Take (Need #2)(37)

I’m wearing a black bra-top that pushes my breasts out ridiculously. Paired with it is a tiny black and pink tutu, and matching fur leg warmers. The large black and pink cat ears on my head also match the fingerless gloves on my hands.

Yeah, I’m showing a lot of skin, but so are a lot of the girls here. I don’t understand why the guys are overreacting like this.

Dodging a guy I don’t even know, I make my way to the other side of the foyer. I see Austin to my left, hanging with Craig.

Talk about showing a lot of skin. His gladiator costume leaves most of his body on display.

It’s a gorgeous, bronzed body, cut to perfection. A body I once had between my legs.

I felt almost nothing then; I feel the same now.

He catches sight of me and turns sharply in my direction. An eerie stillness falls over him as he takes in my costume with a hunter’s eye.

Austin’s going to come to me. I sense it.

A hand reaches under my tutu and squeezes one ass cheek.

“Hey! What the f*ck?” I fly around, ready to break a motherf*cker’s nose.

It’s Emma, one of the girls in my school. She’s dressed as a punk rocker, her dark hair streaked with purple. “Damn, girl, you look f*cking yummy tonight.” She’s blatantly bisexual, and she gives no f*cks about grabbing whatever she wants.

This isn’t the first time I’ve been groped by her.

“Emma, I’ve told you before. I’m a cock girl only.”

She sighs wistfully. “Yeah, and every time I hear it, it makes me wish I had a dick to give you, babes.”

I shake my head and smile. “You like dick, too. Remember?”

“I’d give it up for you.”

Oh, she’s smooth. I’ll give her that.

“Speaking of dick . . .” Her head turns in the direction I’d seen Austin in. “Looks like you’ve got an eager one heading straight to you.”

Before I can turn toward Austin, I sense an odd silence fall over the foyer. As if everyone’s attention is focused on a single thing.

Confused, I look at everyone and see all the women staring toward the entrance. All the guys stare at the girls, then turn their heads to see what they’re looking at.

Brayden.

He just walked in and is standing at the large double doors, right beneath the giant crystal chandelier that dominates the ceiling of the foyer.

It hurts. In every cell in my body, seeing him hurts.

He’s looking around with one eye due to the patch that accompanies his costume, but I know, I just know he’s looking for me.

I’m drowning. This is beyond what I can handle. The world around me is disappearing, zeroing in on him and only him.

And I can’t fight this. I . . .

I have to get away. At least for a few minutes. Gather some semblance of rationality.

I’ve never been this ready for a man in my life. If I don’t leave, now, I’m going to grab him, right here, in front of every single person in this place, and I’m going to f*cking devour him.

So, I turn around and head straight for the stairs, taking them as fast as I can, hoping there is some place in this huge house where I can hide from him.





My phone’s dead in my left hand.

My eyes are locked on my right hand. The same hand I’m currently holding up. The same hand covered in my come.

This girl made me f*cking come all over my hand and then hung up the phone on me.

And she came, loud as f*ck in my ear, while f*cking herself with a dildo.

That’s the last cock other than mine that’s going to go in there. Next time that * gets stretched open, it’ll be by me. My fingers. My dick.

Temple throbbing, I rush to wash my hands and throw on my makeshift costume. Once I’m dressed, I slam into my car and peel out of my parking spot. The drive from Columbus usually takes just over an hour. I make it in less than that, but even that takes too f*cking long.

Before exiting my car, I send a text to Kira. I’m here. Where are you? I don’t even know why I try reaching her phone. Even if she sees it, she won’t respond.

No. Because she doesn’t want me here.

Tough f*cking luck. I’m here.

So is Austin.

Therefore, I sure as hell belong here.

I honestly don’t know why I’m so mad right now, but there’s this volcanic throbbing in the pit of me. Brutal energy coalesced into an impending detonation.

I need to calm the f*ck down. Sure, years of wanting the girl have merged with the torture of the last few months. My mind’s totally screwed.

Stepping just inside the open doors, I try to spot her among the dozens of people here. In the back of my mind, I register how most of them stop to stare at me.

My eye bounces off the crowd’s faces.

I spot Austin first, dressed in some ridiculous gladiator costume. What a f*cking douchebag. He’s walking with an intent that’s unmistakable. So is the look on his face. I follow his stare.

Fucking knew it.

Son of a bitch, what the hell is she wearing?

Here we go again.

I cut a path through everyone in my way, following Kira to the large staircase.

Don’t know who she’s running away from, but I’m going to be the one to catch her.

She’s halfway up the stairs by the time I reach the bottom.