AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Party’s over,” he declares, his tone brooking no argument. “Anyone not out in ten minutes is suspended.”
Brielle
A collective gasp shivers through the room, the threat hanging heavy in the air. My heart stutters, panic clawing its way up my throat. Suspended? I can’t afford that, not now, not ever.
“Conrad,” I hiss, grabbing his arm, my fingers digging into his muscle. “We need to go. Now.”
Around us, bodies spring into motion, a frenzied exodus that smells of fear and cheap perfume. It’s a stampede, everyone desperate to avoid Levi’s wrath. And here I am, caught in the current.
“You’re okay, Brielle.” Conrad’s voice is steady, a lifeline amidst the chaos. He steers me through the throng, his presence a shield against the crush of people.
The ground betrays me, my heel catching on something unseen. I teeter, a gasp escaping my lips as the room spins. My vision blurs, alcohol and fear a potent mix that robs me of balance. But before I can meet the cold, hard floor, Conrad’s arms are there, strong and sure.
“Got you,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my ear.
In one smooth motion, he hoists me over his shoulder. The world tilts again, but this time I’m safe in his hold, anchored by the solid weight of his body. His muscles tense beneath my hands, and the familiar scent of him—musk and cedar—fills my senses.
“Conrad,” I mumble, my words slurring together. “Can’t be suspended.”
“Shh, Brielle.” There’s a promise woven into his voice. “You won’t be. Trust me.”
I want to believe him. In this dizzy moment, his vow feels like the only truth I know. My eyelids grow heavy, the edges of consciousness fraying as sleep beckons with persuasive fingers.
And then Levi’s back, his presence emerging through the fog in my mind. “Is she okay?” The concern in his voice is unexpected, almost out of place.
Conrad shifts me on his shoulder, a soft chuckle vibrating through his chest. “Didn’t know you cared, Levi.”
“Shut up,” Levi snaps, but there’s no bite to his words. He’s watching me, eyes narrowed, assessing. “We should take her home.”
I try to lift my head, but it’s too heavy, a leaden weight. Conrad’s grip on me tightens, a silent vow that he won’t let go.
“No,” he says firmly, the rumble of his voice traveling up through his shoulder and into my ear. “She stays with us tonight.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Levi hisses, the edge in his voice sharp enough to slice through the haze wrapping around my thoughts.
“Think about it, Levi.” Conrad’s words are a blade, precise and cool. “Drunk people talk. We can’t risk her saying anything to her dad.”
A pause, then a grunt from Levi, conceding. “Fine. But this is on you. She’s on you.”
Conrad’s arms, bands of steel and warmth, cradle me closer as we move. The world tilts, disorienting, but I’m safe in the fortress of his hold.
“Fine by me.”
Then something sweet whispers to my foggy brain. Ice cream. I need it—now.
“Conrad,” my voice is a croaky demand. “Ice cream. Please.”
“Bed,” he counters, a note of command threading through his plea. “You need sleep, Brielle.”
But the craving coils tighter, insistent. “No. Ice cream,” I insist, my tongue clumsy around the syllables.
His sigh is a blend of exasperation and amusement, tickling my skin where I press against him. “Damn it, Brielle,” he murmurs, and I can feel the reluctant smile in his words even if I can’t see it. “Ice cream, then bed.”
Yay.
“Levi, we’re getting ice cream,” Conrad says, his voice a low rumble that vibrates through my bones. It’s a statement, not a question.
“Are you serious?” Levi’s annoyance crackles like static in the air, but I barely register it.
