Chapter Eleven
Tomas
I shrug into my leather jacket and wander toward the clumps of students littering the yard of the boathouse. Metal cans erected in the cold soil burst with warm flames with about three to four people surrounding each one. I shove my hands into my pockets while stalking past the collection of them, casually observing the festivities.
John Trotter nods in greeting while Tabitha stares at me with a look of disgust. When she perks up and smiles, I know she’s spotted Parker somewhere behind me. Her eyes brighten even as she clings to John’s arm, the two of them appearing haunted by the way the flames dance on their faces.
The chill in the air is hardly due to winter—in fact, it’s more likely inspired by the situation at hand. With the presentation of those cryptic gifts, we’re left wondering what the next step will be. Our plan to blend in where we’re least expected is working out just fine. No one would suspect us of purposefully attending such an event when our cozy little homes would do far better to host us.
Even though I have access to better drugs at home, I don’t regret my attendance. Alex will be here. She’ll be wearing something pretty—Parker’s order, but one that we all appreciated hearing—and I’m sure I can grab a dance or two with her. Feeling her hands on my shirt, her body close to mine, and her lips on mine is just what I need after a long afternoon of getting lectured by my emotionally distant father.
Adelaide and Alex are the only two people holding me together at this point. If I have to deal with any more Macedon bullshit, I might bolt. If Lev can stand up to his father, then I can do it too. How hard can it be?
I huff while swiping a bottle of beer from the drink table. The cool glass burns in my palm as I pop the tab and swig it back, opening my throat so I can drink more of it all at once. Lingering near one of the metal cans draws attention. I don’t mind the stares. I know I’m intimidating. These kids have no idea how intimidating I can get, but I don’t need to perform for them.
The only person I care about right now is Alex.
My eyes scan the yard, picking up shadows floating around the flickering flames. Conversation thrums around me in waves that hardly keep my attention. As soon as I locate Alex, I allow myself to smile.
She looks utterly gorgeous. Her hair hangs in soft waves around her shoulders, tickling the small patches of skin exposed at her shoulders. The black dress snugly conforms to her curves and pauses mid-thigh, revealing another few inches of flesh between the hem of her dress and the top of her over-the-knee black boots. Her dark eyes glisten with firelight, appearing catlike and hungry.
But she’s not looking at me. She’s looking at Lev.
She touches his shoulder, smiles, tilts her head back to laugh. Watching the way she interacts with him inspires my fingers to clutch tighter around the neck of the beer bottle. I chug the rest of it and then grab another, repeating the process until I’ve got a few under my belt.
Liquor would be best in this situation, but I don’t want to move. I can’t take my eyes off Alex. She’s beautiful—and at the same time, I feel enraged by the way she’s acting with Lev. The two of them talk for a good while, exchanging smiles and leaning close to each other as if they’re best friends.
Something happened between them. I want to know what the hell it is.
After grabbing an extra beer, I march toward the happy couple, indignation swelling in my belly. Just the other day, she had her hand down my pants and her mouth hooked to mine. Now, she’s flirting with Lev. What the fuck is she doing?
“Are you two planning to party without me?” I interrogate when I’m close enough to be heard. I gesture to Lev with my beer. “You two look awfully close.”
Alex frowns. “What are you talking about, Tommy?”
I sneer at the sound of my nickname. “Don’t fucking call me that, Alex.”
“Are you drunk?” Lev asks. The genuine concern in his features makes me want to hurl—or maybe that was the three to four beers I chugged. “Maybe you should slow down, dude.”
I push his shoulder. “Whatever, man. You’re so comfortable with this cock tease. Why don’t we show off our dicks here? Why don’t we vote to see who gets to nail the Moretti princess tonight?”
Alex lowers her voice to a frustrated hiss. “Tommy, you’re acting like a fucking asshole right now. People are staring.”
“Oh? People are staring?” I swig my beer. “That bother you, princess? That make you want to hide? You had no problem with it when you jacked me off in the auditorium.”
She gasps and takes a step back. “You’re drunk.”
“And you’re fucking loose.” I turn to Lev and say, “I’m not opposed to a three-way, dude. Are you into guys? Even a little bit?”
Lev grabs my shoulder. “You’re out of your element, man.”
“And you’re being a fucking hog.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I point to Alex. “You two are so fucking snug, aren’t you? Sharing secrets? Talking shit about the rest of us?” I look at Alex and grimace. “Probably just laughing about how you use us, huh? Is Lev your buddy now?”
I try to grab her, but Lev intervenes, sending me stumbling toward one of the metal cans. I manage to catch myself before I become a shish kebab on a stick leaning against the drum. My beer bottle slips from my grasp, and it rolls out of reach. At this point, my head is spinning and I’m too angry to defend myself against either of them. Or the silent crowd that has gathered around us.