She lifted her torn panties from the floor and pursed her lips when she realized she would have to go without underwear until she got home. Not to mention, her hose was torn from the knees up and she’d have to remove it if she hoped to look even moderately decent.
Disgusted at herself, she fled to the door, but Luke’s voice stopped her as he zipped back up. “Peyton, wait.”
She froze in place but refused to turn, still too shaken. Too…too…angry. At herself. At him.
Luke engulfed her hand with his, yanked open the door, and led her deeper down the corridor.
She tugged her hand futilely. “What are you doing? Where are you taking me?”
With one quick, reassuring squeeze, he pulled her into some sort of empty private lounge, then he urged her down on a plush leather sofa. “Wait here and let me get rid of all these idiots.”
She scowled at his muscled back as he shut the door behind him, because the last thing she wanted to do tonight was to stay here and talk to him.
There were hundreds of emotions inside her; complicated, raging feelings she hadn’t expected, all brought about by seeing him, by discovering what type of man he really was. All she knew now was that coming here had been the worst idea she’d ever had in her life. Second maybe only to sleeping with him, which had been the biggest whopper of them all.
But then, she had wanted to see him again, hadn’t she?
Wanted to kiss him again, touch him again. Wasn’t that what she’d secretly hoped would happen tonight?
Only she’d never imagined she’d find him in such a party. In an undressed state. About to have a threesome or an orgy or Lord knows what.
She opened the door and headed for the bathroom, this time finding it at the second door to the left. When she finally returned to the living room, there were at least a dozen new people inside, and some guests were already naked. And “getting it on.”
“WELCOME TO MASTER LUKE’S PARTY, LET’S GET DRUNK AND GET IT ON!”
Luke stood with a group of people, speaking while pointing at the doors while the women vied for his attention, and then his eyes passed through the hallway the same second Peyton appeared.
They spotted each other instantly.
Peyton immediately tore her gaze free and plunged into the crowd. She could feel his eyes follow her as she wound across the living room, and out of the corner of her eye, she could even see him begin to chase after her.
Unable to bear another encounter with him, she wildly, frantically searched for Gary to tell him she was leaving.
“You were gone just five minutes and I already missed you,” said Phillipo, taking her hand in both of his. “I lost your drink but I’ll get you another one. One with alcohol.”
“The lady’s taken, man, so I suggest you not touch her.”
Peyton’s heart tripped at the chillingly possessive, achingly familiar growl.
She hadn’t heard Luke approach, but now she definitely noticed him. He stood a few feet away from where she and Phillipo stood. Large and intimidating, his stance was wide and threatening, his jaw tightly clamped. At his sides, his knuckles jutted out of his fists, and Peyton had never seen such a blazing look of jealousy in his eyes before—hell, in any man’s eyes before.
Her chest felt like a crushed soda can, and her nerves jumped in alarm. She cleared her throat. “I was just saying good-bye, Luke. So if you see Gary please tell him I took a cab.”
“She’s not taken, man, she’s been coming on to me all night,” Phillipo said, and Peyton wasn’t going to stay here and argue.
She spun around to leave, but Phillipo seized her shoulders and forced her to turn back. “Come on, my lovely Audrey, please stay a while longer, I promise I’ll behave myself.” He winked at her and gave her a toothy smile, and his hands slid down the sleeves of her jacket in a slow, soothing motion. “I want to hear all about what you do, okay?”
“Keep your fucking hands off my woman, asshole!” Luke thundered.
Phillipo dropped his arm when he was yanked around with tornado-like force, and Peyton dashed away just as she heard something hit the floor behind her with a heart-stopping thump.
“Get back here, Peyton Lane!”
It was Luke who shouted her name, and the icy rage in his voice made her turn.
Her heart kicked violently when she realized Luke had just pounded the other man to the ground! Phillipo lay sprawled on the floor, shaking his head as though completely brain-whacked. Suddenly she saw Luke storming forward and her lungs burned for air, and if she heard the orgasmic woman in the background shout to get drunk and get it on a single time more, Peyton was going to puke.
“I won’t say good-bye—since we both don’t like it. So I’ll just…see you, Luke.” She stormed out to the elevator before he could grab her, and she hoped to hell she didn’t break down and cry on her way down.