“Was that Astrid at the game?” I ask in a nonchalant tone.
As if I could ever mistake that tomboyish attitude, her soft voice, or those damn sparkling green eyes.
“Uh, yeah, Captain. She promised to be present for my first game.”
And be a fucking cheerleader, apparently.
“Are you inviting her to the party?” I ask.
“I sent her a text, but she won’t come. She hates these things.”
I don’t know if I should feel relieved or pissed off or both.
* * *
One hour later, half of the team are shagging in Ronan’s guest rooms. He made sure to lock his parents’ room. It’s off-limits since he found Cole or Aiden and their ‘kinky shit’ in it.
The only ones who remain with me in the pool house are Aiden and Cole and they’re playing chess. I played a game or two but I quickly got bored.
I had a drink and that turned too boring too fast, too.
Everything is.
I want to get out there and down one more shot or two and fucking fight someone. Not only is Aiden keeping me on a leash but I know exactly where that behaviour will lead me.
Another lifetime as Jonathan’s slave.
So I just stay around ready to stop any trouble that breaks out amongst the team members.
A girl, Nicole something, has been hanging off my arm since the beginning of the evening. She’s wearing my number and staring up at me with big wide eyes.
I want it to be a different face with my number on her back. Different person. Different fucking eyes.
“On your knees,” I order her.
“I’m not a whore.” Her lips part but even those are the wrong fucking lips.
“On your knees or get the fuck out of here.”
Her gaze strays to Aiden and Cole who sit on the opposite side right across from us. They’re too engrossed in their game to pay her the slightest attention.
Nicole who I think is Chloe’s friend drops to her knees between my legs, licking her lips and pretending to be shy. It’s so different from how heat crept up Astrid’s neck and face. How she genuinely blushed and melted in my arms.
She has a way of getting under my skin and refusing to come out.
I stuff my finger in Nicole’s mouth, opening it wide. She sucks but I tsk. “Stay still.”
This Nicole does nothing to me. I can’t even get it up for her.
I try to imagine it’s the princess sitting right here at my mercy, blushing. Like a shot of ecstasy, my dick hardens. Those eyes. Those damn fucking eyes are staring up at me like they’re about to spark.
Nicole’s hands snake to my trousers’ belt as her other one caresses my bulge. It’s not her touch that hardens me, it’s the image of Astrid being a good little princess. Her small hands grasp me, caress me, about to suck me off while staring up at me with those —
“Wow, you’re so big.”
Aaaand Nicole had to ruin it by the screechy voice that's nothing like Astrid’s.
What the fuck was I thinking anyway? This isn’t her and it never will be.
When I thrust in her throat, I want it to be Astrid. It has to be her.
I clutch Nicole’s shoulders, about to push her away when a small gasp reaches me from the entrance.
I feel her presence before I lift my head and see her. She’s still in that denim skirt from earlier with a white top.
Fucking hell. She’s as beautiful as a forbidden fantasy.
Astrid’s gaze flies from me to Nicole who turns her head to state at the newcomer. Her lips part farther before she shakes her head and stares from Nicole to me again.
She doesn’t meet my gaze as she blurts. “I… um… thought Dan was here. Sorry to interrupt.”
The door shuts behind her quietly and Nicole laughs in that screechy, annoying way.
That’s when I realise what Astrid just saw.
Fuck.
I was so caught up in seeing her here that I forgot the state she saw me in.
“Why the fuck are you laughing?” I snap at Nicole.
“The little Viking learnt her place both at home and here.”
"At home?"
“She’s my stepsister but not for long, though.” Her hand returns to my trousers. “Now, where were we?”
I shove her away until she falls backwards, barely catching her balance.
“But—” she screeches.
“Go swallow someplace else."
I don’t wait for her to disappear and stride past her to the exit.