for in the morning; yes, I’m a woman, so I’m held to a different standard than you; and I don’t want to have circles under my eyes from lack of sleep card.”
I pretend to consider what she is saying for a second. “Sorry, life ain’t fair.”
I step completely inside as she stumbles backward.
“Are you going to take your stuff and get out, or do we have to do this the hard way?” I ask.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
I grin. “Hard way it is.”
I scoop up her duffel bag and throw it over my shoulder, and then I turn my attention to Victoria. She’s standing at the foot of the bed with her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyebrows are raised, like she doesn’t believe I will actually force her out of this room. She’s forgotten what I’m like if she thinks I’m not going to do anything.
“You wouldn’t.”
I walk over to her, bend down, and grab her ankles as I toss her over my shoulder.
Victoria screams and beats at my back as I carry her over my shoulder.
“Put me down! This is ridiculous!”
I don’t put her down. I carry her down the hallway, loving how it feels to control her like this and have her so close to me. She smells like the ocean. I can smell the salt in her hair as I hold her.
I toss her down onto the couch and drop her duffel bag next to her.
“You’re an asshole!”
I nod. “I’m an asshole who is about to get a very good night of sleep.”
She huffs. “You haven’t changed.”
I shrug. “Why mess with perfection?”
She shakes her head as she sits on the couch. I turn to walk back to the bedroom, but I already know what she’s going to do. She’s not going to give up this easily. At least the Tori I used to know wouldn’t.
I can hear her running after me, but I’m much faster than her. I always have been. I run into the bedroom before she even makes it to me. I stand in the doorway, marking my claim, as she stands in the hallway, breathing hard.
I smirk. “You’ll never win, Tori. You might as well give up.”
She sighs. “Fine. You win.” She throws up her hands in the air and starts walking back to the living room.
I watch her ass sway back and forth and then shut the door, happy with my victory. I don’t know why it’s so fun to tease Victoria, but it is. I love making her miserable. But I do really need to get a good night’s sleep so that I’m fresh for tomorrow.
I turn to grab my bag when I realize that I left it in the hallway. I open the door to get it and then freeze. My bag is no longer in the hallway.
I shake my head and smile just a little. I should have known that Victoria would pull something like this.
I walk down the hallway and find her standing in the only bathroom with the door open, her makeup and hair crap already spread all over the bathroom vanity, as she begins to tie her hair up into a ponytail.
“What did you do with my bag?”
“You lost your bag? That sucks.”
I frown. “No, I didn’t lose it. You took it.”
She purses her lips and scrunches her face, like she’s thinking real hard. “Nope. I don’t remember any bag. Sorry.”
She slams the bathroom door in my face before I have a chance to argue with her any further. I sigh. The apartment is tiny. Just two bedrooms, one bathroom, and an area that functions as the living room, kitchen, and dining room—combined. It can’t be that hard to find where she hid my bag.
But, after searching for twenty minutes, I can’t find it. And, now, I’m mad.
Victoria finally comes out of the bathroom. The makeup is gone from her face, her hair is up, and she is wearing flannel bottoms with a tank top and no bra. My eyes are glued to her hard nipples, which are pushing against the thin purple shirt.
She clears her throat, and I look up at her.
“Where is my bag, Tori? This is getting old.”
She smiles. “Give up the bed, and I’ll show you where your bag is.”
I laugh. “That’s not how this works. Tell me where my bag is.”
She smirks and brushes past me. “Good night, Carter.”
My bag has to be in the bathroom. I step inside and search for it, but I can’t find it. I take a