Treachery Prequel

“Couldn’t hear you,” he said, the purr of his voice so low that I could feel it vibrating along my bones.

“Yes, I’m a student here,” I said again, but I highly doubted the words were intelligible. I was struggling to take a full breath as heat surged through me, my head suddenly heavy and my eyes closing as the music around us took over.

Knowing I’d had too much to drink, I attempted to will myself sober again so I didn’t make a fool of myself with this guy, but his strong body against mine felt too good, the heat of his breath sliding down my neck making it impossible for me to think straight about what I should do.

Lifting my hands to lock my palms over his chest, I had intended to push him away, but instead I found myself melting against him the strength of pure steel beneath my palms sending me into another frenzy of need that was dangerous in my condition.

While I was out of control and lost to the moment, Shane didn’t seem to notice, his deep voice purring again over a question.

“Can I kiss you, Luca? I’ve been watching you and wanting to all night.”

Although my mind was screaming no, my thoughts racing over all the reasons kissing Shane was a bad idea, my head nodded yes regardless.

This was insane. I didn’t even know this guy and yet he’d effortlessly drawn me in, the movement of his body as he danced against me seducing me until I was helpless but to let him do whatever the hell he wanted.

He chuckled against my skin before sliding his mouth along my cheek, his lips brushing mine with the faintest of a touch before I felt another arm wrap around me from the other side, a scream volleying from my throat as I was pulled away from Shane’s embrace, spun around and tossed over another man’s shoulder.

Before I could make sense of what was happening, I was carried out of the room, down the hall, into another dark room that was quiet despite the crowd inside the house, the kicking of my feet and pounding of my hands doing nothing to slow my assailant down.

“Let go of me. What the fuck?”

I cried out again when I was flung from his shoulder, my arms flying out to my sides to break my fall. Thankful it was a soft mattress I slammed into rather than the floor, I shot up on both elbows ready to lunge forward to escape the room when a hand shoved me back and a deep voice roared

“What the fuck is right.”

“Let me go.”

“Or what?”

Stilling in place, my eyes widened when I recognized that angry voice despite my head pounding from the amount of liquor I’d consumed.

Ta

All at once I felt elation for Gabriel now owing me a favor and fear because, fuck...I hadn’t even thought about the possibility of being dragged off into another room where there was nobody who could come between us.

I lunged forward again, only to be shoved back a second time, the sound of heavy footsteps marching away from me before a bright light flicked on above me, my eyes squinting closed against it.

Throwing an arm over my face, I sat up, and suddenly regretted downing the drinks Gabriel had given me.

Ta

“Do you want to explain to me why you’re attempting to fuck every single guy who lives in this house? Or should I just toss your ass out now for being a fucking slut?”

“What?”

The one word question came out more as a shriek than I’d intended, but my eyes had adjusted enough that I could finally pull my arm away and stare down the asshole standing across the room from me.

“I haven’t tried to fuck anybody. And what do you care? That room was filled with every type of slut imaginable. They were the ones without clothes, or were you not paying attention? Not that I’m slut-shaming, of course, because I’m not a judgmental bastard like you.”

Oh, this was bullshit. Who the hell did he think he was judging me for having a good time with a member of the opposite sex?

Every time I’ve seen him, he had a different girl on his lap. And if he didn’t, he was doing his damndest to piss me off.

Trying to stand up so I could stalk across the room and get in his face like a properly pissed off woman, I attempted to push up.

Two things worked against me: I was too drunk and the mattress was too damn soft. Instead of a smooth maneuver that made it appear I was a woman to be feared, I resembled a turtle stuck on its back, rolling left and right to gain purchase.

Ta

He had me there, but still, I wouldn’t let him know he did.

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“Am-“

Okay, no. I wasn’t allowing this argument to devolve into a battle between toddlers.

Even drunk, I had more respect for myself than that.

As it was, Ta

I must have looked more pathetic than I thought because Ta

My balance was off and I almost fell back again, but he wrapped an arm around me and held me in place. I would have been thankful for the assistance if his face wasn’t in mine, the scowl on his lips stretching thin when I glared (albeit unfocused) right back at him.

It’s kind of difficult to pull off a lethal expression when you’re so drunk that one eyelid is drooping down farther than the other. I really should have stopped at two drinks.

“Why the fuck do you keep coming back here?”

His deep voice was a warning growl, rage obvious in his dark eyes.

Pushing up to my toes, I closed the distance between us with my teeth clenched together and a muscle jumping in place over my eye.

“Do you know what you are, Ta

Poking him in the chest like it was a valid threat, I lowered my voice into a growl as venomous as his.

“You’re an asshole and a bully. Why do you even care if I’m at your house? Huh? Why does it even fucking matter? I was having a good time. Not doing anything that should have bothered you. Yet, here we are fighting with each other again because you can’t seem to stay away from me, and what does that say about you?”

Another few pokes of my finger against his rock hard pecs and his gaze trailed down to look at it before lifting again to lock with mine.

“I’m not the one who keeps showing up in your space trying to spread my legs for whichever one of your friends will have me.”

My jaw dropped, my skin bristling with indignation for the accusation.

“Oh yeah? Well, at least I can keep my hands to myself every time you come near me. Yet, you seem to have an issue with leaving me the hell alone.”

Ta

“You’re the one touching me now.”

He was right, my palms were locked against his chest, but only because I wanted to shove him away.

Putting as much strength behind the effort as I possibly could, Ta

I would have fallen back on the mattress if he hadn’t wrapped his arm around me to catch me again, the contact between us forcing heat to rush down my spine.