Page 33 of Restorations

He’s so furious with the world and with me and Sawyer. His jaw ticks as he watches us, and Sawyer’s arm wraps around my shoulder as he leans over running his tongue over my earlobe, making me shudder. My eyes close as I lean into him, and I hear a growl from Asher.

“You want to party, Sawyer? Like old times?”

Sawyer lifts his head, his eyes meeting Asher’s with a cool smile playing on his handsome face. “Unless you’re scared.”

Neither one of them backs down from the intense stare-off, and one thing is for sure . . .

I’m definitely scared.

16

ASHER

Fuck them both.Their music is loud as shit, and it’s making it hard to concentrate on anything. I saw Sawyer’s car pull up to the house earlier, and I decided to give them space. I stayed in my fucking room like a good boy, studying for my teacher prep program, but these two fuckers make it really difficult to do that.

Especially when I heard Viv squealing happily.

I couldn’t take it anymore, and when I walked outside, the first thing I saw was his lips on hers. I should have left. But if I did, Sawyer would win. He’d love to believe that this bothers me.

Fuck. Him.

I walk over to the bar and find a partial bottle of rum, bringing it up to my lips and taking a swig.

“Bring it over here.” I hear Sawyer’s voice and fight a groan, hating the smug dipshit.

I pull my shirt off over my head and take another long pull of the bottle before unzipping my jeans and pushing them down, leaving me in boxer briefs.

As I stalk toward them, I wonder how much Viv has had to drink already because she makes no effort to hide her eyessliding over every inch of my body. I sit on the edge of the pool, letting my feet hang in the water and take another drink.

Wanting a reprieve. Hating the empty feeling that’s been inside me for so damn long.

“What were you doing alone in your room?” Sawyer asks, holding his hand out for the bottle.

I don’t give it to him. Instead, I take another drink myself and then wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

He shrugs, reaching up and taking the bottle this time. “Not really. I don’t need to hear stories about you jerking off.”

“You sure? Your Aunt Staci was starring in the fantasy I was using.”

He laughs, raising his middle finger as he takes a swig, and I hate how good it feels to hear him laugh. For a moment anyway. For a brief second, it felt like old times with my best friend.

He hands the bottle to Viv, who’s tensed impossibly tight since I came out here. “As if Staci would ever fucking touch you.”

Staci is only about ten years older than us, and I used to give him shit all the time for having a hot aunt. I watch Viv take a tentative drink as she watches us nervously and roll my eyes in her direction. “Will you relax. I’m not going to kill him.” My eyes narrow as she lowers the bottle. “You’re not fucking worth homicide.”

She takes another gulp of the alcohol before handing the bottle back to Sawyer, who takes a long drink and hands it to me, letting his hand run down her bare arm. “I disagree.”

I take a drink of the rum, reveling in the feeling as the alcohol starts to take over, but feeling a heat in my chest as he pushes her hair to the other side of her neck and leans into her ear, his tongue flicking over her lobe. “I think you’re worth a little time in the clink.”

Viv giggles. “Really? Gee thanks.”

She seems lighter than the other day, and maybe it’s the alcohol, but as I take another drink of the rum, I feel sick, realizing it’s Sawyer who makes her feel that way. “Why don’t you two get a fucking room?”

I place the bottle next to me and cover my face with my hands, trying to make them disappear.

“Now what would be the fun in that?” I hear Sawyer say and let my hands slide down over my face and to my sides. The motherfucker is now dragging his lips down her neck, and I recognize that glimmer in his eyes.

He’s on edge. I don’t think she knows it, but something is definitely bugging him, and when that happens with Sawyer, it usually goes back to one girl. And then he does stupid shit.

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