Jegs bopped his shoulders and wagged his tongue. “Then I rocked the rim and raised the fucking roof.”
With a jovial high five, they both grinned wide, then bottoms-up’d their beers. Breck ground his teeth as he watched them. They had every right to be happy right now. They’d earned it. Carried their weight. Truth be told, they’d done more than carry their weight. They’d carried his, too. At least to a degree. He hadn’t totally gone cold once he’d spotted Kai, but he’d certainly been pulled down a notch. For shit’s sake, he’d even missed a shot at the free-throw line.
All because of Kai.
It’d been all Breck could do not to feel his gaze. Utterly and wholly aware of those keen dark eyes as they’d scrutinized his every move. God, he’d been so pissed. Because Kai had wrecked his concentration, yeah. But more so than that, because there’d never been a better opportunity to show the man just how good he truly was. He’d wanted Kai to see him at his finest. Wanted to do more than just earn his respect. Breck had wanted to … impress him.
But that never fucking happened because he’d faltered under the weight of Kai’s stare. Which infuriated him; that someone had that kind of power over him. The ability to throw his game by merely watching him play. In all of the years that Breck had been competing, nothing had ever messed with his concentration. Not when they were underdogs, or down by ten with two minutes on the clock. Not following a steal or after taking a blow. And absolutely never under any circumstances once they’d made it to March Madness. For fuck’s sake, he excelled under pressure; the reason he’d ultimately earned the title of ‘king.’
Not so with Kai, though. It was like he’d rewired Breck’s system. Rerouted his mainframe and messed up his codes. Which, on some level, Breck understood wasn’t the guy’s fault, but he was drunk right now and not exactly operating on par with logic.
That Kai was able to mess with his concentration was total bullshit.
Breck ground his molars, wanting to rip him a new one, to tell Kai what an asshole he was for disregarding his wishes.
He turned his head and glowered at the front door. In truth, he’d love to tell that fucker off right fucking now. While the bonfire was still raging inside him. He balled his fist, seriously considering it, then glanced around the room at the party still going full bore. Would anyone notice if he ducked out for a few? Without question; he was the VIP. The venerated monarch of this royal celebration.
Although, that they noticed he was gone didn’t really matter in the overall scheme of things. So more to the point, could he slip away without anybody seeing? No doubt about it. Like a slasher on the court, he could weave through any throng like a wraith. There and gone before any of these inebriated asses could say, ‘Whoa, what was that?’
Ire festering, his mind churned as his blood pumped hotter. He was doing it. Right now. Before he got drunker and changed his mind. He looked at his buddies, all boisterously laughing as their big bodies bumped to the music’s pounding beat.
“Be right back,” he shouted over the din.
“Grab me one, too.” Jegs thought he was getting another beer.
Breck smirked and nodded, then turned toward the kitchen. His best chance by far would be a backdoor escape.
“Hey, Breck,” a little hottie cooed, sidling up to him. “How ‘bout a body shot?” She flashed a big, white, dazzling smile.
Breck peered down at her. She shoved a lime wedge between her teeth, then motioned to her cleavage. Salt glittered, waiting for his tongue. She offered him a tequila shot and wiggled her brows.
He forced a grin. He detested tequila. And honestly, couldn’t afford anymore alcohol right now. He had business to attend to. Needed his brain firing on all cylinders.
“Damn, girl. That looks delicious. But I gotta go do something. Be back in a minute.”
Meh. Close enough to the truth. As drunk as she looked, sixty seconds was just a concept. She had no perception of time in her state. Besides, by the time someone else took her shot, she’d have forgotten all about him.
Not that what he had to do would take him very long. He didn’t plan to linger. Just a quick in-and-out to give that dickhead a piece of his mind.
The girl dropped her lime wedge back into her hand. “I’ll be waiting.” She beamed.
Yeah, sure she would. Her half-glazed gaze was already locking on Charlie and Jegs.
Breck grunted and headed for the kitchen. Unsurprisingly, that room was crammed just as full. All heads turned to him the second he walked in. That was the thing about being taller than most. You stuck out like a beacon atop a hill. Even in a person’s periphery. Or in this case, a crowd’s.