Even more so given he looks slightly older now. Edgier.
Yet, those once intense blue eyes of his are dull.
Like the life’s been sucked right out of him…but not by the two blondes on their knees.
My stare lands on the new scar spanning from his chest to his navel.
Ripping my gaze away, I take a quick inventory of my surroundings. There are at least twenty people in the room, not counting the little threesome going on. When I look to my right, I see a man and two girls snorting blow off a coffee table. When I look to my left, I see another man snorting something off a naked girl’s ass as a line forms behind him…awaiting their turn.
In addition to drugs, there are liquor bottles everywhere.
I knew it would be bad, but not this bad.
I’m looking for the source of the music so I can shut it off and kick everyone out, but that deep, raspy—and very slurred—voice rolls over me like a boulder.
“Why don’t you come over here and join us, baby?”
Sheer revulsion and rage light me up. Of all the things he should have said to me after what he did, that’s what he chooses to start with?
My hand squeezes the handle of my luggage so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t snap off.
The fucker is lucky it doesn’t, though, because I’d beat him over the head with it.
“Excuse me?”
Phoenix sways like a tree in a hurricane, his head lolling from side to side as he fights to keep his eyes open.
It quickly dawns on me that he’s so bombed he has no fucking idea who I am.
Hell, I don’t even think he’s fully cognizant of the blow job he’s currently receiving…let alone enjoying it.
Jesus. This isn’t the Phoenix I know.
Correction—the Phoenix I thought I knew, because it turns out I didn’t back then, either.
I’d almost pity this pathetic, intoxicated mess of a guy if I didn’t loathe the asshole so much.
His head flops to the side and the glint from the lip ring he now has catches my eye. “Don’t be shy, beautiful. We’re all friends here.”
We most certainly aren’t friends. We never were.
The two girls on the floor maneuver a bit, making room for me.
Fuck that. I’d rather eat my own intestines.
Gritting my teeth, I march out the door. I spot Chandler waiting by the elevators at the other end of the hall, so I accelerate my steps.
“Wait!” I call out just as the doors open.
He looks up at the ceiling before walking toward me. “You can’t quit. Not only have you already signed the contract, it’s only been two minutes.”
“I’m not quitting.” No matter how much I want to. “But there are some things I’m going to need as soon as possible.”
Otherwise, I’m never going to get Phoenix or the situation in his room under control. Not without killing him first.
Chandler blinks. “What kinds of things?”
I start ticking stuff off with my fingers. “Handcuffs, a gallon of water, some smelling salts, and aspirin.”
As much as I’d like the jerk to be in pain, he has a show tomorrow and it’s now my responsibility to make sure he performs at peak capacity. Which means no hangover headaches for him.
I’m fully prepared for Dicky to argue, but to my surprise, he agrees. “Okay. I’ll get you what you need.”
I’m expecting him to head back to the elevators, but he strolls down the hallway, stopping at a room near Phoenix’s.
“I need your handcuffs,” he demands when the door opens. “And the keys.”
I have no clue who’s on the other side—or why they have a set of handcuffs on them—but three minutes later, he’s tossing them to me before strolling along to the elevators.
“The rest will take a bit longer,” he calls out. “But I’ll leave everything outside your room.”
Of all the things I asked for, I figured the cuffs would be the hardest for him to procure, not the easiest. “Thanks.”
Jumping into action, I return to the suite. After shutting the music off, I bring my fingers to my lips, letting out a loud whistle. “Party’s over.”
As expected, there are dirty looks and protests all around.
“No, it’s not,” Phoenix slurs loudly and everyone cheers.
Goddammit.
Thinking quick, I give him a flirty smile and twirl the handcuffs around my finger. “I was kind of hoping we could have a party of our own.”
Dopey eyes widen ever so slightly before he yells. “Party’s over. Everyone out.” He glances down. “Including you two.”