“Smarter choices?” I snap, grabbing the glass of water and tossing it right at his face and stepping in close, letting him see exactly what I think of his rambling comments. “First of all, this party was all of your idea. You and your friends wanted me to come out to some abandoned cabin and party like a fucking rockstar, so don’t get your panties in a twist because I’m doing exactly what you guys had intended me to do. You, Carver, Cruz, and King are the ones who should be making smarter choices. And secondly, fuck you. What did you think was going to happen when all of your dumbasses decided on a BDSM theme around a bunch of horny teenage dudes? If any of the girls at this party get hurt, I’m holding the four of you responsible.”
Grayson rolls his eyes. “You don’t think we have security here? Do you honestly think that lowly of us that we wouldn’t try to protect the people who come to party on our property?”
I step closer into him. “Tell me, what exactly have you done to make me think differently? You groan and grunt with every little thing I say. How am I supposed to know if you’re a decent guy?”
Grayson pushes me back and jumps down from the counter, the water from my glass spilling all over the ground. He grabs the glass from the counter and instantly refills it before coming back to me, grabbing my hand and shoving the glass into it once again. “That’s what you honestly think of me?” he questions. “That I’m not a decent guy after I’ve been there to save your ass time and time again?”
I raise my chin. “I don’t know. From my understanding, you’re only saving my ass because Dynasty needs me still breathing, and if I’m not, I have a feeling it’s you four it will come down on.”
Grayson shakes his head. “Don’t talk shit that you don’t understand.”
I find myself sipping the water, and as I do, the anger starts simmering out of my body and I take a step back from him. “Why do you hate me so much?” I ask, not sure where that question had even come from. But suddenly, whatever we were just discussing doesn’t seem so important.
His brows furrow as he watches me for a moment before grabbing the glass of water from my hands and taking a sip of his own. “I don’t hate you, Elodie,” he tells me, catching me off guard at his casual use of my real name. “I just don’t … get you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You mean change,” he explains. “You’ve been here a month and already everything is different, and I don’t know what the boys have told you, but I don’t like different. I can’t handle different.”
“So, you choose to be an ass instead? Because I’m not sure if you’ve realized this, but I can’t exactly help who I am. It’s not like I’m intentionally coming in here and changing up your world. I know nothing about Dynasty and suddenly this weird-ass group is claiming that I’m about to be their new leader. So, you’re not the only one whose world is being flipped upside down. I guess you should consider yourself lucky that you’ve had eighteen years to prepare for this change. Me? This bullshit just got dropped on me like a bomb, and I’m still scrambling to catch all the pieces.”
He leans back against the counter again, not seeming to care about the water dripping off him as he silently watches me, his gaze filled with a strange curiosity. “I guess I didn’t think of it that way, but nonetheless, that wasn’t the change I was referring to.”
“And dare I ask what is, oh broody one?”
“King, Cruz, and Carver,” he states flatly. “They’re all falling head over heels like fucking idiots for you, and eventually, there’s going to be a fallout, because unfortunately for them, there’s only one of you.”
My stare lingers on his face, considering how much I should share with him, but after having far too many shots, I throw caution to the wind and hope for the best. I step in closer to him, my chest lightly brushing against his and inhaling the deep manly smell that radiates off him. “What if I told you that I’ve already spoken to King and Cruz. They’re both down to share.”
His brow arches, and for a minute, I mentally applaud myself for rendering the broody asshole silent, but it doesn’t last long. “What does that exactly mean? Sharing?”
“I can be with them both without jealousy. One night Cruz might sneak into my bed, and the next I might fuck King until I can’t breathe.” I step in even closer, raising my chin so that my mouth hovers just below his ear. “Hell, sometimes they might take me together.”