Break Me (Brayshaw High 5)

I look to the garbage can I just filled up that’s somehow already emptied, fresh bag already inside of it and the small splash I’d spotted on the wall already gone.

I lower my arm, the half-full bag in my hand resting near my feet as I survey the kitchen.

At the round table, several guys play a game of King’s Cup, drinking based on the cards they pull while a few girls laugh and chat behind them.

A burst of excitement flows from the living room in the form of whistles and quick cheering, so I lean slightly to get a better look.

A guy tugs his shirt off and starts spinning it over his head, only to toss it onto a girl who sits on the couch not far from him.

The girl blushes, her head tipping a little, and I smile to myself.

So cute.

A few others dance around him, getting loud and enjoying their night.

A scrape of wood against wood pulls my attention back this way right as a girl with brown hair decides to join one of the guys in his chair.

She straddles him, completely ignoring the other players at the card table. Each of them observes her public playtime as well, except one.

He watches her and closely, his grip on the bottle in front of him tight.

Awareness prickles at my skin when bottle gripping guy’s leg begins to bounce, but my head snaps up when a rush of red catches my eye.

Back in the living room, a dark-haired dude wearing a Bulls jersey gets into shirtless guy’s face and the shy girl, still holding onto that discarded T-shirt, sits straight up in a panic.

Shirtless guy grins, but when he’s shoved backward a few spaces, a heavy glare takes over and he steps forward again.

I look between the two about to fight over shirt girl and the three toying with each other at the kitchen table—the new hookup and the last one, I decide.

Lap dance guy’s hand begins to disappear under his rider’s skirt and in the living room shirtless guy and jersey guy are bumping chests.

“Keep it clean,” I whisper to myself.

I look to Mac and Chloe, and Mac winks, offering a subtle nod.

I drop the bag to the floor and spin around, grabbing a bottle from the ice bucket and a half tray of Jell-O shots off the counter and head for the table.

I smile, walking up to the group of chatting girls with a bit of nerves.

At first, they scowl when I interrupt their conversation, but as they realize what I’m holding, they shout in drunken excitement and all take one, effectively gaining their lost friend’s attention.

She lifts her head from the dude’s neck, eyes pink and cheeks flushed to match.

I lift the tray in one hand and reach for her with the other, the neck of the beer bottle tucked between my fingers.

She smiles, reaches out, and lets me tug her up. I subtly spin her and pass off the tray and then I’m forgotten, but I make my way over to the ex, trade out his empty bottle with the new, and wink.

He smiles but drops his grin to his chest to hide it.

I pat his back and quickly make my way into the living room.

I offer an apologetic smile to the couch girl and when I reach for the shirt she’s clutching. She lets it go.

Jersey guy shouts, something about “stay away from his sister” and as he does, he rears back a little. Probably to come back even stronger, more aggressive, but I take his slip out as my way in, and place my palms on shirtless guy’s waist driving him backward.

At first, his eyes narrow and his hands begin to come down to shove me away, but I tip my head, lifting my brows and he freezes. It only lasts a second, and then he forces himself to chill, wraps his arms around me lazily, and his head lifts.

He licks his lips with a smirk and shrugs. “What? You thought I was stripping for that?” he motions toward the ‘sister’ and shakes his head. “Nah. I got a woman to play with tonight.”

I make a mental note to find the girl later and explain.

I spin in his arms, and his hands drop to my hips.

Jersey guy glares but seems to accept our charade. He nods, grabs the bottle he must have dropped on the floor, cuts a hard look toward his sister, and backs up, rejoining his group—he keeps his sister in view.

My eyes flash to the kitchen quickly.

Chloe grins wide but Mac, his eyes are wide, and not in surprise, but something else.

He shakes his head, but the guy at my back’s mouth finds my ear and I look to him.

“Thanks,” he whispers.

I nod with a small smile and jerk my head toward the back door. “We should probably head that way for a little bit, let him cool?”