Chapter 8: : Chapter 8

, then the DJ had to go and put some fuckin’ hip-hop on as if watching her dance to the John Mayer bullshit he was playin’ before wasn’t bad enough.

This is torture, and I’m only two hours in.

I can’t deal with this shit a full weekend.

Demi arches her back, swaying her hips to the music while her friends take turns stepping closer, trying to keep up with her.

They can’t.

Swear the girl’s hips were meant to roll.

Her long, dark blonde hair is teasing the skin of her slightly exposed stomach, eyes closed and arms in the air. She’s lost in her own mind, but only for a few minutes before she opens them again.

For the tenth fucking time, her focus shifts to the asshole whose attention she’s after.

Too bad for D, though, lover boy’s not looking at her.

No, his eyes are glued on the girls playing beer pong, the ones who jump up and down in excitement, even when they miss. The ones who have yet to put their clothes back on when they’ve been out of the water for hours and the sun’s been gone just as long.

I glance to Demi.

Her shoulders fall half of an inch, defeat sneaking its way out of her, but she quickly wipes it away.

A scoff leaves me, and I shake my head when the small group of girls take several steps left, trying really fuckin’ hard to get in Alex’s line of sight. She thinks she’s being chill about it, but she doesn’t know I’m watching.

This shit’s embarrassing to witness.

The DJ announces the last song of the night and doing the opposite of what a closer normally would, the dick chooses to hit it harder, and a song more upbeat than the last comes on. Everyone cheers.

A sudden mischievous gleam covers Demi’s face, one that has me sitting forward in my seat.

This is bound to be bad.

She drops a little lower, bends a little further and moves spades fucking faster, to the point where her girls have no choice but to step back and sway around, admiring as she does her thing.

When even the DJ’s eyes fight for a sight of the blinding blonde in the middle, I push to my feet, and what do you fuckin’ know, Demi’s head snaps my way in the same second.

She falters slightly, her dance moves slowing a bit, body shifting in my direction, by accident I’d bet.

I head toward her in unhurried steps.

The closer I get, the more uneasy she grows, and by the time I’m directly in front of her, the girl has stopped moving completely.

“Hey,” she says hesitantly, her hand coming up to brush the hair from her face. “I didn’t know you were here.”

I lick my lips, pulling my bottom one between my teeth a moment. “’Course not, D. You’ve always had blurred vision.”

She pulls back slightly, but doesn’t ask what I mean.

She should.

“You said you weren’t coming.”

“Changed my mind.”

She nods, peeking toward her friends a moment before bringing those eyes back to mine. “So… what’s up?”

“Testosterone. Your little show was as effective as you hoped.”

She bristles, her brows slanting into a frown. “Excuse me?”

“That’s probably a good idea, or I might have to call your ma, tell her you’re not behaving well,” I rag her.

Her eyes flash with surprise, hardening only a second later.

I know she’s hoping I’ll walk away, let her have her fun with her friends, but the night’s done, and so is her playtime.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” she hisses, looking around to see who’s watching.

Bet money lover boy is now.

The thought has me wanting to walk the fuck away from her.

I don’t, but she does.

She jerks from the group, storms across the sand, and throws open the double glass doors, hurrying down the hotel hallway.

Don’t matter though, the song was already over, and people are starting to head for their rooms just the same.

I catch her by the elbow right before she passes my door, hers, unbeknownst to her, being the one right beside it, and push her against it, overcrowding her body.

I lock her in, but she beats me to speak.

“When the hell did you talk to my mom?” she questions me angrily.

“You seem as surprised by her little visit as I was.”

“What did she say to you?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

She gapes at me, but it quickly morphs into a frown, one I’m not so sure is meant for me.

“So, Little D, all that for Alex Hammons?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you do.”

A laugh bubbles out of her and she crosses her arms. “Why do you even care?”

“I don’t, but it was disgustingly obvious,” I sneer. “Sad really. You should tone it down a bit, not come off so willing.”

Her jaw clenches as she tries to hold back but can’t.

“Maybe I am,” she says with a fake ass lack of concern.

“Any other girl would realize if a guy doesn’t notice her on his own it’s a lost cause.”

“What do you know about having to fight for someone’s attention?” she snaps.

This time it’s me that lets out a humorless laugh.

She tries to look away, but I drop my forehead to hers to keep her facing forward, and her eyes darken, in annoyance maybe, but the pink tinting her cheeks has nothing to do with the sunburn she got today.

More and more voices fill the area, so I cut my stare down the hall. My eyes narrow, spotting Alex and Sandra walking this way, to his room, I’d bet.

He laughs at something she said and then looks up, spotting me standing here with Demi in front of me and an instant frown pulls at his brows.

Fuck, man.

He makes an excuse that gets Sandra to pause with him and they talk in place, where he can pretend he’s not fixated on us.

I look back to D.

Tension has her face drawn tight as she nibbles at her lower lip.

“You’re seriously trippin’ on him?”

She ignores me but can’t hide the dejection eating at her.

The longer I look into her eyes, the more a really dumb thought settles in low in my gut, and once it starts, there’s no stopping it.

My mind fucking races, nothing but flashes of the pretty little dancer in front of me spinning round and round and god damn.

No.

No, no… bad idea.

Talk about the possibility of full force backfire and now knowing for sure she wants him? It’ll be worse. Harder.

Unless…

Her green eyes are low and on mine, a hint of gentle concern hidden behind the unease.

What are you worried about, D?

“Nico…” She trails off, her gaze roaming across my face, noticing the question written across it.

He’s seen me with her, in her space. This can be read a lot different than what it is, not much I can do to erase that.

What choice do I have at this point, right?

Right.

Fuck, I shouldn’t.

I do it anyway.

I keep my eyes on hers, needing to witness first-hand the look in hers as I slide my hand across her stomach until I reach the loop on her little shorts. I bring her against me.

Her hip almost meets mine she’s so tall, five-eight or nine to my six three.

Shock has her eyes widening, but damn, she doesn’t fight me in the slightest.

“Acting desperate, that’s your plan to get what you want?” I question. “You’re good with gaining notice that way?”

Her mouth opens but those lips clamp closed just as quick.

“No, no, D,” I egg her on with a whisper. “Say it.”

“I was dancing, I’m a dancer, there’s nothing desperate about it. I was having a good time with my friends.”

I fight to keep my mouth shut, but the little cloud in her normally bright green eyes spurs aggravation I can’t suppress, and words I shouldn’t share fly from me. “He won’t want you if you dangle yourself like bait.”

That has her frown coming back and she lifts her hands, attempting to push me away, but all it does is make it appear as if she’s rubbing on me.

My body is a brick fucking wall against hers.

“How the hell would you know?” she hisses.

“Because he’s a punk…” Stop fucking talking, I curse myself, but it’s to no avail, and fuck if I don’t say more. “He wants what belongs to someone else. It’s all about the chase, winning over another, for an asshole like him.”

“Maybe I can be different.”

“Maybe… you can be mine.”

Words fail her and she takes in a quick breath through her nose, her brows knitting as she silently studies me.

“What?” she croaks after a second.

Slowly, I allow my fingers to slide up her bare side. When my hand twitches against her chilled skin, she pulls her lips between her teeth.

I dip my mouth close to her ear.

“Nico, what are—”

“What the fuck’s the point of this thing,” I exhale against her, my other hand tugging at the bottom of her wannabe hoodie.

Her swallow isn’t missed and I glare at the softness of her neck as she leans to the side, trying to escape my heated breaths, but all it does is tease me with more creamy, sun brushed skin.

A harsh exhale leaves her. “It’s a crop sweater for… for over my suit. Nico, what are you doing?”

I shift my feet forward, so one leg is between hers, the other blocking her left hip in. “I told you.”

My brain tells me one thing, while also transmitting another.

Shut the fuck up and walk away, but damn, don’t she feel good…

I keep going.

“Hammons wants what someone else has. You a girl worth his competition’s time and attention?”

“Stop acting like everyone wants to be you.”

“Stop acting like they don’t.”

“God! You’re so—”

“Shut up, D. Your man is still watching.” She tenses against me, her fingers involuntarily bending, making it seem as if they’re fighting to get closer.

“I bet his eyes are trailing my hand,” I tell her, allowing my palm to slide lower and this time her little nails do bite into my skin. “Waiting to see how far you’ll let me go, right here in the open, for him… and everyone else to witness.”

I pull back, gliding my tongue along my bottom lip and her eyes follow, slowly raising to mine.

‘How far will you let me go?’

“I…” She blinks, shaking her head lightly as if she’s confused but can’t focus.

I discreetly reach into my pocket for my keycard. When I pull back, her hands stay glued to my chest, but her head draws away with mine, an unsure expression stamped across her face.

“Turn and look,” I instruct her.

As I thought she would, she hesitates a second, but can’t help herself in the end.

She shifts her head and mine follows.

Some of our classmates pass, eyeing us curiously, a few girls laugh while a couple guys grin, and others are too buzzed or wrapped up in their own hook-ups to notice, but not Alex.

His feet now shuffle him stupidly slow down the hall, his eyes raking over our position before lifting.

I wait for his stare to move to hers, wait for a hint of the fucking grin I know comes next, the one he gives everyone, and the one I know will have her smiling wide back, all fucking hopeful and shit.

Not happening.

Before she can react, I quickly wrap my arm around her waist, and drop my head into her neck, effectively blocking her from his view. I slip the key in the slot and the door unlocks, so I quickly push her backward into the room.

It clicks shut behind us, my hands falling from her in the same second.

Her palms fly up as she stands there open-mouthed, and finally, she gets her grip and hits me with a little glare.

“What…” She shakes her head, eyes flying around my room. “I don’t… why are you getting naked?” she sizzles.

Ah, there’s the anger.

I ignore her, tossing my shirt to the little chair as I kick off my shoes.

“What the hell!” She throws her arms up only to let them drop back to her sides with a slap.

I move toward her and her eyes slice to my bare chest.

She swallows and looks away. “Seriously, Nico, what is this, what was that? Better yet, why the hell am I in your room – this is your room, right, you didn’t just break into someone else’s?”

My arm slips past her and she holds her breath, letting it out when I lift the remote in front of her face and step backward until I can lie back on the bed.

“That was me helping you.” I can’t keep the irritation out of my voice. “Bet lover boy hits you up on the beach tomorrow now.”

“Are you joking?!” she shrieks. “He’s gonna think we’re hooking up!”

“And?”

“And…” Her eyes widen, but she has no idea what to say, so she goes with the most obvious response. “He’ll think we’re dating!”

I level her with a bored look. “That’s the last thing he’ll think.”

Her head pulls back, and like a brat, she crosses her arms. “Because Nico Sykes would never waste his time on a girl like me, right?”

“Wrong.” My stare moves to hers. “Because Nico Sykes could fuck you either way.”

She sneers. “You—”

“Stop talking,” I interrupt her, not interested in hearing her crybaby shit over that idiot. “I did you a favor, now you won’t have to try so hard. Sit down, play on your phone or watch whatever I put on, something.”

“Like I trust you enough to sit on your bed with you.”

My eyes jump back to hers and she keeps her glare strong a minute, I’ll give her that, but slowly, it wipes away and she looks to the wall.

She trusts me enough, just like she did when we were younger.

We might not have been friendly over the last few years, but I’m not some fuckin’ stranger to her.

“Sit.”

She scoffs, moving for the door instead.

“You leave, he’ll think you’re a lousy lay and couldn’t even help me get it up.”

“Or,” she snaps back. “He’ll think you’re a minute man and be dying to show he can hang longer.”

A loud laugh leaves me and she rolls her eyes.

“D, he knows better than that, but do what you want. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“It’s not like he’s standing out there waiting to see when I leave. I’m sure he’s in his room by now, you know, with the same girl you were fucking not long ago.”

My muscles tense.

Little does she know that’s a perfect fucking example of what I’ve explained to her. Why I gave her that insight, I don’t fucking know. I’ll have to fix this and quick.

I manage to lift my shoulders. “Maybe, but I guarantee there’re still others out there. Word travels. Want to be the girl known as the tease who loads but can’t pull the trigger and cuts before release?”

Her glare gets a little more profound.

She stands there for a solid five minutes, probably playing every fucking situation over and over again in her head, before she growls, tosses down her little bag and flops on the bed beside me.

She twists her body, facing the opposite wall. “My room is somehow right next to yours. I should have left the damn adjoining door unlocked, and I’d be in my own right now.”

“Too bad for you.”

“I can’t stand you,” she growls, angrily hitting the pillow to get comfortable.

“Don’t care.” I toss the remote to the side, lay back and close my eyes. “And unless I’ll be waking up with your lips wrapped around my dick, don’t fall asleep in here.”

She gasps and I smirk.

That’ll shut her up.