Loving War(12)

The problem is, there’s no protecting her from me until I stop obsessing over her.



***

TRIA



What the unholy hell just happened? Am I seriously that big of a masochist that I let Kode run his greedy hands all over my bare body after humiliating me in front of the entire party? I know damn well my daddy issues aren’t that bad.

I have to get the hell out of here. Thank God for Rain right now.

“Hey,” I say, clutching the towel back around me as I open the door for Rain.

Her platinum blonde hair is in disarray, like she and Dane just had a moment where they snuck away from the party. Leave it to Rain to get the nicest, most perfect person in the world for her. I refuse to envy her because it’ll only make being her sister that much harder.

“Can I come in?” she asks.

My eyes reflexively go to the bathroom door where Kode is playing nice. But if he wants to get Rain’s attention, he’ll be storming out at any moment, trying to use me to make her jealous. And it wouldn’t be the first time I was a pawn. Or the second. Or even the third.

Gah, I sound pathetic right now.

Stepping aside, I let Rain in, preparing for Kode to walk out in his boxers or something.

“Get dressed. We’re going back up there, and you’re going to stay with Dane and me for the rest of the night.”

Great. I’m not the only one that knows I’m pathetic.

“I’m fine, Rain. Really. I was just about to go hit the gym instead, and then shower for bed.”

She pouts adorably, and I turn to grab a pair of shorts and a tank top just to go along with the ruse. As I start pulling the shorts on, bypassing panties, I glance toward the door to the bathroom again. Kode is being completely silent.

“I don’t like this,” Rain groans as I pull on my sports bra. “I can’t believe Kode did that. And I don’t know where the hell he went. He told me he was coming to apologize, but obviously he’s not here and hasn’t been here.”

Swallowing on a choking wad of air, my eyes flick to the rumpled bed, and I curse myself for letting him get me naked and worked up. I was ready to push him away, but I’m sure I would have just given back in.

He’s like a walking magnet, and I’m the polar opposite that can’t stay the hell away. Everything was fine until he saw me at that bar. Am I so weak that I can just dismiss the man he really is because of his sex appeal?

Yes. Yes I am. I have to get out of here. Out of Vegas. Anywhere far away from Kode.

Rain talks about introducing me to more people tomorrow as I work on braiding my hair into twin pigtails. Apparently she’s not going away, so I might actually have to go work out. Fine by me. Maybe I can find my dignity and sanity on the treadmill, while trying to run Kode out of my system. It’ll also give him time to leave instead of us continuing this stupid conversation.

Kode is still in the bathroom when I finish pulling on my sneakers, and Rain follows me out of my room. She keeps promising to talk to Kode, and I glance over my shoulder as we head down the hallway.

“I’m just going to take the stairs,” I say with a wave when she presses the elevator button.

“You’re sure you don’t want to just go back up there? I swear Kode will behave around Dane.”

I doubt Kode would behave in front of the pope. In fact, I’m almost certain he could tempt a saint to attempt murder.

“I’m positive,” I say before heading down the stairs.

After swiping my hotel key card through the slot in front of the workout room, I push through the door and find the first open machine. Should have grabbed my phone, because I hate working out without music.

After running on the treadmill for an hour, the boredom gets to me, and I hop off to grab a towel from the rack. Unfortunately, that run did nothing to clear my head. Kode is still very much cluttering it up.

Sluggishly, I make it back to my room, push through my door, and… stumble to a halt while gasping.

“Good workout?” Kode asks from my bed, casually lounging on it in nothing but his navy boxer-briefs.

He flicks the channel on the TV, acting as though there’s nothing at all wrong with this entire scene.

“What the hell are you doing?” I ask in disbelief.

He gives me a shrug, flipping the channel again. “Trying to find something worth watching.”

His eyes don’t even meet mine, and I continue staring, torn between being speechless and confused. Confusion wins, prompting my lips to move.

“Why are you in my bed?”

“The bathroom wasn’t very comfortable.”

I’m going to kill him.

“Kode,” I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose, “why are you in my bed?”