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My eye roll is hard to detain. “In the flesh.” I pause, bringing my eyes across all three of them before settling back on the one who spoke. “And you are?” She opens her mouth to respond but I stop her with a raised hand. “It’s okay, I don’t actually care.”
She sneers, “You really think you’re something special, huh?” This time I do roll my eyes, because really? “I guess I expected something…” She trails off as if she can’t find the word before she adds with a shrug. “I don’t know, something more.”
“Yeah well, I’m glad to disappoint you.” My grin gets faker by the second and I can see their anger flashing as all three of them stare me down like lions fighting for dominance.
One of the others steps forward, slowly dragging her gaze up and down my body as if to intimidate me before she purrs, “What the hell does a man like Carson see in you?”
I almost snort when she calls him a man, and fight the need to correct her by saying he’s actually a little bitch, but instead I continue to play fake nice.
“I’m not sure, why don’t you go find him and ask? At least that way you’ll have an excuse to throw yourselves at him.” I mock them, before turning on my heels and heading back into the throws of the party. I have no interest in entering some bullshit battle of jealousy with them, especially over someone like Carson Crawford.
I can no longer see Carson anywhere, but I could use a drink anyway so I head towards the makeshift bar in the corner and pour myself half a warm beer just for something to do as I turn and survey the room. Everyone else here seems to be having a great time and for the first time in a while, I let myself miss the guys. If they were with me, everything would be different, we’d be playing games, placing bets, dancing on tables, it would be the perfect night, but like I said, those days are long gone.
Even sad and distracted, it isn’t long before I spy Carson again, especially with his new fan club flocked around him. I can tell by his hand gestures and facial expressions, and the sounds of their high pitched fake laughs, that he is telling them some bullshit story he’s no doubt practiced a hundred times until he thought it was perfect. One of the girls throws her head back, giggling wildly as she smooths a hand along his arm at the same moment his eyes lock with mine.
I see the challenge in them and I have to conceal my laugh behind the lip of my cup as I pretend to take a drink. Does he honestly think I am going to go over there, and do what? Defend his honor? For all I care, those girls can have him. In fact, I pray to the gods here and now that he takes his sick obsession with me and gives it up for one of them. At least then I’d be free.
With me throwing down an invisible gauntlet, he pushes this farce further, leaning down to bring himself closer to the girl and whispering something in her ear, making her laugh even louder. I shake my head in amusement as he continues to stare at me, waiting for a reaction. It’s funny he thinks he could ever get one, does he not realize I have spent the last couple of years watching all the guys with numerous girls and having to squash my jealousy? That was about boys I genuinely liked. Carson doesn’t fall anywhere near that radar, so right now, the fact his attention is on them and not me is nothing but a gift.
“Aren’t you gonna like, go and pee on him or something?” A voice startles me and I turn to the side to find one of Carson’s housemates, Jake, I think his name is. He is watching Carson the same way I just was, with amused interest in his eyes, as if he is waiting to see how this will play out.
I almost smile at him as I ask, “Pee on him?”
He brings his gaze to mine and grins. “Yeah, you know, like mark your territory and shit.” He shrugs like it is obvious and his casual demeanor reminds me so much of Hudson that this time I do smile at him.
“I’m not worried about what Carson does, trust me.”
He cocks his head to the side, studying me, before he nods and moves to leave. “If you say so.” Something in his tone has me stopping him with a touch to his arm.
“Thanks though,” I say with a smile. “For being concerned.” He probably doesn’t give a fuck about me or Carson, but anyone in this house that could be used as a weapon against Carson, is someone I will happily make nice with.
His smile is more genuine now as he taps my hand on his arm and shrugs. “Anytime.”
“Darling,” Carson snaps, causing us both to jump. “A word.”
He doesn’t give me a chance to respond, just grabs my arm in a vice as he drags me away from his housemate and through the crowd until we find a quiet spot where we can hear each other better, and more importantly for him, with no witnesses around.
“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” He spits the words through his teeth as he leans down into my space. His fingers bite into my arm and I know I am going to have some fresh bruises tomorrow. “You think you can just touch another guy in front of me, did you forget who you belong to?”
My sarcastic drawl comes back with a vengeance. “Sorry, didn’t think you would notice given how you’re flirting with anything that has a vagina. Didn’t Daddy Dearest warn you about keeping your mistresses a secret?” I know the words are a mistake as soon as I bite them out, but there is no taking them back now.
His fingers feel like they might crush the bones in my arm as he leans in, deathly close to my face as he opens his mouth. “Don’t fucking push me, Brielle. Or have all the rumors made you realize what bastards they truly are? You ready for them to face the consequences of their actions?” His insinuation has the desired effect as I freeze beneath his harsh hold.
I open my mouth but he cuts me off as he slams me back against the wall, only to be interrupted by a loud bang coming from down the hallway, reminding him we aren’t alone. He sighs, “Go and do something useful and fetch me a drink.”
Gladly. I don’t waste any time in escaping him as I hurry back down the hallway towards the kitchen, thankful to get away from him before his temper could get any worse. Once I am safely at my destination, I grab a bottle of bourbon off the shelf and slosh some into a glass for him, willing my heartbeat to stop thundering in my chest. When a few deep breaths don’t work, I look around at the bar and think fuck it. I put his drink down and grab a bottle of wine. It takes a moment to find an opener, but once I do, I pour a generous amount into a red solo cup. Not really classy, but will work for now.
I raise the cup to my lips and swallow half the cup before refilling it.
“Damn, Baby B, last time I saw you drink that hard, you threw up all over Eli’s shoes.”
The familiar voice cuts through the air and I turn to find Thomas Becker smiling at me from where he leans on the counter. Thomas went to the same high school as me, Carson, and the guys, but he graduated a couple years ahead of us. I had no idea he ended up here.
“Becker?” I smile in recognition. “What the hell are you doing here?” I step towards him and he engulfs me in a half hug before patting my head like he used to back in school. He was always a big brother type whenever I was around him and would tease me and the guys endlessly over everything.
He grins widely before puffing up his chest. “You’re looking at the esteemed Treasurer of Sigma Phi.”
“No way, you actually go here?” My surprise is evident because he clutches his chest in mock pain.
