“Adelaide was telling me her apartment is a mirror image to yours,” Pete explained. “I was working my way up to asking her for a tour.”
Adam hadn’t taken his eyes off me. “I don’t think Adelaide should be going off with a guy she doesn’t know—ever—but especially since she’s been drinking. She’ll have to pass, man.”
I straightened, my brow furrowing. “Um…excuse me. You’re not my father and—”
Adam snickered. “Thank fuck.”
“Wow.” I raised a hand to ward him off, even though he wasn’t coming any closer. “I don’t know what your issue is, but that wasn’t necessary.”
“Yeah, what’s your deal, Wainwright?” Pete added.
Adam threw his arms out, his head swiveling like he was checking to see if anyone else was seeing what he was. We were alone in the kitchen, so there were only three witnesses to this train wreck.
I pressed a hand to Pete’s arm. “Hey, can you give us a minute?”
He hesitated, but finally nodded, leaving me with a belligerent, drunk, stupid Adam.
“You like that guy?” he asked.
“I just met him.” I gripped the front of his shirt and locked eyes with him. “Is there a reason you invited Natalie here? I didn’t know you were such close friends.”
He took my hand in his and pressed it flat to his chest. “We’re not, but I thought the sea of dicks I’d already invited could use a couple more pretty girls, so I asked her to come when I picked you up for lunch the other day. Not a big deal.”
I swallowed hard. Again and again. “She’s awful,” I rasped.
He sighed. “She likes you, so I don’t get it.”
“You’re supposed to be my best friend. If I tell you someone is awful to me, you don’t go out of your way to invite her to a party. Don’t you get that?”
His jaw ticced. “Well, I don’t like Pete. You gonna keep hanging out with him?”
Oh god, I could have screamed. Adam couldn’t be reasoned with. Not in the state he was in. Maybe not ever.
“I think I’m going to go home.”
I pulled my hand from his grasp and turned, but he caught me around the waist, dragging me back to his chest. He swayed with me in his arms, crooning along with the song playing through the speakers.
“You can’t leave. You can’t be mad at me.” He knocked his cheek against the side of my head. “Stay, Baddie. It’s all gonna be okay.”
Some of the fight melted out of me as he held me like that, swaying and crooning. But the ache in my chest built and built. I wanted him to hold me. Always.
Eventually, he was ready to rejoin the party. His arm went around my shoulders and we started into the living room where the rest of the crowd was. Natalie and Marissa were talking to Pete and another guy. For some reason I would never wrap my head around, Adam decided to steer us straight toward them.
To me, Natalie's flaming red dress was a flag, telling me to stay away. Adam was so fucking contrary, he probably saw it as a stop sign, which only made him want to go, go, go.
She looked good in red, though, I could admit that. Even her shoes were red.
Shoes were red…
Those heels. I knew those heels.
My feet stopped moving, and of course someone was behind me. They crashed into my back, sending me careening into Adam. As I collided with his chest, I brought my hand up to stop myself. Unfortunately, my hand was holding a rum and Coke—an extra-large one. It was crushed between us. The liquid flew out, dousing us both in icy cold, sugary alcohol. Adam’s drink didn’t fare any better, so there was whiskey dripping down the front of my Alaia too.
In shock, I just stood there, my dress soaking wet, dripping all over Adam’s floor. His shirt was equally a mess and plastered to his chest.
Natalie came rushing over, wrapping herself around Adam’s arm. “Oh my god. Are you okay?”
His head moved slowly so he could look at her. “Fuck. Yeah, I’m okay. A mess, but no worse for wear. Baddie, you good?”