“It’s none of your business.” I edge toward the door. “Nothing I do is your business.”
He moves faster than I can. Elijah spins me around and pins me to the door of the first stall. His hand wraps around my neck while the other grabs for my wrists. It’s impossible to move, and when I try, he tightens his hands on me. He presses his lean body against me, and my body tingles, instantly wanting him and unwilling to let go of the feelings I once had.
“What lies have you told about me?” His breath heats my cheek.
“Get off me, or I’ll hurt you.” My voice is strong despite the grip he has on me.
Elijah watches me with a slight curl on his lips, and there’s no way to tell what he’s thinking. His hand moves off my throat up to my chin, tilting my head up toward his lips. He doesn’t move as he takes in my fear, my body trembling in his grasp. There’s no warning when his mouth takes mine.
Elijah kisses me the way he used to when we were kids. And the passion in his simple kiss makes my knees bend as I wrap my arms around his shoulders. His muscular body is lean as I rub shamelessly against strong muscle, and soon, I'm kissing him back.
Common sense shouts in my addled head. This is wrong. What if he wants more? What if he hurts me? I turn my face away and push Elijah off me. I glare at him, daring him to come near me again. And this time, I mean it. I don’t know why he’s back, but something feels wrong.
“Don’t ever touch me again,” I snarl at him, “or I’ll go to the police.”
Elijah looks at me moodily before he disappears into the hallway. He left without any objection, and I hadn’t expected that. So, why do I feel abandoned again?
Shaking, I return to my seat, but I hide my fear from Lucas. My focus stays on the band, and I don’t notice if Elijah is still here. But I feel it. I feel watched. What the hell did I ever do to deserve this?
Chapter Seven
Elijah
Nikki finds me again before I can ditch her. She hangs by my side like a waif desperate to trade a trick for a treat. She’s not my type, not that I have one, but I see the way Olivia can’t stop glaring when Nikki nuzzles me. So I go with it and put my arm around Nikki’s shoulders whenever Olivia looks in our direction.
I’ve seen that look before when Olivia blazes with jealousy. She tries to ignore us and stands closer to that guy, Lucas. He immediately grabs her into a smothering hug. I want to tear his arms off her. Obviously, Olivia doesn’t remember that she’s still mine.
After the concert, I lose sight of Olivia as the crowd streams out of the theater onto the sidewalk and encompasses the building. Not that she’ll come near me after what I pulled again. It’s over the top to treat her that way, but I want her to be afraid of me. I want Olivia shaking and terrified, so she’ll confess. She can’t ruin people’s lives and pretend it’s no big thing. I’ll teach Olivia there are consequences when I’m messed with.
Of course, I end up leaving with Nikki. She suggests we go back to my apartment. Instead, I make another suggestion. We can hang out at the bar. It’s almost closing, so I text Norris and ask if I can use my key.
“Hey, you want to get a beer?” I ask as I unlock the door.
Nikki giggles. “Are you trying to get me drunk? You don’t have to do that.”
I’m not, but I’m also not ready to be alone tonight. I just hope that when it’s time to leave, Nikki doesn’t act weird and cling to me like a lost kitten.
I head to the back storage room and get two cold craft beers in bottles, leaving several dollars behind in the office. I rarely drink and never steal. It’s an unspoken agreement until I turn twenty-one in a month; Norris will let me drink a few as long as he doesn’t actually see me do it.
I’m questioning myself if I should even give Nikki a drink. The last thing I want is drunk sex. But when I walk back into the main room, Nikki’s skirt and t-shirt are folded and placed on top of her boots in a neat pile on the floor. She’s stretched out on top of the bar in lacy underwear that shows every inch of her.Fuck.
My hormones have been patient for too long, so I don’t resist when she reaches for my waist. She’s all over me as I try to set the beers down on the bar beside us. She’s got tempting curves, so I pull her close. But this doesn’t feel right. My mind keeps comparing her to Olivia. I try to ignore the image in my head. Olivia wants that guy, not me. And I want revenge.
“Nice muscles,” Nikki purrs, running her hand along my chest. “You are solidly built under that shirt.” She’s almost naked, very bold, and it should be a turn-on. But instead of feeling my heat rise, she’s leaving me cold. Nikki nuzzles my neck. “I’ve been thinking about this since you asked me out.”
I don’t correct her. Let her think I’m chasing her. I don’t have Olivia, so why should I live my life like a monk? I try to put my head in the game. Growling, I grab Nikki and pull her against my chest. And then I growl again, thinking about that jerk touching Olivia. He better not take her. She better tell him no.
Nikki runs her hand along my chin. “You have such a faraway look in your eyes. You’re so deep.”
I whisper in her ear. “I want to go deeper.”
She grabs hold of my jeans and wiggles the button free. The zipper slides down my length, and I say a prayer that it won’t let me down. I’ll see if my ego can battle with my heart. Nikki reaches her hand into my knit boxers and takes me firmly. My dick starts to harden as she presses her mouth against my neck.
I close my eyes and picture another face—one with a tempting smile and long blonde hair. I picture Olivia laying over me in the tall grass, her body resting on top of mine in the warm sun. My cock twitches as it rises up. I shut her out, so I don’t lose the urge. Nikki wiggles down my body, her tongue drawing a line against my skin until her mouth stops.
I don’t want to hear the sound of her voice. I want to live in my imagination as I press my tip against her willing mouth.
I pull her head against me and pretend I’m lying in the meadow again with Olivia’s mouth on my lips. We were just teens and didn’t know what to do as we explored each other’s bodies with gentle touches and carefully placed kisses against trembling skin. I was so stupid back then. Stupid enough to lose her and my freedom.