Page 276 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 9
"Yes, I am," I lied. "Sorry, if you'll excuse me."
But none of them moved.
"Let me at least buy you a drink," one of them said.
I’d honestly had quite enough to drink. And if I was going to do anything else tonight with anyone…it would be with my lifeguard. I tried to sidestep the guys again, but none of them moved.
“Excuse me,” I said.
“Oh, come on.” The one that had offered me a drink put his meaty hand on my shoulder.
I suddenly felt claustrophobic. “Get off of me.”
“Don’t be like that…”
“She said to stop fucking touching her.” J.J. stepped through the crowd and shoved the guy who had his hand on my shoulder.
Before anyone else could react, J.J. grabbed my hand and pulled me away from them and through the crowd of people.
"J.J."
He didn't say anything. He just kept leading me away from the party.
"J.J.!"
He ignored me again.
When we were well past all the spectators, I pulled my hand away from him. "What the hell are you doing?"
He turned around. "What the hell am I doing? What the hell are you doing?!" He grabbed my hand again. "I'm taking you home. You're drunk."
"I'm not drunk!" Maybe I was, but that wasn't why I had entered the contest. I just wanted him to notice me. "You’re acting like you’ve never seen me in a bikini before. News flash…half the people at that party were just in their bikinis.”
He ignored me.
“What, you can just go around flirting with everyone, but if I do it, you get upset? You're such a hypocrite." I pulled my hand away from him again and walked past him.
"I'm not flirting with anyone else."
"You flirt with everyone, J.J.!" I yelled and turned around. "You keep leading me on and then pushing me away."
"That's not true." His blues eyes were smoldering.
"Being just friends wasyouridea. I told you I wanted more. So you don't get to be jealous if I talk to someone else!"
"You think I'm jealous that you had your hands all over Reggie? Who’s a fucking prick by the way. He was clearly hitting on your friend too. And you think I'm jealous that a hundred guys were watching you do a fucking strip show on stage? I’m not jealous. I’m protective of you. There’s a huge difference.”
Protective. Like an older brother. I felt like he’d punched me in the gut. I couldn’t do this anymore. “Goodnight, J.J.”
He stepped closer to me before I could turn away from him. “What do you think would have happened if I hadn’t pulled you away?”
“Nothing. There were hundreds of people around.”
“Don’t be so naïve, Mila. I just saved you from getting taken advantage of.” He threw my clothes that he had caught during my performance at me.
I let them fall into the sand. “Taken advantage of? I can take care of myself. I don’t need a knight in shining armor who doesn’t even like me. If you don’t like the way I act, tough luck. Deal with it. Either you want me or you don't. And obviously you don't. You don't need to take me home. Go back to the party."
He gripped my wrist. "That's not fair, Mila, and you know it."
