AllFreeNovel
Share Us
QUINTON
Her whole body is stiff as we walk up to the great hall of the castle. It’s the same room they held the black and white ball in, which is probably half of the reason Aspen doesn’t want to be here. The other half is that she knows people don’t like her. She is probably less than welcome here by all the other students, but I don’t care what everyone else thinks.
What’s important is that everyone knows she belongs to me, she is mine, and I don’t like sharing.
“Quinton, I really don’t want to go.” Aspen digs her heels into the floor, but I simply tighten my arm around her and force her to keep moving. “Can we just go back to my room? I’d rather just sleep with you than go through with this.”
“How about both? Let’s go to the party for a bit, then we go back, and I fuck you into the mattress.”
“I mean it.”
“So do I. Now, relax. It’s just a party.”
“It’s a party to you. It’s a nightmare to me. I don’t understand why you want me there.”
“Just making sure everyone knows who you belong to.”
“Don’t say stuff like that. I belong to you as much as you belong to me, which is not at all.”
“You are very wrong because you are mine. Mine to torment, mine to touch, and definitely mine to fuck.”
She turns her face away from me, but I can feel her body shuddering in my hold. A moment later, we enter the large, lavishly decorated party room. Unlike the founders’ ball, there are no tables to sit. Only a few bar-top tables scattered across the edges of the room. They have repurposed most of the space into a giant dance floor. On one side of the room, two bars stretch out. One for drinks and one holding a buffet of foods.
Aspen leans into me. “Can you at least not leave me alone while we’re up here?”
“I thought you didn’t need my protection?”
“Not when I’m in my room, but I wouldn’t mind someone watching my back while I’m in a crowd full of people who would like to dig a knife between my shoulder blades.”
“No one will bother you.” Even as I say the words, I know they are untrue. People mess with her wherever she goes, and until now, I let it happen. The reality of it hits me like a kick in the chest when I look around and see confused stares directed at us. Everyone is wondering what I’m doing here with her, and for a second, I wonder myself…What the fuck am I doing?
All my doubts about taking her here evaporate when I scan the room, and my eyes land on Vito. He is standing at one of the tables, his arms leaning against the surface while he is holding a beer in his hand. He notices us right away, giving me a small casual wave, almost like he was expecting us.
Ignoring him completely, I lead Aspen to the other side of the large space. Her dress is a little too long for her, and she has to lift the fabric slightly in the front to walk without stepping on the hem. I keep my hand on her lower back, guiding her where I want her to go.
As we move through the crowd, it seems that all eyes are on us. People either gawk at us in shock or inspect us with curiosity. Though we are met with plenty of confused looks, no one dares to say anything to us. Not until I spot Ren, Nash, and Marcel surrounding one of the tables, and we join them.
“Are you shitting me?” Nash calls out over the music. The words come out slurred, making it clear the beer in his hand is not his first. “What the fuck is she doing here?”
I don’t miss the way Aspen slightly leans into my side. It’s so minute, I don’t think anyone else notices, maybe not even Aspen herself. She likes to pretend she doesn’t need me, but we both know she seeks out my protection and comfort. I like that part too, the part where she depends on me. I appreciate the control it gives me over her.
“She is here with me… obviously.”
“Okay, but why?” Nash probes.
“So I can keep an eye on her.” It’s not that far off from the truth. “Now, quit asking stupid questions and hand me a beer.”
Nash murmurs something under his breath but grabs one of the unopened bottles from the table and pops the cap open with his lighter. He hands it to me while not even glancing over at Aspen. Maybe he’s chosen to ignore her for the rest of the night, which is fine by me.
Both Ren and Marcel don’t say anything about Aspen being here, but I can tell by their stares that they are confused too. Which is why I’m shocked when Ren offers Aspen a drink.
“Here, you look like you need it.” Ren opens a beer bottle and slides it across the table.
“Mhh, thanks.” Aspen sounds unsure, her gratitude coming with a hint of a question mark at the end. She is hesitant but ends up taking the bottle and brings it to her lips.
“Ah, okay, I get it now.” Nash sets his empty bottle down on the table. “We’re getting her drunk so we can all fuck her. I mean, she must be a good lay if you keep her around.” Nash laughs, and Aspen stiffens next to me.
Gripping the neck of my beer bottle, I imagine it’s Nash’s neck while trying not to show how close on edge I am.
