Page 10

CHAPTER 10

ASHTON, AGE 19

"Ashton Mother Fucking James the THIRD."

I snort, even though I despise being called by my whole name. If I could change it entirely, I would. There's not even a version of my name that I can make my own, like my grandfather and father both have. I could reuse AJ, but it doesn't really fit. My middle name is a no-go, considering Wellington is even douchier than being a third in one of the most recognizable names in the country. But no matter how much I try to push being called Ash , no one listens. It's one way I know none of these fuckers are my real friends. Because all of them refer to me by my full name, Ashton James, rather than just using my first or even my last name, like a lot of the athletes do with each other.

"That's me," I say flatly, taking another deep swig of booze.

"Bruh, are you drinking straight from the bottle?" Sebastian snatches the bottle of Macallan out of my hand, then replaces it with a crystal tumbler. "Ice?" When I shake my head no, confused about why the fuck it matters if I use a glass or not. There are no objections to me polishing off this entire bottle, as long as I show some decorum while I give myself alcohol poisoning.

Such is the way with Alpha Omega Psi. Cultivating a legacy of excellence and influence among the world's future leaders through the preservation and advancement of generational wealth, fostering lifelong bonds grounded in privilege, entitlement, and corruption.

Burp. I hate everyone.

"Ashton James, have you met Binky Vanderwind?"

"Binky?" I'm slurring and probably being rude, but I don't have it in me to care. The room is spinning, and it's too hot for this tie. Why do we have to wear suits after every game? Actually, strike that. Why the fuck is everyone else at this party dressed up? Can't we just have a normal fucking frat party with beer pong and strip poker? I'm awesome at strip poker.

"Excuse me?"

Did I say that out loud?

"Don't pay him too much mind. He's celebrating the team's big win tonight."

Another game won from the bench. Go team!

"I'm not sure I know how to play, but you can show me some time," the girl says, with a giggle that doesn't sound as innocent as she's trying to play off. Or maybe she's not. I don't know. She's cute, I guess. Petite and somehow fashionably thin and curvy at the same time. Her dark brunette hair has subtle highlights, bangs framing her perfectly symmetrical face. Her nose turns up slightly at the end, and her plush, glossed lips are stretched around perfectly straight, white teeth. My dad would love her.

"I need to get out of here."

"Oh, um, let me help you." Sebastian and Binky each grab an arm and haul me up off the bottom step of the stairs. I was originally making my way up, intending to swipe the bottle and disappear to my room, but I tripped and landed on my ass. Sebastian found me before I could escape.

I stand, and the room sways. Sebastian excuses himself for a second, and I lean on the wall with Binky tucked against my side.

What kind of name is Binky?

“I said Bianca.”

What?

Ugh, I’m fucked up. Why is Sebastian leaving me alone with some girl? Last week, some girl named… Fuck, I can’t remember… Something cutesy that couldn’t be taken seriously. Then again, I suppose not everyone is meant to be taken seriously. She actually told me she's only at college to meet an appropriate husband, whatever that means. That's why she was at the Alpha Omega Psi house mixer, and it was why she'd asked for an introduction. Then, as if I wasn't horrified enough by the entire interaction, she informed me that we are, in fact, second cousins on my mother's side. Which did not deter her, by the way. I am, after all, the cream of the crop when it comes to prospective husbands. Her words, not mine.

She then proceeded to help me get more fucked up than I ever have in my life, and later that night we were caught in a bathroom with our pants down. And by that, I mean I was naked, slumped back on the toilet half-conscious while she straddled me and tried to put my flaccid cock inside her. The hangover after trying to drink away that entire interaction was a doozie.

This one probably will be, too.

"Wow. You're taller than I thought. I'm not sure I'll be much help."

My head flops forward, and I look down. Yeah, the ground is pretty far down there. And so is she. This girl can't be over five feet tall, even in her scary tall heels.

"How do you walk in those things?" I'm reeling just looking at them.

"Practice," she says, smiling at me like I'm a giant kid. "I've been doing pageants since I was four."

Binky laughs, a sweet, tinkling sound that sounds a lot more genuine than her attempt at seduction earlier. "What's that face for?"

"Aren't pageants, like," —hiccup —"super creepy?"

"You're funny."

"I'm totally being serious."

"You're really fucked up."

"That is an astute observation," I say, letting out a half-hiccup-half-belch. "I underestimated your intelligence, and I'm sorry for that." I boop her nose for good measure. She's so teeny.

Binky scoffs and rights me against the wall when I nearly tip over again. "Don't worry, big guy. I'm used to it." After a few minutes, she looks around. "Where did Sebastian go?"

I shrug. "Probably to make sure no one is drinking out of a can."

"Is he a big environmentalist?"

"Nah, I think he's worried his net worth might be negatively impacted if he's seen in close proximity to a red plastic cup."

She laughs again, and it sounds like bells.

Bells. Bell. Vell.

"What was that?"

"Huh?"

"You said something about bells."

"Oh. Yeah. It rhymes with Vell."

I'm not trying to impress this girl, but I'm also not trying to embarrass myself. I don't trust my drunk brain not to talk about Marcus. Clearly, I'm not drunk enough to keep him from slipping into my thoughts. I drain my glass in several large swallows, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand and tossing the glass across the hall. It lands with a loud, surprisingly heavy thud, but doesn't break. Good thing I didn't throw it at the wall. It might have gone through the drywall. I eyeball the bottle of Macallan sitting on a table against the wall, just out of my reach. A wave of dizziness makes me stumble.

"Don't you think you've had enough?"

"Nope. I still remember."