The Entitled Read online

  Ignoring her, I grab the bottle and make my way to the game room to play pool.

  “I’m next,” I inform David and Kyle, choosing a cue to chalk up.

  “How about we play partners, Reed?” Zoe purrs, brushing her breasts against my arm. Fuck, why can’t girls accept when I say I have a girlfriend, that means no?

  “I thought I left you in the kitchen.”

  “Reed, you’re such a dick.” David steps over to Zoe like a pathetic puppy. She doesn’t spare him a glance.

  “Can’t get rid of me that easily,” she coos.

  David’s eyes are worshipping Zoe like she’s a Victoria’s Secret model.

  Taking pity on him, I decide to give him some sound advice. “If you want girls to want you, you need to be a dick.”

  David coughs, his face turning pink. Zoe wrinkles her nose.

  Whatever. I tried. “Zoe, this is David. He wants to be your white knight.”

  If possible, David’s face turns even redder. God, I truly am a dick. I need to find Jax. It’s obvious I shouldn’t be on my own tonight.

  “What if I want a dark knight?” Zoe hops onto the edge of the pool table, her short skirt riding up so that David and I have a perfect view of her red panties. Averting my eyes, I try to look at anything else. The last thing I need to happen is for someone to see this girl and mention it to Tess.

  “I’ll be back with my brother,” I say, leaving before Zoe can stop me.

  I find Jax upstairs with the redhead doing shots. Great!

  “Jax,” I yell over the music, “let’s play pool.”

  He looks over, a wicked grin on his face. “Sure.” Taking the redhead’s hand, he follows me.

  Zoe perks up as soon as I return, her eyes narrowing on Jax.

  “Wow, there are two of you?” She’s practically drooling. I want to tell her we don’t turn fifteen for a couple months, just to fuck with her. I’m guessing she thinks we’re older, but I won’t. It would mess up Jax’s chances of getting laid tonight. Instead, I take another shot and keep quiet.

  The two girls are crap pool players. I have nothing to talk about except that I miss my girlfriend. Somehow, I think that might be a buzzkill. So, I spend the next couple of hours trying to keep Zoe’s hands from wandering to places they shouldn’t. Jax has disappeared with the redhead, and I’m completely drunk. Out of the corner of my eye, I try to focus on the girls from school. They’re whispering and trying to act like they’re not watching Zoe and me.

  Zoe rubs her small body against me. “I want to fuck you,” she slurs in my face, her hands grabbing my dick. Shit, this is getting out of hand.

  “Listen Zoe…” I take her hand away. She pouts.

  “I told you, I have a girlfriend. Maybe when my brother comes back, he can help you out.”

  “Right… the girlfriend!” She starts to giggle. “Although, I don’t see no girlfriend.” She leans into me, and her breasts brush my chest. “Unless you mean one of those girls over there.” She frowns as she points in Tiffany’s direction.

  “Fuck no,” I say quickly, putting her hand down. Comparing Tiffany to Tess is a slap in the face.

  “She’s not here tonight, but I don’t cheat.” God, it’s time to go home. I need Tess. My eyes scan the room as if someone could save me.

  “But I want you,” she whines. “These high school girls have no idea how to fuck, but I do.” Licking her lips, she gazes at me and winks. “I won’t tell if you won’t tell.”

  One more time, she tries to touch me. Grabbing her wrist roughly, I see her eyes dart to mine in surprise.

  “I have a girlfriend!” I let her go, and she stumbles back, catching herself on the back of a chair. Her eyes are dilated. She should be pissed, but instead, she looks like she wants to drop to her knees and worship me.

  “I’m out of here.” I’m definitely regretting that last shot.

  “Wait, Reed… At least give me a goodbye kiss. That’s not against the rules.”

  I want to tell her it is, but she trips and falls into my arms. There’s no choice but to hold on to her or let her face-plant. Her perfume permeates my nose, and it’s all so wrong. This whole fucked-up day has been all wrong.

  Hearing my brother’s laugh, I search for where it’s coming from. Finally, I locate him sitting in the corner, his whole body radiating confidence. It’s obvious he talked the redhead into having sex with him.

  His eyes wander up and down Zoe and me. “What are you doing, Reed?” Disapproval covers his face.

  “This,” I say, dumping Zoe into his arms. The redhead squeals as Zoe giggles. Hopefully he’ll get lucky with both of them.

  “I’ll send Jay back for you as soon as I’m home,” I yell over the music.

  Trying to walk straight is a challenge. The apartment is packed with people, most of them drunk. I’m starting to feel mean and I need to piss. As I stumble into one of the numerous bathrooms, my hand goes up on the red-striped wall steadying me as I try to hit the toilet. Christ, I’m seeing double. Somehow my fingers work my zipper back up.

  Opening the door, I fumble for my phone, not even looking up as I try to get the fuck out of here. I want my Kitten. Need to hear her voice. Tell her I’m coming home, that I love her.

  There’s a hand on my shoulder and I spin around. Aaron’s stupid face swims in front of me.

  “Damn, Reed, you and your brother are my heroes.” He does some lame bowing at me.

  “Now that you’re banging college chicks, you don’t mind if I ask Tess to—” And just like that, he’s on the floor. I don’t even remember my fists coming up. I do hear him screaming like the bitch he is, hands covering his face as blood gushes out of his nose.

  Jax is pulling me off him and pushing me out the door. Jay is at our side, with the car doors open. As soon as we’re in, he takes off, not questioning, only getting us away.

  Panting, I look down at my fists. They’re swollen and covered in Aaron’s blood. Absently I open and close them. When I look over at Jax, he’s texting.

  “What did he say to you?”

  My heart is racing, the rage still pumping through me. “He informed me that since I was banging college girls, he wanted Tess.” My fist slams into the leather seat in front of me. Thankfully I’m on the passenger side.

  “Cool down, Reed,” Jay warns. “I get that you’re amped up, but you need to breathe, man.”

  “How dare he think he can even look at Tess,” I spit with rage.

  Jax stops texting. “I’ll take care of it.” That’s all he says as he goes back to his phone. At some point, I hear him talking. He is cleaning up my mess and I let him.

  Jay pulls up to our apartment, and I stumble out. He and Jax stay in the car and pull back into traffic. I can’t think straight. I’ll deal with everything in the morning if Jax hasn’t already fixed it. I’m on a mission—to Tess. Walking into our lavish lobby, I nod at the night doorman. I think his name is Tomas. He looks the other way as I enter my private elevator.

  I’m still jacked up from Aaron. No doubt about it, I lost it tonight. No one will ever have Tess but me. If it were up to me, I would lock her up and only I would be able to see her, feed her, bathe her. Unfortunately, that can’t happen, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.

  Snickering at my drunken thoughts, I try to be quiet as I navigate in between my mom’s elaborate furniture.

  I head straight to Tess’s room and lock the door quietly behind me. It’s dark. The only light in the room is from the moon and the lights of Manhattan. Tess hates to be alone, so she always leaves the curtains open.

  She’s asleep, her long brown hair curling all over her pillow. Her even breathing alerts me. When I turn on the light, she doesn’t even move. On the nightstand are her pills. Reaching for the bottle, I force my mind to focus on the arduous task of counting them. Twenty-seven. That means she only took one 5 mg of Valium. I hate that she needs it, but it seems to work the best for her. Doctors always want her to try other drugs that are les
s habit forming. Xanax did nothing for her and she is allergic to a lot of antianxiety and antidepressant meds. Seeing that she’s a teenager, they don’t want to mess with a bunch of stuff. So, they monitor her. It’s unnecessary since I watch her, and she rarely takes one.

  Right now, I feel like shit for numerous reasons, mainly that my girlfriend must have had a panic attack. I sit down next to her, watching her sleep.

  I love to watch her. When she walks, she has the sexiest walk. When she laughs, she makes everyone laugh. When she smiles, she takes your breath away. And when she sleeps, she’s like a beautiful angel. A sigh escapes her soft lips, and she turns toward me, her hand reaching for me in her sleep. Her black, sooty eyelashes move up and down. We stare at each other.

  “You all right?” Her voice—God that voice—is raspy from sleep.

  “Yeah, Kitten, I’m fine. Go back to sleep. I’ll be right back.” Caressing her hair, I turn off the light. After I use her bathroom to shower, I wrap a towel around my waist and walk down the dark hall to my room. As much as I would love to sleep with Tess naked, she’s not ready. Plus, she might scream and alert the house I’m in her room. Pulling on some sweats, I’m almost ready to head back to Tess when I hear my mom.

  “Reed?” She taps on my door.

  “It’s open.” Pulling on a white tee quickly, I have no desire for her to see my knuckles, which are red and swollen.

  “Have a good time?” she says, squinting at me. She glances at me from top to bottom.

  “Yeah, sorry I woke you. Tess do okay tonight?”

  “As far as I know. I checked on her around ten and she was already asleep. Just making sure you were okay, honey.”

  “I’m fine, Mom.” She must feel guilty about Tess.

  “Okay, well good night, sweetheart.” She hesitates.

  “What, Mom?”

  Shaking her brown hair, she whispers, “I… I want you to know that I’m proud of you for following the rules. Also, you came home before midnight. You’re still my wonderful boy no matter how big you get.” She quietly shuts my door.

  With a snort, her “wonderful boy” sneaks back into Tess’s room and locks us in.

  After I remove my shirt, I slip under the cool sheets, pulling Tess’s warm body to mine. My nose snuggles into her hair and neck. Her vanilla scent wraps around me like a ribbon on a present. No more strawberries. I don’t know when her skin morphed into smelling like vanilla or cookies, but it’s her own scent, and I need it to live.

  “Kitten,” I whisper in her ear.

  “Hmm? Reed? What are you doing? I thought we’re not allowed to sleep together.” Her voice makes me instantly hard.

  My chest aches at how much I love her. “We’re not breaking the rule,” I murmur, pulling her even tighter. “Mom said for you not to sleep in my bed—nothing about me in yours.” Kissing her neck, I want so badly to turn her over and take her mouth, but she’s sleeping and I’m drunk. So, I close my eyes and allow her steady breathing and her scent to lull me to sleep.

  TESS

  My cell phone is ringing. Reed is wrapped around me like a boa constrictor squeezing its prey. I don’t even try to reach for it. Thankfully it stops.

  Closing my eyes again, I snuggle into his warmth and sigh at how good this feels. I never want to move. My eyes close right on the verge of sleep, and it starts up again.

  Both of us groan. “Christ, Tess answer it, or I’m throwing it out the window.” When I sit up, I’m somewhat disoriented. After I took the Valium last night, I passed out. I hardly ever take it, so when I do, I sleep soundly.

  “Hello?” I say, not even bothering to open my eyes. Instead, I wiggle back down against Reed.

  “Tess? Hello?” Loud giggles and squeals make my eyes pop open.

  “Yeah?” I must sound completely out of it.

  “How are you feeling?” A loud girl’s voice rings in my ear.

  “Who is this?” I try to sit up again, but Reed’s not having it.

  “Hang up,” he grumbles, pulling me closer as he kisses my shoulder.

  “Is that Reed?” The voice sounds way too happy. Screaming continues in the background, and I hold the phone away from my ear. What the hell?

  “Listen, whoever this is. Way too early. Don’t call back.”

  “Wait, Tess… Don’t hang up. Guys shut up… Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were feeling okay and that Reed was home. After he beat Aaron up, we were worried.” Now I do sit up. Reed grumbles and opens one eye.

  “Who is this?” I look at my phone as if it’s magically going to tell me who I’m talking too.

  “It’s Tiffany!” Like I should know this. I think I’ve maybe talked to this girl twice.

  “What time is it?” My bitchy voice is out.

  “I don’t know—early.” I can feel her crazy, excited energy through the phone. Suddenly I’m cold. It’s like I can feel doom infiltrating my veins. I want to hang up before she tells me what I know is going to ruin me.

  “Anyway… we… I mean, I wanted to let you know that I was at Zack’s party last night. And I couldn’t help but see that Reed was into some skanky blond college girl. I mean everyone saw them! I know he said you were sick, but as your friend, I thought you should know… that she had her hands down his pants.”

  My brain is not allowing me to function. I should hang up or scream, anything but stare like a zombie, letting her continue.

  “Tess?”

  “What else?” I manage to choke out.

  Reed’s warm body stiffens, and his hand reaches for my phone. My brain eventually works and I turn sideways, my elbow preventing him.

  “He probably didn’t want you to hear about it, so he beat the crap out of Aaron. Broke his nose so badly he had to go to the hospital to get it put back properly. He also had to get stitches under his eye. As your friend, I thought you should know.” Screams and laughter are going on the whole time she is talking.

  All I can manage is a pathetic “I don’t believe you” before I hang up.

  I throw my cell phone away from me like it’s been dipped in poison. Reed sits up, wariness in his turquoise eyes.

  “Tess?” His voice is gentle like he’s scared I’m going to bolt.

  I don’t. I let him pull me to him.

  “Nothing happened,” he says, stroking my hair like he would a skittish kitten.

  “So, you didn’t break Aaron’s nose?” Wow, I sound calm.

  “Who called you, Tess?”

  “Tiffany.” I’m numb, or maybe I’m having an out-of-body experience.

  “If what she says is true, I might start screaming and never stop.” My mind fills with visions of Reed with some blonde touching him… putting her hands on what is mine!

  “Oh my God.” My breath starts coming in small wheezing gasps. Yep, here comes the panic attack.

  “Tess, look at me.” Are my teeth chattering?

  “Come on, baby.” He shakes me slightly.

  “Did you fuck the blonde who had her hand down your pants? Did you?” Staring at him, I give him a look that begs for him to tell me it’s not true.

  And he does. He shakes his head no.

  “Thank God.” My body melts into his.

  “Kitten.” His thumb strokes my lips. “You never have to worry about me cheating on you! It would never happen. You’re all I want. You have to know that.”

  Reed hugs me so tightly it’s hard to catch my breath. I was struggling with that anyway before he crushed me to his chest.

  After what seems like an hour, he lifts my face to his, his warm mouth coming down on my cold lips.

  He tastes like bourbon and Reed. He kisses me so hard, my mouth has to be swollen and bruised. With a groan, he sounds almost as if he is in pain. Opening my eyes, I find he’s staring at me. I put my hands on his chest, right over that strong heart.

  “What did you do?”

  “I got fucked up and let a girl probably get the wrong idea. But I never touched her, kissed her, or thought a
bout fucking her.” His voice is sad.

  “Everyone saw you?” Choking on the words, I lean my head against my hands where they’re still pressed against his chest.

  He shrugs and pulls me in tighter. His arms are like chains and yet I let him. See… I’m that pathetic. I need Reed to live. I need him to breathe! But he doesn’t have to know that. I take an unsteady breath. “I need to take a shower, and I want to talk to Jax.” Hurt is all over his pretty face.

  Ignoring him, I lock myself in my bathroom. My hands are shaking as I turn on the water. “God…” When I gaze at my reflection on the glass shower door, the hot sting of tears burns my cheeks. This is the first time I have ever locked Reed out.

  Overwrought, I push on all the buttons and water shoots from the top and sides. Undressing, I suck in a breath as the scalding water pounds my body almost relentlessly, reddening my skin. And then I let it go. I stay in the scorching shower crying, my imagination my worst enemy. Jealousy has taken hold of my mind, controlling me like the green-eyed monster she is. Finally, I turn the hot water to warm and force myself to get out. Breathing in the steam, I reach for a snow-white fluffy towel that is deliciously heated. I crack open the bathroom door and flip on the fan. I need to defog the mirror so I can see myself. I reach for my toothbrush, and like a robot, I clean my teeth. Watching the steam twist and swirl away, I pat on my moisturizer and take a long look at myself. As I lean forward against the sink, I watch the droplets of water slide down between my breasts. My hair is too long. I need to see my stylist soon. Sadness. Grief. Betrayal. That’s what screams at me. My eyes are red and my lips are swollen.

  “Great, Tess, you look like someone punched you.” I’m tired and I just woke up. Squaring my shoulders back and peeking my head out, I search for Reed. He’s gone. I’m not sure if I’m relieved or disappointed.

  This is stupid! I throw open the bathroom door and march into my closet. I did nothing wrong. Reed’s the bad guy—not me. Grabbing a pair of True Religion jeans, I jerk them on.

  Mindlessly, I take stock of my numerous shoes and reach for my Tory Burch Reva flats. They’re my favorites and I need comfort. Pulling open my lingerie drawer, I decide on a shimmery Calvin Klein black bra and a tight, sheer T-shirt. It’s also black because I live in New York and I hate my life.