Page 46 of Any Means Necessary

Any anger melts away when she bounds straight over to me, my chest tightening at the look of pure joy on her face. Her cheeks are flushed, eyes sparkling beneath dramatic lashes. She’s absolutely beaming, dousing me in blazing warmth until I’m nothing but ash.

Fuck, I want to be the reason she smiles like this.

“Didn’t you like my song choice? You didn’t dance.” She doesn’t actually care, she’s still coming off the high from being under the spotlight.

“I don’t dance, Dewdrop.” I can’t take my eyes off her, not even to make sure no other fuckers are eyeing her. Lexie gives a small shrug.

“If you’re boring, just say that,” she replies breezily, taking back the untouched drink she gave me. “Dolly is a queen.”

She hasn’t stopped moving since I arrived, her body constantly feeling the music in some small way. Hearing her words start to run together, I know she’s passed the point of buzzed into tipsy. She looks up at me curiously, sipping through her straw.

“You’re really not leaving without me? It’s gonna be a while, because my night just started.”

“I’ll wait.” And watch.

“Can you at least stop glowering at people? You’re scaring my friends.”

My eyes move over her head to find her party-happy friends eyeing me curiously. I offer them a practiced smile before turning it on Lexie. Her brows jump in amusement, eyes laughing at me.

“Wow, that smile is almost believable,” she teases, her straw slurping against the ice in her now empty glass. The adorable frown she gives the cup is one of disapproval—like it’s personally offended her by running out of alcohol. “Well, time to put this top to good use for a free drink.”

I catch her by the arm before she can turn away, making her stumble into me. She leans against my chest in that damn outfit that gives her so much cleavage it should be illegal. “I’ll open a tab.”

I don’t know what possessed me to fund the drinks for her and her friends for the rest of the night. But the idea of her flaunting around to other men, letting them think they get to take advantage of her voluptuous body, makes me want to start snapping necks.

She lets out a delighted laugh, and steps over to her friends for another round of shots. I can hear her tell them that I’m covering the tab and they lift their glasses to cheers me before downing the tequila. I step back to lean against the bar counter, settling in to watch the whirlwind that is girls night out.

If I thought sober Lexie was a handful, drunk Lexie is in a league of her own. Her already confident demeanor is amplified by the alcohol and her inhibitions are almost completely gone. Dancing on the bar with her girlfriends, becoming friendly with the bartenders, and helping the emcee announce the karaoke line-up.

She even talked a guy into giving her his jacket because she got cold. She doesn’t realize who he was and the significance of his jacket, but I recognized the NFL linebacker instantly. Despite the number of people in the crowded bar, she’s the life of the party. And she never stops laughing.

When her shoes come off, it’s time to go home. Ordering a car for her friends who live in Harlem, I help them into their ride before toting Lexie to where I parked. But not before she returns the jacket to the “nice, friendly, giant man with the cool ring.”

Revving the gran torino engine, I pull into traffic. You’d think at two in the morning there wouldn’t be so many other cars on the road. One of the many charms of living in the city that never sleeps.

“This car is so loud,” Lexie giggles to herself. I can feel her eyes on me. “You know what they say about men with obnoxious cars.”

“No,” I lie. “What do they say?” There’s no telling what’ll come out of her mouth next, but I want to hear it. I can’t help myself.

“That they’re overcompensating for their small dick.” She falls back against the seat, tilting her head against the headrest.

“You think I have a small dick, Dewdrop?” My brows raise at her.

She remains unbothered, smile turning lazy as she eyes me knowingly.

“Not from what I’ve felt. You’ve probably got a big dick to match the rest of you. You’re a very big boy, Callum.” Her words shoot straight to my cock.

“Maybe I’m compensating for something else.”

She doesn’t hesitate to voice her opinion and offer up a suggestion. “Like your compulsive need for control and complete inability to express your feelings?”

“Maybe.” She’s too astute, even when she’s drunk. I run a hand over my beard, turning right on red. She doesn’t notice my attitude shift.

“It’s ok, what you lack in the warm and fuzzies you make up for in badassery,” she states. “Plus, you’re rich and super hot. That tends to make up for a lot of sins.”

“You think I’m hot?” My lips twitch in amusement.

Her animated face moves and I can see her eyes roll in my peripheral vision.

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