But I’m not focused on them.
My entire focus is on the fucker who just cut off my eye contact with Teal.
He’s taller than her, so I can’t get a clear view of her expression.
A black halo swirls around my head, refusing to evaporate.
I stride in their direction and barge straight between them. He — David, I think his name is — steps back as if startled.
I grin. “May I help you, David?”
“No, I was just asking Teal about an assignment.”
“This doesn’t look like class, does it?”
Teal tries to elbow my side, but I keep out of her reach and then grab her hand in mine.
David appears flustered, but he holds his ground. The sorry fuck. Why are we even inviting rugby blokes to our parties?
“I was just—”
“Leaving,” I cut him off.
“No. That’s not—”
“In case you haven’t noticed, Teal is taken.” I smile. “In fact, she’s someone’s fiancée — mine. So stay away from her.”
Instead of shutting up and screwing off, he continues speaking. “I think that’s up to her to decide.”
I tug Teal to me, place a hand on her cheek, and slam my lips to hers in one ruthless kiss that makes her gasp. I take the chance and claim her tongue, tasting her as I’ve never done before. I can feel the attention everyone at the party is giving us, and I let them watch the show; I let them know who she belongs to.
Jealous? Me? No, not at all.
I don’t wait for David or anyone else to get into our bubble. The moment my lips leave hers, I drag her behind me and out of the Meet Up. The music and the voices fade more and more the further we stride away. We’re in the car park when she yanks her hand from mine.
“I can’t keep up,” she pants.
“We have to do something about your short legs.” I face her.
She folds her arms over her generous tits. “Maybe we should do something about the caveman scenes. Have you been taking pointers from Aiden or something?”
I scoff. “Come on, belle. I’m the type who gives lessons, not the other way around.”
“Yeah, right.” She tucks her hair behind her ear, and even in the dim light coming from the cottage, I can make out the reddening of her cheeks.
“You like it.” I grin. I step up to her and she stares at me with wide eyes, frozen in the moment. “You like how I go caveman for you, how I staked a claim on you in public and marked you as mine.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“And yet, you’re not looking me in the eye.”
“I am.” Her gaze slides to mine then shifts after a fraction of a second.
I grab her by the chin and run my finger down her swollen bottom lip. “Admit it.”
“You’re a bastard.”
“We’ve already established that.”
She throws her hands out to the sides. “Now what?”
“Now, we’re out of here.”
“But…to where?”
“The sky’s our limit, belle. I’ll start by fucking you, and then I’ll end the night by fucking you again. The in-between probably includes that, too, but I’m open to suggestions.”
She smiles a little. “You still have the stamina after today’s game? You were running for ninety minutes straight, and the way you went back to defence when one of your back liners didn’t do their job? Your manager should’ve subbed him out, but no, they saw you were playing their position along with yours, so they were like, okay, we can keep him. Going back and forth must’ve exhausted you, and let’s not talk about the assists you made for Xander’s favours. I get it, he’s coming back after long absence, but why do he and Aiden get all the limelight while your effort is chalked up to assists? It’s not fair, and the way Cole thinks he’s a better midfielder than you…” She trails off as my grin widens more with every word out of her mouth. “I was rambling, wasn’t I?”
“No, continue. We’re at the part where Cole thinks he’s better than me, which is obviously blasphemy.”
“Shut up.” If possible, her cheeks redden some more. My Teal doesn’t usually blush, but when she does, it’s like the world has turned red. She’s real even when she’s embarrassed.
“I thought you weren’t watching me,” I say. “You were all over your phone as if you were having some sort of an affair — not that I said anything to anyone, because my fucker friends would think I’m clingy. Did I mention they’re calling me a pussy because of you?”
“Yeah, you kind of did.”
“You’re making it up to me.”
I thread my fingers in hers and drag her towards my car. With the whole party scene, there are too many vehicles here. It takes precious minutes to find mine.
“Wait.” Teal tugs on my hand.
“No waiting. Ron Astor the Second needs his dose.”
She laughs, and the sound is so rare and feather-like I can’t resist stopping and facing her.
“What?” I suppress my own smile. Seeing her face radiate is contagious.
“Don’t tell me that’s the name of your dick?”
“Could be. Why? You have a problem with it? I’m open to suggestions, but he only answers to that name. In my defence, I named him when I was thirteen and straight out of a family history class.”
She bursts out laughing, hiding her mouth with the back of her hand.
“What is it, belle?” I feign offence. “Speak now or forever hold your peace.”
A thump comes from our right, and both of us pause.
“That’s what I asked you to wait for,” Teal whispers, her laughter vanishing. “There’s a weird sound coming from that car.”
“Belle, this is posh London. We don’t have serial killers amongst us…” I trail off when the sound comes again, and this time, I recognise from which car it is coming.
A black Jeep.
Cole’s.
Oh, fucking fuck. What did he do now?
“We should take a look,” Teal says.
“That’s probably not a good idea.”
“What do you mean it’s not a good idea?” Teal’s cheeks redden, and this time it’s far different than embarrassment. It’s anger — no, rage in its purest form.
“It means we shouldn’t get involved.” Cole’s shit is Cole’s shit. Besides, I might have an idea of what’s going on in that car, and it has more to do with kink activity rather than sociopathic.
But he had to bring it here, seriously?
That’s a new level even for him.
“Shouldn’t get involved?” Teal’s voice rises. “Someone might need help in there. Someone might be screaming at the top of their lungs, but no one is hearing them. They need a voice, but they get nothing. It’s because of people like you that they get nothing, the people who say they shouldn’t get involved, who say they shouldn’t step up to help someone in need or—”
“Hey.” I wrap both palms around her face, trying to cool her down.
She’s skipping over words and appears to be on the verge of a breakdown. It’s one of the rare times Teal shows what’s inside her, shows what she has hidden underneath the aloof persona and the ‘fuck the world’ exterior.