Pushing past Reno, Leon took a stride toward me. “Congratulations. He wants to fuck you, too—”
And then he hit the deck like a sack of potatoes—courtesy of Reno's fist.
My shocked gaze jolted to Reno's, who scowled first at me then down at the best friend he'd just laid out in the mud. “Someone get him home.”
Liss put an arm around my shoulder, and I glanced around, eyes wide with disbelief. Reno walked back to the fire and threw back a mouthful of whatever cheap booze was on offer. Raya stood with her eyes fixed on my face, white-hot fury dancing in them.
Just add it to the list, bitch.
I blew her a kiss before flipping her off and making my way to the alcohol with the grace of a baby giraffe and giving the minimum amount of fucks about that. I needed a longer hemline, less heels, and a boatload of cheap beer. Fucking now!
Before I could get my hands on the beer, though, I found myself inconveniently forced to detour and snatch a handful of Liss' shirt to halt her beeline for Raya.
“Leave it,” I warned, flashing her a stern look.
“What? I was just gonna explain that she needs to keep her dirty, probably STD ridden eyes off my girl.”
“And I love you for it. But let's just leave it for now. I've had all the drama I can take for one night.” She huffed like I'd spoiled her fun, bloodthirsty little animal. “Liss.”
“Fine. I need a drink.”
Puffing my cheeks in a relieved sigh, I motioned to the drinks with an exaggerated flourish and waited for her to shift her ass.
I tried to sip my drink and act like nothing had happened, I really did, but the more I sipped, the more I thought about it. And the less sense it made.
Reno wanted me to think he wanted to fuck me. He did it to fuck with me. It was a control thing. I knew it; he knew it. He knew I knew it. I knew, he knew, I knew, he knew—wait, I couldn't figure out how far I'd gone with this. Screw it. Basically, we both knew he didn't want to go there. Didn't we? I mean, he revelled in assuming he could get me to drop my panties in a heartbeat, but we didn’t even like each other. Sort of. Maybe. God! I didn’t know what to think anymore. But then why did Leon say he did? Aaaaaand, now I was reading way too much into things. And Liss was staring at me as if I was an ignorant asshole.
“Yes!” I blurted.
She scoffed. “Weren't fricking listening, were you?”
I scrunched my nose. “Was the answer no, then?”
“Oh, stuff it!”
I snorted. “You stuff it.”
We both grinned. “Okay.” I stood, giving an exaggerated yawn as I stretched my arms above my head. “I'm done.”
“No way, pussy! You're seventeen tomorrow! You can't leave yet.”
“Tomorrow?”
“It's after midnight.” She shrugged… always with the shrug.
She didn't have a care in the world. She lived in a house with an actual roof. It wasn't a McMansion or anything, but her mom had a bed that didn't fold into a couch, and they had a kitchen big enough that the word didn’t require an ette on the end. And I knew for a fact her mom didn't engage her, willingly or otherwise, in late night chats about her latest sexual conquest.
Dropping onto my ass, I looked around. “Party's over. Everyone's leaving.”
I couldn't see Reno. In fact, I hadn't seen him for the last three hours. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was avoiding me. But he'd have to give a shit to bother.
“Arrrgghh!” I growled, falling onto my back. Seriously pissed that my thoughts had gone back there again.
Liss plonked herself down beside me. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Cool.” She was a goddamn master.