Ecstasy

Zara

I assumed considering Riha

I thought wrong.

The music is so fucking loud, I know no one would hear me knock, so I let myself inside. And as soon as I glance around, I see Eli Addison. Almost as if he’s waiting for me, and he’s positioned himself in the living room chair that faces the front door.

He’s got a drink in his hand, and a girl on his lap.

My body flushes hot with anger that I know is completely unwarranted. I came here for Alex. I can’t be mad.

I shouldn’t be mad but I am. I stare at that girl for far longer than I should too.

I know for a fact that she was friends with Riha

He has his hand on her thigh, and he lifts his cup up to his mouth, keeping his eyes on me.

Before I can think about his text, about him, about how weird it is that we’re both here, someone touches my arm.

I flinch, turning my head.

Alex.

“You came,” he says, sounding pretty damned surprised. And more sober than I thought he’d be, which is good.

I swallow, push Eli from my mind even though I can feel his eyes on me as I look up at Alex.

“You didn’t think I would?”

Surprisingly, he looks nervous, and on a giant like Alex, it’s cute. He rubs his arm with the opposite hand, gri

I bump my hip against him, smiling. In the moment, a horrible thought occurs to me. I don’t know if I’m doing all of this for Eli’s reaction, or because I want to flirt with Alex. “You pla

He meets my gaze, arching a brow. “I mean, only if it’s in my room and we’re alone.”

I bite my tongue, flicking my eyes up and down his body. He’s wearing black, fitted pants and a plain white tee. How such a simple outfit could look so damn sexy, I don’t know. This reminds me of when we first met. When I first fell for him. Before all the fighting and the shitty thing I did to ruin us.

This is—dare I say it—fun.

“I thought you needed space,” I remind him, but I keep my tone light. I don’t want to fight, and since he doesn’t really seem drunk, tonight could be peaceful between us.

His jaw clenches and I see his hands curl into fists. I wonder if he’s thinking about Jamal. I wonder if I should’ve reminded him of my bullshit. I wonder what he’d think if he knew just two nights ago Eli fingered me in their pool.

“I did,” he admits. “But this week, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you, Zara. And after lunch yesterday I just I needed to see you again.”

My heart skips a beat in my chest. I try to play it off. “You just wa

This seems to settle him. He runs a hand through his thick hair and flashes me a lopsided smile. “If I’m allowed to.”

I laugh a little. Force myself not to think about Eli. “Get me a drink and we’ll see.” I can’t tell if he’s already been drinking, but he doesn’t look messed up. Then again, I probably don’t either. Before I left Jax’s house, I used some eyedrops he had on hand, wiped away my smeared eyeliner—Jax told me I wear too much, I told him to shut the fuck up—and took a shot of vodka before I used Jax’s mouthwash.

I’m just in ski

Not because my own eyes told me, but because Alex still seems nervous and I can feel Eli’s eyes on me.

“Yes ma’am,” Alex tells me and turns to walk down the hall.

But he holds out his hand.

I glance at Eli before I take it.

He’s still watching me, but his hand has moved further up the cheerleader’s thigh and she’s spread her legs wider on his lap. I wonder if she’d let him hold her underwater while he fingered her.

Motherfucker.

I take Alex’s hand as I stare right back at him.

The kitchen is thankfully empty, but I’m shocked as shit to see people swimming in the pool past those sliding glass doors, like not shit happened just two weeks ago. Like a girl isn’t dead. Like her body wasn’t just floating at the bottom of that pool.

Don’t think about it.

“You okay?” Alex asks me and I realize I closed my eyes.

I spring them open, pushing the memory of Riha

“Yeah,” I answer Alex, forcing a fake smile on my face as I look at all the bottles of alcohol on the island in the kitchen. Try not to think about him shoving me against it. That tequila bottle. The cut between my lips. “What’re you go

He’s standing beside me and I realize he isn’t moving, his big ass hands resting on the marble of the island.

I turn to look up at him.

I don’t like what I see.

Something that looks far too much like pity. It makes me squirm.

“What?” I ask him, unable to help myself.

His dark brown eyes soften, and this is the kindest look he’s ever directed toward me. I liked it better when he was being an asshole. I’m about to tell him so when he just says, “You found a dead body the morning after a wild party.” His tone is so straightforward, I don’t interrupt him even though I feel all itchy and hot and I’m dying to grab the closest bottle and start chugging it. “It’s okay to be weirded out by it.”

I glance at the pool again. I see her again.

I hear Eli behind me. “There’s a body in the pool, baby girl.”

“Did you at least have it professionally cleaned?” I ask instead of mentioning any of that shit. Instead of thinking of Eli pushing me under in it or what we did together.

I meet Alex’s gaze, but he’s still staring at me with a mixture of pity and something like desire. But for what? Why did he really invite me here? Is this where we have our pivotal relationship talk? Is this where I confide in him like I did Jax?

I don’t want to do that.

I’m here to get stupid drunk. Maybe piss Eli off. Or turn him on.

I don’t want to bond with Alex over Riha

Finally, he just shakes his head. “Yeah, we did. You want to get in again? I could help you out. Like last time.”

I shoot him a glare.

He holds up his hands, all i

I just stare at him, equally horrified and amused. He really is a dick but that’s one of the things I like about him. I’m not exactly a good person, either. “I’m not sure if you’re joking or not.”

He shrugs, slips his hands into his pockets. “Me neither.”

I scoff, rolling my eyes. “Where’s your posse? Why are you alone right now? Aren’t there girls dying to suck your dick or dudes waiting for you to flash another girl’s tits so they can make a video? Why’d you have to invite your ex over, huh?” I turn away from him, not really wanting an answer, and grab a cup from the stack of them, flip it over and fill it with about two shots worth of tequila.