“Hey there, lover boy,” her voice suddenly drawls behind me.

A deep inhale, then I turn to meet my ex. “That must’ve been hell, waiting for a good, long twenty minutes,” I greet.

“Well, if Mohammed won’t come to the mountain…” She closes the distance between us, beautiful as usual in a red outfit that makes her dark hair pop, but all that’s on my mind is Scarlett in that dress.

My ex is staring up seductively at me, but all I can think of is ripping that dress off Scarlett’s body.

I want to run my hands over those curvy hips. Kiss that delectable-looking ass. Bury my cock—

“Why does it feel like I’m talking to myself?” Casey complains as my gaze refocuses on her.

“Because you are. I don’t understand what you’re doing up here. Players only, or didn’t you read the sign?”

“Players and their girlfriends,” she adds.

“You’re not my girlfriend,” I throw back. “I thought we established that a year ago.”

She cocks her head at me. “Why are you playing hard to get? Your mom told me how much you wanted us to start over. She said you were debating about approaching me, because you weren’t sure if I was seeing anyone. Well, I’m not.” She spreads her arms. “I’m here, ready to pick up from where we left off, Aiden.”

I should throw my mom under the bus for meddling, but I won’t do that. She’s already going through enough. Making a mental note to talk to her about this, I reply, “Enjoy the party, Casey. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Seriously?”

I turn back to the rail, scanning the packed crowd, looking for thick blonde hair and a body that won’t quit. Casey comes beside me, nudging my arm to get my attention. “Can’t we talk now?”

“No.”

A flash of blonde hair snags my attention near the poolside bar at the far end. My entire body goes on edge whenI see Noah standing in front of her. I can’t see his face, but his stance tells me everything I need to know. Noah likes what he sees. What Noah likes; he pursues. What Noah pursues gets damaged when he’s done with it.

Or her.

“Can you look at me for one second?” Casey exclaims as I grip the rail, fury and jealousy fighting for dominance inside me. My eyes are still trained over there. Noah hands her a cocktail glass, then sweeps a lock of hair over her shoulder. Scarlett timidly takes a drink, then he tilts the bottom of the glass and makes her down the entire thing.

“What are you looking at—?”

Casey’s words fade as I rush off, taking the steps two at a time and dashing downstairs, only to find the crowd is even thicker than I thought. It takes some time for me to push through and as I approach the area where I last saw them, I notice Noah standing alone, nursing a drink.

“Where the fuck is she?” I demand, coming up to him.

He stares at me innocently. “Who?”

“Scarlett, you dumbass. I saw you with her a few minutes ago. Did you invite her here?”

Noah is still giving me a deadpan stare. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, dude.”

On my right where a couple of the guys are, Michael sniggers. Noah slides him a dark stare that sends off an alarm in my head. I close the gap between us, glaring down at him. “What are you up to? Where’s Scarlett?”

“Man, I seriously don’t know what you’re talking about. Why would Scarlett be here, of all places? She knows we can’t stand her.”

“So, you’re saying my eyes were fooling me from the balcony upstairs, right?”

He shrugs. “Maybe you’ve had too much to drink—”

His words stop short as I grab the collar of his shirt. “Don’t fuck with me, Noah. Where is she?”

Noah glares back, his mouth in a thin, firm line.

“Where. The fuck. Is she?”