“About freaking time!” Mia shouts, throwing her hands in the air when I walk in to the lobby bar. “Wait. Where’s Nate?” Her eyes search my face and she hops off the stool, rushing to stand in front of me.

“Lolli?” Her brows pinch.

I hold up my hand to silence her, startling Parker when I yank his drink from his hand and toss it back.

He looks me over, appreciating my ensemble, then attempts to lock eyes with me, but I turn to the bartender, signaling for another one of whatever I just drank.

Jarrod laughs from beside him, and my eyes cut to him.

“You made it, huh?” I ask, not giving a shit, but trying to get the attention off me.

He smirks, his covetous gaze raking over me. “I did.”

I nod and pick up my new drink, downing it in seconds.

“Lolli Bear?” Parker’s quiet words and soft touch against my arm have my iced-over heart thawing slightly and I force my eyes to his, feeling the emotions start to finally catch up to me. “Where is Nate?” he asks sternly, somehow knowing he won’t like the answer.

“Probably balls deep in Olivia by now.”

His brows shoot into his hairline and Mia yanks me around.

“What?!” she shrieks, and Parker shoots out from behind me.

I run the few feet to catch up to him. “Hero, no!” When he doesn’t stop, I jump in front of him, wrapping my arms around his stomach. “Parker, stop.”

His chest is heaving, his fists clenching at his sides.

When I look up, he turns his face away from mine.

“Look at me.”

He refuses.

“Hero,” I say softly. “Look at me. Please.”

Reluctantly, he turns his icy blues to me and I watch them chill as they roam my face. “Lolli Bear. Let me go,” he begs, bringing his hands up to cup my face, his breathing heavy. “He doesn’t get to do this to you.”

I smile, squeezing him tighter. “Let’s go eat and have some fun.”

His face constricts, his eyes searching my face once more.

With a curt nod, he steps away and we walk back into the lounge.

“What the fuck is going on, Lolli?” Mia demands, but when I turn my vacant stare on her, she bites her lip and nods, tears making her green eyes gleam.

That’s the end of this conversation.

By the time we make it back to the bar at our resort, we’ve lost half of our partygoers, so it’s just Mia, Parker, Alyssa, me, and my best friend tonight, good old Jack Daniels.

“Shouldn’t we be drinking,” Alyssa hiccups, then laughs, “Captain Morgan or something, since we’re on the sea or whatever.”

Mia tosses back another shot. “We’re not on a cruise, dumbass.”

We all laugh at that, because it’s just so funny.

“Come on, Mia.” Alyssa stands on wobbly pink heels, throwing her arm around Mia. “Let’s go cuddle and go to bed.”

“’Kay,” Mia slurs and they walk off, not bothering to say good night.

I drop my head onto the countertop, watching people get down on the dance floor to the slow, wind-down music the bar’s playing.

Parker rubs my lower back. “You ’bout ready, Lolli Bear?” he asks me gently.

I shake my head no.

The shock from tonight’s events is starting to wear off as reality and unwelcome emotions fight their way to the surface. The last thing I want to do is go back to my empty room with the night closing in on me like a wave, spinning me round and round. Giving me a glimpse of the surface, only to drown me in the end. “You can go. If you want.”

He shakes his head, his sad blue eyes on mine, and holds his hand out for me to take.

A sloppy smile forms on my lips and I place my hand in his, letting him walk us to the dance floor where we slow dance to a few songs.

With a deep sigh, Parker whispers into my ear, “Happy Birthday, Lolli Bear.”

His tone is so soft and low, and I know he can feel it; my resolve, withering. My heart cracking open. It’s coming, the break before the fall, before my body shuts down, freezing everything inside me.

And I can’t wait for it; the numbness. Because right now, I feel like I’m dying.

As if the soul-crushing feeling isn’t enough, Nate walks through the door, the blood-sucking blonde in his shadow.

He looks like shit. Rough and wrinkled. Probably from rolling around in the sheets with his whore.

He’s such a handsome prick.

His eyes lock with mine and he has the decency to tense for a moment, then the nerve to scowl at Parker’s hands around my waist.

Dick.

I pull Parker to the bar for more numbing juice.

This time, I ask the short, pudgy guy to leave the bottle.

Parker saw Nate. I know he did because he’s doing his best to shield me from his view. It’s a futile attempt, because I can feel him. Feel his stare, his presence, his everything, as always.

The universe must really fucking hate me, because right then, Christina Aguilera’s “Just a Fool” streams through the speakers. Listening to her words, I realize that’s what I’ve been. A fool in the worst way. I should have known how it would all go down in the end the moment I laid eyes on the drunken playboy that very first night.

Thinking I could open up, love someone and be loved back. Have the little bit of normalcy in my life when I’m anything but a normal nineteen-year-old girl…it was a rookie move, for sure. I’m a multi-millionaire with her name on the most successful sports photography company, not to mention the co-owner of the San Diego Tomahawks.

A sad laugh escapes me and I take another swig from the bottle.

Parker looks at me, his eyes pinched, at loss of what to say, or do.

That makes two of us.

I go to step off the stool, but stumble, falling halfway to the floor before he catches me.

I laugh and lean into him, closing my eyes in attempt to block out the lyrics.

Just like in the song, I should have kept my mouth shut. I never should have opened up and allowed Nate to embed himself inside me, to wake me up and bring out all this cheesy, Lifetime movie shit. I should have stayed locked up tight, emotionless and empty. Life is so much easier that way.

“Lolli?” Parker whispers, his knuckle gently bringing my gaze to his when he feels my body start to quake. “You alright?”

I pull myself out of his arms, twisting to grab the bottle from the sticky counter top. Bringing it to my lips, I take another swig, watching Parker’s brows drop in concern.

I push off the bar and take a few steps toward the dance floor, but stumble again.

This time, four hands reach out to steady me, one set heating my skin despite the situation. I shove away from Nate, and settle into Parker’s tense arms.

Nate head jerks back, shock flashing across his features before he erases it and scowls at Parker. “How much you let her drink?”

“None of your damn business!” I shout drunkenly, spitting on that stupid dress shirt that looks so good on him. “Don’t fucking concern your piece-of-shit self with me, Nate.”

His eyes fly to mine, and I think I see remorse in them, maybe a little confusion and hurt, but definitely a dash of uncertainty. Too bad my brain shuts that shit down real quick, and flashes a picture of Liv’s perfect ass, naked on Nate’s bed, in front of my eyes instead.

His gaze cuts to Parker. “She’s trashed.”

“You’re the cause,” he throws back, through clenched teeth.

“And I’m right here,” I slur, bringing the bottle to my lips again.

“Give me that,” Nate demands.

“Uh,” I cut my glance to the side and back quickly, “no.”

“Kalani,” he growls. “Give me the bottle before I take the damn thing.”

I tuck it into my chest, but Nate’s quick, pulling it from my hands in seconds.

“I’ll never let go, Jack…” I slur, laughing as he yanks the whiskey from my grip, the force sending me stumbling right back into Parker’s arms.

“Come on,” Nate grumbles, reaching for me. “I’ll take you to your room to sleep this shit off.”

A harsh laugh leaves me and I rip my arm from his, fire searing through my veins and threatening to set me aflame. “Get. The fuck. Away from me, you rat bastard.” I shove him sloppily, as fruitless as it may be. “You have zero claim to me and zero right to worry about what I’m doing.”

“Don’t stand there and act like this is me!” he screams, his face inches from mine, his breathing out of control.

My foggy eyes roam his face, looking for nothing in particular, but finding the tick of his jaw, the vein at his temple protruding. His eyelids are even shaking.

He’s pissed.

My hand twitches to reach out and comfort him, to wipe the frown away, but again, Liv’s ass flashes in my head, along with the thoughts of what they probably did once I left, or before I got there.

The saddest part…that’s not even what’s killing me inside, him being with her.

Nate didn’t trust in me. He didn’t believe in me, at least not enough to stop and consider that maybe whatever the bitch threw at him was false. He could have – more than likely, did - fucked her repeatedly tonight, and it still wouldn’t compare to the third-rate feeling slicing through me right now.

Focusing on each step, I turn away from Nate and head for the door.

As soon as the warm, salty air hits my face, I take a deep breath. Grabbing onto the railing a few feet in front of the club, I bend at the waist, trying my damndest to keep everything in.

“Come on, Lolli.” Parker’s hand closes gently around my forearm. “Let’s-”

“I said, I had her!” Nate shouts, his voice growing closer.

I turn just in time to see him shove Parker away from me, but Parker’s quick and in Nate’s face just as fast.

“Had!” Parker shouts, pointing a finger into Nate’s chest. “Key word, Nate!” Parker steps further into his space. “Had,” he repeats, knocking noses with him.

“Don’t fuck with me right now, Baylor.” Nate’s lip curls, his words leaving him in a deep, low rumble from within his chest. “I won’t hesitate to lay you on your ass.”

Parker scoffs, not moving an inch, and Nate’s dark eyes narrow.

“I’m taking her to her room,” he says like his words are law and we’re supposed to bow-fucking-down and listen.

They both turn to me when a humorless, dead laugh passes my dry lips. I smirk, leaning my back against the metal beam, letting my eyes roam over Nate, from his black boots to his black eyes.

I tilt my head slightly, a sickening smile on my lips. “Look at him, Hero.” Nate’s teeth grind together. “Trying to be all noble.” I spit out the last word, pushing off the railing, and step up to them, my chest brushing both their arms as they stay rooted in their standoff. “You’re not a knight in shining fucking armor, asshole.”

I take a step closer and Parker makes the right move by taking a step back, letting me run the show.

“You’re a weak, insecure bastard who walks around pretending you’re not.” I cast my eyes down his form, trying my best to make him feel as disgusted with himself as I am in me at this moment. For believing in him. In us. “Not even man enough to ask your fucking,” I lift my fingers to use air quotes like a bratty teenager, “girlfriend for the truth to whatever story she cooked up, but instead, deciding to believe the school slut looking for the first jock strap to drag her along.” I shake my head, stumbling a bit as I step back.

His hand immediately shoots out to steady me, a reflex action I’m sure, but I smack it away.

His eyes narrow and his nostrils flare, but he says nothing.

“Why did you do this?” I shove him, my long hair falling into my face. “Huh? Why did you push me, make me feel... make me love you?” I palm my chest, my face pinching as the pain gets stronger. “I didn’t want this,” I shake my head furiously. “I didn’t. But you had to have me.”

Thick, dark brows pull in to frame muddled dark eyes; so low, they’re almost touching in the center. He takes a step forward, but my hands fly up, freezing him and his designer jeans in place.

“Guess the joke’s on me, though, huh?” I laugh lightly, looking up at the star-filled sky briefly, then back at Nate. “Thinking I could come back from all the shit life’s thrown at me.” I look past him. “Be happy.”

I kick off my shoes, then bend down to pick them up. “Here I am, exactly two years later.” I look back at Nate then, seeing the horror and recognition of what today really is written all over him.

“Kalani...” he whispers, his shoulders dropping as low as his massive frame will allow, his eyes pinched, lips tight.

I shrug a shoulder. “April fucking fool’s to me.”

With that, I turn and walk away from his shocked, confused, handsome fucking face.