Page 16 of No Longer Safe

I scrunched my nose. “I don’t think it’ll be with one of the Cristof brothers even if it isn’t with Brian.”

Carina worried her bottom lip between her teeth. “I just want you to be happy and live again. I hate to say it but you’re really boring now. The Audrey I remember wouldn’t have let Brian control her calorie intake or change her alcohol of preference. I just want you to find yourself again.”

“I will,” I fought to keep a sad smile off of my face. She was right, I hardly knew myself anymore. “Things will be different when I get home. I’m sure Brian won’t be able to keep his hands off of me and things will loosen up.”

One of Carina’s brows lifted on her forehead but before she could say anything she was whisked away to meet some of Ace’s family that flew in from Russia to be involved in all of this. I ran my hands down my arms to warm myself from the chill and tried to give myself an internal pep talk.

I could do this.

The restof the night was filled with laughter—though sometimes forced— lots of dancing between the future bride and groom, and many,manydrinks. I’d honestly lost count and when I lost my left heel, I knew it was time to slow down and potentially call it a night.

“I think you lost something,” I thought I kept the scowl off of my face as I stumbled to turn around to set my eyes on Alexei. He had my left high-heel strap hanging off the end of his pointer finger. He took in the nasty look on my face and his lips turned up in a sly smile. I hated him. I hated him and all of his money and the stripper glitter he donned when we met. I hated how attractive he was more than anything and the fact that he knew he was one of God’s gifts to women.

“I don’t think so,” I slurred. I could have slapped myself in the face. How had I allowed myself to get this far off?

“I think we might need to take you upstairs.”

I reared back as if he’d struck me. “You aren’t taking me anywhere.”

He rolled his eyes and let out a breath as if I was the annoying one. He had a rude awakening coming. “I don’t want to take you upstairs to have my way with you. If I did, the last thing you’d be doing is scowling at me.” He held up two fingers. “Second, if I wanted to have my way with you, you wouldn’t be drunk in order for me to do that.” He stepped closer to me and I felt all of the oxygen leave my body, especially my brain. “Three,” That third finger went up. “You would beg me, completely sober to do very,verywicked things to you.” He took a step back, gazed around the room for a second before he tucked the hand not holding my shoe in his pocket. “I am merely suggesting that you go upstairs so you don’t embarrass my brother, Carina, or yourself. These people don’t forgive easily.”

Why was he helping me?

He sighed and I realized I asked it out loud. “Because I’m bored and I hate these people and I just really want a break from all the noise.”

His words shocked me and before I knew it, my hand was wrapped around his elbow and he was guiding me up the stairs.I didn’t know if anyone noticed us leaving or if Carina would be upset, but Alexei was right even if I couldn’t admit it to myself.

The next morning my head was pounding, I was lying on top of the covers in a room that didn’t look familiar. Both of my shoes were off and I smelled like whiskey. Thankfully, it was just whiskey and not bad decisions too.

I scrubbed my hands down my face and rolled over, right off the side of the bed with a softoomph.I closed my eyes against the plush carpet and took a deep breath.

Little bits and pieces from the night before started to come together in my head and this time I let out a sigh of relief. I was in the right room, as my head had come dangerously close to making an impact against my suitcase on the floor. I groaned as I thought back to my mingling and realized there hadn’t been much of it, pretty much all I’d done was ogle the happy couple and imagine a life where I got the same. It seemed like a fairytale, but too good to be true. A fairytale that was so far out of my reach, so completely unattainable.

I patted the ground, with my face still in the carpet, until I found my phone. It wasn’t dead, surprisingly, and there was a text from Brian. I groaned as I read through the texts I sent him.

You should send me a dick pic.

Brian

Why on earth would I do that?

It would be fun.

Brian

No it wouldn’t be.

Pleaseeeee. It feels like its been forever since we’ve had sex.

Brian

A dick picture isn’t going to solve that problem.

Ughhhh. Brian please be fun for once.

Brian

Are you drunk?

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