Cursed (Cursed Superheroes #1)(5)

She chuckles but then hugs her arms around herself. “I’d rather not undress in front of everyone.”

Her statement doesn’t surprise me. Jane has always been the more modest, shy one in the group, and I’ve often prefer spending time with her, because she draws less attention.

I search the overcrowded backyard until I spot a small, building. “I’m betting that’s the pool house. I’m sure you can go change in there.”

I start to shimmy out of my shorts, but she snatches hold of my hand and drags me along with her as she hurries toward the pool house.

“Okay, I guess I’m going with you,” I call out through a laugh.

She smiles gratefully as she makes a beeline toward the pool house, towing me along with her. She’s small enough that with her head tucked down that not too many people notice her. Me, I’m the exact opposite. My five foot ten height is about as attention grabbing as the disco ball spinning above the pool. I get a few nods, hellos, and hey-how’s-it-going, and some people don’t say anything at all, just gawk at me.

It’s not like I don’t have friends outside of our circle. I do. I socialize with a few people from my art classes. But as for close friends, all it’s ever been is Jane, Steph, and Kara. Honestly, sometimes it feels like I never had a choice, like they were chosen for me and I can’t leave the group. But it’s such a strange thought and it probably makes me sound very ungrateful. Still, I’ve sometimes wondered what it would be like to hang out with a quieter group who doesn’t like getting attention all the time. Would I still get attention? Or would I be able to blend in with the shadows?

The longer Jane and I walk through the mob of people, the more gawking I endure. The gawking goes on for so long, I find myself wishing for a break. It becomes even more tiring when Ian, a guy from my English class who has a reputation for being a pervert, jumps in front of me, bobbing to the rhythm of the music.

“Hey sexy.” His cheeks are flushed, his hair is damp with sweat, and he’s panting for air. “I didn’t know you were going to be here tonight. I thought I heard you say you weren’t going to make it.”

I force a tolerant smile. Ian has never been my favorite person. In fact, he creeps me out. “I wasn’t, but my friends and I decided to hit it up for a while.”

A grin spreads across his face. “Good. I’ve been wanting to talk to you outside of class.” He places his hands on my hips and pulls me toward him.

A cold chill slithers up my spine. “Please get your hands off me.”

His grin broadens, his meaty hands pawing me. “You know you want me touching you like this. I bet you’ve been dreaming about it for years.”

“No, I really haven’t.” I sidestep to swing around him, but he matches my move, blocking my way.

“Oh, come on. Just one dance.” He gives me a come-hither look as he puts his sweaty hands on my waist again, his fingers digging into my flesh. With a jerk, he roughly yanks me toward him.

“Stop it,” I warn through gritted teeth.

But he only becomes more handsy, touching me without permission, as if he has the right to. I’ve seen him do this to plenty of girls. It’s what he’s known for. Even when I try to shove him away, he comes right back at me.

I grind my teeth until my jaw aches.

Don’t. Just ignore him. Just walk away—

He grabs my ass.

A darkness fills my chest, a hunger I don’t understand, but have felt a couple of times over the last few months, which was the starting point of why I thought I had mind controlling powers.

Screw it. He deserves this.

Leaning forward, I seductively whisper in his ear, “You want to dance, huh?”

He bobs his head up and down. “Fuck yeah, I do.”

“Okay, then let’s dance.” I whirl around, aligning my back with his chest.

I let my head fall from side to side as I rock my hips, my body fluidly moving to the tune of the song. He struggles to keep up with me as his hands slide around my waist, his fingers dipping downward as his tongue finds my neck. He licks my skin and I internally gag, but keep moving forward with my plan.

“You know what I just realized?” I shout over the music. “I don’t know anything about you.”

“That’s not true.” His tongue slides across my neck again and he starts licking me like a freakin’ dog. “I think you’re hot. That’s all you need to know.” His fingers fiddle with the top of my shorts, dipping beneath the waistband.

I spin around before he can get his hand down my pants, hook my arms around his neck, and put my lips beside his ear. “I want to know more about you. Tell me more, please.”

He groans. “Can we at least go up to a room or something? And talk in private.”

“No, you wanted to dance, so we’re going to dance,” I tell him forcefully. “And you’re going to tell me your darkest secrets, because I’m guessing you have a lot.”

“You right, I do,” he mutters with his brows dipped. “I’m actually a pretty terrible person. I do terrible things… Like to Sally Mintone… I made her kiss me, touch me… She didn’t want to. I also hate dancing. I just asked you to dance so I could get you alone and slip something into your drink.”

I press my lips together, my heart thundering in my chest. “Do you do that a lot?”