Page 2 of Dirty Martini
“Hey, Ev,” I greet him, clapping him on his good shoulder, and bringing him in for a quick hug. When I pull back, I don’t let go of him, glancing behind him instead. “What are you doing here? Where are your friends?”
He blushes in the most endearing manner. To everyone else, Everest is just as confident and cocky as his brother, but around me, he’s different. He’s quiet, more reserved, and bashful as hell. And, fuck, I won’t lie and say I don’t like it.
“They wanted to go to Euphoria, but I wasn’t feeling it,” he tells me. Raising one beefy arm to scratch the back of his neck, a flush creeps over his skin. “I’m just—um—I…”
“Wanted to see me?” I ask because I never miss out on an opportunity to tease him; if anything, just to see his cheeks redden the way they are now. When he gets flustered and sputters for an answer, I take mercy on him and slap his back gently. “I’m just messing with you, Ev. Do you want a drink?”
He smiles sheepishly, bright eyes sparkling and filled with a hint of nervousness I can’t place. “I mean, that’d be great, but I’m actually?—”
“Your obsession with the Hill brothers has no limits, I see. Don’t you know you can’t just hoard them, Rhys?”
I close my eyes as my grip on Everest’s back tightens at the sound of Knox’s voice. I turn to face him, keeping myself slightly in front of Everest as he approaches. Fuck, I hate the guy. So does Elton. Knox Sanders is a sophomore, but even without being in the same class as him, I know he’s a complete asshole. Not just because he’s cocky to a point of it being a turn-off, but he’s just a dick in general. He’s rude, outspoken, and doesn’t give a shit about anybody else. The only reason Elton puts up with him and reins in the urge to punch him is because he’s the school’s dealer.
“What do you want, Knox?” I bark, not liking the way he’s eyeing Everest with too much interest. “We’re not looking for any business.”
Raising one pierced brow, Knox smirks. “I don’t think even Xanax could chill you the fuck out, Rhys. I’m just making myrounds.” He turns away from me and winks at Everest. “Hey, man.”
Everest, like the polite guy he is, smiles at him. Luckily, he’s a smart kid, so his smile is coated in wariness. “Hey, Knox.”
“I won’t tell Jason you’re here,” Knox says, rocking back on his heels as he plays with the ring piercing the center of his bottom lip. “It’ll cost you, though.”
I snort. “With you, everything does. Just fuck off already.”
Knox doesn’t even bristle. He just shrugs and raises his hands in the air as he backs up. “Fine. I can see where I’m not wanted. I’ll just catch you later.”
“Doubtful,” I mutter under my breath, checking beside me to make sure Everest is okay. He looks a bit twitchy, like he can’t focus on anything, and I hate the fact that Knox rattled him. “He’s all talk,” I tell him. “How about that drink?”
He snaps out of whatever trance he was in, still a bit jittery, but relaxes some when he focuses on me. “Yeah. I’m just going to use the bathroom real quick.”
With a nod, I let him walk off as I head to the kitchen. When I enter, Elton’s there, pouring a generous amount of expensive vodka into his solo cup. He looks up, and I catch the completely dramatic despair in his eyes and sigh as I saddle up beside him. “Let me guess. Cassandra doesn’t want to marry you?”
“I just wanted a date,” he complains, then tosses back his drink all at once. He finishes and burps, wincing as the alcohol goes down. “Damn it, Rhys. I want a ride-or-die.”
“And what am I?” Hip checking him, I head to the cooler filled with sodas.
“Are you ready to play?” he asks, grabbing another drink. If he keeps it up at this rate, we’re going to get demolished at beer pong. When he sees what I’m doing, he wrinkles his nose. “Are you going to put rum in that? I thought you said you weren’t drinking.”
“No, it’s just a soda, and it’s for Everest.”
“Everest is here?” Elton asks, forgetting everything about Cassandra and his half-hearted attempt to find love. “Fuck, yeah!”
I laugh a little at that. Elton’s not like most big brothers. Some siblings can’t tolerate each other. They love the other, obviously, but age gaps sometimes lead to a certain degree of separation. Older siblings want to live their life without their younger siblings cramping their style. Elton’s the exact opposite. He will take any opportunity to hang out with his brother.
“Where is he?” he asks, glancing behind me.
“He’s in the bathroom.” I pop open the soda for Everest and pour it into a red solo cup. Nobody knows the kind of germs these cans carry. It’s gross. “I’m gonna go grab him and bring him over to the table.”
Smiling, he throws his arm over my shoulder and brings me in for a hug. “Thanks for looking out for him, man. It means a lot.”
“The things I do for you,” I joke with a roll of my eyes, even though it isn’t a hardship to care for someone like Everest. “Let me grab him and I’ll be right back.”
Red solo cup in hand, I make my way back out to the living room. There’s a line for the downstairs bathroom, and I don’t see Everest waiting, so I go upstairs where all the other bathrooms are. Since I’ve been here for a few parties, I know the layout of the mansion, but it’s still like a maze. I try the first two bathrooms by the top of the stairs and catch no luck. With a furrowed brow, I make my way deeper into the house, wondering where Everest went. I pause briefly and think maybe he ended up going home or meeting up with his friends, but I try the last room anyway.
And for a moment, I don’t know what I’m looking at. But when my eyes focus in on the dimly lit room and the figures and shapes take on faces?—
I seered.
Because Knox has Everest pressed up against the bathroom sink, arms bracketing him on either side as his lips glide up his neck. He’s whispering something to him with a filthy smirk, but it’s Everest’s face that makes me want to rage.
