31. Rhys

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Rhys

Never in a million years would I have thought that Everest and I would be here.

Boyfriends.

It should scare me. I’ve never been in a committed relationship before—never trusted it—and to finally be in one with a man, no less, should terrify me. But as I sit on the couch watching a bunch of drunk idiots party on, my boyfriend nursing a rum and Coke on my lap, I don’t feel any fear. Instead, I feel relief.

I hadn’t wanted to put a label on it, but the fear of the unknown is now nothing but a distant memory, because Everest is mine . All the feelings I had for him now make sense. The intense need to be by his side, the scorching want to be the reason he smiles, the overwhelming urge to protect and care for him, it’s all led me here.

I’m not one who usually acts before they think. I’m not saying it was a trigger decision to make Everest officially mine, but I know there’s more that needs to be discussed. I don’t let my mind wander there tonight, though. No, tonight is going to be for enjoying my time with my boyfriend and hopefully having some hot now-we’re-boyfriends sex when we get home. We’ve been here for over an hour, so I’m just about to suggest leaving, when the door swings open and the entire XO crew waltzes through the door.

“The party’s here!”

Britt’s taking the lead, holding a large bottle of vodka while her other arm is hooked around a reluctant-looking Butch. Skylar and Cassius aren’t far behind, with the petite purple-haired man mounted on his best friend’s back. They spot us immediately and start heading our way.

“My babies!” Skylar shouts, sliding off Cassius’s back as he throws himself at us. “Thank you for the invite! Ricky is so excited to come out tonight!”

At the mention of Skylar’s asshole boyfriend, both Britt and I roll our eyes, Cassius flinches, and Butch groans, but like always, Skylar is oblivious to all our feelings toward Ricky the Dicky.

“Hey,” Everest says, nudging my shoulder lightly, a tipsy smile on his face. “I finally see Knox. Let’s go say hi.”

I narrow my eyes at the sight of Knox Sanders over by the entrance of the kitchen. So fucking pompous and arrogant. I know that if I keep bitching about him, it’s only going to annoy Everest, but I don’t like the guy. His personality aside, he’s fucked my boyfriend, and I’m not thrilled to be anywhere near him. But I do as Everest says, helping him slip off my lap as I turn to the crew. “We’ll be right back.”

“Babe!” Knox shouts as soon as he sees Everest, already three sheets to the wind. “You made it.”

“Yeah, wouldn’t miss it— Humph! ” Everest groans as Knox throws himself at him, wrapping his annoying self all over my boyfriend.

He has approximately two seconds to let Everest go before I go apeshit.

“Watch it,” I hiss lowly, tugging Everest away.

Knox raises his eyebrows, surprised for a second, before that confusion morphs into something dangerously irritated. “Rhys, always a pleasure. What are you doing here?”

“I was invited,” I say simply.

He turns to Everest. “Yeah?”

“You said to invite whoever,” Everest replies with an easy shrug, not sensing the tension.

Knox rolls his bottom lip into his mouth with a small nod. “Great. Babe, want to play some beer pong?”

Babe . Okay, that shit really needs to stop. Possessiveness consumes me. Everest is not his babe, and that point needs to be made loud and clear. It’s a bit juvenile, but I wrap a territorial arm around his waist, tugging him to my side. Everest opens his mouth to answer, but I cut him off. “Yeah, baby. We could be a team.”

“Baby?” Knox asks through gritted teeth.

Everest nods, a bright and dopey smile on his face as he looks at me. “It’s new.”

“That’s…” Knox swallows harshly, forcing a smile. “That’s great.”

Oh shit.

Knox and Everest might have been sleeping together casually, but it wasn’t casual at all for Knox. I can see how he wants my man. The way his eyes narrow and something resembling hurt crosses his features at the arm around Everest’s waist. I wonder how Everest hasn’t noticed that, but my guy is sweet and good-natured. There’s no way he would intentionally lead his friend on.

“Are you okay?” Everest questions, cocking his head. “Knox?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Knox rushes out as he clears his throat. “I just need to make the rounds before we play.”

“Great,” I tell him with a victorious grin. I rub Everest’s hip, pressing a kiss to his ear. “I know what we can do while we wait.”

Knox’s face falls, and I briefly feel like an asshole for rubbing this in. I understand being obsessed with Everest, but it’s that same fixation that makes me like this. Being with Everest has unlocked the monster within me that might have always been there, simmering underneath the surface, ready to be set free.

“What do you think is up with him?” Everest asks with a pout as Knox walks away. “Maybe I should go after him?—”

“He’s fine,” I say, tugging him back toward the living room. “He’s always been a moody asshole.”

He punches my shoulder. “Be nice.”

“This is me being nice,” I counter with a smooth smirk. I kiss up his neck, nibbling just behind his ear, which causes him to let out a soft and breathy sigh. “Can we go home now?”

“Why do you always pull this shit?”

I whip my head to the side at the loud, angry voice. I hate the fact that I recognize that slightly nasally register. Of course, Ricky can’t go anywhere without picking a fight with Skylar.

They’re standing by the sliding glass door, Ricky’s hands in the air as he towers over Skylar. Skylar is wringing his fingers with a look that resembles fear, even though he’s trying to keep a shaky smile on his face.

“Ricky, please,” he says, glancing nervously over his shoulder. “Lower your voice.”

“I told you I didn’t want to come out and, here you are, acting like a fucking whore,” Ricky spits. Then he scoffs, gesturing at Skylar’s outfit. “What the fuck are you even wearing?”

Skylar pouts and looks down at his sparkly pink crop top. “I like this shirt.”

“Cut the tears, Skylar. I’m not buying it.” Pinching the bridge of his nose, he taps his foot impatiently before snatching Skylar’s wrist. “We’re leaving. If you can’t go somewhere and act like a normal human, we’re not going anywhere at all.”

He yanks Skylar hard enough that he stumbles and hits his hip against the table holding all the drinks. A bottle of vodka shatters and drenches Skylar’s bottom half, and I already know what’s coming. Skylar is very…sensitive. In a good way. It makes him a great person to be around because he’s constantly in touch with his emotions in a way that’s surprisingly endearing, but it also makes him a crier, and that’s exactly what happens when he bursts into tears.

And where there’s a crying Skylar, there’s always?—

“Hey! Fuck off!”

Cassius comes storming through the crowd. Without any warning and without any hesitation, his fist flies in the air and lands with a loud crack on the side of Ricky’s face. Skylar gasps, trying to throw himself between the two men, but Butch is there to hold him back gently. Ricky’s frazzled from the punch, and Cassius takes advantage of the situation by tackling him onto the nearest table. Now, Skylar’s screaming, Butch is trying to hold him back, Britt is yelling at them to stop, and the rest of the party is egging them on.

“Stay here,” I tell Everest. He opens his mouth to say something, but I’m already making my way across the room.

Cassius wails on Ricky, whose nose is already bloody and whose cheeks are beet red, and I loop my hands around his waist to pull him back. As expected, he fights me, but Knox is there to help me pull him away from Ricky.

“Cassius, calm down!” I shout.

“Is this your friend?” Knox growls, shoving Cassius into my arms. “All of you can get the fuck out!”

Knox walks away to tell Ricky to fuck off as well, and Cassius rushes out of my grip toward Skylar. He brings him into his arms, petting the back of his head as he whispers something in his ear. I head to them, trying to make sure they’re settled. “Are you guys okay?”

Cassius is pecking kisses on Skylar’s cheek. Skylar turns to me, eyes bloodshot with tears, and a humorless chuckle leaves him. “I always know how to pick them, don’t I?”

My heart hurts at this moment, not only for Skylar, but for Cassius as well. I don’t know what’s going on between them that’s preventing them from being together, but if Skylar would just open his eyes, he’d realize that the man of his dreams is currently holding him. But it’s none of my business, so I just walk away with a nod.

I find Everest already by the front door, nervously bouncing on his toes, relief passing through him when he sees me. “Rhys. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I say as I bring him into my arms. “Are you okay?”

He nods against my chest. “Yeah, just worried you got hurt.”

“I’m fine.” With a smile, I press my lips to his. “Want to go home?”

“Yeah.” He takes a step back, holding my hand as he grins. “Hey, I know it ended kind of badly, but thanks for coming with me tonight.”

“Anything for you.”

He laughs through a snort. “Damn.”

“What?”

“I’ve got you dick-whipped, don’t I?”

I immediately let go of his hand and glare at him. “No, you do not.”

“Admit it,” he teases. Walking a finger up my chest, he wags his eyebrows. “You’re all soft for me now.”

Without any warning, I haul him to my chest, grabbing onto his ass and grinding him against me. “I’ll show you soft as soon as we get home.” I bend down and bite his neck, sinking and sucking the skin between my teeth. “Your ass is mine.”

“Promise?” he jokes, fluttering his lashes in a way that makes me want to spank his ass for being such a brat.

Pressing a gentle kiss on his lips, I thread my fingers through his. “I swear it. Let’s go home.”