“What the shit? Why do they get to cut?”
We heard the usual high-pitched protests of half-naked girls waiting to get inside and escape the cold. Because of them, the door guys Liam hired each year were as silent and stoic as statues. But tonight, as they unclasped the rope for Aria and me, they actually had something to say.
“Goddamn, ladies,” one of them muttered, his lusting eyes following us all the way in. Another reached out flirtatiously, playing with the gold chain that hung from Aria’s neck. Once we were out of earshot, she squealed.
“Yes, girl. I’d say that’s a good sign,” she whispered giddily, squeezing my hand.
“I’d agree,” I smirked since she hadn’t quite trusted me on the costumes at first. I didn’t blame her. It had to be weird to watch me come home, dump a sheet of jersey onto the floor and proceed to cut it up into thick, ragged strips. But she slowly climbed on board when I undressed and started wrapping the off-white strips over my naked chest like a bandeau, then wrapping a couple strips over my hips like an ultra-mini skirt, barely covering my white boy shorts. She was confused again when I rubbed bronzer like dirt onto my arms and legs, but was back on board when I brought out the yards of gold chain I’d gotten from the trim store. I wrapped some around my wrists and arms before winding it around my neck like a choker and letting the long, loose ends hang down between my breasts.
“Girl. I still have no idea what we’re supposed to be but I feel objectified and like it,” Aria declared as we made our way through the crowd, her petite body similarly wrapped and adorned. “Honestly though – what are we supposed to be? We look super hot but I also feel like we also look like medieval sex slaves.”
I laughed. “I guess that’s… kind of the vibe I was going for? But I was thinking less sex slave and more…” I trailed off, trying to figure out what I wanted to say. Right in time, A.J’s voice came behind us, supplying my answer.
“Holy fuck. What are you – my prize?”
We spun around and I burst out laughing when I saw A.J in the costume I knew he’d be wearing thanks to Liam’s intel. They were gladiators this year, and as usual, A.J was by far the most naked one in his gold helmet, gold Speedo thong and gold-plated belt. He also had a gold and red blood-spattered shield, but he dropped it on the floor in favor of using his hands to hook into the waist of Aria’s transparent skirt, pulling her close and trailing his eyes across her oiled up, dirt-flecked skin. We weren’t as close to naked as most of the other girls around us, but somehow, we gave off a far more scandalous vibe. Everyone else was primped and polished. I’d decided that we’d be a little dirty.
“I… goddamn. You look…” A.J searched for his words, looking almost as confused as he did aroused.
“What do I look like, A.J?” Aria teased. He swept a hand over his brow.
“Like fuckin’… sex on legs, Aria. Christ. What are you trying to do to me?” A.J muttered, leaning over to give me the obligatory kiss on the cheek. His hands gravitated toward the chain around her neck. He gritted his teeth. “Christ. I don’t even know what you two are supposed to be but it’s making me want to maim a fuckin’ lion in your honor or some gladiator shit.”
I burst out laughing. “Per
fect, that was what I was going for. Speaking of gladiators though, where’s mine?”
“Well...” A.J scanned the crowd, wordlessly pulling Aria back to him when some drunk guy tried to get her to dance. “I stuck him and Max with VIP duty so I could come here. I’m guessing he’s still trapped up there with the crazies.” A.J nodded up toward the mezzanine, a roped off area that the hardcore fangirls paid another hundred to access. They were generally real fans that had actually watched the guys’ fights before and even tracked their careers. For the extra price of their admission, they were granted open bar access but more importantly, closer proximity to Liam and the guys, who in turn flirted it up and did body shots off them just to get those VIP tickets selling again the next year.
“Ah, shit,” Aria said when she read the look on my face. “Do you not want to go up there, Sash? Or me and A.J will go with you if you need.”
I considered it. She knew how much I hated the VIP area. I’d ventured up only once before – at the party two years ago – and it was so packed I’d had to climb onto the back of a couch to even spot Liam in the crowd. And when I did, I was granted the sight of him receiving a topless lap dance from a busty sorority girl, while her equally topless friend rubbed his cock under his loincloth. That scene resulted in Riley’s last ever appearance at one of Liam’s Halloween parties. When asked about it, she cited “an overwhelming abundance of shameless hos” as her reason.
I pursed my lips. “How is it up there, A.J? Will I be able to find Liam?”
“Yeah. It’s tame. No orgies yet.”
I snorted. “Great. Then I guess we’re good, Aria,” I said, knowing well that she hated the VIP area too. “You guys go have fun.”
“You don’t need to tell me twice,” A.J said and just like that, he whisked my best friend off and left me alone in the sea of girls wearing lingerie and bunny ears. Dodging the guys with their holiday edition pickup lines – “Can I take a picture of you to prove that angels do exist?” – I squeezed my way upstairs, flashing my wristband to get into the mezzanine. When I got up there, to my relief, A.J was right. It wasn’t that crazy or crowded, and I spotted Liam right away. But there was a girl standing next to him.
And the second I realized who that girl was, my jaw clenched so tight I nearly cracked my molars.
“What the fuck?”
My words were lost in the din of music and screaming but somehow, I caught only Jenna’s attention as she hugged Liam’s muscled arm between her as-good-as-naked breasts, covered in just two jewel-adorned stickers shaped like mermaid shells. Her eyes lit right up when they met with mine, and she threw me one of her signature winks before going up on her toes to whisper into Liam’s ear.
White-hot flames lapped at my skin as I watched his hand slide down her back and settle just above her ass, his fingertips almost touching its curve. The heat crawled up my neck and to my cheeks as Jenna then tipped Liam’s chin down to lock his gaze strictly on her. She whispered something an inch from his lips and when he laughed, she peered at me from the corner of her eye, with satisfaction so smug it actually balled my hands into fists.
“Liam.” I didn’t recognize my own voice when I got to him. I was furious and jealous and possessive. And hot. He was shirtless and strapped in leather and metal, his six-pack rippling in a way that forced my stare. Maybe it was the costume but he looked bigger, more cut than usual – like he belonged in some sweaty, sexy Hollywood blockbuster about warrior kings or Ancient Rome. He looked so ridiculously gorgeous but I could barely appreciate it or the way his eyes immediately devoured me.
“Sasha.” His hand fell away from Jenna’s body as he stepped toward me, but I stepped back, furious and hating that I was showing it because Jenna clearly loved it, feeding off my anger as per usual.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?” she pouted innocently. With Liam’s eyes on me, she flashed me a despicably satisfied look, running the tip of her tongue along the upper row of her teeth and mouthing, “You mad?”
I couldn’t help that I was. Not just mad, though. Fuming. Grabbing Liam’s hand, I nodded upstairs. “Liam. Can I talk to you in private, please?”
In no time, we were ascending the small flight of stairs into a private booth within the mezzanine. The second Liam put his hands on me I shoved him away.