Don't Mask, Don't Tell

Chapter 25

Sitting in the custom, matching upholstered chairs, coupled on each side of the elegant table, Axel slices the bread and places the dipping oil beside it. We pass the pasta around, serving ourselves as he cuts the warm loaf and the wine continues to flow.

Feeling tipsy, I bravely place my hand on Axel's thigh under the table. Mickey and Eliza are distracted, so I take the opportunity to massage my way towards his dick, playing his game, winding him up like he did to me in the kitchen. His dress pants begin to tighten and he looks over, meeting my gaze, his eyes filled with desire.

"What are you doing?" he whispers in a serious tone, but doesn't move my hand.

"You aren't the only one that can tease, babe." I wink as I call his previous bluff, my fingertips lightly grazing his bulge.

Axel grits his teeth and clenches his jaw, trying to focus on whatever question Eliza just asked him. Dancing along the inner seam of his slacks, I goad him a bit more before returning to my meal, leaving him hard and unamused.

Now we're even.

"Sorry Liza, what was your question?" He clears his throat and grabs his water, gulping it down, swallowing his frustration.

Checkmate.

"What embarrassing Olivia Graham story do you want to hear first?" she repeats.

"Could we not tell a story? Is that an option?" I chime in, making a last-ditch effort to avoid the impending humiliation.

"Now, baby. Where's the fun in that?" Axel smiles, rubbing my knee with his thumb, reassuringly.

"One story." I scowl at my best friend. "And nothing about any of the guys from my past."

Mickey dramatically sighs, crossing his arms. "Boring!"

"Boring?!" Eliza laughs. "Then you clearly don't know Liv well enough yet. She's the queen of awkward situations and I have millions of stories I could tell." Her playful dimples disappear and a sinister grin forms. "But I'm thinking I should share the first time Liv got drunk..."

"Oh, fuck you!" I jokingly throw my cloth napkin on the table next to my plate. "Can we not? I'm still kept up at night over that one."

"Hey! You said one story and no exes. You can't be selective now," Mickey interjects, reminding me of my own stipulations, ready to laugh at my expense.

Asshole.

"Fine. Proceed." I roll my eyes, and throw back the rest of my wine as Axel grabs the bottle, preparing to refill my glass.

Deep down I'm thanking the gods she chose that moment to share. In all honesty, it's super fucking embarrassing, but it's recoverable.

"Thanks for being a team player." Axel puts his arm around me, drawing comforting circles on my shoulder.

"Well, it was freshman year of college and eighteen-year-old Liv had never touched a drop of alcohol up until that night. It was rush week and we decided to attend some of the sorority welcome events on Greek Row."

"Wait, you were sorority girls?" Mickey cuts in, curiously raising a brow.

"Alpha Sigma Tau," Liza and I respond in unison.

"Fucking sexy. I had some fun in a penthouse with a couple of sorority sisters." Mickey mischievously smiles, reminiscing.

"You're disgusting." I roll my eyes at his idiotic overshare.

"Well, you have no idea what this sorority girl is capable of, sweetheart." Eliza flirts, placing her hand on Mickey's leg—I hope it's his leg—and his cheeks turn to a rosy shade of red.