I could hear the thump of the bass before we even parked. The house the party was being held at had two stories and a bit of property around it, but because it was located in a campus housing neighborhood, there were virtually no noise complaints.

“You sure about this?” I asked, glancing at Roxie, seeing her eyeing the house too. We’d gone to a couple of parties together, but the fact all these drunk fuckers would be around, probably trying to hit on her, hell, even look at her, made me want to gouge their eyes out.

“My roommate has her boyfriend over, remember?” She looked at me, this grimace on her face. “He had a bag with him. I think it was condoms and lube, so yeah, I’m sure I’d rather be here.”

Yeah, I didn’t want her around that shit. Hell, if I could have, I’d have thrown her over my shoulder, taken her to my place, and kept her there because I knew she’d be safe.

I stared at her, wanting to just say fuck the party and everything else aside from her, and finally tell her how I felt. I loved her so much, so much that it hurt my heart not to tell her.

Years I’d kept this in, wanting our friendship above all else. The very fact that telling her how I felt could drive her away, scare the shit out of her, had me keeping my mouth shut and just enjoying the hell out of what I had with her.

“Well, hang with me, because even though I see these guys daily, who knows who the hell they invited or what drunk ass will try and bother you?”

She smiled at me, her straight white teeth flashing, the dimple in the side of her cheek making an appearance. I felt my heart pick up, my blood rushing through my veins.

If she only knew what she did to me, how beautiful I thought she was…

We got out of the car and headed inside. The music was earsplitting, and the smell of booze, smoke, and sweat filled the air. The party had been going on for a while as it was, what with some people already passed out in the corners, some grinding against each other on the couch, and slurred conversations going on around us.

I held on to Roxie’s hand and felt her glance at me.

“I don’t want you getting lost.”

Getting lost? What the fuck, man? It’s just a two-story house.

Truth was I didn’t want her leaving my side. Yeah, I was overprotective and possessive of her, but there was no going around that. There was no trying to stop myself.

I found a few guys from the gym in the kitchen, most of them seeming sober-ish. We greeted them and started bullshitting. I really didn’t want to be here, would have rather taken Roxie out, maybe dinner or a movie, but she’d seemed like she really wanted to go, so where she went, I did too.

“Robert,” Roxie said, speaking to the guy I was shop talking with. “Where’s the bathroom?”

“Up the stairs, last door on the right.”

She looked at me, and I was ready to take her there myself, but she smiled and shook her head. “Stay. Talk. I’m just going to the bathroom. I’ll be back in five minutes.”

Instinct told me to go with her, to not let her out of my sight, but shit, I really didn’t want to be overbearing.

“Really, Axel. I’ll be fine.” She started moving toward the stairs before I could say or do anything.

“She’ll be fine, man,” Robert said, but I kept my focus on her, watched her walk through the crowd and disappear up the stairs.

Robert started talking again, but I was only half listening. When she came back downstairs, I was going to tell her we should catch a late movie or get a burger. Anywhere but here. Anywhere that would allow me to have some alone time with her.

Because that’s what I wanted. That’s all I ever wanted.

* * *

I made my way up the stairs, finding the bathroom easily enough, and once the door was locked and shut, I used the facilities. After washing my hands, I just stared at myself in the mirror, knowing that although I didn’t care about being at this party, I really wanted to be with Axel.

I just wanted to spend time with him, but this was his scene, the guys he hung out with more times than not. Axel had a real chance at being in the big leagues with his boxing career, and all I wanted for him was to succeed. So, although he said he didn’t want to go to these things, a part of me had to believe he wanted to be surrounded by the guys he saw as family.

But what I also want is him as mine.

My dark hair was loose around my shoulders, the locks looking shiny under the artificial lighting. My amber-colored eyes had dark rings around them, or maybe it was the lighting again that made it seem more than it was?

The sound of two people fucking could be heard through the walls, and I opened the bathroom door, shut off the light, and slammed right into a hard chest. I stumbled back, but strong hands grabbed me, righting me so I didn’t fall on my ass.

“Sorry,” Axel said, and I should have known he’d be waiting for me.

I couldn’t help but shake my head and laugh. “I told you I’d be fine.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. “I know. I was hoping you’d be down to leave. I won’t take you home or anything but figured we could get something to eat or maybe a late movie?”

Just then my phone vibrated with a text. I pulled it out of my pocket and glanced at the screen.

BF is staying the night. Not sure if you’ll be home later, but fair warning.

I knew what that meant; they’d be partying. Drinking, having sex all night, hell, whatever it is they did in her room that made it seem like there were twenty people behind the door instead of two.

I lifted the phone so Axel could see the text. He lowered his brows.

I had to smile at that. “How about takeout and movie at your place?”

He looked at me, his blue eyes seeming to pierce right into me. I felt like I could melt right into the floor. When I was with Axel, I was the only person who mattered to him.

He sure as hell was the most important person to me.