Ruthless

Chapter 43

Audenzia's POV:

I've never actually been drunk before. Like blackout, shit faced drunk. I don't really know why but I couldn't stop drinking. A part of me is just mad at myself. I know I wanted space from Xander but I didn't think  he would actually be with another girl.

Okay maybe 'with another girl' is an exaggeration, but he danced with the same stunning woman several times and is now having a drink and talking with her and another man.

" Rough night?" A voice grabs my attention. I look to see Cori sitting next to me. I want to just sit here and talk to him as a friend, but now, deep down I know his intentions. "Please forgive me" he says before I can get up. I pause and look at him, "It was just in the moment, I don't have feelings for you like that, please." He practically begs. My eyes find Xander, who is carried away in a conversation. I sit back down.

"Okay." I tell him, taking another sip of a drink. Cori smiles before ordering a drink for himself.

We talk for a while, and maybe I was saying too much due to the alcohol I've been consuming, but I can't really tell.

"You and Xander are on a break?" Cori says, surprised. I don't even remember telling him that, I just shrug. "Yup" I pop the p on the word. "Oh that's awful." He says, although he doesn't seem genuine. We talk a little more until the party dies down and I decide I should find my family.

"Are you coming to the after party?" Cori asks once I get up. Normally I would decline,  but I'm too energized to go and try to sleep right now, "Of course I am."

The after party is in one of the downstairs areas. The room is big with a pool table, a bar, and several couches. My family never comes to these, but I shot them a quick text telling them I would be home after it. I had to change dresses after a waitress spilled a drink all over me as well. The dress I am now wearing is terrible. It barely goes to the middle of my thigh and is skin tight.

As I walk into the room, I spot Xander on the couch talking to Geo and Dom. The blonde woman from earlier sits down next to them, placing several drinks on a little table in front of the couch. Cori is right behind me, his arm catching me when I stumble a little bit. My eyes meet Xander's, and he looks pissed. I shake Cori's arm off of me and tell him I'll meet up with him in a bit. He nods and goes off to talk to his friends.

"You're wasted" Xander says in a cold voice as I stumble over. I quickly shake my head, "No I am not." I plop myself on the couch between Xander and the blonde girl, giving them some distance apart. She gives me a dirty look, "Can your whore find somewhere else to go?" She says rudely.

I can feel and see Xander, Dom, and Geo all tense up at her use of the word 'whore'. "Leave." Xander demands, his voice angry. She looks at him, stunned, "Excuse me?"

"You heard the man." I chime in, smirking. I feel Xander flick the back of my head, telling me this is not the time to make drunk comments on the argument. "Do you realize what you would be doing?" She looks at Xander, who's expression doesn't falter. "Get the hell out." He repeats. This time she scoffs and listens, leaving looking angry.

"Ooo someone is maddddd" I giggle, resting my head on Xander's shoulder. Dom and Geo laugh, but Xander looks to me, very seriously. "Uh oh the boss man is angry." I whisper-yell. He raises a hand telling Dom and Geo to go elsewhere, leaving us alone on the couch.

Xander pulls me onto his lap so I am facing him. I pull away, but his grip is firm, "Noooo sexy time for you, you're mean." I protest. He rolls his eyes, "Audenzia why did you do this to yourself."

My eyes widen at the question, but I don't really understand it. "Get drunk" he clarifies, because I was soooo confused.

"Oh so you can dance with some girl and I can't treat myself to a drink?" I say, not as serious as I wish I could have been. I hear the sound of balls being hit, and turn to see a game of pool being played by Cori and some of the other employees. I hop off of Xander's lap, running over to Cori. "Can I have a try?" I ask. I try not to look back to Xander, since he is probably staring me down. Cori nods and gives me his stick. I walk around the table looking for a shot until I settle on one.

Xander's POV:

She was absolutely wasted. And I don't get to do anything about it since we 'aren't together'. That doesn't mean I won't keep my eyes on her and not let another man even try to touch her. I watch her as she walks around the table until she finds a shot. She smirks at me before bending over the table to get an angle on the ball. Her dress rides up, showing nearly every man in the room her panties.

I look to Dom and Geo who are thankfully, looking away. I give a few of our men deadly stares until they look away, but Cori is pretending he doesn't see me. He is licking his lips staring right up her dress. Fuck staying away from her.

I walk over to her and lightly pull her hair up to make her stand up straight, my other hand pulling down on her dress. She turns around and gives me an innocent looking smile. "It's time to leave." I whisper into her ear sternly. I hate having to be controlling like this, but I can't stand watching these men look at her like that.

Before she can respond I take her hand and lead her out of the room. She immediately shake my hand off, "I'm not going anywhere" she protests. "Audenzia it's going on two in the morning, we have to go." I softened my voice, realizing she doesn't need me being harsh with her right now.

She makes an angry face that almost makes me laugh, but I hold it in. "Why did you do that" she says.

"Because, old men were staring up your dress and it was either that or I shoot every man in the room."

She smiles at my words, "Did you stare up my dress?" She giggles, making a surprised face. I roll my eyes at her, "Stay here while I tell Dom and Geo we are leaving."

She responds with two thumbs up. I kind of like drunk Audenzia. Well, apart from the absolute cluelessness.

"We are leaving" I tell Dom and Geo, who are on the couch talking. Geo looks at me and signals me to sit for a second. As much as I hate to keep Audenzia waiting, I need to see if this is important. "Someone was bragging about how close he is with Audy." He nods his head to Cori.

I don't even hear what else he has to say, I just stand up and walk over to the idiot who decided to mess with Audenzia. "Ah here he his." Cori turns to me and offers me a drink.

"Stay away from her" is all I say, hoping for his sake that he listens. I know it just looks like I'm being possessive and don't want a man with Audenzia, which is true, I also can't stand how he would brag about getting close to her. He can't even begin to understand what she has been through. I'm proud of her for trusting people more, but people like him are going to make her scared to again.

He laughs, "I hope you aren't talking about Audenzia." It is taking all of my self control to not punch him in the face. "Because as far as I am concerned, "You aren't together."

"You know I'm actually surprised you let her wear that dress tonight. When she is mine, I would never allow her to nearly show men her pussy like a little slut-

All so called self control is gone, and all I can see is Cori clutching his broken nose after I gave him a nice lesson. I would do much more if I hadn't been stopped by Dom. I wasn't satisfied, I wanted to pound his face into his skull.

I'm about to lunge at him again when a woman catches my attention from the corner of my eye.

Audenzia.