Page 11 of Prince of Pain

“You’re drunk. You’re barely standing, let alone able to drive,” he scolded, dodging me as I took a swing at him. I managed to get one hit to connect, but I was way too drunk to get anymore in.

He tried to pin my arms by my sides but I thrashed and kicked at him, cursing loudly.

I vaguely noticed I managed to elbow him in the face as he let go, and Lexi held a hand out to Jett as he went to try and grab me again. “Leave him. I don’t need you two coming to blows.”

“Fuck you, Emerson. Run along home, I know that’s where you’d prefer to be,” I sneered as he pulled his phone from his pocket. “Yeah, better call Beckett to let her know I hurt your feelings. I’m leaving. Keep the car.”

I stormed off, flipping Milky off as he started walking towards me. He didn’t speak, but he did follow me outside to make sure I left, telling security not to let me back in.

I stumbled along the road and squinted against the sun, walking for a good fifteen minutes before a car pulled up beside me.

“Yo, Donovan! You need a ride?” I stopped walking and glanced beside me to find Channing Blackwater grinning from the driver’s seat of his beat up bucket of shit. His family were the founders of Blackwater and he ran that town alongside his friends. Mostly selling drugs and throwing the best parties I’d ever been to. “Want to come back to mine for a few drinks? We’re throwing a party.”

“Isn’t it past your bedtime?” I teased, but I made my way to the passenger side and climbed in.

“Fuck you. I’m nineteen, not three. It’s still daylight,” he scoffed, gunning the engine and sending me back in my seat with the force. “Besides, you’re the one who can’t hold your beer. You’re three sheets to the wind and it’s not even five yet.”

“I’ve been at Wet Dreams all damn day. Give me a break.” I lit a cigarette, putting the window down and relaxing. Blackwater parties were the best, but it was also where I’d spent a lot of my time getting high.

Channing and his buddies had managed to stay out of Mom’s way since Blackwater wasn’t crew territory, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t go after them to protect me from myself.

Not many people would sell to me because of who my family was, but Channing and his boys didn’t give a shit.

“Temp said you’re still clean.” Channing eyed me in disbelief, my chest aching at the mention of her. I felt like a dick for cutting her off, but I had to. It was the only way to better myself. “You look pretty fucked up to me.”

“I’m clean from the drugs, but I’m working on the drinking still. You seen her much?” I asked, acting casual. I had no idea if Tempest had been talking shit about me to the guys since I’d shut her out, and I didn’t want to seem desperate to talk about her.

“I was with her a few hours ago. Mase brought her over to hang out for a while. They’re partying already,” he replied, and I bit back a groan. I didn’t want to see her.

I struggled to avoid her since she’d technically done nothing wrong.

If she was with Mason, then it was only to score drugs and cock. The two usually went hand-in-hand with Tempest since she usually paid for her high with pussy.

Channing filled me in on the usual street gossip for the rest of the drive to the party, and by the time we arrived, it was booming. Girls screamed as guys threw them in the pool, Channing’s friend, Wolfe, was already nailing some chick against the side of the pool house, and Tempest was definitely naked in the pool as she laughed at something Mason said.

Channing patted my shoulder and told me to have fun before he wandered off in the direction of Wolfe, probably intending on joining in with him and his lady friend.

People welcomed me with hand shakes and pats on the shoulder as I made my way through the crowd, and I deliberately walked right past the pool without stopping to talk to Mason. I didn’t want to deal with Tempest, and being a dick to her to keep her at arm’s length was draining.

“Hey, Ry,” Melody smiled coyly as she appeared beside me, her fingers wrapping around my bicep as she shuffled closer. “I’ve missed you. Where have you been?”

She drove me insane.

We’d fucked once, and she refused to leave me alone when she ran into me. My night was ruined just because she was here.

I should’ve just gone fucking home.

“Been busy.” I tried to shake her off but she clung tighter.

“Come sit with us! We’re playing truth or dare!” she grinned, her face falling when I scowled and forcibly yanked my arm back.

“I’m not fucking interested. We fucked once and that was it,” I bit out, not giving a shit if I was embarrassing her in front of people. “Stop following me around, Melody.”

“Fuck you,” she huffed before turning and storming off, making me roll my eyes.

I was sobering up so I grabbed a cup and poured a beer from the keg, downing the disgusting warm liquid.

The guys’ house was nice, but that was because they were cheap with everything else.

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