Page 17 of Praise Me: Pilot
I need to stay calm, I tell myself, on the drive to the sorority house.
But that plan sails out the window when I arrive at the pool party and Haylo walks out in a white thong bikini, the splendor of her tight, young ass being caressed by sunshine, her tits jiggling around behind two triangles that do nothing to hide her hard nipples, turning every head milling around the pool. Her mouth is swollen from taking a pounding from my cock the prior evening…and goddamn it, those puffy lips are like walking evidence of what I did.HowI did it. Roughly. Some of the men look at me knowingly, envy dripping from their expressions.
A man sidles up next to me, holding a solo cup that appears to contain a Bloody Mary. “My daughter says you’re a friend of Haylo’s family, filling in for her father. I had to ask because me and a few of the dads were wondering where you fit into herlife.” He shakes his head, making a low sound in his throat. “She sure is sweet. I’m happily married, of course—just having a little look.”
“I suggest you look somewhere else.”
He chuckles, obviously unaware that I’m a split second from shattering his trachea. “Hey man, I know I wouldn’t have a shot in hell with a babe like that, but the fact that she’ll obviously give it up for older men gives me enough material to fantasize. That’s all I need.”
“Is it.”
“Oh yeah.”
I turn, getting in his face, the color slowly draining out of his jowls when he sees the murderous intent in my expression. “If I find out you or anyone else is talking about Haylo, I’ll drown you with my bare hands in this motherfucking pool. Not a word. Do you understand me? Keep your eyes, your thoughts and your hands to yourself.That clear?”
The man coughs hard, draining half of his drink. “Yes, sir. I apologize. Didn’t mean anything by it. I just—”
“We’re done here.”
Finally, the idiot slinks away and I turn back around, disappointed when I don’t see Haylo anywhere among the other girls. Where did she go? I weave through parents who are already tipsy mid-morning, dodging two girls who try to speak to me. Not interested. I don’t even look at them, and their outraged gasps follow me into the house, which is empty, since everyone is outside surrounding the pool.
“Haylo?” I call.
No answer.
But I hear a little sniffle coming from the other side of a door—and I stride in that direction, knocking on the door of what I presume to be a bathroom. “You in there, angel?”
“I’m not an angel,” she blurts back.
My brows draw together, heart pounding heavily simply from hearing her voice. Damn, I am so gone for her. “Open the door and explain what you mean.”
“No.”
That thread of something dark stitches itself into my vocal cords. “Open this door immediately, young lady.”
The lock is disengaged in a snap, the door opening to reveal a tear-stained Haylo in her tiny bikini. And while my body responds swiftly to the proximity of her wearing next to nothing, my heart is focused on her red-tipped nose and shining eyes.
“Tell me you’re not in there to hide from me.”
“Youshould be hiding fromme,” she says, swiping at her cheek.
“Come again?”
She wrings her hands at her waist. “Like I said, I’m not an angel.” I advance slowly into the bathroom and kick the door shut behind me, but she backs away from me before I can touch her, making my jaw clench. “I seduced you last night to get back at my father for bailing on me,” she says in a rush, her cheeks turning pink. “I’m sorry.”
I process her confession, though I already had a very strong inkling that was the case. Or at least, I had a feeling that was her motive at the outset of the night. “Did you enjoy what we did together in my room?”
Wetting her lips, she nods. “I loved it.”
Relief hits me like a cannonball. “I didn’t hurt you? You weren’t scared or…”
“No,” she breathes, incredulous. “Didn’t you hear me asking for more?”
“Oh, I heard it, angel. I’m thinking about it nonstop. But I plan on being very careful with you.” She’s been backed into the corner of the bathroom now, and I press my advantage, framingher jaw in my firm right hand. “Were you thinking about revenge when I was licking your pretty little clit?”
Her knees dip, before she catches herself. “No.”
“No, what?” I lean in to say against her mouth.
