Ry smirks and Lexi smacks his stomach before he can say anything. “He just got here. At least let him get settled first.”
“I’m used to it, Lex.” I give her a nod and take in the whole room. “What’s the cause for the party?”
“Everyone needs to blow off a little steam,” X says as he comes to stand beside me, the twin from several nights ago hugging him tightly around the waist. I’m surprised she’s here. It’s not like him to bring outsiders to a club party.
“Everyone’s a little tense with the lack of leads on Billingsworth,” Dorian chimes in turning toward me with an accusatory look. Since when did everyone start keeping up with everything I do? “We could all use a little unwinding.”
“Looks like someone’s already unwound,” I motion toward the bar where one of the older members has a club girl bent over the bartop with his hands up her short skirt. X laughs loudly, while the rest of us chuckle and shake our heads. Never a dull moment around here, that’s for certain.
Conversation returns to our usual bullshitting and joking around. I’m halfway through my bottle of Club when Roark and Dorian take their mates and retire for the night, Ry and Lexi following suit fifteen minutes later. X is coupled with twin on the couch and the other brothers are either making out with their ol’ ladies or partaking of what the club girls have to offer.
Hanging out all night with my brothers, letting loose and having fun, usually helps keep me calm and centered, but tonight is a different story. Seeing my best friends with their mates and their ol’ ladies has my leopard on edge, ready to escape. I’m struggling to keep him in check when I see Peach headed my way.
“Hey, Hacker,” she coos, running her hands down her sides and over her hips in an attempt to draw attention to her barely covered body. The only thing it does do is convince me to listen to my animal and get the fuck out of here.
“Not now,” I snap while coming to stand in front of her.
“Where are you headed?” she smiles and runs her hands down my chest straight to my belt buckle. She doesn’t take no for an answer, so I snatch her hands away to hold her back.
“None of your damn business,” I growl, my animal more pissed than I am.
“I can keep you company,” she smiles extra sweetly trying one last time to snare me before I lose my shit and shove her backward with not much more than a modicum of restraint. The leopard is pissed she touched us.
“Back. The fuck. Off.” Her eyes widen at the snarl my words carry and she hastily turns and leaves me alone.
No longer able to remain social, I grab the bottle of Club and leave the building. Nothing but a shift and a good, long run is going to calm me down now.
343
Larken
“What happened the other night?” Mother asks, and I instantly regret I finally answered. It’s been three days since my cousin’s party and she hasn’t stopped calling.
Henri and I stayed at the party for another two hours and by the time we left, the anxiety had returned full force, and I thought I was going to throw up by the time he dropped me off at home. Fortunately, he didn’t try to stay, but he did take more of a kiss than he was due. Apparently, first date etiquette means something different to him than what I was raised to believe. It would have served him right if I would have thrown up while his tongue made itself at home in my mouth. I still feel violated.
“Hello, Mother,” I sigh when she doesn’t even bother to ask if I’m feeling alright because I know Henri filled her in on everything that happened on our date. Anything to kiss their ass and get on their good side, I’m sure.
“Henri said you didn’t talk very much. Why was that, young lady? I thought I told you to be on your best behavior and not embarrass me?” Gee, Mother, I feel much better, thank you.
“I didn’t do anything,” I defend. It’s pointless, but I try anyway. “We stayed for two hours and Henri had a good time talking to everyone.”
“Why were you just standing there leaving him to carry the conversation?” And there it is, all my fault.
“You know I don’t do well in crowds, but I wasn’t just standing around. Besides, I didn’t let him do all the talking; he just did it.” What the hell did that jerk say to her?
“You need to stop using that as an excuse,” she scolds and I’m stunned. She’s never been quite this uncaring about my crowd anxieties. It’s not my fault I don’t do well in large groups of people. Having bouts of extreme anxiety and dread around others isn’t something I want to have, but to claim it’s something I’m hiding behind and isn’t as troublesome as it is? It hurts.
“It’s not an excuse,” I fight back angrily. “You have to stop trying to fix me and just let me live my life however I want. Why can’t you do that?”
“I’m only trying to do what’s best for you, Larken .” Her words are a tiny bit softer, but still as firm as before.
“I’m happy, Mother. Just like I am.”
“But I want you to have more, darling. Staying around your own house most of the time isn’t going to take care of you. Henri can do that. Now, he will pick you Friday for dinner. He’ll be calling to set up the details.”
“Mother, no,” I begin to argue.
“Yes. Now, I have to run. I love you.” Hung up on again. I let out a stifled groan and throw myself back
