Gold, стр. 38

“Oh my God,” Trihn cried. Tears immediately burst from her eyes. “What the hell have I done?”

“You told that loser to shut up and get the fuck out!” Bryna said.

“No. Ugh! I don’t want to break up. I can’t do this.” She looked like she was going to hyperventilate. “I’m going after him.”

“What?” Bryna asked. “He was just an ass.”

“I need to talk to him.”

Trihn turned and ran after Neal. Bryna shook her head and followed her into the house. Eric was close on her heels. Trihn caught up to Neal at the door and pleaded with him.

Eric put his hand on Bryna’s elbow. “Hey, maybe we should give them some privacy. She’s kind of a mess.”

Bryna anxiously looked at her friend. She hated seeing Trihn suffer like this. Why would she grovel for a guy who had insulted her because he didn’t want to be at a party? So ridiculous.

“Yeah, sure,” she agreed reluctantly.

They took a step away from the door and went into the living room. It was packed with people, and someone had used a table for beer pong. The cleaning service was really going to be earning their money after tonight.

Bryna stole beers for them from the beer-pong pitcher. She passed one to Eric and chugged.

“Whoa!” he said, reaching for her drink. “Maybe slow it down.”

“I’m thinking I need to get fucked tonight,” she drunkenly told him.

He raised his eyebrows. “What?”

“Yeah, I’m horny as fuck.”

“You’re undoing all the progress I made by claiming you’re picky.”

She sighed dramatically. “Fine. I’ll let you be picky then. Who can I fuck?”

“I am not going to choose your next victim,” he said tightly.

“I’m not a black widow or something,” she slurred. “I’m not going to eat them up and spit them back out.”

“You kind of are.”

She shrugged. “I kind of am.”

She didn’t care though. That wasn’t what sex was about. It was about getting off. If she could have someone to satisfy that deep need, then she would be good.

“I think maybe you’ve had enough,” Eric said.

She hadn’t even realized she was still drinking the beer in her hand.

She held it out behind her, so he couldn’t take it. “I’ve had enough when I say I have,” she teased. “And I definitely have not had enough.”

“Hand it over.” He darted out way faster than her slow reflexes and grabbed the beer in her hand.

She didn’t let go though, and the glass tipped, spilling the contents on her mostly naked body and all over the floor.

“Gross!”

Eric cursed. “You’re a mess,” he grumbled. “I’ll get something to clean you up with.”

Bryna had to stand around in the middle of the living room with her legs drenched in beer. It was disgusting. She was going to need a serious shower and exfoliator to get this shit out of her perfect fucking skin.

Her eyes wandered the crowd of people while she waited and landed on a girl standing in the hallway between the kitchen and living room. She appeared to be lost or looking for someone. That was when Bryna placed the pretty brunette. Audrey, Eric’s ex-girlfriend.

Bryna ground her teeth together. Bitch. What the fuck is she doing here?

When Eric noticed Audrey, he looked startled. He was holding a towel in his hand for Bryna, but as soon as Audrey saw him, she began speaking animatedly to him. Bryna wished she knew what the bitch was saying. On instinct, she hated the woman, and she wanted Audrey out of her fucking house.

She took a step toward Eric and Audrey, but he put his hand up in front of him. Audrey stopped talking and glared at him. Then, he was walking back to Bryna. She tried to remove the scowl that had been on her face, but she didn’t think she hid it well. He looked confused when he saw her.

“Sorry about your legs. I didn’t mean to spill beer on them,” Eric said.

He bent down and wiped sticky beer off her legs. Bryna glanced up and met Audrey’s gaze. She looked horrified. Bryna wondered what it must look like to Audrey to see Eric touching her. It made her giggle.

Eric looked up at her again. “What?”

“Nothing. Just thanks,” she said.

“For spilling beer on you?”

She giggled again. A fucking giggle. “For helping to clean me up.”

He furrowed his brows and stood. “You’re drunk.”

Then, without a thought in her head, she leaned into him and planted her lips on him. Her mind was empty. The only thing that existed was this kiss. She remembered the feel of his lips from the national championship game. She had told herself it was an act, but he had perfect lips. It wasn’t fair.

She didn’t even want to acknowledge the other thing that seemed to be snaking up through her body. Jealousy. It’d flared up without warning. She wanted Audrey to watch. Bryna knew she couldn’t have him. She had no shot. But seeing his ex had pissed her off, and she didn’t care how irrational it was.

It could have been seconds or minutes, but suddenly, she was wrenched away from him. Eric was holding her at arm’s length. He didn’t look happy.

“You’re drunk, and you’re not thinking.”

“I feel like I am.”

“No,” he said roughly. “You’re drunk and horny, and I’m here. You would never do this otherwise. We both know it’s never going to happen.”

The rejection felt like a slap in the face. It was Posse all over again, with him telling her she was that girl. Her cheeks heated with anger, and she wanted to bite back a smart retort, but for once, she was rendered speechless.

Eric turned around and saw Audrey still standing there, watching. As soon as their eyes locked, she darted for the door.

“Fuck,” he groaned. “I have to go talk to her.”

“Eric,” Bryna whispered, “you don’t have to go.”

“I do. Try to sober up. I have a feeling you’re going to regret this in the morning.”

He left her standing there.

All she could think was that she didn’t live with regrets. Then, Jude’s face popped into her mind, and the liquor she had been holding in threatened to come back up.

It was going to be a long night.

BRYNA ROLLED OVER IN BED and threw her arm over her eyes. “Ugh,” she groaned.

Last night had veered horribly off course. She was hungover as shit, and the only thing she could remember was the look on Eric’s face before he’d left the party. What the fuck is wrong with me? She knew she needed to go talk to him about what had happened. She couldn’t stomach the thought of him being upset with her.

But she couldn’t go like this. She needed to clear her mind before she could talk to him. Right now, she felt horribly unlike herself.

She got out of bed, threw on a black mini skirt and a flouncy scoop top to fit her mood, and quickly pulled her hair back into a high pony. She retrieved her phone and messaged Hugh.

Is it morning already?

It’s the afternoon actually. Late night?

Yeah. I’m dying. I can’t function.

I wish I were there to make it better.

Me, too.

That was a lie. Bryna was glad no one was around to see her right now. After last night, she couldn’t muster her facade, and she definitely wouldn’t be able to keep it together around Hugh.

Why don’t you have a spa day? I’ll have my assistant call ahead for you.

She smiled. That sounded perfect.

I’d love that!

I’ll take care of everything. I can’t wait to see you again in a week.

On her way to the spa, she called Trihn through Bluetooth. She hadn’t heard from her friend since she’d left with Neal last night, and after the way things had ended, Bryna wanted to make sure Trihn was all right.