Jaxson takes hold of my shoulder and pulls me into a hug.
“You’ve got to stop doing this to yourself. Your dad was fucked in his head. You are not him. You have to let go, or you’re going to fuck up your life.”
I hug him back and nod. “You’re right.”
When he pulls back, he locks his eyes with mine.
“You’re the best fucking person I know. You get that right?”
“Yeah.” I smile and bump my shoulder into his as I walk by him. “Let’s get our asses downstairs. If anyone sees us like this, they’re going to start thinking we’re fucking gay.”
Jaxson laughs as we leave my room. “I love you, bro, but there’s no way I’m giving up pussy for you.”
When we walk into the kitchen, it’s already packed with students from college. Most of them are perfect strangers who heard about the party from some dick.
I push people out of my way to get to the fridge and grab a six-pack of beers. There’s no way I’m drinking the cheap shit Rhett always gets for these parties.
I slip out the back door and walk over to where the hammocks are. Placing the six-pack on the grass, I make myself comfortable on the hammock. I listen to the laughter and music filling the air as I drink one beer after the other.
I just need to take the edge off before I go back inside. After all, I have an image to uphold. Not that it’s hard. Being labeled the son of a killer helps keep people at a safe distance. It’s fucked up how many chicks have slept with me because of that label. I’m their one chance of flirting with danger.
As I finish off my third beer, nearby laughter catches my attention. I look in the direction of the house, and when I spot Evie, I start to sit up. There’s another girl with her, but she’s standing with her back to me. From what I can see she has a killer ass.
I pick up another beer and open it. As I take a sip, I watch as a bunch of guys walk up to Evie and her friend.
I glance in the direction of the pool and let my eyes sweep over the half-naked bodies on display. Bored out of my mind, I look back at Evie and her friend.
One of the guys throws his arm around Evie’s friend, but she shrugs it off and takes a step away from him.
“We’re not interested,” Evie says, and by the frown on her face, it’s clear she’s pissed off.
Rhett really likes her, and we look out for her, so I get up and slowly make my way towards the group. The beer I’ve had is finally giving me a light buzz.
I scan the group of guys and laugh silently. Maybe a fight is just the thing I need to get rid of the tension.
“You didn’t have a problem stripping for me before you met that asshole.” The guy gets in Evie’s face which makes me walk faster.
I’ve seen the fucker on campus. Jake is a big talker and so are his friends. They always target someone weaker than them. As soon as they meet their match or someone stronger they run away like the pussies they are. It’s always the same group of guys. They were big shots in high school, and they haven’t realized that college is a whole different ball game.
“Evie,” I say as I come up behind her blonde friend.
“Marcus,” she breathes relieved. “I wanted to introduce you to Willow.”
As I walk into Willow’s line of sight, one of the guys wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her against his side.
Fucking possessive dick.
When Willow tries to move out of his hold, I frown and tilt my head to the side. I might be a total fucking bastard, but even I have my limits. This guy is either fucking stupid, or he has balls, trying to force a woman to do something she doesn’t want to do in our house of all places.
I give the idiot holding Willow a look of warning before my eyes snap to the leader of the group.
“You know who I am,” I growl at Jake.
“Yeah. Marcus Reed,” he sneers. “Didn’t your daddy kill your family?”
A ruthless smile curls around the corner of my mouth as I take a step forward. Those words lost their power a long time ago. They used to hurt like hell in the beginning, but now they merely serve as a reminder of who I have to be to keep people away from me.
“Then you know what I’m capable of. Get the fuck out of my house before I end you.”