The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (21)
Even more surprising was Drake’s obvious displeasure as he stared back at Ever. After another tense moment, however, his shoulders slumped, and he nodded.
What the hell was that about? Confused, I peeked over my shoulder again and found Ever watching me—challenging me. Someone cleared their throat, and I turned to refocus on the game. Ever didn’t move away, and I missed the next shot. As I moved around the table to get away from Ever’s heat, Ben eagerly took up position before sinking the next three shots, tying the game. I didn’t look Ever’s way as I plotted my next shot and lined up, but I could feel him watching me. Vaughn suddenly appeared next to me and plucked the bottle of Jameson from the table. He handed it to me.
“You look like you need it.”
“I’m fine.”
“Your hand is shaking,” he pointed out with amusement. “Take a drink.”
It wasn’t a request.
My hand obediently wrapped around the bottle, and I took a short sip. I didn’t want to get anymore tipsy than I already was. The whiskey did the trick, and I was back in position. I heard Vaughn guzzling down some of the whiskey before walking away with it. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he handed it off to someone. He spoke a few words, and the kid nodded before leaving with my bottle.
Well, fuck.
After the game, I had been planning to get trashed enough to fall asleep safely behind the locked door of my bedroom, blissfully unaware of his lordship. Now that plan was shot to shit.
I sunk the next two shots before missing the next. Ben missed his next shot and brooded as I sunk my last ball. There was only the eight-ball left, and it was a tricky one. The angle I needed brought me back to Ever’s side of the table, but thankfully, I didn’t need to be as close. A few unknowns voiced encouragement, but I ignored them all as I lined up my cue stick. In the next breath, I sunk the fucking eight ball.
Drake, seemingly forgetting his disappointment, shouted before picking me up and twirling me around until I was ready to puke. I warned him, and he immediately set me back on my feet. When I kissed his cheek, he shot Ever a glance before quickly walking away to collect his cash. Just as quickly, Drake was back with his arm wrapped around my shoulder. Unable to tear my gaze away from Ever, the wad of cash Drake offered me went ignored. Vaughn was now speaking low to Ever, but all of his attention seemed focused on me as he scowled. It made me wonder where his girlfriend might be and why he wasn’t ruining her night with his foul mood.
“You up for another game, Four? Ben thinks he can win back his cash.” I forced myself to look away and pocketed my half of the cash.
“I’m out. I have a date with a bottle of Jameson and a good night’s sleep.”
He groaned and tried harder to convince me, but I pried myself away and got out of dodge.
The house was even more crowded than before, and most of the party had shed their inhibitions. I passed more than one topless guest on my way to the dining room. After reuniting with the whiskey, I headed for the main stairs, but then the music cut and multiple cell phones started going off. Suddenly everyone seemed to move at once, and I was being pushed and herded in the opposite direction. When we reached the stairs that led below ground, I had no choice but to follow or be trampled.
We ended up in the theater room, which couldn’t accommodate everyone, so some of them lingered in the hall or went back to the party. The large screen was blue, and I was wondering whose bright idea it was to play a movie at a house party when I recognized the guy bent over his laptop as the mohawk—one of Ever’s lackeys.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. If you haven’t heard, this is an auction, so take your wallets out and get ready to bid.”
“An auction for what,” a guy from the crowd shouted.
“I’m glad you asked, cupcake.” The mohawk tapped a few buttons, and my heart plummeted to my stomach as a racy picture of Rosalyn appeared on the screen. My fists balled at my sides as I listened to the increasingly vulgar comments from a few guys. I pushed through the crowd until I was standing in front of the mohawk.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” How did they even get this?
He seemed even more amused when he noticed me standing there. “Well, if it isn’t the lady of the night! Good people of Brynwood, if you didn’t know, Ever McNamara has a new sister, and she’s been feeling pretty undesirable, so this auction is just for her. Found in the swamps of Virginia, her fuck-hot mother went for the low price of nineteen thousand a year to one of the richest men in America!” That bit of news earned a few snickers from the crowd. “This model before you, ladies and gentlemen, is newer and my guess is she doesn’t have as many miles, so I’ll start the bidding at nineteen thousand and one.”
“I’ll take her,” someone shouted.
My breaths came hard and fast as bid after bid was shouted. The room became a blur. My ears rang. The blood in my veins boiled. I hadn’t realized I was moving until the mohawk was falling and the last of the broken bottle of Jameson fell from my hand.
No, no, no! What did I do?
The pounding of my heart drowned out the sound of their gasps and curses, but I could feel their gaping stares. And worst of all my tears didn’t fall until I turned and saw Ever standing there.
“Jesus, fuck,” Vaughn whispered as he stared wide-eyed at his friend passed out on the floor. Ever, however, only had eyes for me. I could only cry harder when I saw the regret on his face. He did this. A whimper escaped my throat before I pushed past him and ran from the room.