“Um… yeah. I think so. I don’t want to be here alone; that’s for sure.”
“We wouldn’t leave you alone,” Ash says promptly, reminding me how amazing she really is. “I didn’t really call the cops. I just ran out here with the first big thing I could find to hit him with. But you need to call them.”
The police won’t do anything, and I know it. They never have really been of much use to me. I think they believe I’ll only go back to him, so they don’t see the use in stopping him before he hurts me.
“I’ll go talk to them tomorrow. Not tonight.”
She frowns, but nods. “You’d better.”
I smile and head into the bedroom to change. No matter what, I won’t say anything to Kode about this. I’ll just suggest we go to his house tonight instead of hanging out at mine the way we planned.
I’ll worry about finding somewhere to stay tomorrow.
Chapter 10
KODE
Without Tria here, I’m half drunk with no one to take advantage of me. Maverick is facedown on the table after doing his row of birthday shots. Pansy.
Corbin is surprisingly sober, considering the occasion. And he’s relaxing in the booth next to me while the madness rages on.
“Kode Sterling, you drunk enough to play nice yet?” a girl I think I know asks, but I wave her off.
“Not with you.”
She says something that sounds reasonably insulting, and I shrug while Corbin laughs.
“Not chasing ass tonight?” I ask him.
“Not tonight. I spent the day helping Ruby set up her new shop.”
My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Ruby was in town?”
“Yeah. She’s going to be moving here soon. Her new shop is opening soon to the public. So I spent the day helping her look for a place to live. I also set up the finishing touches on her shop, and now I’m completely exhausted.”
“She already gone?”
“Yeah. She left about two hours before I had to leave to come here.”
Before anything else can be said, a body is sliding into the booth beside me. “Not interested,” I say without looking. “Go find a guy who is.”
“Okay,” Tria—oh shit, Tria—says, sliding back out.
“Hey, sorry,” I say quickly, grabbing her hand and tugging her back toward me. A groan passes through my lips when I take in her strapless white dress that hugs her perfectly. “Didn’t know it was you.”
She seems to relax as though she’s relieved.
“Hey, Tria,” Corbin says, his eyes going back and forth between us when I pull her flush against my side.
Damn, she smells so good.
“Hey,” she says shyly, leaning against my side when I tug her even closer.
“Kode, dude. You’re getting a little too touchy,” Corbin warns, but I flip him off while leaning over to Tria’s ear.
“You look too sexy not to touch,” I tell her, kissing the side of her neck and smiling when she shivers.
“Kode!” Corbin warns, growling at me like I’m an errant child that has to be chastened.
“I can handle it,” Tria says while rubbing my knee under the table.
I continue kissing a trail down her neck, ignoring my cousin’s exasperated groans. She tastes as good as she smells.
“Tria, you don’t have to handle it. He gets a little too hands-on when he’s been drinking liquor. But he hasn’t been doing this shit tonight. Sorry. Just go find Rain, and I’ll deal with him.”
I flip him off again before pressing harder against her. I’ve wanted to feel her pulled up against me since I left her house earlier.
“Really, Corbin. It’s fine. I swear to you I’m a big girl and can handle him.”
“You know exactly how to handle me,” I say against her ear, and her hand slides up higher on my thigh, pushing closer to the hard part of my body that has been dying to get back inside her.
“If Dane sees him all over you, he’ll kick his ass—or try to—and that won’t be good. Then Rain will also try to kick his ass.”
“Corbin, please. Don’t worry. I’ve got this. Promise.”
Corbin sighs, but he slides out of the booth. “Well, I’m going to go make sure Dane and Rain stay away from the booth. Let me know when he passes out or if you need any help.”
She laughs lightly, and I’m pretty sure she nods, but I’m too busy kissing my way down her neck to care.
“You’re a little drunk, aren’t you?” she muses as Corbin leaves.
Maverick snores loudly at that moment, eliciting a laugh from her. “I’m not as bad off as he is,” I tell her, glancing up to meet those endless hazel eyes. “Damn, you’re gorgeous.”