Forbidden Love (Forbidden Trilogy) (26 page)

“It hasn’t been two hours Jordan—more like thirty minutes,” I point out.

“That went out the window when I heard you in here balling your eyes out. The girls understood. Now hush up. This is
Operation Forget Grayson
. Margarita Monday has been revised to movie night.” She starts the comedy
21 Jump Street
and I’m laughing my head off within five minutes into the movie. This is exactly what I needed.

The week passes depressingly slow. Each day that I attend class serves as a reminder of the price it costs for me to still be here. The whispers and gossip has increased as people speculate what happened to Professor Michaels. I continue to keep my head down because I don’t want to see their accusatory stares. I’ll take this as my punishment along with my loss of Grayson. I don’t have classes on Fridays, but I’m here to check out a few books from the library. I plan to bury myself in research this weekend for a paper I have due next week. I just need to keep my mind busy. As I finish checking out my books, Lana Del Rey’s voice blares from my phone. Damn it, I forgot to silence my phone. I apologize to the librarian for the disturbance as I rush out the door.

“Hey Jor,” I answer.

“Hey. Are you on the way back?”

“Yes. You need your car? Sorry it took longer than I thought to find the books I needed.” I shift the four books in my hand and quicken my pace to the car.

“No. It’s not that. I talked to the girls and we’ve decided to have a girl’s night out at Drai’s.” The last thing I feel like doing is going out. She must sense my hesitation. “Come on Shiv. Getting out will do you some good. Let your friends be there for you. Then tomorrow you can go back to being a hermit.”

I can use the distraction. Although, I don’t know how successful that will be since I have memories with Grayson there. Who am I kidding, I have memories with him everywhere so I think the actual distraction will come from the bottom of a bottle. They have plenty of those at Drai’s.

“Fine. I’ll go under one condition.”

“Name it,” Jordan replies.

“I don’t want this to be a pity party. I don’t want the girls to ask me about Grayson or how I’m feeling. I just want this to be like a regular girls’ night out.”

“Done,” she promises. “Now, hurry and get here so we can see what we’re going to wear. I’ll tell the girls to meet us here.”

I’m standing in Jordan’s room looking in her full-length mirror. I barely recognize the sexpot reflecting back at me. This bandage dress accentuates every curve and borders on obscene. The keyhole gives an ample peek at my cleavage while the length barely covers my ass. The smokiness of my make up make my gray eyes pop and my red hair falls in endless waves of wildness. I have to admit that I look sexy. I’m not even going to fight Jordan tonight on my appearance. Tonight, I’ll allow myself to be someone else other than the depressed person that I’ve been.

“Damn Shiv. You looking fucking hot. The men are going to go ape shit over you,” Angie whistles. Meghan nods in agreement.

“Thank you,” Jordan answers on my behalf and Bailey laughs.

We arrive at the club around eleven. We choose to sit in the VIP area on the second floor rather than the cabana area we normally hang out at. As soon as we’re seated, Bailey and Jordan order the RMC bottle service that includes Veuve Yellow Label Jeroboam, Belvedere, and Don Julio 1942. We’re told that this package comes with a custom light show presentation. I clap my hands in excitement with the girls, but really I’m ready for the tequila. Two hours later and I’m three sheets to the wind. The bass is thumping and the strobe lights flicker. The lights pass over the entrance to the VIP area and I swear my eyes are playing tricks on me until I hear Bailey swear under her breath.

“Shit,” she says and the girls follow her eyes. Grayson is here and he is not alone. I instantly recognize the statuesque blonde as Meredith—the woman he brought here for Bailey’s birthday. Wow, he didn’t waste any time. My heart has just been ripped from my fucking chest. The numbness from the Don Julio has evaporated.

“It’s time to go,” Jordan says grabbing for her clutch. The pity I didn’t want to see is etched in each of their faces.

“Hell no. Fuck him,” I hiss. And because I’m a glutton for punishment, I watch as he assists her to take a seat on the sofa a few feet from us. Well at least this time she is not in his lap.

He whispers something in her ear and she fucking giggles. He orders a bottle service for them and she snuggles under him. I feel like I’m going to be sick.

“Jordan is right Shiv. You don’t need to sit here and witness my brother here with someone else,” Bailey pleads.

“Why not? We aren’t together so he’s free to do whatever the fuck he wants. And so can I.” That gives me an idea. Turnabout is fair play. I immediately start looking around our area until my eyes land on my target down below. I walk right past Grayson and his eyes enlarge when he sees me, but I keep going.

“Wait up,” Jordan calls. “Where are you going?”

“I see the guys we met earlier when we first came in. I think I’m ready for that dance now.” Mitch, Ayden, and I forget the name of the last guy we hung out the first hour we were here. They moved on when they figured out that we weren’t interesting in finding hook ups. Ayden was pretty hot. His muscled physique could almost give Grayson a run for his money. Key word being almost, but he’ll be perfect for tonight. Grayson want to fuck me out of his system? Well that can work for me too. It wouldn’t be the first time I allowed myself to be under one man to get over another.

“Shiv. I know what you’re doing and he will know it too. You don’t have to stoop to his level,” Jordan says.

“I’m not going to let him ruin my night. Now please go back upstairs. I’ll be up there in a bit.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” she says before walking away. I saunter up to Ayden and he winks at me.

“Hey gorgeous,” he greets. He pulls me into his embrace and I let him. “Can I get you something to drink?” This is just too easy.

“Hmmm, sure,” I purr. I extricate my inner sex kitten. “What about your friends?”

“They’ll be fine.” He walks with me to the bar with his hand just above my ass. He gets the bartender’s attention.

“What will it be? Siobhan right?” he asks. His dimples are mesmerizing.

“Yes. And I’ll have three shots of Don Julio.”

“You’re not fucking around,” he laughs. “You heard the lady,” he tells the bartender.

“Nope,” I say simply. I need to restore that don’t-give-a-shit-about-nothing feeling I had earlier. He orders Glendfiddich 21, neat. He watches in fascination as I knock back all three shots. I excuse myself to go to the ladies room and I’m afraid that he will be gone when I finally get back. The damn line was ridiculous. I’ve probably been gone for at least twenty minutes. Much to my surprise, he is leaning against the bar sipping on his whiskey when I get back.

“I thought you might have fallen in,” he teases. “Come on, let’s dance.” I feel a little wobbly on my feet now that Don has joined the party, but I let him lead the way.

Calvin Harris’s “Blame”
blares from the club’s speakers and I can feel the alcohol begin to relax me again. I look up to where I know Grayson is seated and I see him actually standing and looking over the rail at me.
What the fuck?
I’ll give you something to watch, you hurtful bastard. I pull Ayden into me and begin to grind on him. This guy needs no invitation; he grabs my ass and grinds into me harder. The beat picks up and I’m lost in the music. Ayden’s hands are everywhere and I don’t care. He begins to suck on my neck and I angle my head to give him better access.

“Damn, you smell so good baby. And this ass is incredible,” he says as he give it a squeeze. I can feel my dress inching up, but I can’t find it within me to stop him. Before my ass is exposed though, I’m being ripped from his arms. My body slams into pure hardness. When I look up, I’m looking into the coldness of Grayson’s eyes. He looks beyond pissed. He has no right. I’m no longer his.

“Let go of me Grayson,” I spit, jerking away from him. “I’m going to take Ayden home and fuck you out of my system like you’re doing with the twit upstairs.” I already forgot her name.

“You heard the lady. Let her go,” Ayden says while walking up to Grayson.

“You might want to back the fuck up. Whatever you thought, it’s not happening. Can’t you see she’s drunk or do you not fucking care?” Grayson growls.

“Stop it Grayson. You threw me away and this sexy ass man has no problem picking up your leftovers.”

“It’s not happening babe. I know you’re hurting, but I’m not letting you go through with something you’ll regret tomorrow when you’re sober.” He tightens his grip on me and it pisses me off.

“Fuck you. Go find your date. You have no say over what I do or in this case who I fuck. We’re over remember?” I squirm, but he doesn’t let me free. “Get the fuck out of here or you will regret it. And that by that, I mean, leave the club,” he snarls at Ayden.

“Who do the fuck you think you are asswipe?” Ayden challenges. His other two friends see the altercation and surround Grayson.
Holy Shit.
This is not good. Out of nowhere, four muscled guys in suits surround Ayden’s friends. Jordan and the girls are here too as well as his date.

“You really want to do this?” he asks Ayden. “My bodyguards are ready and willing to take care of your friends while I smash your fucking face in myself.” Grayson cracks his knuckles and Ayden swallows the lump in his throat.

“Fuck you man. I don’t have time for this shit. Come on guys, let’s go.” Ayden turns and leaves without giving me a second glance. I can’t believe Grayson just cock blocked me. And where in the hell did he get bodyguards?

He looks at Jordan. “Take her home now please.”

“Fuck you. I’m right here,” I spit. I watch as his date grab his hand. The gesture stings and I can’t keep the tears from falling.

“Meredith, head on back up and I’ll be there in a second,” he says. She kisses him on the cheek and walks away. She is so beautiful. “Who is driving you all home tonight?” he asks Bailey.

“We came here in my Range Rover,” she confesses. He shakes his head and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Take my driver. Stanley can come back for me and Meredith.”

“Fine,” she agrees. I’ll be damned if I have any part of that limo.

“After you sabotage my hook up you expect me to use your limo to go home knowing that you probably fucked Meredith in that same limo on the way here?”
Unbelievable.
“Fuck you Grayson,” I tell him for what seems like the millionth time tonight. It looks like a flash of hurt crosses his face, but I know it can’t be. He is the one causing all of this. He broke up with me and he’s the one here with another woman. He probably already got his rocks off earlier this week with Vanessa. A leopard never changes its spots. I stomp away from the group—concentrating on not falling in these heels. I rather walk or call a cab. I don’t get two feet away from Grayson before he is picking me up and hauling me outside. “I’m not getting in your fucking limo Grayson. I don’t want to smell the sex you’ve been having,” I yell.

“Siobhan, please stop. I need you to go home baby. I need to know that you’re safe.” He takes a deep breath. “I haven’t fucked Meredith and I don’t plan on it. Please just go and I’ll call and talk with you tomorrow when you’re sober. My stomach heaves and I know in this moment that Don and Patron are coming back up. Grayson senses it too. I have nowhere to run. The limo is idling in the front of the club. I’m going to hurl in front of everyone. Grayson is quick to act. He grabs the ice bucket from inside the limo and quickly empties the ice on the pavement. He hands it to me and not a moment too soon. I barf into the bucket while he holds my hair. He picks me up and places me in the limo so everyone is not witness to my upchuck fest. He signals for the girls and they pile in the limo with me. When I have nothing left to bring up, he lays me on his lap and wipes my face with a wet towel. He uses one hand to call someone. I’m guessing it is one of his bodyguards because he tells him to see Meredith home. He gives Stanley instructions to pull off. He drops the girls home first before bringing Jordan and I home.