Toxic Love

Chapter 17

ACE

    This isn't me. Taking out a girl. Even if it is just a sorority party. Me smiling at the very thought of Rose isn't like me either. But I've done it about 20 times today. Just thinking of little, innocent Rose inside a sorority house has me laughing.
   Shit. What am I thinking? What if someone offers her a drink? She's only had her first drink ever the other night at the club.
   The club. Anything I think about will always bring me back to that night. The night that makes me wanna feel her soft full lips on mine again. To feel her-
  "How many of these have you been to?" Rose breaks me from my thoughts. Of her. God what's wrong with me?
   "Huh?" I glance over at her curious face.
"You go to a lot of these?" She asks.
   "Oh. Well I mean I'm only going cus' my friend is a member, I don't usually like to go to these things."
  She tilts her head and frowns. "Why not?"
I shrug. "I don't know, I mean, to be honest, the girls that host it are a little wild." I chuckle and shake my head at the memory of the last party when Riley and some other chicks jumped off the roof into their pool in their backyard.
   "Why are you laughing?" She wears an amused smile.
   "Why do you like to ask so many questions?"
"Why do you have to be such a dick?" She comebacks.
   I throw my head back and laugh, quickly looking back to the road, smile on my face. "That's fair."
   She laughs. I grip the steering wheel tighter, hating myself for loving her laugh so much.
   A few more blocks and turns I pull into the huge light blue house. There are students all over the lawn, on the porch, on the upstairs patio, but surprisingly not on the roof this time.
   "Holy shit." Rose whispers.
I nod, both of us leaning forward to get a good look at the scene in front of us.
   I find a spot in the far corner of the huge lawn, on the grass facing the huge expanse of trees. This place is the perfect spot to put a sorority house. Surrounded by trees, miles away from another house, no one to bother or to be bothered by.
   I glance over at Rose and see a look of both excitement and terror.  "You ok?" I tilt my head forward to catch her eye.
  She quickly shoots her head in my direction and plasters a smile on her face. "Yeah I'm good."
   "We could do something else if you want, Rose." I suggest, concerned.
  I see goosebumps form on her bare arms when I say her name.
  "Like what?" She smirks.
I grin. "Anything you want."
   A playful grin pulls at her lips. She holds my stare under hooded eyes. "Anything?" Her left hand lifts from her side and rests on my knee, her hand slowly hiking higher and higher up my thigh.
  My breath catches in my throat. What the fuck is happening?
The heat from her hands rests right below where I want it most. Oh so much.
   Then she's gone.
What the fuck?
   Rose climbs out of the car and slams the door shut. She leans in the open window, resting her arms against the sill and leans her head inside. "I'm kind of in the mood to party." She smiles coyly and starts to walk to the house.
I'm sitting there, staring at the spot she just disappeared from. I laugh, appalled. "Fucking tease." I say to myself and readjust myself to hide the hard on she just gifted me with.
  I jump out of the car and catch up with her.
I smile down at her. Two can play at this game sweetheart.
  I interlace my hand through hers.
She stiffens and looks down at our hands before looking up at me.
I smile. "Don't wanna lose you." I motion to the mansion overflowing with people.
  Her eyes give away a hint of heat and restraint. She relaxes and falls in step with me. "Right." She says, a hint of a smile in her voice.
   We reach the front porch steps, no one bothering to move or let us through. I squeeze through gaps of people and couples either making out or drinking.
   We make it to the enormous living room when I feel her hand tighten around mine. I look back to see her squeezing in between a few couples.
  She gets through and crashes into my side. I hear her cute soft gasp leave her mouth. She's trembling. Damn.
  I remove my hand from hers and wrap it around her waist, pulling her against me. Her hands move to rest against my chest. The physical contact from her sends bolts of electricity up my spine.
  I lean down, my mouth next to her ear. "You sure you're ok being here?" I say.
  Her hands grip my shirt. "Yeah I'm fine, it's just- there's not a lot of space."
Shit. "Are you claustrophobic?" I worry.
She laughs and nods her head against my chest. "Is it that obvious?"
Fuck, why is she just telling me this now? I grit my teeth together to keep myself from saying that out loud and scan the room, looking for a way outside when I see a path to the backyard. I grab her hand and tug her close behind me.  Maneuvering my way through the body of drunk students, we make it to the backyard.
   The fancy patio only holding some giggling girls in the lounge chairs, surrounded by some guys who are trying way too hard. I internally shake my head at their useless attempts.
  I turn my full attention to Rose and grab her face in my hands. "Are you ok?" I scrunch my brows together, concern leaking from my voice.
    She breathes out a sigh of relief and grabs hold of my wrists. "Much better." She whispers huskily.
  I let go quickly, suddenly self conscious of how protective I'm acting in public and I take a step back. "Dammit Rose I never would've brought you here if I had known." I run my hands back through my hair and groan internally. "Especially with how crazy these parties can get."
   "I'm sorry." She says, ashamed.
I sigh deeply and drop my arms to my sides and look her in the eyes. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry."
What's this feeling? What's going on with me?
  "Why?" She stares at me, confusion lining her features.
  "I don't- I don't know. Just for...for everything." I cringe. I rub the palms of my hands into my eye sockets to rub away the headache forming.
   "What do you mean?" She whispers. I feel her getting closer until she grabs my hands with both of hers and pulls them away from my face. Her face masked with worry and desperation for an answer. "You haven't done anything." She says softly.
   I shake my head. I've made you feel uncomfortable Rose. I kissed you in that cafe for reasons even I don't understand. I almost took advantage of you that night at the club, in my car. And now I brought you to this party where you can't even breathe.
Why can't I say that out loud?
Maybe because I'm so ashamed of myself I don't wanna admit it.
"Forget it." I sigh heavily.
"Ace-." She starts.
"Ace!" I hear from behind me.
I turn to see Riley coming towards me with a huge smile on my face. I smile wide when I see her.
"Hey!" I exclaim. "Long time no see!" I embrace her when she reaches me.
"I know right?! It's been months!" She laughs and let's go of me, but keeps her arms wrapped around my waist. Rose holds a smile, but her eyes not matching the action. Her eyes look to Riley's arm that's still wrapped around my waist and my arm wrapped over her shoulders.
Is that jealousy I see? Nah. . . Huh.
Me and Riley are just friends. Nothing more. Never even slept with her. Riley's different. I've known her for about 2 years now. I met her at the Harvard tour of the university, a year before I started attending the school.
Everyone calls her the "gorgeous warrior with golden hair." Ok no one actually calls her that but I do. She doesn't take any kind of shit from people. She stands up for what she believes in. She's probably the toughest girl I've met. I always ask her why she's the leader of this house but she's never told me anything. She's a mysterious one too.
Her sapphire blue eyes land on Rose. "Who's this?" Riley asks.
I lift my arm that's not across Riley's shoulders and point at Rose, "This is my friend Rose."
Why does saying " friend" hurt?
Riley lifts her hand to shake Rose's, "Nice to meet you!" Riley says. "Wow you're really gorgeous." She adds.
Yeah. She is.
Rose laughs and her face flushes. "Aww thank you so much, so are you!" She responds.
Riley touches a hand to her chest. "God, why can't everyone be as sweet as you?" Riley pouts.
Every girl in the sorority are total bitches so I get where she's coming from.
"You guys want a drink?" Riley asks, heading for the cooler on the porch.
"Water please." Rose says.
Riley smiles and nods. "Taking it easy tonight then?" She asks Rose.
Rose laughs. "You could say that."
I smile at her innocence. Guess she didn't enjoy her first drink the other night.
"I'll have a water too." I nod.
Riley's eyes widen and goes back and forth between me and Rose. A look of suspicion in her eyes. Then a knowing smile forms on her face. "Ok."

A/N: Sorry it's been a while since I've published anything. Now that college has started and work, it's been super busy. But thanks to those who've read this far! Love you so much!❤️