Page 48 of Keeping Score

“What the fuck?” I snap.

“She needs to win this, D.” I frown confused at what the fuck he is saying until he points across from us and I see Chelsea and two other girls I recognize from Leah’s old dance team. Fuck me! They’re having a dance battle! I’m proven right when the song ends and the three girls slink back into the crowd as the others take the floor. None of them have the sex appeal or the stage presence like Leah. They move to Little Mix’s “Touch” but nothing about the way they move makes me feel anything. To be honest, I have secondhand embarrassment for them. The crowd seems to love it when they all begin to dance all over each other.

“We gonna stop this or what?” I snap, but then zone out when I see Garrett push his way through the crowd and hug Leah from behind. I clench my fists at my side, she looks tense and uncomfortable in his hold.

Tell him to fuck off, Goldie.

It brings a satisfied smirk to my face when I watch her untangle his arms from around her waist, then plasters a fake smile on her face as she turns to talk to him. I hate that I don’t know what she is saying. My blood begins to boil when he bends and whispers something in her ear that has her throwing her head back and laughing. It’s in that moment Cody turns toward us and her eyes widen. I shake my head and place my index finger against my lips urging her to not say anything. She darts her gaze back to Leah then back to me—no, not me—she looksat Corvin who stands next to me stiff and brimming with anger. I dart my gaze between the two of them, trying to get a read on what the hell is going on between them, but my attention is snagged when the song ends and the DJ speaks.

“Dammmmm, y’all! I can’t choose, I think we need a final round.” The crowd goes crazy. “I got y’all, how about for the final round we make it interesting.” The crowd goes nuts beginning to shout out their suggestions. “Okay, I like that one. What do ladies say to a lap dance?” I turn ridged, grinding my teeth so fucking hard I think I may actually break them. I feel eyes on me and I look to my left to see Chelsea grinning at me as she shouts her agreement. I turn back to Leah and the girls to see them deep in conversation then they nod and Leah steps forward.

“Fuck this!” Corvin snaps, but Beck cuts in before he can end this.

“You storm out there and drag her out, she is never going to make it at CHU. She has to prove herself and winning this will do that.” Corvin glares at Beck, his face is turning red with anger.

“I’m not watching her give some douchebag a lap dance!” he grits out.

“Ladies pick your men!” The DJ calls. I spy Chelsea stalking toward me and I know I have a choice to make, I swallow my nerves and turn to Corv pleading with my eyes that he sees I am the better option. “Hell no!” he snaps angrily.

“Corvin, Chelsea is coming to get me to throw her off. Let me do this forher.” He searches my gaze for a minute. I begin to worry that he is going to deny me and I know seeing Chelsea with me will throw her off her game, making her lose.

“Don’t fucking touch her and this doesn’t change shit!” I can tell that was painful for him. I nod my agreement just as Chelsea reaches us.

“Come on, good-looking.” I allow her to take my hand and lead me out to the center of the dance floor where there are nowtwo chairs waiting. I cut my gaze across the crowd to see Leah standing there with wide eyes, her brows push in, as hurt begins to show on her face. Garrett slides in beside her and leads her out to where I stand with Chelsea. She drops her gaze to the floor unable to look at me.

“What’s wrong, Leah? You seem… upset?” Chelsea taunts. Leah shakes her head and slowly lifts her gaze to peer up at me through her lashes.

“I… I can’t watch this–” The DJ announces for us to take a seat. Chelsea pushes me down into mine as Garrett slip-drops into his with a shit eating grin on his face as he looks at the beautiful blonde standing in front of him. I know I said I would ruin her but I can’t, not with how hurt she looks right now thinking she is about to watch Chelsea grind all over me. I flick my gaze to Corvin who looks like he is ready to throw hands and mouth.I’m sorry.If this is what she wants then Leah is gonna have to woman up and come get me. I know she can do it, she just needs to come claim what’s hers.

Leah

I can’t look at him.

It hurts too much knowing that Chelsea is about to give the best performance of her life and usingmyman to do it. I shoot Garrett a look ready to tell him that I’m sorry I can’t do this, but then the DJ drops the beat andoursong comes on. I spy Chelsea begin to move out of the corner of my eye and I don’t know what it is that comes over me but when Ella Maibegins to sing, a possessive urge to claim him comes over me. Without thinking I dart across the floor until I’m standing directly in front of Darius, his eyes blaze at the sight of me. Chelsea begins to protest behind me but everything begins to fade away except for the music, me and him. I place my hands on the tops of his knees and push them open before slowly dropping down in front of him and then popping my ass out as I slowly rise up.

“We have a switch up, folks!” The DJ shouts. I sweep my leg out wide as I spin around and face Chelsea, then reach behindme and place my hands back on his knees as I hold her gaze and slowly lower to the floor right in front of him, but this time, I go down into a side split. The crowd goes wild. Her eyes blaze with hatred as she scurries over to Garrett to try to salvage this battle. I push up to my feet and take a couple steps away from him before spinning around to face him. I bend my knees and run my hands all over my body as I sway my hips before dropping to my hands and knees. I flick my hair round and round, before thrusting my hips up and down as I slide across the floor, right in front of him. His eyes burn with lust as I grip the tops of his knees and stand right between them. He sits up straighter as I run my hand through his hair, then grip the back before pushing his face forward until it’s in line with my pussy.

“Damn, my girl Leah isn’t playing,” I hear Rex the DJ call out over the mic. I release my hold on his head, then push him back as I spin around and drop down onto his lap, grinding my ass against his… holy shit! Darius is hard as fuck. I continue to swirl my hips as I lean back against his chest and rest my head beside his. Our eyes lock as I reach for his hands and run them all over my body. His eyes burn with raw need and fuck, I’m a slave to that look.

“Move for me, Goldie.” Those four words light a fire in my belly as I push off him and spin around so I’m straddling his lap. I grab his hands and place them on my ass—the crowd goes off. I place my hands on his shoulders as I lean forward and begin to bounce up and down on his dick for a few seconds before I smack his hands away and mimicJordan’smove that she did toChris Brownand recline back until my hands are on the floor and flip back into a front split right in front of him. He leans down until our faces are a sliver apart. I lean forward and ghost my lips over his just as the song ends. The crowd goes crazy but we stay frozen in this position staring into each other’s eyes, my breaths coming out in rapid pants. “Leah–” He’s cut off when hands gripmy hips and I’m hoisted into the air. I spin around and come face to face with Garrett.

“You fucking nailed that!” he shouts excitedly. I smile my thanks and turn back to Darius, my shoulders hunching forward as I fill with disappointment when I see the chair is now vacant. Cody and Katie are there in the next second screaming in my face.

“We won!”

“You killed it,” they shout in unison. I smile and join in on their excitement, deciding to unpack what just happened when I get home to my dorm room. The crowd surrounds us and shouts their approval. The DJ begins to play again and everyone starts to dance but this time, I’m not really feeling it. My mind is too focused on the fact that Darius was here and I gave him a fucking lap dance. I feel my cheeks heat with the memory of feeling how hard he was beneath me. We spend the next hour dancing and having fun. Garrett doesn’t seem bothered at all by the fact that I ditched him in front of everyone, and gave Darius the best lap dance of his life–well, I hope it was.

Garrett leads us out of the club with his buddies following behind. They are actually pretty cool guys and so easy to talk to. Nathan is gay and such a freaking vibe, the guy is amazing! I told him I planned to make him my new BFF. He agreed and put his number in my phone. As we all stumble outside, Cody and Katie bust out laughing at something Nathan said.

“I mean it, I would have licked that man like a fucking lollipop!” I smile and quirk a brow at Katie, she rolls her eyes playfully and says.

“Nathan wants to lick Darius like a lollipop.” My brows jump into my hairline as I stare at my new BFF.

“Baby cakes, he is too much man for little old you.” I snort and shake my head.

“Who cares about Lockhart. Him and his friends are a bunch of dicks.” I bristle and pin Garrett with a disapproving look.

“Thosedicksyou are referring to aremyfriends as well and one of them is also my brother! I would appreciate it if you would stop making snide remarks about them,” I say in a stern tone. I yelp when an arm wraps around my waist and pulls me back flush against a rock-hard chest. I relax immediately when he rests his chin on top of my head, I don’t need to see him to know who it is. The way my body hums to life just from his nearness tells me who it is.

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