“It’s Josie,” Ainsley piped up. “She’s Steven Patterson’s stepdaughter,” she announced proudly.
I groaned, wanting to crawl under the nearest table. Why did she have to mention who I was?
“Patterson. Right.” He snapped his fingers. “I heard he got remarried. Didn’t Brock say he hooked up with some chick at that wedding?” A knowing glint came into his eyes.
I stared at him blankly while my mind whirled. He told them? Did that mean he knew who I was? That I was the girl? FML. Did everyone know? “Brock who?”
Ava looked put out at the mention of Brock hooking up with someone that wasn’t her. She quickly hid her annoyance with a snide smile that made me want to tear her red hair out at the roots. “Carter told me his stepsister is a real skank,” she said tartly.
That bitch.
“Why don’t you go contract another STD, skank,” Ainsley snarled, coming to my defense. I could always count on my best friend to keep it real.
If Micah hadn’t positioned himself between Ava and me, a deliberate move on his part, I would have slapped her. He noticed the fire jump into my eyes. “Carter’s a dick,” Micah said with a wink. “Enjoy the party. I’ll be seeing you around,new girl.” He grabbed Ava around the waist and threw her over his shoulder.
What did he mean by that? I couldn’t help thinking there was a double meaning to his statement. Did he think because I had recklessly and flippantly hooked up with Brock that I would be willing to sleep with him?
Fuck, what had I done? I wished to God I’d never slept with Brock Taylor.
Public enemy number one squealed with a bubbly laugh as Micah carried her through the crowd. “Put me down,” Ava said halfheartedly.
Micah slapped his hand over her ass, which was out for the entire world to see.
I shook my head, hands clenched at my sides.
“Come on.” Ainsley took my arm and yanked me in the opposite direction. “We need another drink before I toss that bitch into the pool.”
“I’d pay money to see that,” said a voice behind me.
I cringed, wondering if I could ignore Carter and hope he just went away. Of course my stepbrother would be at the party.
“Here.” Carter offered me a drink. “Peace offering. Just for the night.” His smile might have looked genuine, but I knew better.
“Whatever. Just stay away from me,” I said, already on edge from my encounter with Ava.
His eyes scanned over Ainsley. “Suit yourself,” he said with a shrug, setting the drink down on the table and disappearing into the crowd.
It didn’t take long to see how different the parties Public threw were from the Elite ones. “Are those girls strippers?” Ainsley asked, her gaze on two girls standing on the kitchen counters. When we walked by, they were only in their bras and panties, but those were about to come off next as one of the girls slipped her finger under the straps.
Things got crazy at the Public parties we went to, but this was… intense.
I saw a table with what had to be cocaine or maybe crushed Adderall spread out, and a pair of blonde girls used flashy credit cards to cut the white powder into lines.
“Found the Oxy!” somebody shouted, and suddenly the room was raining pills. Cheers went up as people nearby scrambled around, grabbing for the ones that hit the floor.
Not long after, we spotted a group of people from Public. There was safety in familiar faces. I drank. I danced. I laughed. I drank some more. “I have to pee,” I announced, handing my cup to Ainsley, my feet still moving to the beat.
“Hurry. I need my dance partner,” Ainsley hollered back, her arms swaying over her head.
I went in search of a bathroom, not exactly an easy task in a place this big. The first one I stumbled upon on the main level had a line that wrapped down the hall. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I grumbled. My bladder would not wait.
I hooked around the corner and took the left side of the double staircase, heading to the second level. One of the bedrooms had to have a bathroom.
I sighed in relief when I spotted a girl leaving one of the rooms and hustled down the hall, relieved to find a bathroom. It was clear from the décor and styling products this was a guy’s domain. It even had a scent that just screamed male. No soaking tub, just one massive walk-in shower. There were two doors, one leading to the hallway and the other to a bedroom, I assumed.
I made quick use of the toilet and was washing my hands when the door from the hallway opened. What the hell? I swore I’d flipped the lock, but since I was more or less done, I didn’t care all that much… until I heard her voice.
“I’ll be right out.” The lock clicked, and I lifted my eyes in the mirror, connecting with Ava’s.