“Matt, chill out. We don’t want the girls to think we won’t have a great time. We’ll chill in the room for a little while then we’ll chill with the others.”
“Others?” He said it like they were commoners. My boyfriend was definitely privileged. His father might struggle financially for a while rebuilding their family’s empire, but Melissa’s family was also filthy rich. Tate’s other grandfather Harlon Hughes was a real estate tycoon. He owned real estate all over the world. So, Tate was never broke. His grandfather bought him a G-wagon for Christmas. Said his mother deserved to have her truck back. I couldn’t talk either. My grandfather also gave me a new car for Christmas. A gold Bentley coupe awaited me when I returned to Atlanta. I wondered if granddaddy felt guilty for all I’d gone through in London. Pulling up in that beauty at school on the first day of the new semester would be epic.
White double doors opened as we approached. Tate and Matt fist bumped the oversized guys manning the doors. My favorite song blared through the speakers. The DJ stood in a booth in the back corner of the large room filled with snobby teens. They drank and smoked as they sat on the edge of pool tables and threw bowling balls down the glow in the dark lanes. Waiters filled their trays with glasses of champagne at the bar before catering to us. Who needed to party elsewhere?
“I told you,” Megan yelled over the music in my ear.
I just realized my mouth hung open. Placing my hand under my chin, I forced my lips shut. Shit, I looked as if I wasn’t a part of this crowd. Not long ago I wasn’t.
First outcast, now jock princess.
Tate’s lips melted against my ear. Fuck, would I make it till the end of the night? I was hungry for Tate all the time. So thankful to have him back.
“Babe, I need to have a conversation with a couple of assholes. They’re begging for my attention.”
They yelled obscenities from across the room.
“Tate, you’re a pussy and a cheater,” they spewed.
“And I plan to give them my undivided attention with my fists.”
My hands splayed his chest. “Tyler said he didn’t want any trouble tonight.”
“Oh yeah, well maybe not out there, but in here I think he wants a show. Tyler played his part pretty convincingly at the door. But he knew Mason was alive. They were friends growing up. I’ll ask Rocco to do a little digging, but I bet I’m right. Take a peek.”
My eyes swept over the room and Tyler. He was whispering to another guy. They appeared to be conspiring in regard to something. I wasn’t sure what, but Tate felt he knew.
“He’s wearing the shittiest, snarkiest grin I’ve ever seen. That fucker nodded to the guys near the bar.”
I pulled back meeting his angry gaze. “You don’t have to do this?”
“Chelsea, I do. I knew the shit would hit the fan. Thought I had another week.”
“Fuck, Tate,” the stalky guy shouted from across the room.
Tate stood to his full height peeling off his jacket.
My heart raced, and I clenched my fists, holding my breath.
“Not to worry, princess. I got this.” He placed his jacket in my arms. Tate and Matt stalked across the room.
Megan clutched Matt’s jacket.
“What the fuck just happened?” Her brown brows rose over her perfectly arched eyebrows.
“Tate and Matt felt they had to teach those guys a lesson.”
Tate grabbed the guy up by his lapels then slammed his fist into his jaw.
“You don’t ever speak ill about me,” Tate roared.
Matt and Tate pounded the faces of the guy and his entourage. I glimpsed across the crowded room again. Tyler snickered, drink brushing his pink lips, now holding a girl under his arm. He was a little too tuned into the scuffle happening near the bar that he didn’t bother breaking up. Before I knew it, our guys were back, pulling us to the dance floor. Tate placed a vodka cranberry in my hand.
“Was that necessary?”
“Yeah, it was. If we weren’t at Tyler’s home partying, I would have bashed his face in too. Didn’t want to wreck the entire party. I won’t let those fuckers ruin our night. Iam with the most beautiful girl.” His lips grazed my neck as he gripped my waist. We needed to rivet the year behind us. His big strong hands found my ass as our tongues tangled. Megan was right the party was epic. We left the elite party room and danced toward the middle of the main room. The banging of the drums pulsated through my body as Tate swayed my hips to the beat. Veronica and Rachelle giggled as they stared at me from across the room.
“Chelsea?”