Page 115 of Between Never and Forever

I wanted to spiral out of control and do whatever the hell I wanted. Like I had before. Like I had when I was fifteen and not tied to this damn career.

For once.

For me.

For my friends.

We all jumped in, tops off, like ridiculous teenagers. Some guys in the pool whistled and threw a beach ball at us. Olive and Pink were probably the only ones to really engage with them, but they kept swimming around us like they were happy for the show.

It was a short show, though, because first Izzy’s phone rang and then Lilah’s. They were out and getting their tops back on fast.

“Let me guess.” I chuckled. “We’re in trouble.”

“Oh shit,” Evie said at the same time, and her eyes were wide enough for me to know that when I turned, I was going to see him.

I saw all of them.

Declan, Dom, Dex, Dimitri, Cade, Dante, and Bane walked from the revolving doors of the resort’s rooftop entrance, headed our way. They didn’t even bounce as they went down the steps. It was like they glided in those suits, their watches flashing, their leather loafers eating up the cement as they strode our way.

It was a moment that should have been frozen in time. They were beautiful up on that rooftop, looking like they ruled the world, all their faces much madder than they should have been.

Only one was smiling, and that was Dimitri.

“Oh, we’re fucking done.” Pink was already hopping out of the pool and beelining for a towel. She was normally the most daring out of all of us.

“Throw me a towel,” Evie yelled before she hopped out.

As she got to the edge though, Declan was there. “You get out and show what’s mine to anyone here, and I will personally have to rip all their eyes out.” He proceeded to grab her top, and then he knelt down to drape it softly around her neck.

Bane was by Pink’s side by then and murmured, “Have anything to say for yourself?”

She pursed her lips, not looking at him at all and shook her head.

Clara might have been the boldest of all when she said, “Dom, want to swim?”

He glared at her. “Cupcake, you don’t want me in that pool right now.”

She smirked and swam up to the side. “You sure?”

He hauled her up by her arm so close to him that no one caught sight of anything because he wrapped his suit jacket around her as he murmured, “You’re going to kill me, little fighter.”

Dimitri was holding out a towel for Olive, and they were whisper fighting about something I couldn’t hear.

I wasn’t ready to get out though. This was me, here in this pool, having fun with friends and doing something I absolutely wouldn’t have done for the last fifteen years.

“Ready to go, Kee?” Dex asked, but it wasn’t really a question. He wanted me to hop out like everyone else and tuck my tail between my legs.

“Hmm. Not yet. I’m having fun with everyone in here.”

Clara, Evie, and Pink all wide-eyed me.

Pink mumbled, “You’re on your own, girl.” And started to make her way back to the entrance. All my friends and their men followed.

Dex smiled at me and nodded slowly. “Well then,” he murmured. “Go ahead and have fun with your friends.”

He crossed one ankle over the other and sat back in the lounge chair as he scanned over the pool.

Every single guy in there immediately hopped out.