The Truth in Pain | Book Two of the In Pain Trilogy

Danger Around the Corner

This girl would not stop talking. Her voice was like a drone in Rich's ear. He could ignore it well enough, but he preferred to be without it. Even so, he spurred her on with sporadic 'mhm's and 'is that so'.

Just up ahead, Rich could see Wendy flirting with a muscular man near the stairs. To Rich, he looked like the standard, overconfident assholes Wendy had a habit picking up. He knew how the story would go. Wendy would have a nice time with him, fall in love way too fast, get her heart broken, then pretend she was just in it for the fun while she cried in secret. Rich could see the making of what was going to be another stab to her heart, but, he couldn't bother moving to stop it. Even with the girl talking beside him.

He didn't even know why he was here. Wendy had heard about a crazy party happening in the city and had insisted they come with her. At first, Rich didn't budge. He kept his butt rooted to the beanbag chair and his game controller in his hands. His eyes never left the tiny TV screen his dorm room possessed, even when Wendy moved to stand before it.

It was when Mason gave in did his defenses wear down. He knew that, with Mason over on the dark side, it would only mean the twins would gang up on him. They wouldn't rest until they got him to come and, an hour later, they pulled up in front of the building. Rich knew this was going to be a horrible night. He could feel it.

Still, he stayed positive and went up. His positivity was wearing thin.

"Look," he said to the girl. "I don't care. I haven't cared for a while. Go away."

The girl blinked in shock. It didn't take long for that shock to turn into anger and she flipped him the finger. "Screw you," she said.

"Yeah, I bet you want to," Rich murmured, watching her walk away.

Nearby, Rich saw Mason shake his head at him. He shrugged, held his cup up to toast and downed it. Mason rolled his eyes then looked in Wendy's direction. No doubt, he was thinking the same thing.

Now that his cup was empty, Rich wanted more. He crushed the plastic and tossed it aside. Instead of diving into the raging ocean of sweaty skin, he took the long way around. He squeezed himself between a flirting couple, passed Wendy - making sure to send her a pointed stare on his way by - and soon, he was at the kitchen door.

This time when he saw Jasmine, the click didn't come, but he felt a rushing excitement. She was sitting at the kitchen island, a bright smile on her face as she accepted a shot glass. Rich's eyes traveled down her body. Her hair was out, framing her face. It brushed bare shoulders, a tiny blue shirt keeping everything but her belly button covered. Her thighs were large, one crossed over the other and it threatened to swallow the white shorts she wore. Rich grabbed a nearby cup of alcohol and went to the corner of the kitchen. There he could see most of Jasmine's face, but she was too preoccupied to see him staring.

The guy she spoke to was smiling too. The feeling he got when he looked at him was nothing like the feeling Jasmine caused. It was meaner. It made him want to bare his claws but he held himself in check. Instead, he bared his mental ones. He sized the guy up from the distance. He looked too perfect. Chiseled jaw, a bright smile, pretty brown eyes and gorgeous hair. Rich couldn't compare. Rich's nose wasn't so perfect, his smile was crooked, his teeth were slightly misaligned and his brown hair was shaggy and untamable. He didn't even know if Jasmine preferred gold eyes to brown.

He downed the beer in a gulp. Alcohol took a while to affect lycans yet he was already drunk off his jealousy.

Jasmine was laughing. He watched her down another shot, then smile at the guy pouring her drinks. Rich was about to go over there - to do what, he didn't know - but he was saved by a scream. A girl, the girl Wendy pointed out was the one throwing the party, stood at the doorway. She ran over to Jasmine and embraced her. Rich smirked at the look of discomfort on Jasmine's face.