Touch Me Not (Manwhore Series #1)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Nikoli tossed his empty beer can in the direction of the table and let his gaze wander over the crowd. His frat house was packed with drunken hot chicks, and he was finding it difficult to even look at one. He kept thinking about Lily. Her eyes haunted him. He hadn't been back to the penthouse since their night there. God knew he'd tried, but the thought of going there without her was too much. Maybe it was time to put it up for sale. He was graduating this semester and leaving Boston. He and Luther were setting up their corporate offices in New York. They'd decided on that two years ago, but now Nikoli was rethinking the location. Lily was moving to New York after graduation.

Fuck. She shouldn't be able to do this to him. He was seriously reconsidering relocating to a different city. She was just a chick. He tried to tell himself that every day, but he knew better. Lily Bells was special. She was kind, beautiful, full of love and joy, and she made him feel. Feel so much more than anyone ever had. She made him feel in a way that touched him to his core. It scared him. Enough that he let her walk away from him. Even after she told him she didn't want Boy Wonder, that all she wanted was him. He'd broken her heart. Her eyes...fuck, he could still see the pain in her eyes. It cut him to his core, and he hated that she could do that to him.

Hated that he loved her.

At least he'd stopped drinking himself into oblivion every day.

He needed to get laid. One good hard fuck and he'd forget her. She was just a chick, after all. Same as the rest of them. Same as the other girl he'd thought he loved. She'd been easily forgotten, and so would Lily. His inner demons laughed at him, but he ignored them. Tonight, he'd find a girl, take her to one of the rooms, and forget Lily Holmes existed.

His eyes scanned the room and zeroed in on the blonde getting a beer. Nikoli appreciated the way her dress clung to her curves and the way her hips rolled suggestively when she moved. Here was a girl meant to be fucked. With a grin, he stood and swaggered over to her, his only intent to take her upstairs into one of the rooms and get her naked.

***

Lily sighed. She'd finally relented to Janet's constant demands that she come to a party. It was at Nikoli and Luther's frat house, but she was pretty sure Nikoli wouldn't be there. He hated these things. He'd rather be in a bar. At least she hoped he wouldn't be there. She wasn't sure she was ready to see him yet. It had been almost a month since he told her he didn't love her. Every time she thought about him, her heart shattered all over again. No one except Adam knew how badly broken she was. She'd learned over the years to hide her pain well. They all thought she was fine about breaking up with Nikoli.

Breaking up. She laughed a little bitterly at the words. They had never been together, not really. It was all just a stupid bargain. A bargain Nikoli had come out of smelling like roses. Lily came out the other end a broken mess—no Adam, no Nikoli, and she didn't even get the damn car. All she ended up with was a broken heart and the need to cry every five minutes. Which was why she gave in about the party. She needed to stop moping around and wallowing in her own pain. The only way to get past it was to go out and make herself do normal things. Like this party, even if it was Nikoli's frat house.

Mike saw her first and rushed over to give her a hug. He grinned from ear to ear when she returned it. "Hey, Lils, you made it."

"Not like Jan gave me a choice," she said ruefully. "I don't think she was going to budge from my room until I came."

"Well, you know my girl," Mike said, a smile breaking free. "She's bossy and always gets her way."

"Hey!" Jan playfully punched him in the arm then snuggled up to him.

"There's my girl." Adam waited a moment to let her know what was coming then wrapped an arm around her and hugged her tight. It was one of the things watching her and Nikoli together had taught him. Don't surprise her, and he stood a better chance of not causing her to panic.