SIX

CASEN

I can’t stop thinking about her. Dreaming about her. She consumes all thoughts that blow through my mind. Every single girl who crosses my path reminds me of Embyr. They all walk like her. Talk like her. Smile just as she does and even laugh the same. Something has happened since I left her condo that night and took the picture with me. It now sets on my fridge. I look at it every fucking day and all it does is bring back the memory of falling for her not once but twice. It’s like fate keeps pushing us together but I’m trying to resist as much as I can. I wonder how long I can be strong. After seeing her a few weeks ago we’ve exchanged some curt text messages. My fingers have been itching to dial her number and accept her request to meet up, giving her the chance to talk to me. Spell it all out because even though I still have this hatred over what she did, I can’t get her out of my mind. I’m hanging by a damn thread and I know Reece can tell. Which is why we’re in an Uber pulling up to what seems to be a club.

Red Ex isn’t exactly the place I want to spend my Friday night. Well any night, for that matter, but for some reason, Reece is dead set on coming here. We walk in, and it’s packed wall to wall. I’m afraid they have over exceeded capacity, making it a fire hazard. If this place went up in a blaze for any reason, it could mean a nightmare and end a few lives.

I shake my head at my morbid thoughts and squeeze between the gyrating bodies on the dance floor with Reece leading the way. But it’s in the opposite direction of the bar, and if I’m going to be stuck here with him I am going to need a few drinks to put up with this chaos.

The heat of the club is so high I feel a bead of sweat drip down my torso already. When we stop at a roped off staircase on the far side of the dance floor, Reece says something to the steroid fueled security guard holding a board. He scans the papers attached and unclips the rope, stepping aside to allow us by.

My head cranes back as I look up, observing a second level that overlooks the first. We climb a steel set of stairs and in spite of how loud the music is I can’t help but hear the high pitch scream of Reece’s name once we reach the top. Being behind him, the only thing I can see is two arms circling around his neck and legs wrapping around his waist.

He sets the eager woman down and turns. Trinity, the owner of the shriek, zeros in on me and smiles. “Casen!” she yells, throwing her arms up. “Thank you so much for coming to celebrate my birthday!”

She hugs me too, and I give Reece a “what the fuck look” over her shoulder.

“Of course,” I say hugging her while uncomfortably rubbing her back.

She lets me go and holds me at arm’s length taking me in. I’m not attracted to Trinity in the least but she looks amazing tonight. Her hair is wild and wavy and makeup done just enough to amplify her natural beauty. She’s wearing a slinky dark blue dress and heels that have gained her quite a few inches in height.

Turning to Reece, she goes in for a second hug, giving me a moment to search the room for Embyr. I’m at war with what I’d want the outcome to be. I want to see her but I’m hoping she hasn’t arrived yet so I can make a beeline for the door. After two scans of the room and coming up empty, I’m confident I can make it out of here before she arrives.

I catch up to Reece as he leans his elbows on the private bar. I shove his shoulder and turn him around. “Why didn’t you tell me we were coming for Trinity’s birthday? I’m leaving.”

He grabs my shirt before I am out of reach. “Relax, man. Embyr isn’t coming. She had some sort of work trip.”

I let go of all the tension I didn’t realize I had been holding in the last sixty seconds. Even the thought of her being in the same building as me had me spun up. Now that I know she isn’t coming, I find I’m disappointed. At some point, I’m going to unearth what the fuck is wrong with me and figure out what the hell I want.

I relent, letting Reece order me a beer and look around, this time a little less anxious. The VIP section Trinity reserved has an awesome setup. Reece tells me she knows the owner so he let her rent it out for free as long as she hits a bar minimum. From the looks of the other party goers, I’d say they are pretty close to the mark. It seems to have a capacity of about forty people and furnished with bright red couches and chairs, black round tables overflowing with drinks, a small private dance floor, and a pool table.

I drink my eight dollar bottle of beer while observing everyone and everything around me. Most seem to be having a good time, except Reece and Trinity, who are now arguing by the railing overlooking the dance floor. It appears pretty heated and I wonder if I should go over and interject. As I scoot forward to do just that, a pretty blond sits down next to me.

“Hi,” she says. Her voice is bubbly, in a juvenile tone. Nothing like Embyr’s sultry one. She sticks her right hand in my face. “I’m Casey.”

“Hi, Casey.” I greet taking her hand in mine. “I’m Casen.”

Her green eyes go wide and she launches into a fit of giggles. “Casey?” She points to herself and then to me. “And Casen?”

I raise my eyebrows, downing the last few drops of my beer. “Yup.”

She crosses her legs and shifts her body toward me before taking my empty bottle out of my hand and setting it down on the table. “Well, Casen, would you like to play pool or maybe dance?”

Glancing behind me, I find the pool table vacant and decide it’s the lesser of two evils. “I wouldn’t mind playing a few games.”

Accepting of my answer she stands up, leaving her short black dress that has ridden up, in place. If you squint you can see her ass hanging out. She looks to see if I notice and smiles when she catches me. It pisses me off because I wasn’t really checking her out. Who wouldn’t notice?

I check on Reece and Trinity shocked that now his tongue is halfway down her throat. They must have made up. Those two give me whiplash.

“Want a drink?” I ask Casey as we walk past the bartender. She gives me her order, and I decide to upgrade my beer to a crown and Coke. If I’m going to be here I better make it worth my time, even if I do go broke in the process.

An hour and two more drinks later, I am leaning over the pool table trying to make this shot. Casey and I are tied up one game to one. If I sink this shot she buys the next round. If I lose, I buy. I didn’t even let her win the first game. She’s just fucking good.

Just after I draw my pool stick back and slide it forward I am startled by Trinity’s scream once again. My head drops to the green felt as I miss the shot and I feel Casey slap my ass. “Looks like you’re buying, Fire Man.”

I shake my head and then pick it back up, looking for Trinity to give her the death stare. I just lost to a fucking woman, who I didn’t even let win. I’m stunned at what I do find. So much so I stand straight up, my dick following suit.

Embyr.

She’s hugging Trinity and must not have seen me yet. I allow my eyes to scan her body, and my dick goes full fucking mast in a matter of seconds. I haven’t had this reaction in so long and she is the only one who gives it to me. She looks fucking delectable with her hair curled in the loosest of curls. Her dress, which is dangerously short, hits just below her ass cheeks and conforms to her body. It’s dark gray and sparkles under the lounge lights. Her shoes are gray as well and have a spiked heel. Her legs are more toned and svelte. I start to gravitate toward her, my body acting all on its own without the permission of my brain but put the brakes on when I see she is introducing a man to Trinity and Reece. He’s tall. Taller than me with sandy blond hair and from here he looks semi-muscular and just a bit older. He shakes their hands. Reece leans into Embyr to say something but she rears back, stepping on the schmuck’s toes, tripping. Blondie catches her and takes a really long time to release her.

Two questions come to mind.

Why did Embyr pull back from Reece and who the fuck is that guy?

Trinity pulls on Embyr’s arm, stealing her ear and I watch Embyr’s eyes go wide. She scans the room and meets my heated gaze just as Casey grazes my dick and whispers in my ear, “Looks like I got you all worked up.” Her tongue is hot as she licks my jaw.

I shiver, pushing her away. “That’s not for you.”

Casey laughs, irritating me even further. I turn my attention back to Embyr but she and the guy have disappeared into the ever-growing crowd of people.

“Sure it’s not,” Casey says. “Let’s go. You still owe me a drink.”

She grabs my bicep and pulls me to the bar where I order another round of drinks before sitting back down in two vacant spots on the couch. I keep my eyes out for Embyr yet again but come up empty.

Where the fuck did she go? I don’t even spot the guy she was with and he definitely could tower over ninety-five percent of the people here.

The alcohol must be taking over. I should forget Embyr and take this more than willing, confident, sexy woman beside me home to my bed, but I don’t. Instead, I pull out my phone, ignoring Casey’s caresses on my arm.

Me: Where are you?

Embyr: I know where I want to be.

She’s flirting. This is bad. It’s really fucking bad because I can’t help but respond back the way I do.

Me: Underneath me?

I regret it the second I hit send. What the hell am I doing? I have never been this way. I’ve always been so sure of what I want and what I need but right now I’m going completely fucking crazy. She hurt me. She wounded me deeply and though I don’t know if I can forgive her just yet I can’t help but want to be inside her. To have her erase all of the stupid fucking things that have happened. The high school shit. The metamorphosis she went through. The damage she did. The damage I did. I want to sink into her and drown it all out.

My phone vibrates in my hand, and I look over to Casey, who was now chatting with a girl on the other side of her. I should feel like an asshole texting one woman while sitting next to another, but I just don’t.

Embyr: Looks like you’re already working on someone for the position. Into blondes now?

Me: And what about you? Who the fuck is that guy?

I look up from my phone and like a beacon I find her through the crowd. She’s staring right at me. The dude she brought never leaving her side.

Embyr: My boss. Are you jealous?

Me: Have you fucked him?

It’s torture waiting for her response, which is taking too long for my liking. I spot her again and she is looking down at her phone. She shakes her head and puts the phone in her purse, giving the people around her her full attention. I clench my jaw but barely feel it from the liquor coursing through me. I shove my phone in my pocket and lean back into the couch, finishing off the last of my drink.

Another lonely hour passes. Casey has ditched me for a guy who will take her on the dance floor. Reece hasn’t left Trinity’s side and all I can do is stalk Embyr and her date the entire time. It’s torture but one I can’t stop from doing to myself. She keeps her distance from him but I spot the subtle ways he tries to touch her. When I can’t take it any longer I get up. My body sways from the drinks I’ve had, and I use the couch to catch my balance. It takes thirty steps and four deep breaths before I’m in front of all of them.

“I’m out of here,” I tell Reece directly, even though he is surrounded by Trin, Embyr, and the fuckface.

“Casen.” Embyr’s voice pulls me from Reece.

I turn to her but I’m not prepared to be so close. “Embyr.” I acknowledge. “I was told you wouldn’t be here.”

She shifts on her feet, taken aback by me. Well, I am being an asshole. “I completely messed up the dates. We actually leave next weekend.”

My eyebrows furrow. “We?”

Asshat sticks his hand out toward me. “I’m Derrick.”

I look at his outreached hand and like the prick I’ve been tonight, I don’t take it. Insulted, he drops it to his side.

“Thanks for the invite, Trinity,” I say and walk to the stairs.

I pull up the Uber app and order a ride. Finally outside, I take a large breath of fresh air and lean against the side of the building. My eyes are closed but I can hear the sounds around me. Car horns blowing. Drunk people laughing. The clacking of heels on the sidewalk.

“Casen!” Embyr shouts, jolting me.

My eyes fly open. She’s standing less than a foot in front of me. “What?” I snap.

She steps in real close. “Fuck you!” she yells, shoving a finger in my chest.

I grab her wrist, then snatch the other and turn her around so now it’s her back against the bricks. “Fuck me?” I ask, rolling my body into hers. “No, fuck YOU!”

Her chest is heaving with each breath she takes. “Let me go.” She whimpers.

“Are you fucking your boss, Em? Working your way to the top?” I question, and it stings her. She tries to free her wrist and attempts to slap me, but I snatch them in one hand and raise them above her head.

I reach my hand under her dress, not being able to handle myself, and move her panties aside finding her soaking, fucking wet. I blame the alcohol for losing control but if I’m honest with myself I know after the last few weeks I would’ve done this without its help. “Is this for him, Embyr?”

She squirms but gives me no indication she wants me to remove my hands. There are people all around us but I remember how much she gets off on public shit. It fuels me.

“Answer me. Are you fucking wet for him?”

Her eyes bore into mine, her resolve showing. “No.”

I move in closer. “Who is it for?”

She bites her lip before answering, “You. Only for you, Casen.”

We stare at one another, her eyes dropping to my lips. I lick them, giving her an open invitation. A horn blares, startling us. I turn hesitantly and the driver rolls down his window. “Uber?” he asks.

My head falls to Embyr’s chest. “I can’t do this,” I whisper. “I have to go.”

Embyr’s hands fall from my grasp and I leave her there.

Again.

I’m an asshole.