Chapter 6

• Xavier
• “Your parents suck,”
• Tripp remarked, reclining in the oversized bean bag chair on the floor of Tripp’s bedroom. He swirled the liquid in his cup absentmindedly.
• “They do,” he replied, taking a sip of his screwdriver, feeling the burn of alcohol trailing down his throat. “Especially my dad. Screw him. He can afford to pay for my brat sibling’s private preschool and nannies, but he won’t pay for my own room in my senior year.” He snorted in frustration. “And fuck my mom too. And Ken. And Emma.”
• “I can’t believe you’re stuck sharing an apartment with that nerd,” Tripp commented, lifting the half-empty bottle of blueberry vodka to his lips for another swig.
• “You’ll regret that in the morning.”
• “Probably,” Tripp grinned. “You wanna crash here tonight?”
• “Yeah.”
• Xavier may have been reckless and prone to drinking too much, but he wasn’t foolish. He refused to drink and drive, and since he had taken the van, it was either spend the night or stop drinking now to ensure he’d be sober enough to go home when Tripp was sleeping off his intoxication.
• Screw that.
• He was in a mood, and he wanted to keep drinking.
• Finishing the last of his screwdriver, he grimaced at the strong vodka taste that lingered at the bottom of the cup.
• “Hey, Xavier."
• Xavier looked up to see Genesis standing at the door, dressed in a short miniskirt and a top that resembled a bandanna more than a shirt.
• “Hey, Gen.”
• They had hooked up a few times the previous year, but she had a tendency to cling, and he wasn’t in the mood to deal with that tonight.
• “Miss me?” She walked into the room and settled herself on his lap.
• She was petite, and the sudden weight caught him off guard, momentarily leaving him breathless.
• She blinked at him with a pretty gaze as he took a few deep breaths to recover.
• “Sure did, doll face,” Xavier said, shaking his cup. “Be a sweetheart and get me a refill?”
• “Only if you give me a kiss as a thank-you,” she pouted, emphasizing her full lips.
• “You got it, babe.”
• She took the glass and hopped up, nearly stumbling on her high heels.
• “You can use Brett’s room. He won’t be here until tomorrow,” Tripp suggested, gesturing towards the door. “Just don’t mention to him that you fooled around on his bed.”
• “Not happening,” Xavier replied.
• “She’s hot,” Tripp commented.
• “She is. But she thinks that sleeping together means we’re suddenly an exclusive couple,” Xavier sighed.
• “Too bad. The cute ones are always crazy,” Tripp remarked.
• “Yeah,” Xavier agreed, a hint of resignation in his voice.
• Xavier didn’t necessarily agree with Tripp’s comment about cute girls being crazy. He believed that Genesis was simply looking for a boyfriend and needed to understand that not every guy she slept with would be her prince charming. Especially not him.
• “Here you go,” Gen said, appearing in the doorway with a wide smile as she stumbled into the room on her towering heels.
• “Thanks, doll,” Xavier replied, taking the cup and placing it beside him on the floor.
• She promptly settled back onto his lap.
• “Where’s my kiss?” she asked, pouting cutely.
• “Right here,” Xavier replied, brushing his lips against her cheek, purposely avoiding her offered mouth.
• “No fair. I wanted a real kiss,” she protested, her pout turning more petulant than cute.
• He winked at her. “I like to keep things interesting.”
• Gen giggled as if he had made the most hilarious joke ever and draped her arms over his shoulders.
• Xavier shifted back slightly, creating some distance between them.
• “Soooooooo, you wanna come back to my place?” she asked, batting her eyes as she ground against his crotch.
• “Can’t,” he responded, gently unwinding her arms from his neck and shifting her off his lap.
• Neither he nor his arousal were interested.
• “Come on,” she pouted again. “We had fun last year.”
• “We did,” Xavier acknowledged, moving her to the adjacent bean
• bag chair. “But that was last year.”
• “You like Ashleigh, don’t you?” she crossed her arms over her chest. “Ash and Ash. It’s gross.”
• “Who?”
• Xavier had no clue who Ashleigh was.
• “She’s in my sorority. Blonde, tall. She’s slept with half the guys at school.”
• He fought back a smile, knowing that description could apply to many girls in Gen’s sorority, including Gen herself.
• “Nope. Still doesn’t ring a bell.”
• “Darcy?”
• He knew Darcy. She was stunning, but she had a thing for football players and giggled at anything a guy said, even if it wasn’t remotely funny.
• “I’m not interested in anyone at the moment,” Xavier admitted. It was true. He found numerous girls, but that was his secret.
• “Then why not me?” Gen’s voice turned whiny and irritating.
• “Because you’re drunk,” Xavier replied.
• “So are you.”
• “No, I’m not,” he countered, feeling only a slight buzz from the one drink he had.
• “I don’t mind,” she said, twirling a strand of golden hair around her finger, her long nails gleaming in the light. “It’s not taking advantage if I want it.”
• “You’re not sober enough to make that decision.”
• “Ugh. You’re so annoying when you’re being all good and responsible,” she huffed and stood up. “I’ll find someone who recognizes what a catch I am.”
• With that, she flounced out of the room, and Tripp snickered.
• “I should take advantage of your good judgment,” Tripp said.
• “Could you even get it up right now?” Xavier raised an eyebrow at him.
• “Sit on it and find out,” Tripp retorted, grabbing his crotch and laughing as if he were the funniest person alive.
• “Nah, you’re not my type,” Xavier replied, blowing Tripp a kiss.
• And it was true. Xavier liked his partners lean and submissive.
• Tripp didn’t fit that description.
• A sudden image of Emma flashed in Xavier’s mind. He took a swig of his drink, attempting to push away the flicker of arousal that shot through him.
• Messing with Emma had been entertaining, especially earlier in the apartment. Cornering her against the door, making her squirm, seeing the blush on her face, and the glare in her eyes as if she were imagining strangling Xavier—it had all been a turn-on.
• Of all the people in the world, Xavier had to be attracted to the one person he despised. The person who had torn his family apart.
• Well, that wasn’t entirely true.
• Emma wasn’t to blame for the affair that had led to Xavier’s parents’ separation, but she was still an irritating nerd whose father had shattered Xavier’s family.
• Their family might not have been perfect or happy, but at least Xavier had grown up with both his parents. Now he had neither.
• He gulped down the remainder of his drink, crushing the cup in his hand as the alcohol coursed through him.
• Fuck them all. Fuck Emma. Fuck everyone.