Page 20 of The Enemy

“Drunk again, little sister?” Neo bit out. “I’m starting to worry you might have a problem.”

“Really?” I snapped back. “You got that from the three times we see each other a year?”

“And every time you’re one drink away from being drunk.” His voice dripped with disdain.

“How else am I supposed to tolerate your presence?”

Before he could say anything, Martin laughed.

“You two do fight like siblings.”

Both Neo and I glared at him. Any other time I would defend him, but at the moment, he was on my shit list too.

“Quite a relationship you both have,” Neo’s date added.

“Some of us weren’t taught manners,” I tutted. Then I stretched my hand toward Neo’s date, determined to be the bigger person. “Hi, I’m Lourdes, I love your dress.”

“Thank you,” she beamed as she slid her hand down the side Neo was holding on to her. “I got lucky. This particular designer doesn’t carry above a six.”

Was that a jab at me?

“Enjoy the party. I’m going to go back tomyguest,” I smiled back at the bitch even though I didn’t want to. I stepped away from Wes, intent on going back to where Clove and Evangeline were, but before I could make it past their little group, Tatum pulled me to his side.

When Wes did it, I felt comfortable. We were friendlier. With Tatum, it just felt wrong.

“Can I help you?” I bit out because the last thing I wanted was to cause a scene and disappoint my family.

“How come you never hang out with us?”

“Would you be so kind to let me go?”

Tatum did no such thing. His hand holding my shoulder toward him slid down my side until it rested dangerously low on my waist.

“Aw, don’t be like that, Lou. You know you want me.”

That was news to me.

“You got that from the five times I barely wanted to talk to you?” I deadpanned.

Tatum’s eyes flashed—it was probably from humiliation. Lord knows men had fragile egos.

“Tatum,” Neo bit out.

The tension was getting higher. Martin looked uncomfortable, but he was too nice to help me tell them to fuck off.

“Come on, Tate, back off,” Wes told him harshly.

Neo turned toward Wes and glared. Seriously, what the hell was his problem?

Two women who approached us diffused the situation. There had been moments when I felt like I didn’t belong, but the women walking toward usdid notbelong in this room. Now, their dresses were the kind that was short, stretchy, and tacky.

They stopped walking when they reached our little huddle. Their eyes turned from Tatum to me. One of them smiled at Wes as she took a step closer to him. The other one gave me a nasty look.

Tatum practically pushed me away at that point. All I could do was glare at the fucker.

“It was just a fucking joke, Lou. Why would I want you when I have something better?”

Even though I knew I shouldn’t get worked up about someone like Tatum, I still felt humiliated. Seeing both girls smirk at me made it worse.

---