Kingpin (Court University 2)

He’d made that clear when I’d asked, quite reasonably, to be fucked before bed and he’d decided to simply stay the night and ignore me. Frowning, I hopped off the bed, grabbing a pair of socks.

Sinclair growled. “What are you doing?”

I jumped into my socks, basically half awake. By then, Sinclair sat up on his elbows. I cut him a look. “About to go do something about my neighbors since you won’t.”

If he wanted to try to sleep through that racket, fine, but I wasn’t a heavy sleeper nor did I feel I should try. We were both living in this neighborhood and some respect needed to be had. Especially on my neighbor’s end, since outside of my own graduate classes, I was a teaching assistant. I couldn’t afford to lose out on valuable sleep, and upon getting on my socks, I stormed out of the bedroom. By the door, I got my snow boots on. I was so angry I didn’t even bother to backtrack and put a bra on or anything. I simply grabbed my white fleece off the coat rack and opened the door. The chill hit my limbs like a son of a bitch, but I worked the fleece on, then shot out into it. At least, I would have if not for Sinclair.

Tugging me back in, he had nothing but his boxers on, what I assumed he’d chosen to sleep in since he hadn’t brought any clothes to stay over. I assumed eventually, he’d keep some stuff here, but since he didn’t have anything now, that’s what he was wearing. He had his clothes in his arms, giving me a look of death as he pulled me back inside and closed the door.

“I’m going. Fuck,” he cursed, completely disheveled. He wasn’t one to lose his temper but being pulled out of his sleep to wrangle me, he wasn’t too happy. He jumped into his jeans like I did into my socks, working a shirt over of his chiseled frame before grabbing his coat. He shot arms through it before opening the door, and before he could stop me, I followed behind him. I only had on my fleece, a T-shirt underneath, and a pair of sleep shorts so I was damn cold as I sprinted after him. With the heavy music, Sinclair didn’t notice my trailing strides, but the moment I sidled up to him across the street on my neighbor’s big ole lawn, his eyes widened.

He got me by the arm again, tugging me a little too hard to the point where it hurt. “What the hell are you doing? I told you I was going to handle this.”

I jerked my arm away, letting him have that one since he was angry and clearly irritated by the situation at hand. I shrugged. “I figured you could use backup.”

Eyes lifted toward the heavens, his fingers shoved into his hair before he shot a finger across the street. “Go back in the house. I got this.”

“You’re right. You do. But you’re going to have me too.” My teeth chattering, I really wasn’t trying to continue this debate, and I think the only reason he did raise his hands at me was because I was half naked in the snow. Clearly washing his hands of me, he left, and I stalked him all the way past the folks puffing weed on th

e lawn up the steps to the house. Truth be told, I would have rented this property myself had it been available. It was sleek and beautiful, but I signed a lease late and it’d already been taken.

Hands shoved into his jacket pockets, Sinclair faced me. “If you’re here, you keep quiet. I told you I have this handled.”

His warning unusual, I stood there as he rapped against the door. I thought it weird he was knocking. Clearly, these people were having a party, but I guessed formality and all that. There were enough people smoking on the lawn for us to blend in, but I supposed I wouldn’t just want people waltzing into my house. The door breezed open and a wash of alcohol and more weed cut right over me, as well as the guy’s scent who opened the door. A fragrance, woodsy and nature-esque, breezed right over me, a guy who could only be described as a demigod filling the entirety of the door frame.

“Can I help you?” he asked, flicking a toothpick to the side of his mouth. Dark hair and even darker eyes, he pulled his gaze over the two of us, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans that housed thighs the size of tree trunks and a shirt he left open for all to see. He had a freakin’ twelve pack. This guy was huge, and he clearly, had no idea why Sinclair and I were standing on his front stoop.

Sinclair wet his lips. “Yes, um. Across the street. Um…” He must have been frazzled like me because he waved his hands a little. He pointed at me. “She lives across the street.”

“Okay.” Ebony dark eyes flicked over to me. He took his toothpick out. “What do you want?”

I started to say something, but apparently Sinclair got his wits back. He dampened his lips again at the guy before staring at me. “She, Billie, my girlfriend, is your new neighbor.”

Apparently curious now, the demigod lounged against the door. He tossed the toothpick outside, then tipped his chin at me. “You here to say hi or…”

“Not exactly.” Sinclair held me back again, and I didn’t understand why. His hand cuffed my arm. “There’s a little bit of a noise issue here.”

“A noise issue?”

Sinclair nodded, but I noticed he did swallow after. It was like this guy was seriously bothering the shit out of him for some reason. Sinclair rubbed my arm, and when my teeth started clacking, Demigod pushed off the door frame.

“Why don’t, uh, y’all come inside?” he requested, scrubbing into his lengthy, dark hair. It was like waxy blades. His gaze circulating over my naked legs and furry UGG boots, the guy grinned a little. “Get out of the cold or whatever. Name’s Niko, and as you can see, we’re having a little party inside. The least I can do for the noise.”

That sounding actually really good right now considering the cold, I started to walk in, but Sinclair tugged me back a little. I removed my arm. “What’s your deal?”

But Sinclair was only looking at Niko, his gaze traveling over to me while the demigod waited. He eyed me. “We should just go. We already said what we had to say—”

“In or out, folks?” Niko widened the door, and though he appeared abrasive when he first opened it, he obviously was having a good time here watching us. His smirk was more than wide, and whatever challenge I saw there, I decided to take.

“Just for a few moments,” I told Sinclair, sliding past him before cutting in front of Niko. He smelled good and so obviously knew that, the delight in his eyes as peered over me and to my boyfriend.

Niko put his hand out. “And you’re…”

“Sinclair,” he said, his shake hard and smile more than stiff. He hadn’t even graced Niko with the look he reserved for clients before coming inside, rubbing his arms. “Sinclair Huntington.”

“Well, Sinclair Huntington…” Niko flicked a finger at me. “Billie, my new neighbor. Welcome to Never Never Land.”

And never have I ever seen such a display, people, college students I assumed, bumping and grinding in little to no clothing. Many were just as half naked as Niko, women letting men pour booze into their mouths while colorful lights flickered and glistened off the crystal chandeliers and walls. I felt like I was in some bachelor pad off the beach, not in a college neighborhood in the Midwest.