Page 123 of Until We Burn
This is the power he holds over me, and I hate it as much as I love it.
Before I can answer, Kai turns his attention back to the Viper.
“Shouldn’t you be at the Lakefield party?”
The Viper tosses his head back and groans. “What’s with all this Vipers versus Griffins shit? You know we don’t bite.”
“No, but your team has always played dirty,” Kai accuses.
“Is that what you think we came here to do?”
“Why else would you want to be in the same room with us?”
The Viper grins at me with his lips slick from booze. “There’s things you have that we want.”
He attempts a step towards me. Kai shoves him back, pushing the Viper into the glass barricade.
“Put your hand on her again, and I’ll snap off every finger until you can barely hold your stick,” he snarls.
The Viper smiles slowly. Then he nods in satisfaction. Without another word, he simply backs away and treads down the stairs.
I dart around to confront Kai. I don’t care how turned on I am right now. It’s irritating how he had the audacity to blow off our phone call, go quiet for days, and suddenly feel threatened that another guy is putting his hands on me.
“I thought you had someplace to be,” I snap.
Kai glares at me, refusing to loosen his grip. “Did you think I’d stand there and let some fucker touch you?”
“Why do you care, Kai? I’m not yours to protect and defend.”
“Di, what the hell is going on?” Frustration bleeds through hisvoice. “You know you can talk to me when something is wrong.”
“Can I really?” I challenge. “Do you think the girl that had her hands on you will let you step away long enough?”
“I pushed her hand away and told her to stop,” he seethes. “You know I wouldn’t let another girl touch me like that.”
God, I know I’m overreacting. I’m angrier at myself than I am at him. I shouldn’t care that Kai missed our phone call. I shouldn’t care that he’s being so secretive. The lines around being friends with benefits might be slightly blurred, but the fact remains the same: we aren’t in a relationship and Kai doesn’t owe me every facet of his life.
“I shouldn’t…” The words falter on my tongue. I gently push myself out of Kai’s arms. “I'm sorry. I’m just?—”
“No.”Kai pulls me closer. His hand wraps around the back of my neck, tilting my face up to look up at him. Red neon lights surround him like glowing hellfire. “Run your mouth, princess. I don’t care. Tell me what’s wrong.”
All around us, Tate McRae’s airy voice sings about greed, desire, and ruin.
My fingers curl into the front of his shirt, as I brace myself to stay steady and focused on what I feel. On what I can control.
“I feel like you’re keeping secrets from me, and I think it has something to do with why you canceled the phone call on Tuesday night.” Embarrassment makes my eyes drop to my feet. “Look, Kai…if you want to do this with someone else when I’m not free to come over, you can just tell me.”
Kai’s voice drops a depth lower. “You really think I’d blow you off to be with someone else?”
“I’m not naïve about the number of girls who want your time.”
“That’s it.” Kai lifts my chin, forcing me to look at him again. This time, he shows no patience. “Take out your phone and tell Stella you’re going to be busy for the next ten minutes.”
My pussy throbs in answer, my heart stuttering in consequence.
“You know the rules,” I warn. “We have sex for stress relief only.”
“Iamstressed,” he snaps.
