Dynasty (Boys of Winter 1)

Fuck, yeah.

I resist doing a happy dance in the middle of the VIP room and keep my cool before hooking my arm back through Ember’s and nodding at Sam. “Thanks, I will,” I tell him before letting Knox pull us away.

We get back down to the main floor, and before we’ve even hit the bottom step, I let out an excited squeal while grabbing Ember’s shoulders. “Did you hear that? I’m going to get a job. A FUCKING JOB. I’m going to have my own freaking cash and be able to live. Well, at least a shitload more than what I can now.”

“I know,” she booms. “We need to celebrate. How about another drink?”

I grin wide. “I’ve never heard sweeter words.”

Ember drags me back toward the bar and as we stand in line, I quickly notice that Knox is nowhere to be seen, but I can’t bring myself to care. He probably went back up to the VIP area to see what his uncle thought of me.

Ember gets busy scanning over the impressive lists of cocktails before telling me that she’s ordering me the fanciest one that she can find. I roll my eyes and just listen as she orders while telling myself that I should probably start memorizing some of this shit better.

The bartender gets busy and I watch with a keen eye until a body moves in beside me, instantly sending an uneasy feeling shooting down my spine. My whole body stiffens and as I become more aware of the man beside me, I notice my arm pressed up against his wide chest, my skin tingling where it touches him.

My head slowly turns to find Carver hovering over me, his stare boring into mine with a bigger scowl than I’ve ever seen on his face. My jaw clenches. I don’t bother asking what he’s doing here because that’s like stating the obvious. He’s here because of me, and I don’t like it because if he’s here, then all four of them are, and that could only mean bad news for me. The only question is, how the hell did they know where I was?

I hold his stare, neither of us relenting, neither of us willing to be the first to back down.

Not a damn word gets said between us, but the message is clear. I’m pissed. He’s pissed.

Fuck him. I don’t care why he’s here. All I know is that I came here to have a good time and that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Maybe I’ll find one of his friends and fuck them just to make it even sweeter. Though, the only way it could possibly get better is if I could somehow make him watch. Now that would be hot. I wonder if he’d be jealous or the kind to join in? I bet a guy like Carver has a whole artillery of secrets when it comes to his tricks in the bedroom.

The intensity grows between us by the second and I don’t dare look away until Ember makes it physically impossible, pulling at my arm and nearly making me trip over her six-inch black pumps. She pulls me away, completely oblivious to Carver standing right beside me.

The bartender shoves my drink into my hand, and I'm suddenly aware of the stares zoned in on me from every direction of the room. At first, I didn’t think anything of it, but now I know better. My whole mood begins to plummet, and within seconds, the fancy cocktail is poured down my throat.

I try to forget about them, focusing on Ember and the party around us. Yet with each passing minute, the vision of Carver’s stormy dark eyes only seems to scream louder inside my head, consuming me until I can’t possibly take it anymore.

Rage burns through me, sobering me, and killing my vibe.

God, I hate him so much. All of them. They came here to ruin my night, and just like that; mission accomplished.

My hand curls into a fist, feeling my brass knuckles tightening around my fingers as the familiar adrenaline begins to pulse through me. I lean into Ember. “I’ll be back in a minute,” I tell her, knowing that she isn’t one of those girls who like to accompany her friends to the bathroom, though in a place like this, it’d probably be smart to stick together. Ember can handle herself though. She doesn’t need me breathing down her neck every five seconds.

She nods, not giving two shits that I’m stepping away from her as she loses herself in the music. If the rest of the night is anything to go by, I’d dare say that by the time I get back, she’ll be right here where I left her.

I dart through the bodies as I focus my eyes on the back entrance, knowing damn well that four sets of dreamy eyes are following my every move.