Page 36 of Ruined
I’m going to break you, Haley. I’m going to ruin you. You’re not as good as you think.Those words he had said that first night echoed in my mind. Why did that seem so damn hot now?
Coming back to reality, I nodded at the alcohol. “Take a shot with me,” I said.
Lucas laughed. “A shot?”
“What? Are you too old for a shot?” I narrowed my eyes. “How old are you, anyway?” I figured he was older than me, but not by much.
“Thirty-five.”
Oh. He was probably way past the dance clubs, rager, and shots phase then. Why he came to an entertainment club and indulged in party games, I didn’t understand. But that wasn’t my concern.
“You’re old enough for a shot,” I said. I motioned for the bartender and ordered two shots of berry vodka.
“Make hers a double,” he said. When I raised my brows, he added, “You lost. It’s your punishment.”
We clinked the glasses. Lucas tossed his back in one gulp, and I had to stop mid-way, squint my face, swallow hard, then finish it off.
“I thought you weren’t going to make it,” he said.
“I had to,” I groaned. “For the team. My punishment.”
He guided me again, this time taking us the long way around, by the stage, passing the door to the Greenhouse and the door to the Terrariums. No one was on this side of the building; everyone was in the lounge. We stopped and rested against the wall, watching everyone from afar. My vision was blurry with alcohol, but it seemed beautiful. Like swashes of colorful fabric twirling in an ocean.
His hand lowered, rubbing my ass. I imagined him pounding into me from behind. Smacking into me. Thrusting so hard that he bruised me.
Where the hell had that come from?
“A virgin at twenty-three,” he said. Apparently, his mind was in the gutter too.
“I think Mel is lying,” I said.
He ignored my attempt at changing the subject. “What about at twenty-four?”
“What?” I shoved his arm. “Are you obsessed with virgins like Aldrich?”
“No,” he murmured. “Only you.”
I tried to ignore the way he made me feel. Vulnerable. His control narrowing in on me. Like the room was getting smaller, and I was shrinking with it. As if he could pick me and break me like a twig, and I would find it invigorating.
And yet I wanted to challenge him. For him to prove me wrong.
“You must think you’re special,” I said. I locked eyes with him and tilted my head. “You’re Lucas, the all mighty one. The man who will finally ruin me.”
“I don’t think I am,” he said. “I know it.”
He pressed my shoulders against the wall and his tongue reached into my mouth, a soul-crushing kiss that left me breathless. He buried his body into mine, molten and possessive, claiming what he knew was his. I gave in, surrendering my power, my lips trembling at his touch. His tongue tasted salty and sweet, a bitter hint of vodka on his tongue. He roamed my body, his fingers digging into my flesh, and I let go. I kissed him back. I had never kissed a man before and had never considered it a possibility, especially not here. It was forbidden. Against the rules.
And yet I was helpless. I couldn’t stop him.
I didn’t want to.
When he pulled away, I caught my breath. The hint of green in his eyes seemed darker now, having tasted what he craved.
A loud, discordant whine sounded from the lounge. I startled. Then cackles erupted, and we both looked over. Teagen was playing the piano accordion while a crowd laughed around her.
I shouldn’t have kissed him. We were out in the open. What was I thinking?
“I—” I stammered. He waited for me to continue, but I didn’t know what to say. I was less concerned about kissing him, and more worried about us getting caught. And that, alone, was a problem. My shifting priorities. I could hear Mama in my head:That’s what happens, baby. You fall for someone and you make stupid decisions. Don’t end up like me.
