Chapter 22

22

Atlas

“I’m trying to decide if I want pussy or dick tonight,” Brenner says as we wait for the bartender to bring us our drinks. He’s rubbing his hands together, eyes darting around.

“Pussy,” Taylor replies.

“You only say that because you’ve never had dick,” Brenner counters. “You and Atlas are missing out.” He pumps his brows, and damn, what I wouldn’t give to tell him that no, I’m not, in fact, missing out. I had what’s probably the best dick there is just last night. So much so that I had to come out tonight just to forget about it, even though there’s no doubt in my mind that’s not going to happen.

“I’d try it.” Taylor shrugs as the bartender hands us our shots.

“No shit?” Brenner quirks a brow. “I mean…if you’re looking.”

“Not from you, asshole.” Taylor playfully shoves him, Brenner almost spilling his drink.

“Be careful, fucker, or the rest of the rounds are on you tonight.”

“Are you two done?” I down my shot, then set the glass on the counter.

“Are you ever not grumpy?” Taylor teases, making Brenner laugh. I have to bite back a smile because he’s right. Most of the time, it’s my way of being. It’s just who I am.

Except with Troy.

No, you’re pissy with him too.

But not as pissy.

Speaking of Troy, while Taylor orders more alcohol, I pull out my phone to see he’d replied.

Lil Stepbro: Would it be so terrible if I was?

Things start shifting around in my chest in a way I can’t really explain. I like hearing shit like that from him. I like it more than I should. The smart thing to do would be to nip this in the bud. It’s not like I have what it takes to be a boyfriend. I’m Glen McCallister’s son. He’s a prick, I’m a prick, only in different ways. And the whole boyfriend thing requires trust, and that ship has fucking sailed for me.

Unsure how to reply to his message, I leave it alone for now.

“Oh shit. Your stepbro is here. Dick it is!” Brenner claps his hands, my head snapping up to see Troy standing at the other end of the bar. He’s with the guys from his frat—Lance, Jesse, and…motherfucker.

Troy is saying something to Lance, but that’s not who caught my eye. Baby Thermo Geek is standing there, eyes on Troy like he hung the damn moon, like if Troy told him to, he’d get on his knees for Troy right fucking there.

You can’t have him. He’s mine.

I try to shake that thought from my head, but it’s glued, nailed, and cemented down.

“Fuck, I hate his little frat boys. Such NPCs,” Taylor says.

“Let’s go say hi.” Brenner tries to go, but I grab his arm to stop him.

“Let’s not and say we did.”

“Aw, come on, Atlas. I really want to bone Troy.”

I roll my eyes. “You say that like it’s a given.”

“You don’t like dudes, so you might not realize how hot I am. I’ll ask, and while I rarely hear no, if that’s what someone says, I always respect that, and I will if Troy says no too.”

I stop him again, knowing it’s ridiculous, knowing there’s nothing wrong with Brenner flirting with Troy…in theory.

“Lay off him, B. I’m not fucking around,” is what comes out. Both my friends frown like they didn’t see that coming because yeah, it shouldn’t have come, just like Troy and I shouldn’t have come together last night, but clearly all those things are happening. “Just…not him,” I add, silently pleading for him not to push the issue. I already have to worry about Ash. I don’t want to worry about Brenner too, though technically either of them would be better for Troy than I am.

“Yeah, sure. Whatever.”

I let out a sigh of relief that I don’t have to explain myself. I’d probably do it too if that was the only way to keep him from hitting on T. Brenner and Taylor know when I’m serious, though, and our friendship is thick enough that neither would do something to upset me, just like I wouldn’t with them.

We grab another round of drinks and down those too, pop music thumping through the building. Strobe lights flash, making shadows dance against the walls. Crave is packed tonight, despite it still being pretty early. It will only get worse as the night progresses.

“Hey,” I hear close to my ear in a soft, feminine voice. I turn around to see…Lindy? I’ve seen her around campus and at a lot of parties.

“Hey.” Lindy is hot, there’s no denying it. She’s thick and curvy with plump lips and a nice smile. As hot as she is, if she’s looking to hook up, I’m totally not feeling it. It’s not her fault; it’s Troy’s. Even if I hadn’t told him no one else could touch me either, I still can’t think of anyone but him.

“I’ve seen you around a lot, right? You’re Atlas.”

I nod, hoping I won’t have to admit I don’t know her name for sure.

“I’m Lindy.”

“Nice to meet you.”

I’m racking my brain for a way to respond, to make sure she knows I’m not interested so she doesn’t waste too much time on me, when she says, “You want to dance?”

Fuck. “I can’t. I’m hangin’ with my boys tonight.”

There’s a shove in the middle of my back. “I’ll dance!” Taylor tells her.

I’d just said I was hanging with my boys, but Lindy either doesn’t catch on or doesn’t care.

“Okay.” She shrugs, and the two of them disappear together.

When we’re alone—well, as alone was we can be in a full bar—Brenner says, “What’s going on with you, man? You’ve been weird lately.”

Yeah, I have, even before last night happened. I just…fuck, I don’t know. I’m just tired of shit, of everything. Except being with Troy.

My eyes dart across the room, but he’s gone. I have no fucking clue where he went, with whom, or how long he’s been gone. None of his friends are there.

“Nothing. I’m good.”

“One of these days you’re gonna have to trust someone.” Brenner squeezes my shoulder in support, but I’m not sure I’ll ever have it in me to trust people.

“I trust you and Taylor as much as I’m capable,” I admit.

“I know.”

My eyes keep searching for Troy in the busy bar. When a girl approaches Brenner, he looks at me like he’s not sure about leaving me alone.

“I mean…if you’re both interested…?” she asks.

“I’m good. I have plans tonight.”

Brenner cocks a brow, but again, doesn’t call me on it. He disappears with her, and I flag down a bartender and order a vodka and Sprite, something I can nurse while I look for Troy because if I’m doing anything tonight, it’s him.

Drink in hand, I make my way through the crowd. I’m toward the back when I spot him, dancing, hips moving, ass shaking, and yep, totally making my dick hard.

Leaning against the wall, I pull out my phone.

Me: You look hot tonight. And no, it’s not a bad thing for you to be missing me. You should be.

I hit Send. I’m not a very patient man, but luckily, he doesn’t keep me waiting long. He must have felt the phone vibrate and pulls it out of his pocket while dancing. I’m in a dark corner, so when he looks for me, ear-to-ear smile plastered on his face, he can’t find me.

Me: You’re getting warmer…

He turns around, again and again, his hair sweaty from exertion, then begins typing.

Lil Stepbro: Done with the blonde already?

Me: I didn’t touch her. I told you I wouldn’t fuck around with anyone, and I won’t. You’re mine, so I guess I should play by the rules too.

Lil Stepbro: Fuck, A, you’re gonna get me hard on the dance floor.

Me: Good. You should always be hard when you’re thinking about me.

Lil Stepbro: Where are you?

Me: Shake your ass for me again, and maybe I’ll tell you. I wanna watch you get low too.

I wait. Hold my breath. Am dying to see if he will do as I said.

Lil Stepbro: You want me to put on a show for you?

Me: Yes.

Lil Stepbro: Don’t look away.

Troy pushes his phone into his pocket, then starts to move again. He’s always sexy as fuck, but even more so when he dances. It’s not something I noticed before, but it will be engraved into my memory forever now.

Troy rolls his hips in a way that reminds me of what it was like when he was fucking me. Drops down, then pushes to his feet again, ass out, and damn, I wish I were behind him, wish I were holding on to his hips, pressing my dick against his ass and claiming him right there in front of everyone.

My dick throbs when his body moves slowly, arms in the air, before he runs his hands down his body. My insides tingle, starting low in my gut, radiating through me. Troy shimmies again, shakes his ass again, shows me how he can bend and get low. A groan rips from my throat, my body twitching with pent-up desire.

Me: You like showing off for me. Like knowing you make my dick hard, that I’m standing in a busy bar with my cock throbbing and wishing I had one of your holes around it. Such a pretty boy.

He stops, fumbling his phone from his pocket, and I swear I see him tremble from across the room.

Lil Stepbro: Where are you?

Part of me doesn’t want to tell him, wants to keep this game going, but I need him close to me more.

Me: Back wall. Two o’clock.

He turns slightly, eyes skating around the room and landing on me. The smile he shoots my way warms my gut in a scary but welcome way.

Troy saunters toward me. I groan when Ash stops him to ask him something, but Troy just replies and keeps going. He works his way through the crowd, and I hope like hell he didn’t tell anyone I’m here or where he’s going. He reaches me with a cocked brow. “Why are you hiding in a dark corner?”

“Waiting for you,” I say, then start opening his pants. His eyes widen, and then he seems to melt into it.

Troy leans in, mouth close to my ear. “Jesus, what the fuck, Atlas? There are people everywhere!”

“Tell me to stop and I will.”

Please don’t tell me to stop.

“Don’t stop.”

I spit in my hand, reach beneath his underwear, and start stroking him. “Look at you. You’re already hard for me. The second you knew I was watching, you got hard, didn’t you?”

“Yessss,” he hisses, gaze darting around.

“No one’s watching. They don’t know what we’re doing. The faster you come for me, the less chance of getting caught.”

I twist my hand around the head and back down again, doing to him what I like to do to myself. I wish like hell we had some lube. That would make this a whole lot easier, but his precum and my spit aren’t doing a bad job.

“Tell me…tell me you’ve been thinking about me since last night.”

“No,” he breathes out.

“Tell me or I stop.” When I can tell he’s going to keep fighting it, I add, “I dare you to tell me. I bet you won’t let me make you come right here.”

I pull away, and he grabs my wrist, keeping my hand where it is. “Christ, yes. You’re all I think about. Now make me come.”

“Fucking gladly,” I say, jacking him faster, holding him tighter, eyes glued to his as he watches me. Troy licks his lips, and damn, I want to taste him. “Did Ash see my mark on you?”

“Atlas…we’re not…”

“Tell me. Tell me he saw it.”

“Yes, he saw. I want everyone to fucking see it.”

I can’t stop myself from smiling. His cock is perfectly hot and throbbing in my hand, my desire ramped up, heart thudding, dick aching. This is so sexy, doing this here, knowing we can get caught, people close but no one knowing I have my hand on his dick. “You wanna mark me again too?”

His pupils flare wide. I use my other hand to lift my shirt, unwilling to think about what this means, that I’m letting him come on me in the middle of a bar.

“Give it to me, T. Shoot your load on me. Make me smell like you all night.”

“Holy fuck.” He bites into his bottom lip, eyes rolling back as his balls let loose. Troy’s cum hits my stomach, drips down my abs, spurt after spurt until he’s wrung dry, panting and mumbling words I can’t make out.

“Rub it in,” I tell him, and damn if it’s not the sexiest thing in the world when he does it.

When he finishes, I’m just tucking his dick away, Troy asking, “What about you? Let me make you—”

“Fuck! There you are! We’ve been looking all over for you!”

Troy jerks away from me as his friends crowd around us. They look from me to him like they can’t figure out why we’re together.

“Later, kids,” I tease, wink at Troy, and walk away, leaving the club altogether. Brenner and Taylor are busy doing their own shit tonight anyway.

When I’m outside, I order a car service, then send one last text.

Me: You owe me.

When the Jetta pulls up to the curb, I climb in, smiling the whole way home.