“Now?” His brows scrunch. “The party just started.”
I want to mention that he’s been getting into too many parties lately, but I don’t want him to think I’m making all of this about me again.
“I know you don’t like these scenes,” he approaches and clutches my shoulders. “But it’s our last year, remember? We’re having all the fun so there will be no regrets. Wait.” He wipes under my eyes. “Were you crying?”
“No, yes, I don’t know.” I bite my lower lip and then I just blurt it all out, from this morning about my fight with Victoria and Nicole straight to when I found the same Nicole sucking Levi’s dick.
“Fucking Nicole,” he breathes out. “I can’t believe he took the exhibition off the table.”
My head bows as Dan stands against the desk with me.
“And then she sucked off Captain.” He sounds soberer than he did a few minutes ago.
He didn’t ask the question, but I nod anyway, my chest tightening at that image.
Daniel remains quiet for a beat. “Why do you care who sucks off Captain?”
My head jerks up at that. “I… don’t.”
“You most certainly do.” He smiles a little with a sense of bitterness. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be so upset right now. Do you like him?”
“Of course not! He’s a fucking bastard who thinks he’s entitled to everything. I hate his type, remember?”
“Yeah, but maybe you noticed he’s not exactly that type?”
I did and I hate him even more for it. Why did he show me layers of himself if he was going to have Nicole suck him off?
“You know…” he trails off.
“What?”
“I heard this from Ronan when he was drunk, but it seems that Captain is under a lot of pressure from his uncle and maybe that has to do with why he’s bothering you?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Hey, little bugger. We’re not supposed to be running away from our problems, remember?” He nudges my shoulder. “Or there will be no marathoning Vikings.”
“That’s torture.” I smile, giving him a bro hug. “Go ahead and have fun. I know you’re dying to shag someone.”
“Thank fuck,” he chuckles. “But seriously, are you going to be alright?”
“Yeah, I’ll just spend some time here and then come find you?”
“Give me time for a quickie.”
I jab him. “I didn’t need that image.”
He laughs. “See you, crazy.”
“Duh, crazy.”
Takeaway by The Chainsmokers filters from the door as Dan slips out then closes the door behind him, muting the outside world.
I continue leaning against the table, staring at the opposite wall and the clash of white and black. It’s like a yin and yang. Good versus evil. Angel versus the devil.
I try to focus some more and read into it, but all I keep seeing is Nicole’s smug smirk and Levi’s black one. He must’ve been out of his mind with desire for her.
Maybe he’s already having sex with her right now.
I seal my eyes shut, urging the images to disappear.
Too late. I painted the picture and now, it refuses to go away.
I can’t believe I was worried about him earlier today.
Why? Just why would I care about that scum?
I should be focusing on more important things. Such as my hit-and-run accident and trying to remember any snippets from that night.
The chaos from the party filters back into the room. I open my eyes, happy that Dan returned for me. Maybe he had too many drinks and decided to go home.
My breath catches in my throat when the door closes and Levi advances towards me with sure, wide steps.
A chaotic string of feelings pushes through me. I want to hit and claw at him. I want to scream at him, but that will only show that I care, so I pretend to watch the painting of good versus evil as I ask, “Aren’t you supposed to be with Nicole?”
He grabs both my hands in his stronger one. “I’m supposed to be right fucking here, princess.”
24
Astrid
It’s not me, it’s you.
* * *
“Don't touch me,” I grit out.
His body pushes into me, hands tightening around my wrists.
The small of my back hits the table as he towers over me, all hard ridges and powerful. However, I feel no intimidation.
Hell, I don’t even see him as an irresistible Viking right now.
He’s just a fucking bastard.
“I told you I’ll ruin you.” There’s a maliciousness in his tone. A sharpness that’s meant to cut. “I told you I’ll break you, but you still didn’t back down. You still taunted me as if asking me to retaliate harder.”
“Fuck you, Levi. Fuck. You. All I ever wanted is to live my last year in peace, but no, you had to ruin everything. Did I ask you to take an interest in me? Did I fucking make you? You’re the one who set out to destroy me in your stupid games.”
“And you’re the one who refused to lose.” His face tightens as if he’s the one mad, not the other way around.
“I wasn’t born to lose or to become a pawn on your board.”
He watches me, then, all intent as if he’s cutting me open and looking inside me. It would’ve been unnerving under different circumstances, but now, all I feel is contempt.
I want to ruin him as much as he ruined me.
This time, I want to be the predator instead of the prey.
“What you saw isn’t what it seemed,” he says in a cool tone like we’re discussing the weather.
"Sure thing. I definitely didn't see you getting your dick sucked by Nicole, King."
“Don't call me that.”
“Isn’t that what you demand everyone to call you, King?”
“Not you.”
As if possible, his chest comes impossibly closer. My breasts brush against his Elites’ jacket with every breath. I try not to focus on how full and tight they feel or how my nipples ache in response.
His fresh scent mixed with a distant whiff of Vodka fills all my senses.
His presence is like a natural disaster; impossible to avoid and always leaves destruction behind.
And I refuse to be collateral damage.
I struggle against him, trying to headbutt him, but he easily moves out of the way.
“Do you consider me a joke?”
“A joke,” he repeats slowly, keeping his merciless hold on my wrists.
“Or am I a conquest? A war you need to win.”
“A war is a fucking child’s play compared to you, princess.”
“How many girls have you told that? Does that include Nicole? You know with her taking care of the captain and all that.”
His lips curve into a wolfish smirk. Damn him and how unreal he looks. “Why are you so upset, princess?”
“I'm not.”
"Are you perhaps jealous?"
“Screw. You.”
And screw Nicole and screw my heart for ever thumping for this bastard.
He pushes his pelvis into the space where my T-shirt meets my skirt. Something hard and thick presses at the bottom of my stomach through his jeans.