GREED(108)

“I know because they always do. Besides, when I’m done with their boys, I give them back. They consider it their dues.”

“Trust me,” she said quietly toward the wall, “they do not consider it their dues.”

“Is this about Brock, Sav?” I huffed. “God, you are such a whiny brat. If he was willing to cheat on you so easily, he wasn’t worth it. Consider it a favor.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” she conceded but didn’t sound truly convinced. “You saved me, Soph.”

“You’re welcome, Sav,” I replied sweetly and patted her head. “Now, I’m off to find Brent.”

I stood in front of the mirror above her dad’s desk and inspected myself.

Long, silky straight brown hair down to my elbows. I had natural blonde highlights throughout its mass. I’d recently cut my bangs so that they fell straight across my forehead. I ruffled them so they lay softly over my brows. I studied them and felt my blood begin to boil. The majority of girls at Jerrick’s funeral suddenly had the same cut and it royally pissed me off. God! Get a clue, nimrods. You’ll never look like me! I puckered my lips and applied a little gloss over them. My lips were full and pink enough that I didn’t need much color. My skin was tanned from lying by the pool too much after graduation and I’d made a mental note to keep myself indoors for a bit. Don’t need wrinkles, Soph. My light gold eyes were the color of amber and were perfect but I noticed my lashes needed a touch more mascara. I did this only to darken them up a bit not because they weren’t long enough. Like I said, I was practically flawless.

“He won’t know what hit him,” I told myself in the mirror. Sav mistook this for speaking to her and I rolled my eyes when she responded.

“You play a sick game, Sophie Price.”

“I know,” I admitted, turning her direction, a fiendish expression on my unblemished face.

I sauntered from the room. As I passed the throngs of people lined against the sides of the hall that lead from the foyer to the massive den, I received the customary cat calls and ignored them with all the flirtatious charm that was my forte. I was the queen of subtlety. I could play a boy like a concert violinist. I was a master of my craft.

“Can I get you boys anything?” I asked as I approached the elite group of hotties that included Ali’s Brent.

“I’m fine, baby,” Graham flirted, as if I’d ever give him the time of day.

“You look it,” I flirted back, just stifling the urge to roll my eyes.

“Since you’re offering so nicely, Soph,” Spencer said, “I believe we could all use a fresh round.”

“But of course,” I said, curtsying lightly and smiling seductively. I purposely turned to make my way towards the bar. I did this for two reasons. One, to make them all look at my ass. Two, to make them believe I’d only just thought of the next move on my playing board. I turned around quickly and caught them all staring, especially Brent. Bingo. “I’ll need some help carrying them all back,” I pouted.

“I’ll go!” They all shouted at once, clamoring in front of the other like cattle.

“How about I choose?” I said. I circled the herd, running my hand along their shoulders as I passed each one. Spencer visibly shivered. Point, Soph. “Eenie, meanie, minie, moe,” I said, stopping at Brent. I followed the line of his throat and caught a glimpse of him swallowing, hard. “Would you help me, Brent?” I asked nicely without any flirting.

“Uh, sure,” he said, setting down his own glass.

I linked my arm through his as we walked to the bar. “So how are you and Ali doing?” I asked him.

He gazed at me, not hearing a word I’d said. “What?” he asked.

Exactly.





Three hours later and Brent was mine. We’d ended up sprawled out on the ancient Turkish rug in Sav’s parents’ bedroom, our tongues in each other’s throats. He threw me underneath him and hungrily kissed my neck but stopped suddenly.

“Sophie,” he breathed sexily in my ear.

“Yes, Brent?” I asked, ecstatic I’d gotten what I wanted.

He sat up and gazed down on me like he’d never really seen me before. I smiled lasciviously in return, tonguing my left eye tooth. “Jesus,” he said, a trembling hand combed through his hair, “I am such a fool.”

“What?” I asked, sitting up, stunned.

“I’ve made a horrible mistake,” he told me, still wedged between my legs. No need to tell you how badly that stung. “I’ve had too much to drink,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Sophie. Your being the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever met’s clouded my judgement, badly. I’ve made a terrible mistake.”