Tamed (Torn #5)(63)

“I feel the need to go on a diet and have plastic surgery,” I told Chloe. I didn’t have low self-esteem by any means, but next to these girls, I felt plain.

She grinned and grabbed my hand, tugging me closer to the fire. “Ignore those girls. The guys only keep them around for one reason.”

“Can’t imagine what it would be,” I deadpanned.

I looked up when we stopped next to the fire.

Drake stood and pulled Chloe into a hug. He nodded at me. “Glad you two could finally make it. I was starting to wonder if you were going to bail on me.”

“I’m sure you would’ve been entertained even without us around,” Chloe said, motioning to two girls with butt-floss bikinis walking by us.

He rolled his eyes. “Like I’d touch that with a ten-foot pole.”

He sat back down on the sand, pulling Chloe down with him. I looked around, suddenly in need of some alcohol. I spotted a temporary bar set up a little ways down the beach.

“I’m going to grab a drink. You guys want anything?” I asked.

Drake held up his beer. “I’m good.”

“Get me whatever you’re getting,” Chloe said.

I walked down the beach toward the bar, glancing around as I went. Holy hot-rock-god overload. Everywhere I looked, I saw dudes without their shirts. In true rock-star fashion, most of their bare skin was covered in ink. I unashamedly eyed ink and six-packs. After all, I only lived once.

When I reached the bar, a pretty girl in cutoff jeans and a neon pink bikini top smiled at me.

“Can I get two cranberry vodkas?” I asked.

“Sure,” she said as she grabbed two glasses and quickly made the drinks. She handed them over. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” I turned and walked back to where Chloe and Drake were sitting.

I handed one of the drinks to Chloe before dropping down next to her. My gaze drifted over to where a couple of guys were tossing a football back and forth. I watched with rapt attention, taking in every inch of them. I was becoming a groupie. I needed to get laid.

Thankfully, I didn’t see the one rocker I had no desire to see. I found that strange since it was technically his party.

“So, what do you think?” Chloe asked.

“About what?” I said, forcing my eyes away from the two guys.

“About the party.”

“I like it. I’m in love with the view.” I glanced around at some of the guys sitting around us. “Definitely loving the view. I think if I sat here long enough, I could orgasm off of it.”

She laughed.

Drake wrinkled his nose. “Let’s add that to the list of things I don’t need to know about you, Amber. Keep your orgasms to yourself.”

“Who’s orgasming?” a voice asked from behind me.

My entire body locked up, but I didn’t dare turn around. I knew that voice anywhere. It had haunted me for years.

“I am. All these hot guys are sending my ovaries into overdrive,” Chloe said.

I glanced at her. Her eyes were on me, and I hated the pity I saw in them.

Unable to sit still any longer, I slowly turned around. My breath caught in my throat as I stared at him. God, he was beautiful. I hated that I still thought so. I wished that I could think of him as unattractive. His skin was deeply tanned from hours out in the sun. His dark brown hair was no longer dyed the electric blue I was used to seeing, but he still had his trademark Mohawk. His eyebrows were both still pierced twice, and he still had a set of snakebites. My eyes drifted lower, taking in every ripple of his stomach. The boy was ripped. I wished he were fat. That would’ve made this a little easier.

The moment our eyes met, his widened in shock. The cheerful look on his face disappeared and was replaced by a scowl.

“What the f*ck is she doing here?” he asked as he sent a glare my way. He obviously couldn’t stand the sight of me, even after all this time.

The feeling is mutual, buddy.

No, that wasn’t true. Despite all the shit that had happened between us, my body still wanted him. My stupid heart did, too.

“I invited her. Is that going to be a problem?” Drake said.

I was surprised by the coldness in his voice. I glanced over at him to see him giving Adam a glare of his own.

Damn. With that look alone, Drake had just gained about fifty brownie points.

“No,” Adam bit out, “no problem at all. Just keep the whore away from me.”

“Hey!” Chloe yelled at him. “Stop being a f*cking *.”

Adam ignored her as he turned and walked away from us. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

“You okay?” Chloe asked, scooting closer to me.

“I’m fine,” I told her.

“He had no right to say that to you,” she said angrily.

I forced a smile onto my face. “I couldn’t care less what he thinks of me.”

“I’ve never seen him so…mean before. Adam’s always so easygoing. I wouldn’t have brought you here if I knew he’d say something like that.” She hesitated. “What happened between the two of you that made you hate each other that much?”

I shrugged, very much aware of the fact that Drake was listening to our every word. “It’s in the past. It doesn’t matter.” I finished off my drink. “I’m going to get another drink.”