, it’ll be that much sweeter when she decides she don’t want him.”
“And if he goes in now while she still does, or if she keeps on wanting him, then what?”
I shove my phone back in my pocket, my eyes sliding across the room where Demi is. “Then I find a reason to force her to stay.”
“Blackmail?”
I look to my friend. “If I have to.”
Trent shakes his head with a sigh. “You need to be careful, Nic. For real.”
“I told you to let me worry about this.”
“I’m tryin’, my man,” he says, eyeing me a moment before changing the subject. “You goin’ to your room first or straight over to the party area?”
I look to Demi who laughs, letting go of Carley’s legs so she can slide off, ending the piggyback ride she was giving her.
“D,” I call.
She says something to the girls and heads our way, her long hair laying half over her shoulder. She bumps into Trent, smiling at him briefly when he chuckles.
I frown, pulling her attention back to me. “You goin’ to your room first?”
“Hell yeah. I can’t dance in this thing.” She pats her hips.
“Restrictive attire on the front liner?” Trent teases her.
“I know, right?” She smiles. “Blame Macy. She made me wear it.”
“She make you leave the underwear behind too?” I bite out.
Trent’s eyes go wide, as do hers, and while he clears his throat and walks away, Demi prickles.
She waits until he’s far enough away before she steps toward me. “What the hell was that?”
“Nothing.” I tip my head back. “Shouldn’t have let him in on that.”
My phone starts ringing again, and her eyes fall to my pocket a moment before coming back.
“So why did you then?”
“Don’t ask stupid questions.”
Her head tugs back and she opens her mouth to speak but pauses, bringing herself even closer instead. “I’ve never been able to figure you out,” she whispers.
I push against her chest. “You sayin’ you’ve tried, Little D?”
She tilts her chin, observing me with a feisty fire. “I might have answered that if nice Nico was standing in front of me. It’s one thing – still shitty – to be an ass when it’s just the two of us, but in front of others?” She clicks her tongue. “Better work on your attitude if keeping this charade up is important to you.”
My eyes slim. “That the key, playin’ nice?”
She shakes her head, placing her lips a breath away from mine.
“Don’t play,” she whispers. “Be. You’ve got it in you.”
“Yeah.” I place my hands on her hips lazily. “And how would you know, Pixie?”
She slides free of my grip.
“Your mask slipped today,” she tells me. “You’re not what you pretend to be.”
“And what do I pretend to be?”
“Cold and cavalier.” She eyes me as she steps back. “That’s not you, it’s your go-to defense.”
“Defense from what?”
A small smile plays at her thick lips and her features pull in thought. “I’m not sure yet, but it seems I’ll have time to find out, yeah?”
A heaviness settles over me as I look at her, and I’m not sure what to make of it.
“Wanna know something I decided today?”
I lift my chin.
Tell me.
“I’ve decided... you’re not a total asshole.”
An unexpected chuckle leaves me, and as a result, a pleased smile spreads across her face.
Demi laughs, spins on her heels and catches up with her friends. The three of them take off down the hall, but not before she jerks to a stop, so she can shout over her shoulder. “Find me on the dance floor, Neek!”
Neek, huh.
My muscles lock when the thought is echoed by the last fucking voice I want to hear.
“Neek, huh.”
I glare after her, taking my time to whirl around and face the little bitch behind me.
I step into his space and he doesn’t back away.
“I see you decided to get her ready for me after all.” His lip curls.
“Touch her while she’s mine and I’ll break your fucking fingers. Then you really won’t be catching shit, but hey, at least you’ll have a solid excuse to run home with.”
Alex shoves me, and I let him, stumbling back a few steps.
I smirk, tip my chin and point at his bitch ass. “Catch you later, Hammons. I’ll save a seat for you at breakfast, huh?”
“We’ll see about that.” His eyes harden.
My phone rings again, and a sinister smirk covers his face.
“Better get that, Sykes. Might be trouble at home.”
My jaw clenches, and I reach out, gripping him by the collar and tugging him in. “Watch yourself, Alex. If you haven’t noticed, I’m done with your bullshit. Done. You’re not untouchable, even though you think you are, so go ahead, play your fucking game, I’ll be here playing it better.” I shove off him, and he stumbles, hitting his back against the wall. “Tell your pops I said hi, motherfucker.”
I take a few backward steps before turning and heading for my room.
Fuck him.
I’ve just got the door closed and am tugging off my shirt when my phone rings again, but I ignore it and dial my mom instead.
As I figured, she sleeps through the call.
I toss it on the dresser where it’ll stay the rest of the night and run my hands down my face.
This is what he wants, me to stress the entire fucking weekend, to ruin any chill time I might have. All I wanted was a damn day to forget, but I guess that was too much to ask.
Demi said I come off cold and careless.
I’m not.
I don’t speak because my thoughts are constantly racing, my fucked-up reality sitting at the forefront of my mind at all times.
I work my ass off at sports to try and get picked up by a college team, even though I likely can’t accept any offer that may come in.
If I go, who stays here to watch after my mom?
I can’t leave her alone, my dad is already slowly killing her, and she refuses to see it, refuses to let him go even though he has a new home and wife and preferred son, a better version of me, as he loves to say.
I drop back on my mattress, staring up at the cracked ceiling.
Demi and her friend’s loud laughter floats beneath the adjoining door of our rooms and despite my shitty fucking mood, the corner of my lip tips up.
I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop.
I close my eyes, take a deep breath and let it out.
Fuck it.
I’m taking a few more hours, shoving everything to the back of my mind, and dealing with the damage of it all later.
Krista fans her face, nodding toward the tables, so we all step off the dance floor for a quick break so they can catch their breath.
She steers us where the guys are huddled near the open bar.
Krista drops onto Trent’s lap, the others grabbing an open seat around him while I hop up, sitting on the edge of the table.
“Damn, Dem. You’ve got Krista breathing all hard,” Trent jokes.
“You try keeping up with her ass out there and look at Carley,” Krista says. “She’s sweating more than I am.”
“I’m a sweater, asshole, and you know I can outrun you,” Carley throws back.
“True, but still.” Krista laughs, downing half a water bottle before sipping on Trent’s drink.
“Dude, Nico is the fastest on the team, too.” Macy gasps, glancing
his way. “You guys could prolly go all night if you tried.”
My mouth drops open, but then Nico is suddenly in front of me, pushing my knees open so he can slide between them. I stare, unmoving and a little buzzed, as his fingers come up to lift my chin.
“Stamina is key,” he says, all deep and gravelly like. “Ain’t it, baby?”
My muscles tighten unexpectedly, and I have to remind myself to nod.
It’s delayed and beyond obvious.
The chuckles from around the table have my hand coming up to push his away, and a breathy laugh escapes me.
“Let’s go back out there, but with the boys. My dad told them to pull the plug at one.” Krista hops up.
The rest of the group stands, and they all rush off, but Nico continues to block me in, his attention on their retreating bodies before it moves back to me.
“Not a sex kitten, she said,” he says with a heavy rasp. “Gotta tell you, if hip-hop is your jam, club shit is your spirit. Not sure how I missed that.”
I blink innocently. “So much to learn.”
“Trust me, D, I know plenty.”
“What, you spy on me from that window of yours, Neek?”
His smirk is instant and my jaw drops, a laugh bubbling from me.
“Oh my god, you do, you perv.” I hit his chest playfully.
“Not my fault you get half naked and have sex with the air in my line of sight.”
I laugh loudly, dropping my head back. “Sex with the air. Nice.”
His gaze falls to my neck, slowly and seductively lowering from there.
Suddenly, with his head still pointed downward, his eyes pop up to meet mine through thick, dark, lashes.
It’s too much.
I clear my throat. “Do you dance?”
He gives a slow nod.
“Show me.”
“Nah.”
I frown. “Why not?”
A smug expression slides over his face. “’Cause my girl would dance for me, not ask me to dance with her.”
I roll my eyes as I jump down, but his body is a barrier and unbudging, so all it does is smash my hips against his.
He cuts a quick glance to my lips.
“You couldn’t handle it if I did,” I tell him.
He brings his mouth close. “I could handle all of you, Pixie. Believe that.”
I squish my lips to the side, pushing him away slightly to get some air between us, and this time he allows it.
“Good thing fake boyfriends don’t have to prove things to their fake girlfriends,” I whisper. “Now, are you ready to get schooled?”
“You think so, huh?”
“I know so, Neek. Like the field is your home, an open space is mine.”
Nico licks his lips. “Okay, pro. Let’s go.”
He walks backward toward the dance floor, reaching for my hand.
I slide mine into his, and he tugs me to him, his hold quickly shifting to my waist. “Time for my girl to show me what she’s made of.”
“Make sure to keep up.” I turn in his hold, my back now to his chest.
“Quit talking, D.” He gives a small squeeze. “Move.”
I chuckle, doing just that.
My hands stay in front of me and I swing my hips back and forth, slightly swaying in and out with each movement. When Nico keeps up, his grip firm, I add a little more of a bend, arching my back.
The song changes and the extremely played out but highly effective for this moment, “Low” by Flo Rida comes on. I know instantly it’s Krista’s doing, it’s her go-to hype song.
A grin splits across my lips, and I wink at Nico over my shoulder.
I lock my feet in place on the ground and shake my ass lightly against him, and his hands slip farther around to my front before slowly sliding up my ribs, down my stomach, then his fingers slide into the loops of my shorts, but I break free. I step out half a foot and drop down only to pop back up and do it again, swaying my hips on the way up the second time.
When his chest suddenly slams into my back, I laugh, dropping my head back, but my laughter trails off as I’m caught in his eyes.
Low and dark and on me.
His hand begins trailing along my arm, until he reaches my fingertips where he links our fingers together and slowly wraps our intertwined hands behind his head.
I take his cue, and lock my palms across his neck, grinding against him as his hand makes its way back to my hips, eyes still holding mine hostage.
When he pumps his hips, causing me to jolt slightly forward, I laugh.
I spin in his arms, bringing us face to face, but we keep moving.
He licks his lips, his top teeth tucking his bottom one in for a second.
I smirk, running my hands up his shoulders and holding them at the base of his hair.
I glance around finding several eyes on us.
“People are watching.”
“They see.”
I look to him. “See what?”
“Chemistry.”
I lean in and he stops moving.
I whisper, “Mr. Brando would be proud.”
Nico starts busting up laughing, his hands sliding higher, and pulling my chest against him.
“You should kiss me now, D. They’re waiting for it.”
I push up to my tippy toes, bringing my mouth to his, and his fingers spread out against my back.
“Not a chance.”
Nico grins, his arms falling from around me as he nods toward the mini bar ran by Krista’s housekeeper.
We step off the dance floor, and grab a quick drink, then wait for the others to join us. Once they have something for themselves, the six of us walk out the side exit and into the cool night air.
Krista’s dad had long stakes placed along the hotel, bright lights wrapped around them to allow us a lit up place to hang out at night, so we kick off our shoes and drop to the sand in the middle of them.
“To the final drink of the weekend.” Krista smiles, lifting her cup in cheers.
Thompson comes out next with a handful of waters he passes around before joining us.
“Thanks, man.” Nico takes two, handing me one.
“Did you see Josie showed up at the boardwalk today?” Krista asks Nico, her eyes cutting to mine quickly.
“Uninvited, I’m bettin’?” he asks her.
I’m pretty sure his response is for my benefit, considering I pretty much accused him of inviting her earlier.
“I sure as hell didn’t ask her to come.” Krista laughs.
“We all know why she came. Her sister is here and told her Nico and Demi hooked up.” All eyes fly to Macy as she says this. “What, it’s true. I’m surprised she didn’t come tonight.”
“She did,” Trent tells us as he looks from me to Nico. “I wasn’t about to let her piss Krista off by fucking with you guys. She had no business coming around the party. The boardwalk...” He shrugs. “Can’t control that.”
“What’d you say to her?” Krista asks.
“Told her to get lost or be embarrassed when security escorted her out.”
Krista grins, looking my way, but I glance at Nico, expecting a small frown or something similar, but he’s talking with Thompson, not even paying attention to – or caring – at all.
“Demi, you and Nic were lighting the floor on fire in there! Super hot, but I expected that.” Krista giggles, leaning against Trent who shakes his head as he wraps his arms around her.
“He surprised me, that’s for sure,” I admit with a grin.
“Bet he’ll keep surprising you.” Macy rolls her hips, digging her ass into the sand.
The others laugh and we break into separate conversations amongst the group.
A few minutes later, Nico’s voice fills my ear.
“I need to go.”
“K,” I whisper back.
“Get up, Demi.”
I pull back, shifting to look at him.
A weighty command stares back, and he doesn’t bother holding i
t in. “You’re coming with me.”
I fight a grin. “Am I, now?”
His eyes slim in warning. “How will it look if I go to bed without my girl on a parentless trip?”
Like a lie.
I nod, and the two of us stand, but before we can say anything, the girls start teasing.
“Oh shit, there they go.”
“Bedroom heat coming our way.”
“Keep the moaning down, would you?”
“Yeah, I don’t wanna hear you and Nico on one side and Krista and Trent on the other.”
“Would you guys shut up.” I scowl, taking Nico by the hand and getting the hell out of there.
They laugh harder, yell louder, and then everyone around is whistling as we step back in the hotel.
I shake my head, grinning as I look to Nico. “So are we gonna hang out?”
“Guarantee your idea of hanging out is nothing like mine.”
“I’m not the prude you think I am, Nico.” When he gives me a bit of a dirty, enquiring look I add, “But I also have no intention of entertaining you either.”
The corner of his mouth lifts slightly, but it’s quickly washed away, a full-fledged glare taking its place.
I face forward, slowing when I spot Alex posted against the wall, only a few doors down from our rooms.
I peek at Nico again, but his expression no longer matches the tension rolling off him. He appears relaxed, poised really, but considering the way his hold on me tightens, I’d say he’s anything but.
We reach Nico’s door, and he slips his hand in his pocket for his keycard but I tug on him.
His jaw flexes, assuming I’m pulling myself free, but when I produce my keycard, he relaxes a little.
I open my door, and Nico keeps his eyes locked with mine as he enters, pausing right beside me. He leans down, skimming his lips across my cheek before disappearing into my room.
As I turn, my stare locks with Alex’s.
He pushes off the frame, and winks, but there’s something hidden behind his grin I can’t quite place, a vibe I’ve never gotten from him that has me looking away before he spots my frown.
I close the door, turning to Nico, wondering for the first time tonight if this is a mistake and more than that, why it doesn’t feel like one.
Nico leans against the small TV stand with a black layered look.
“I figured you left your adjoining door unlocked. This way, when you’re ready, you can go in your room and no one will know we aren’t together,” I explain.
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