Wrong (14 page)

Chapter Eighteen

There was a line wrapped around the block of Atrium, the East side party venue known to host all the most lavish socialite weddings and galas. Whenever I passed by the place, there was a white carpet rolled down the stone staircase, its entrance flanked by vintage candelabras and model-esque bridesmaids in Monique Lhuillier. But for Liam’s party tonight, the carpet was black and there were spotlights beaming purple and blue onto each looming limestone wall. Five men in black suits were planted at the door handling the monstrous line, which thankfully, Aria and I got to skip every year.

“What the shit? Why do
they
get to cut?”

We heard the usual high-pitched protests of half-naked girls waiting to get inside and escape the cold. Because of them, the door guys Liam hired each year were as silent and stoic as statues. But tonight, as they unclasped the rope for Aria and me, they actually had something to say.

“God
damn
, ladies,” one of them muttered, his lusting eyes following us all the way in. Another reached out flirtatiously, playing with the gold chain that hung from Aria’s neck. Once we were out of earshot, she squealed.

“
Yes
, girl. I’d say that’s a good sign,” she whispered giddily, squeezing my hand.

“I’d agree,” I smirked since she hadn’t quite trusted me on the costumes at first. I didn’t blame her. It had to be weird to watch me come home, dump a sheet of jersey onto the floor and proceed to cut it up into thick, ragged strips. But she slowly climbed on board when I undressed and started wrapping the off-white strips over my naked chest like a bandeau, then wrapping a couple strips over my hips like an ultra-mini skirt, barely covering my white boy shorts. She was confused again when I rubbed bronzer like dirt onto my arms and legs, but was back on board when I brought out the yards of gold chain I’d gotten from the trim store. I wrapped some around my wrists and arms before winding it around my neck like a choker and letting the long, loose ends hang down between my breasts.

“Girl. I still have no idea what we’re supposed to be but I feel objectified and like it,” Aria declared as we made our way through the crowd, her petite body similarly wrapped and adorned. “Honestly though – what
are
we supposed to be? We look super hot but I also feel like we also look like medieval sex slaves.”

I laughed. “I guess that’s… kind of the vibe I was going for? But I was thinking less sex slave and more…” I trailed off, trying to figure out what I wanted to say. Right in time, A.J’s voice came behind us, supplying my answer.

“Holy
fuck
. What are you – my prize?”

We spun around and I burst out laughing when I saw A.J in the costume I knew he’d be wearing thanks to Liam’s intel. They were gladiators this year, and as usual, A.J was by far the most naked one in his gold helmet, gold Speedo thong and gold-plated belt. He also had a gold and red blood-spattered shield, but he dropped it on the floor in favor of using his hands to hook into the waist of Aria’s transparent skirt, pulling her close and trailing his eyes across her oiled up, dirt-flecked skin. We weren’t as close to naked as most of the other girls around us, but somehow, we gave off a far more scandalous vibe. Everyone else was primped and polished. I’d decided that we’d be a little dirty.

“I… god
damn
. You look…” A.J searched for his words, looking almost as confused as he did aroused.

“What do I look like, A.J?” Aria teased. He swept a hand over his brow.

“Like fuckin’… sex on legs, Aria. Christ. What are you trying to do to me?” A.J muttered, leaning over to give me the obligatory kiss on the cheek. His hands gravitated toward the chain around her neck. He gritted his teeth. “Christ. I don’t even know what you two are supposed to be but it’s making me want to maim a fuckin’ lion in your honor or some gladiator shit.”

I burst out laughing. “Perfect, that was what I was going for. Speaking of gladiators though, where’s mine?”

“Well...” A.J scanned the crowd, wordlessly pulling Aria back to him when some drunk guy tried to get her to dance. “I stuck him and Max with VIP duty so I could come here. I’m guessing he’s still trapped up there with the crazies.” A.J nodded up toward the mezzanine, a roped off area that the hardcore fangirls paid another hundred to access. They were generally real fans that had actually watched the guys’ fights before and even tracked their careers. For the extra price of their admission, they were granted open bar access but more importantly, closer proximity to Liam and the guys, who in turn flirted it up and did body shots off them just to get those VIP tickets selling again the next year.

“Ah, shit,” Aria said when she read the look on my face. “Do you not want to go up there, Sash? Or me and A.J will go with you if you need.”

I considered it. She knew how much I hated the VIP area. I’d ventured up only once before – at the party two years ago – and it was so packed I’d had to climb onto the back of a couch to even spot Liam in the crowd. And when I did, I was granted the sight of him receiving a topless lap dance from a busty sorority girl, while her equally topless friend rubbed his cock
under
his loincloth. That scene resulted in Riley’s last ever appearance at one of Liam’s Halloween parties. When asked about it, she cited “an overwhelming abundance of shameless hos” as her reason.

I pursed my lips. “How is it up there, A.J? Will I be able to find Liam?”

“Yeah. It’s tame. No orgies yet.”

I snorted. “Great. Then I guess we’re good, Aria,” I said, knowing well that she hated the VIP area too. “You guys go have fun.”

“You don’t need to tell me twice,” A.J said and just like that, he whisked my best friend off and left me alone in the sea of girls wearing lingerie and bunny ears. Dodging the guys with their holiday edition pickup lines – “Can I take a picture of you to prove that angels do exist?” – I squeezed my way upstairs, flashing my wristband to get into the mezzanine. When I got up there, to my relief, A.J was right. It wasn’t that crazy or crowded, and I spotted Liam right away. But there was a girl standing next to him.

And the second I realized who that girl was, my jaw clenched so tight I nearly cracked my molars.

“What the
fuck
?”

My words were lost in the din of music and screaming but somehow, I caught only Jenna’s attention as she hugged Liam’s muscled arm between her as-good-as-naked breasts, covered in just two jewel-adorned stickers shaped like mermaid shells. Her eyes lit right up when they met with mine, and she threw me one of her signature winks before going up on her toes to whisper into Liam’s ear.

White-hot flames lapped at my skin as I watched his hand slide down her back and settle just above her ass, his fingertips almost touching its curve. The heat crawled up my neck and to my cheeks as Jenna then tipped Liam’s chin down to lock his gaze strictly on her. She whispered something an inch from his lips and when he laughed, she peered at me from the corner of her eye, with satisfaction so smug it actually balled my hands into fists.

“
Liam
.” I didn’t recognize my own voice when I got to him. I was furious and jealous and possessive. And hot. He was shirtless and strapped in leather and metal, his six-pack rippling in a way that forced my stare. Maybe it was the costume but he looked bigger, more cut than usual – like he belonged in some sweaty, sexy Hollywood blockbuster about warrior kings or Ancient Rome. He looked so ridiculously gorgeous but I could barely appreciate it or the way his eyes immediately devoured me.

“Sasha.” His hand fell away from Jenna’s body as he stepped toward me, but I stepped back, furious and hating that I was showing it because Jenna clearly loved it, feeding off my anger as per usual.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” she pouted innocently. With Liam’s eyes on me, she flashed me a despicably satisfied look, running the tip of her tongue along the upper row of her teeth and mouthing, “
You mad?”

I couldn’t help that I was. Not just mad, though. Fuming. Grabbing Liam’s hand, I nodded upstairs. “Liam. Can I talk to you in private, please?”

In no time, we were ascending the small flight of stairs into a private booth within the mezzanine. The second Liam put his hands on me I shoved him away.

“Sasha, what – ” He held his hands in the air, his eyes ablaze as he stared at me in question. “What the hell is going on?”

“I was about to ask you the same exact thing. Why the hell of all people are you letting
Jenna Pettit
rub up on you?”

Liam blinked. “What?”

I wanted to tear at my hair. I shoved him as he tried again to come near me. “You and Jenna! Just now. You had your hand practically on her ass and your mouth an inch from her face. I know you’re supposed to play it up to the girls during these parties but wouldn’t it be common sense not to do that with
her?
She shouldn’t have even been let in!”

Liam ran his hand over his jaw, distracted. “Who are you talking about right now?”

“Aria’s
cousin
, Liam! She practically lives to piss me off, and it’s humiliating for me to walk in here and see you loving every second of her draped all over you!” My chest heaving, I watched in hot disbelief as Liam raked his eyes over my body. “Don’t you dare touch me right now,” I hissed as he wordlessly closed the gap between us. “Liam, I swear to God – ”

“For fuck’s sake, Sasha,” Liam muttered hungrily. No matter how hard I swatted him away, he kept coming back. “Get over here.” Biceps flexed, he grabbed me and held me still, the air between us scorching as he pressed me up against the table. “Look at me, Sasha. Look me in the eye and trust me when I say I had no idea what the fuck I was doing.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I had no idea that was her, alright?” Liam growled. “I’d barely recognize that girl on the street let alone at a costume party. Half the time, I don’t remember her fucking name,” he argued hotly, curling his fingers into my skirt. I pushed them away but he hooked them right back. This time, I couldn’t push him away if I tried. He was using all his strength on me now and I was no match whatsoever for that. “Listen to me, Sasha,” Liam murmured intensely. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize her. I’m sorry I gave her any sort of satisfaction but I need you to remember that she’s one of a hundred meaningless conversations I’ve had tonight and if you want, I’ll go down there right now and tell her to her face. I’ll tell her that I’m a hundred percent fucking yours and I don’t plan on fucking anyone but you for the rest of my life. But I have a feeling you’d be against that.”

I clenched my teeth.
Goddamnit
. He was telling the truth – I was slowly recognizing that. But my costume still felt like it was squeezing my breasts as I breathed heavy, glaring at Liam with the stubborn need to be pissed.

“Sasha – ”

“Alright,” I cut him off, shaking my head at him when he broke into a wicked grin at my snappy defensiveness. “Do not laugh at me,” I muttered, biting back the smile that threatened my lips.

“Fine.” Liam stepped closer – as close as he could possibly be without our lips grazing. “Can I at least touch you?”

“No.” I hoisted myself up on the table and turned my head every which way to avoid his kiss. He laughed something so low and sexy I had to groan, annoyed with how he turned me on without effort. I put my hand on his chest to push him away but he held it there. Cursing under my breath, I scratched him, biting my lip at the twitch I felt under his rock-hard muscle. “God, Liam.” I had to grin. “You suck.”

“Yeah?” He spread my legs and through my panties drew his finger over my pussy. “I can suck right here if you want me to.” My jaw dropped as Liam circled my clit. He kept his touch firm but his pace slow and languorous on me, as if he wanted to savor my every breath of reaction. His lips curled coolly upward when he felt me pulsing against him. “Baby.” He rumbled deeply when he palmed my pussy, feeling just how soaking wet he’d gotten me in barely ten seconds. Studying me, Liam wet his lips, his eyes trailing all over my body and finally landing between my thighs. “Lift your hips up for me.”

My heart thumped. I gazed over the railing of our private booth. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to eat your pussy,” he replied easily. “And I’m going to make you come a second time after that, when I fuck you on this table.”

I swallowed. I didn’t want to get caught but I also knew well from Liam’s tone that his mind was already made. He smirked at my nervous look.

“You couldn’t possibly have thought that you could walk into my party wearing something like that and not get me hard as a fucking rock. Now lift your hips for me.”

I wanted to fight against the idea of another risky, public fuck but before I knew it, my panties were on the floor, my stepbrother kneeling at the edge of the table with his tongue running over the length of my soaking wet pussy. My legs draped over his broad shoulders as he licked ravenously between my thighs, sucking gently on my clit and flicking his tongue over it with purpose, to elicit my reaction. Back arched, I gripped the edges of the table, every sharp cry of pleasure lost in the noise of the party. Several floors below us was the deejay booth. The beat of the bass was deafening and it hummed against my naked back as Liam slid his tongue over every inch of my sex, lapping at my juices, tasting me like the sweetest of honeys. My orgasm was mounting within seconds and it seemed as if Liam knew the exact moment before my release because suddenly, he stopped.