Page 28 of Players Keep Score

She leads me through the living room. Couples make out on a sectional couch. We find a similar situation in the dining room. People are even hooking up on their table. Ugh, have some decency, people.

When we reach Drake and Tucker, my throat just about closes up. Or at least it feels like it might when Drake’s blue eyes meet mine. I’m paralyzed by the desire written on his face. He looks at me like he could devour me in front of everyone. Like he’s thinking about bending me over the dining room table.

I lick my lips, not realizing what I’m doing until I hear one girl make a snarky comment. Apparently, these hookers think they’ve claimed Drake for the night. What they don’t realize is that he’s already mine.

Back off, bitches.

Instead of approaching me, he leans back against the wall in the dining room and tilts his cup to his mouth, his eyes fixed on me. He knows the rules. Keeping our distance is crucial if we will make this behind-closed-door friends-with-some-benefits relationship work.

“Hey,” Bex says to the guys. “Have you seen Preston?”

Tucker runs his hand through his blond spikes, a sexy-as-fuck look on his handsome face. If he doesn’t make it pro, Tucker sure as hell could model. Of all the guys, he seems to rely the most on his looks. Shockingly, I don’t see his twin brother anywhere. They’re usually together with Drake somewhere close by.

“He’s in the kitchen with Jamie and Shannon,” Tucker says.

“Shannon’s here. Let’s go see what she’s up to,” I say to Bex.

Shannon is the perfect excuse for me to walk away. I can’t stand seeing Drake acting so fucking cool and unaffected while I’m dying on the inside. This whole encounter is awkward. The blonde bombshell on Drake’s right hasn’t stopped grilling me since I laid eyes on him. Her dress is so short, I swear I can see her ass cheeks.

Stephanie Carter, the redhead with big tits on his left, hasn’t stopped trying to touch him. I hate her with a passion. She’s one of the biggest whores on campus. I’m surprised she’s not hoeing it up on Greek Row instead. When she drags her fingers down his tattooed arm, I want to punch her in the face.

Grinding my teeth, I try to suppress my rage. All of my dad’s martial arts training comes to mind. Nope, I will not let her win. She won’t get Drake. Because I know the truth about him, and I can see through all the bullshit. His entire persona is a sham. At the end of the night, he’ll look for me—not Stephanie fucking Carter.

In Drake’s defense, he’s been wiggling away from her the entire time. He only has eyes for me. I know he does. But fuck me for being a jealous little bitch right now.

“We’ll see you guys later,” Bex says after a long pause, and then I tug on Bex’s hand to lead her into the kitchen.

Once inside, she pushes me toward the corner and lowers her voice. “What was that about?”

I shrug off her concern, barely able to catch my breath. My heart is racing so fast it could jump out of my chest and make a run for it. “Nothing.”

“Yeah, right,” she spits back. “You looked like you would kill those girls, and I’m sure everyone noticed.”

“I hate seeing him with other girls,” I admit. “Especially those girls. He’s mine.”

“Then go claim him, Tay.” She throws her arm out at her side, pointing at the living room. “What are you doing in here with me?”

“I don’t want people to get the wrong idea about us.”

“But you like Drake. Stop being an idiot and go talk to him.”

“Here, I thought it was my job to give the advice in this relationship,” I quip. She frowns, crossing her arms over her chest, and I continue, “I don’t want a target on my back, Bex. It’s better this way if people don’t know about us. Trust me. And with The Queen fucking with everyone’s life, I don’t want my name in one of her posts.”

Preston appears out of nowhere with three cups of beer in his hands. “Hey, babe,” he says to Bex, kissing her on her forehead. “Take one of these.” He holds out the drinks to us, which we gladly accept.

“Thanks, Parker,” I say as Bex cuddles up at his side.

He nods in acknowledgment.

They look so damn cute together. I’m glad she’s finally embracing a relationship with him. If only I could be with Drake in a more public setting without everyone looking at us. I hate the fact we have to hide how we feel about each other from the world. But it’s his stupid-ass fault for showing off his goods to anyone who will look. If not for that, I would stand next to him right now.

Chugging my beer, I scan the room for Shannon. Bex and Preston are too busy whispering shit in each other’s ear to notice me. And since I can’t latch onto Drake, I might as well seek our new friend.

By the time I cross the kitchen, I need another beer. Damn, I drank that in like three gulps. With how fast my heart is beating, I could use a lot of beer. Drake has me so on edge without even speaking to me. And maybe that’s why I’m such a mess.

He could have at least said something to quell the tension between us. Instead, he stood there like an Adonis giant, peeking at me beneath his long, dark lashes.

After I refill my cup from the keg, I head over to where Shannon’s hanging out with Jamie and two of her sorority sisters. Killian Kade is on Jade Westbrook’s right, though he seems to keep his distance. Something weird is definitely going on between them. I can tell by the tension that hangs in the air like it does with Drake and me.

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