“Don’t be looking at my sister.” Joel punched his arm.
“What the fuck, dude? She’s right there. It’s not like I’m looking on purpose.”
Dev wasn’t wrong. You couldn’t miss Josie, rolling and popping her hips, working her tight little body.
A mask of anger slid over Joel’s face. “I need to go...” He motioned to the girls.
Brad snickered. “This year is going to be hella interesting.”
I didn’t miss the flare of interest in his eyes. “You and Josie?” I asked him quietly.
“What? Fuck, no. Joel would cut off my balls and feed them to me through a straw.”
My eyes narrowed, studying him. He seemed cool and calm, but I saw a flicker of fear there. “Whatever,” I grumbled.
He was a fucking liar. He wanted Joel’s little sister; if he hadn’t already had a taste.
“Who’s the other girl?” Dev asked.
“Josie’s little friend?” Brad said. “I don’t know, but she got fucking wasted at the party the other night. I saw Josie carrying her out of there. Total lightweight.”
My spine stiffened. It was messed up that they didn’t know who she was. But I wasn’t going to be the one to tell them. That would lead to questions. Questions I didn’t have the answers to.
“I need to take a leak.” Downing the rest of my beer, I headed for the restrooms at the back of the bar.
When I came out, I saw Josie and Joel arguing. I knew he wanted to protect her, but it was college, and Josie was a little firecracker. It was a fight he couldn’t win.
Heading for the bar, I flagged down a bartender for another beer. The place was full of college students, all looking to let loose before classes started next week. Music blasted out of hidden speakers, drowning out the rumble of chatter and laughter. I probably should have headed back to the guys, but I needed to catch my breath.
My eyes had a life of their own, searching for Calli in the crowd. Joel and Josie were still arguing. He grabbed her arm, but she yanked it away. I could just make out the words forming on her lips. ‘Fuck you, Joel’. A smirk tugged at my mouth. She was trouble that one, and it brought me some relief knowing I didn’t have a sister to look out for.
Josie melted into the crowd while Joel ran a hand down his face before disappearing back through the archway. I should have gone after him. Asked him if he was okay, maybe offered him some friendly advice. But I wasn’t his friend, not really. Besides, I still hadn’t found Calli.
Cutting through the sea of bodies, I eventually found her with Josie.
Fuck.
The air whooshed from my lungs at the sight of her dancing. Her sun-kissed brown hair was all tousled and wild, and her hands were high above her head, weaving invisible patterns in the air. I’d never seen her like this before. She literally took my breath away... and I fucking hated it.
I hated that my body still had such a visceral reaction to her after all this time.
I needed to go. To get away from her. But I couldn’t move. I was rooted to the spot, a potent mix of anger and lust coursing through my veins. I wanted to hurt her. To punish her and ruin her.
I wanted to break her.
It wasn’t healthy, the feelings she invoked in me. Feelings that had once been pure and good, now tainted with pain and darkness and betrayal.
Even if she wanted to fuck me out of her system, the way I wanted to fuck her out of mine, she couldn’t handle me.
I needed to get laid, stat. Before I did something stupid like march over there and drag her into the alley behind the bar and—
The room grew small as I watched a guy approach her. I didn’t recognize him, but he looked like a preppy type; he was wearing a sweater vest for fuck’s sake. He said something to her and Calli smiled, nodding. Then he pulled her around to his front and began dancing behind her. Calli’s expression filled with surprise as his hands clamped around her hips... he was touching her.
That fucker was touching what was mine.
But she’s not yours anymore.
My brain didn’t get the message because before I could stop myself, I’d moved closer, sticking to the shadows as I watched