Embracing Trouble (Trouble Series) (9 page)

I turned away on shaky legs, needing to get out of there before I collapsed and cried my heart out. He wasn’t holding back this time, showing me just how much he didn’t want me around him.

I tried to blink the tears away, knowing I was playing high school games, and that he had known it all along. I didn’t belong here. I was a silly good girl who was being rebellious for five minutes. I sipped the rest of my whiskey as I slipped my phone back in my jeans pocket. I didn’t care if he sent me another message. The whiskey didn’t help my trembling lips or the sickness in my stomach.

Two guys started to fight near me, both holding each other’s necks and angrily shouting at each other. The stronger one pushed the other one back forcefully and let go. His body came at me, and before I knew it, he had thumped into me. I lost my balance and fell back onto the floor. My whiskey glass got tossed up in the air, as they continued to struggle above me. My arms went up to protect myself as a security guard came barging over to stop the fight.

It was the same time that the music went crazier and the crowd went wild. I was about to be crushed before two hands roughly pulled me up and out of the way. Trying to find my breath, I turned to see Zac holding me. He looked down at me with intense eyes.

“Okay?” he shouted into my face.

I nodded numbly as the band performed a crowd favorite and everyone roared in appreciation. Bodies jumped and pushed and shoved, as the floor vibrated with the mayhem. One guy was shoved over to me and Zac pulled me out of the way, moving his body to deflect the impact on me.

I watched bodies surf over the crowd before they were dumped back into the crowd. It was a frenzied, wild, mad house, and I realized I suddenly felt a little scared. Even girls were now body surfing across the crowd, and the guys cheered them on as they went for grabs on their bodies.

“You shouldn’t have come here by yourself,” he said into my ear.

“I’ll be fine,” I shouted in false confidence. “Go back to your girl.”

He glared down at me as I pulled his arms away from me, even though I craved his touch and to have his hands on me. I turned away and started to make my way into the craziness, secretly praying I didn’t get seriously hurt.

His arm went around my waist and he pulled me back.

“Stop playing where you don’t belong,” he shouted in frustration.

He may as well have slapped me. I suddenly shoved him back hard and turned, pushing my way further into the wild crowd. Asshole!

I could belong, I just needed to prove it. I shoved myself between two guys and tried to move forward, but my feet were stuck in one place, while my body moved in another direction. Before I could do anything else, two arms went around me like a protective barrier and pushed me forward.

“Put your elbows up,” shouted Zac into my ear as we started to make our way through the heaving mass of bodies.

I did what I was told as he stopped a few boots from hitting me from flying crowd surfers above me. He continued to shove his way through, heading across the room to where he had been standing before. His hands went around my waist and then he lifted me up onto the bench. I stood above him next to other people and could clearly see the band. I realized I was safe up here as he looked at me one more time before going even deeper into the crowd. I instantly lost sight of him and tried to remember to breathe again.

The song finished with a roar and then as another song started, it turned to mayhem and bodies were flying everywhere. The girl next to me screamed and threw herself into the crowd. She was carried across the crowd, hands groping her all over as she rocked out to the music.

I watched the drummer hit the drums as hard as he possibly could. His feet were moving like a fast machine on the kick drums, while the singer growled into the microphone. His voice sounded like gravel, and his words dredged up from his feet as he screamed. Sweat poured off him as he leaned over the crowd, spurring them on. He was hard core and very hot, and I couldn’t hide my appreciation.

I started to enjoy myself, enjoying the madness while I was safe up on the bench seat. I was soon knocked sideways as a sweaty shirtless guy climbed up and put his arms up in the air. I grabbed onto the wall and Noah appeared out of nowhere, pulling the guy down into the crowd and away from me. The guy gave me the devil sign as he laughed, and the crowd carried him towards the stage.

Noah stayed next to me and moved his head in time, mouthing the words. I felt the power of the band, the music thumping through me, and I smiled to myself. Strobe lights flickered in time with the fast drums and everyone put their fists in the air. Maybe I was a good girl, but this was fun, and I wanted more.

Chapter Five: Driving Me to the Point Of Madness

Zac

The band finished the set and were soon heading off stage as the overhead lights lit up the venue. I stood near the stage with friends, listening to their conversation as I watched Ava across the room with Noah. They were talking about something and she was smiling up at him like he was the fucking sweetest thing on earth. I ran my hands through my sweaty hair and watched Will head over to them. I had no doubt in my mind that Will had given her a ticket for tonight and I was going to have words.

The more I tried to stay away, the more I saw her, testing my self-control. I wanted her and standing up there in my hoodie did crazy things to me that I didn’t care to comprehend.

“We going to another club?” whispered Anna into my ear. “Or somewhere a little more private?”

I looked down at her hands on my chest, feeling them over my abdomen and then travelling under my T-shirt to my sweaty skin.

“Change of plans,” I muttered, no longer interested now that my perfection was here.

I glanced over to see her watching us, biting her lip. I wanted to stride over there and take that bottom lip into my mouth.

“Whatever,” said Anna taking her hands out of my top. “Call me.”

I nodded, having no intention of doing that and went back to listening to my mates talk about the band.

Will motioned for Ava to get onto his back, and she laughed as he carried her through the crowd over to the bar. Security was clearing everyone out except for us, because we knew the owner. Will ordered drinks and Ava slid down his back to stand next to him. She still had a smile on her face. Why did Noah and Will like her so fucking much? Were they trying to make me lose my shit?

Four shots were set in front of them, and she pulled my hoodie off, revealing a tight top that was ripped down to her cleavage. I hadn’t missed the sight of her skin under the top as it had risen up, and I had to swallow down a longing to go over and touch her.

I watched Will rub his hands together with glee, and then counted before they both sunk the shots down, one after another. She grimaced and then laughed, high-fiving him as he turned to order more.

It didn’t take long for me to join them, coming up behind her and putting my arms on either side of her on the bar. She leaned back slightly into me, her warm body sending out alarm signals to me. I heard her giggle softly and knew the shots were working to make her fluid and more relaxed.

I looked down at her neck, wanting to lick it, bite it, and taste her. I knew I was kidding myself. How the fuck could I stay away from perfection? She turned slightly in my arms, and I could see her lick the shot flavor off her lips and my needs went into overdrive.

Fuck
.

I needed her to hate me, before I lost myself completely to her.

“Aren’t your five minutes up?” I asked into her ear.

“No,” she said defiantly, probably hurt from the reminder of my comments earlier.

Good. It was the only way I could distance myself from her. Her body moved away slightly, and I missed it instantly. I liked her ass against me.

She did another two shots with Will and then turned around, facing me as Will started to talk to a friend on his other side. My gaze made its way from her mouth down to her neck, and then her chest, where her top gaped open, giving me a glimpse of a black bra. I wanted in. I wanted a taste like never before.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket, reading something on the screen and then frowned.

Ava

It was a message from Antony.

Antony:
Hey…just thought I would see how you’re doing. Hope you’re not in bed already.

Puzzled as to why he was sending this to me, I read it again. Maybe he had sent it by mistake? I would put my name on my reply just to check.

I responded:
Hey, I’m good. You? Ava xx

Antony:
Been thinking about you…

I looked at the screen in shock. He wasn’t, was he? No way! Surely not after Sophie. Was he going to try it with me?

Antony:
Can I call you now?

I noticed Zac watching me intently, maybe curious as to who I was texting. If I told him Antony had been thinking of me, would he care?

I replied:
I’m at a club

Antony:
Send me a selfie

Was he for real? I laughed to myself, not believing he was doing this.

Ava:
Send me one of you first

I received a photo of him with his bare chest standing in his bathroom, looking in the mirror. I laughed. He had to be kidding me, right?

Obviously fed up with standing there wondering, Zac took my phone from my hand and started to read the conversation. A muscle in his jaw began twitching.

“I can’t believe he would even try with me after being with Sophie,” I said, shaking my head.

“Smile,” he said holding the phone up to my face.

He took a photo and typed a text with it.

Ava:
What exactly have you been thinking about?

I tried to grab it off him.

“Don’t send it!”

But it was too late as Zac moved it out of my grasp.

Antony replied:
You. How you looked last night. Love the photo. You’re so hot. Maybe we could hang out?

Zac shook his head and typed another text back.

Ava:
Send me another photo ;) and I will send an extra special one to you…maybe I’ll come over tonight

Antony:
I’d like that. I didn’t know you were like this…

Ava:
There is a lot you don’t know about me

“Will you stop?” I said, leaning in and reading the texts. “He’s going to think I’m gagging for it. I’ve got to see him at school tomorrow.”

Zac waited for a reply text and sipped his beer, not giving the phone to me. Will had moved off, laughing with someone else, which left the two of us alone. I looked to Zac, trying to gauge his mood. He looked mighty pissed.

“I spoke to him last night outside Noah’s party,” I said gruffly. “For like a minute, not that it matters to you.”

He was silent as he sipped his beer again, not looking at me. He didn’t get to be mad at me, because of Antony texting me. So I tried to grab my phone off him, and he kept it out of my reach. I angrily shoved him, but he didn’t move an inch.

“Give it to me.”

He had the audacity to smirk and reply, “With pleasure,” meaning something else entirely as he pushed me against the bar.

I blushed. My hands were still on his chest and anger drained away, quickly replaced with lust. My whole body soaked up his husky response and his lust-filled eyes. I wanted to tremble. My fingers twitched, wanting to move and feel his chest as I looked down between us.

“Why are you doing this?” I whispered.

“I told you to stay away from that douche,” he growled.

I watched my hands stroke down his chest over his rippled abdomen, enjoying the contours. I suddenly wanted him as much as my next breath. I focused on my fingers and then like coming out of a daze, whipped them away. I looked up at him.

“That’s your answer to everything: stay away.”

“And you’re still not fucking listening,” he uttered.

His lips were an inch away from mine. My heart raced, loving that he was up against me, and looking at me like he wanted to eat me.

My phone beeped and broke the moment as he opened the text message between us. A photo of Antony in a full-length mirror in his boxers appeared.

Zac swore and I couldn’t help but gasp in utter disbelief. Antony was completely serious.

Zac typed another text back to him.

Ava:
I’m going to send one of me now. So get ready. I think I will definitely come over tonight.

Antony:
Come now, I’m ready.

Zac seethed as he set my phone to take another photo. He leaned in against me suddenly, one arm around my neck and the other holding the phone out to take a photo of us together.

“What are you doing?” I asked, as he leaned in so closely that I could smell the beer on his breath.

“Showing him what he can’t have,” he said huskily. “Now smile.”

I smiled as he took the photo. I was secretly enjoying being close to him and the feel of his cheek against mine.

I looked at the photo and saw that it had Zac’s middle finger front and center, while we were entwined.

He typed with the photo:
You’re fucked. Speak to her again like this and you will regret it, fucker. I’ll come over and show you just how much she’s not yours.