I think I’d reached my limit of his stupid scowls and threats. I grinned brightly. “Yep. His house. His party. Now run along and sulk somewhere else.”
“That’s funny considering this is my fucking house too.” He lived here. He actually lived here. Of course he did.
“What’s your point?”
“My point is, these run-ins are beginning to irk me like an uncomfortable thorn in my side. Kind of painful, but more annoying.”
“Oh, I’m sorry you feel that way.” Sarcasm oozed from my mouth. “Since it seems like it’s you who holds a grudge and prolongs our chance meetings. What will you do, drag me out by my hair and throw me out the front door?”
One side of his mouth curled in a snarl. “You underestimate me, again. I wouldn’t need to.” His eyes raked over me with something more than distaste and a worn, familiar feeling slipped through me. He added in a cool tone, “Did Nick send you to his room to wait obediently for him like the sweet, innocent girl you portray yourself to be? Hmm?” He curled a finger under my chin. “Did he?” My lips flattened refusing to rise to the bait. He bent closer; his words floated over my lips. “We both know that’s not true, don’t we?”
I turned my head away, saddened he thought so low of me. “You don’t know me anymore.”
“I know you better than anyone here, including Nick.” He gripped my chin again forcing me to face him. “Maybe I should reconsider this situation.”
“There is no situation.”
“Oh, but there is. You think I would stand by and let my friend get fucked over by you?”
I jerked my chin away taking a step back. “Fine. If you want me to leave, I will.”
He edged in on me with nostrils flared like a beast that’d just been awakened. “Too late. I’ve changed my mind.”
I swallowed although my throat had gone dry. “Why?”
He shrugged with his eyes devoid of emotion.
“Do you hate me so much?”
“Hate is a weak emotion, Theodora.” He reached out and lightly traced my collarbone.
“What is it you want, Roman?” My voice shook as my skin quivered beneath his touch.
“Maybe I want to fuck you so hard until you have me etched in your memories. Until I forget what a heartless liar you truly are.”
“Don’t.” I shoved at his chest, but he pressed in closer.
“Does the truth hurt?” His hips swiveled into mine feeling his erection through our clothing. He was hard.
My eyes brows shot up startled by his apparent hatred and lust. “You’re so wrong. This is wrong.”
His finger trailed lower dragging down the hem of my top until it bunched at the valley of my chest. His lips curled in a cruel grin. “Don’t act like you have a conscience now. It doesn’t suit you.” His finger stroked the swell of my breast.
I blinked trying to gather my senses. “You’re insane.”
“That may be true,” he retorted while his thumb traced slow circles against my skin. He was an evil temptation cloaked in a smooth warning. Roman was toying with me. I felt the unbridled fury in his soft touch. I knew him too well. He added, “I wonder what Nick would say if he walked in and saw your flushed cheeks right now. How your lips are parted begging to be kissed. Or saw your legs wrapped around my hips as I drove into your tight cunt.”
I curled my fingers around his hand flinging it to the side. He was an egotistical dickhead. “That’s all this is isn’t it? You’re trying to prove a point.”
“If I wanted to prove a point.” He slapped a palm on the wall near my head caging me in. “It wouldn’t be difficult.”
I dug my nails into my palms, trying to keep my composure. “Oh, sure. Here’s an excessively obvious point. I will never sleep with you again.”
His intense eyes never fled mine. “Is that so?”
I nodded, never breaking our gaze. Minutes seemed to pass as we stared. “I need to find Nick.” I made a move to scoot around him but he clamped down hard on my shoulder.
“Stay away from him.”
I wouldn’t even grace him with an answer. “Let go, Roman. Or—”
“Or what? What will you do? Enlighten me.”
His smug look was goading me, and I reacted without thinking, doing something I only thought worked in movies. I swung my leg up with all my might, shoving my knee into his crotch. Even as tough as Roman was, he doubled over with a sharp exhale, cursing my name. It was enough time to slip around him out of the room. I fought the bubble of adrenaline rushing through me and passed through the hall contemplating where I would go. Instinct had me heading through the living room, searching for Kenzie and finding a ride home. I scanned the room filled wall-to-wall with a crowd of people waving their hands in the air, bumping and grinding like this was the biggest music festival of the year. There was a snowball’s chance in hell I’d find my roomie through this sea of people.
“Hey, where’ve you been? I thought I’d have to call out a search party to find you.” Nick was at my side with a protective hand across my shoulder, shielding more people from bumping into me.
I thought about Roman’s threat. Then, I shrugged and said, “I wanted to tell Kenzie something, but…”
He studied my face with concern. “Is everything good? You want me to take you home?”
I eyed the red cup in Nick’s hand and took it from him, sipping the remainder of his drink feeling reckless and still riding my high. “No.” I decided I wasn’t going to allow him to ruin my night ever again.
“Okay. Cool.” Eventually he guided me away from the crowd. Back down the hallway that was now semi-crowded. Back to the lair. Ignoring the warning in my head to leave while I had the chance. I knew I was tempting the devil, but at this point, I didn’t care.
Roman
I lost it. I was a fucking idiot, and when I saw her in my house sitting next to Nick. Then, when she admitted being here because of Nick. It’s like my control went up in flames. Get it. The fuck. Together. I smoothed a hand over my shirt and stepped into the lair, scoping out the crowd disdainfully, playing my part, but I wasn’t really seeing anything. Diversion at its finest. I did my usual, but the night was different from any other when we hosted a party.
I should’ve been pumped on a natural high. I should’ve been acting the fool and chugging drinks like all my friends, lapping up the attention that people so desperately laid on me. I should’ve been thankful the Falcons were getting national attention after the game today. We were a small private school nobody really knew about. When I’d first stepped on campus, we were unknown. But now people would know our name…Tonight, I knew the stakes and had one of my best games ever. We’d defeated our hated rivals who were favored to overtake us in most sports polls before the game. Belated newsflash with spoilers—they didn’t.
Even that didn’t soothe the seething rage threatening to boil over when I’d stepped into this room earlier and saw Theodora sitting next to one of my best friends. Which was irrational, actually, at face value. Except to me, it wasn’t. Hence, the reason I slipped away and followed her into Nick’s room with the intent to kick her ass out. However, I didn’t. Now, my balls were whining about the way I handled the situation. Literally. Fucking pussies.