Love or Lust (LOL): Part 3

When Bella rolls a dare, she asks me to hand it out. It takes me a second to think of something even remotely fun, and when I do, I smile from ear to ear.

“Oh, God. Are you going to embarrass me?” Bella squeals, hiding her face in her hands.

“No. At least, I don’t think so. Since I’ll be greeting Lennon with an earth-shattering make-out session, I was thinking you could do the same with Jace. You don’t have to take it as far as I was dared to, but you do have to kiss him.”

Take that, Teegan. There’s no way you’ll be able to steal him away if Bella’s making out with him, which was more than likely her plan all along. That and to create a rift between us.

Good luck, bitch.

“I can handle that.”

“Going easy on her, I see,” Teegan notes as I pick up the die to roll.

“Depends how you look at it,” I reply, staring directly at Teegan as I shake the die. “If it were you that had rolled dare, I would have made it something more sexual because you’re a more sexual person. Bella’s not. She’s modest and I respect that. I’d hate to make her uncomfortable. The game’s supposed to be fun, right?”

Raising an eyebrow at her as I let the die fly, I don’t bother to look down at what I rolled until long after she nods her head in agreement.

Dare.

“Well, Bella. What’s it going to be?”

The sun has started to set, and the lights around the pool flicker to life. While Bella thinks of a good dare for me, Teegan rolls, and I return to the bar to make us each a drink. When I get back, Bella is practically bouncing off the lounger in excitement as she claps her hands.

“What did I miss?”

“Teegan rolled dare, so she’s going to make out with Milo when he gets back. Now no one will feel left out.” I look over at Teegan, who appears less than enthusiastic about the recent development while Bella explains my dare.

Wait. What?

“Say that again,” I say, choking on the sip I was about to take when her words hit me.

“You have to put on a striptease for all the guys. Not naked, but down to something super skimpy. We’ll set it all up for you. Saturday, after the party. After the cameramen are all gone.”

“Pass,” I reply sternly. There’s no way in hell I’m stripping and putting on a show for the guys. I have a moral compass, and it’s pointing in the other direction.

A solo show... sure.

Public, with cameras hidden everywhere... not a chance in hell.

“Why not? It’s no big deal,” Teegan pushes, the same sinister smile she was sporting when we started playing spread across her face.

“If it’s no big deal, why don’t you do it.”

“It’s not my dare. Plus, from what I hear, Milo’s the only one who hasn’t seen it so—”

My hand connects with her cheek before I know what’s happening.

“I don’t know who you think you are, but you don’t get to insult me like that. What I do and with who is my business, not yours. Keep your opinions to yourself.” Standing, I rip my towel from the back of the lounger with such force I almost topple it over. I can feel Teegan’s eyes boring into me as I turn to leave, so I put the final nail in her coffin. “One more thing,” I add, looking over my shoulder. “Stay the fuck away from Jace. The game isn’t over yet, but he’s not interested. Not in you, at least.”

I barely have time to close the door behind me before someone is knocking.

Claudia. This can’t be good. Especially since she’s gripping a folder in her hands so tightly it’s bending from the force.

“I’d say it’s nice to see you, but I have a feeling I won’t like this visit.”

She doesn’t bother to reply as she brushes past me, inviting herself in and tossing the folder on the coffee table before taking a seat on the sofa. When she motions for me to sit next to her, I roll my eyes, slam the door closed, and take the chair opposite her just because I can.

“We have policies, Presley,” she begins.