My favorite party people. Join us?
My fingers clench around the phone and wildfire spreads across my chest as I continue to look at her. And Remi’s arm around her bare shoulders, since she’s wearing a strapless dress.
So this is the reason she didn’t text me. Apparently, being busy partying is able to wipe her memories.
I text her.
Creighton: Where are you?
No reply comes in…five minutes. Which I spend pacing the length of the room.
When her name pops up on my screen, I lean against the wall.
Annika: Um, hi.
Annika: I mean hiiii.
Annika: Hi :）
Annika: That’s what people say before asking questions. Hi :） Creighton: Are you drunk, Annika?
Annika: Nah, nope. No.
Creighton: Are you sure?
Annika: Uh-huh. Though I did have a drink.
Creighton: Only one?
Annika: Maybe two. I like drinking. I’m gonna ask him to bring me another.
Creighton: Who’s him?
Annika: My favorite drinking buddy, of course.
Creighton: Name.
Annika: You guess :）
Creighton: Remi or Bran?
Annika: Maybe both. Maybe it’s someone different.
My grip tightens on the phone and it takes all my control not to throw it against the wall.
Creighton: Where are you?
Annika: No, nope. I’m not telling you so you can come and spoil my fun. You prefer sleep anyway. Nightyyy.
I send her a few more texts, but she doesn’t even read them.
The little fucking—
I spring up, throw on a hoodie, and text Landon.
Creighton: Address.
Landon: That was fast. Can I bring popcorn and come watch?
Creighton: Address.
Landon: We need to work on your conversational skills, baby cousin. Here you go. Don’t murder my brother. Remi’s life, however, is all yours.
It takes me fifteen minutes I don’t have to arrive at the club. I step out of my car and head inside with rigid steps.
The loud music, shouts, and the fucking noise are similar to having a machine prowl inside my head.
I push through the wiggling, twisting bodies as they jump and sway and drink and snort drugs.
After some time of shoving people out of my way, I arrive at the top level of the club. I grab the railing and cast a glance at everyone jumping around downstairs.
The colorful lights dim my vision, making them look like a copy of a copy.
In the midst of the chaos, my eyes are drawn to a girl in a light purple dress. Her rich brown hair falls to her half-naked back.
Annika, Ava, and Remi jump together to the music and point at a corner of the room across from them. It’s where Brandon and Cecily sit together, watching them with smiles and a lot of shaking their heads.
The emotions from earlier heighten in intensity as I practically jog down the stairs and to where they are.
When I arrive, it takes all my restraint not to punch Remi in his aristocratic nose and potentially start a dramatic saga.
But I do barge into their circle and shove him away with my shoulder.
He stumbles sideways and barely escapes having his face smashed on the ground.
Ava is the one who notices me next, pauses her manic jumping, and nudges Annika.
The infuriating little minx is the only one who keeps swaying and wiggling her hips.
I grab her by the nape and pull her toward me in one swift go. Her back crashes against my chest with a thud and the scent of violets fills my nostrils.
A shudder slashes through her body and seeps into my system. No clue how I manage not to tighten my fingers around her neck and give her a red necklace.
Annika must feel the darkness radiating off me. Her pupils dilate and her fuckable lips part in clear invitation.
She goes still in my hold, and I’m addicted to the way her inner submissive knows when to lay low and not provoke me further.
It’s probably her survival instinct, too, because she knows this won’t end well for her.
I catch a glimpse of both Cecily and Brandon joining us, drinks in hand.
“Spawn!” Remi shouts over the music. “You made it! Wait, you willingly came here without me having to hound the fuck out of you? Who are you and what have you done with my favorite spawn?”
“OMG!” Ava holds her hands together, completely ignoring Remi’s speech. “You’re here because of Anni! This is too surreal to wrap my mind around. I can’t believe the traitor was totally keeping us in the dark about your relationship. I’m so wounded.”
“Yeah,” Cecily supplies. “She’s been ignoring us and changing the subject so we wouldn’t bug her for answers.”
“Right? I mean, what’s there to hide? They already went on a date! He even called her his in front of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Right, Bran?”