Page 69 of Dirty Martini
Cassius comes storming through the crowd. Without any warning and without any hesitation, his fist flies in the air and lands with a loud crack on the side of Ricky’s face. Skylar gasps, trying to throw himself between the two men, but Butch is there to hold him back gently. Ricky’s frazzled from the punch, and Cassius takes advantage of the situation by tackling him onto the nearest table. Now, Skylar’s screaming, Butch is trying to hold him back, Britt is yelling at them to stop, and the rest of the party is egging them on.
“Stay here,” I tell Everest. He opens his mouth to say something, but I’m already making my way across the room.
Cassius wails on Ricky, whose nose is already bloody and whose cheeks are beet red, and I loop my hands around his waist to pull him back. As expected, he fights me, but Knox is there to help me pull him away from Ricky.
“Cassius, calm down!” I shout.
“Is this your friend?” Knox growls, shoving Cassius into my arms. “All of you can get the fuck out!”
Knox walks away to tell Ricky to fuck off as well, and Cassius rushes out of my grip toward Skylar. He brings him into his arms, petting the back of his head as he whispers something inhis ear. I head to them, trying to make sure they’re settled. “Are you guys okay?”
Cassius is pecking kisses on Skylar’s cheek. Skylar turns to me, eyes bloodshot with tears, and a humorless chuckle leaves him. “I always know how to pick them, don’t I?”
My heart hurts at this moment, not only for Skylar, but for Cassius as well. I don’t know what’s going on between them that’s preventing them from being together, but if Skylar would just open his eyes, he’d realize that the man of his dreams is currently holding him. But it’s none of my business, so I just walk away with a nod.
I find Everest already by the front door, nervously bouncing on his toes, relief passing through him when he sees me. “Rhys. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I say as I bring him into my arms. “Are you okay?”
He nods against my chest. “Yeah, just worried you got hurt.”
“I’m fine.” With a smile, I press my lips to his. “Want to go home?”
“Yeah.” He takes a step back, holding my hand as he grins. “Hey, I know it ended kind of badly, but thanks for coming with me tonight.”
“Anything for you.”
He laughs through a snort. “Damn.”
“What?”
“I’ve got you dick-whipped, don’t I?”
I immediately let go of his hand and glare at him. “No, you do not.”
“Admit it,” he teases. Walking a finger up my chest, he wags his eyebrows. “You’re all soft for me now.”
Without any warning, I haul him to my chest, grabbing onto his ass and grinding him against me. “I’ll show you soft as soon as we get home.” I bend down and bite his neck, sinking and sucking the skin between my teeth. “Your ass is mine.”
“Promise?” he jokes, fluttering his lashes in a way that makes me want to spank his ass for being such a brat.
Pressing a gentle kiss on his lips, I thread my fingers through his. “I swear it. Let’s go home.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Everest
We stumbleour way into the penthouse, blindly fumbling for our clothes as our lips stay fused together. We’re both wet and sticky from the Miami humidity, flushed and panting against each other.
“Here, baby, jump,” Rhys mumbles across my mouth, anchoring his hands under my ass.
I jump and wrap my legs around his waist. He catches me easily and my blood heats as he starts to carry me up the stairs. “Fuck, you’re strong.”
Chuckling, he squeezes and spreads my ass. “I’ll carry you anywhere.”
“And you say you’re not dick-whipped— Ah!”
I bounce on the mattress when Rhys chucks me on the bed. He grabs the hem of his shirt, peeling it over his head with a devilish smirk. “Stop being a brat.”
