David took my chin between his thumb and forefinger and lifted my face, inspecting my cheek. “You covered the bruise, but I can still see it.”
“What bruise?” Gretchen asked from behind me.
I nearly jumped back as David removed his hand. He glanced from Gretchen back to me. “You haven’t told her about last night?”
“Told me what?” Gretchen fixed her gaze on me. “What happened last . . .” She gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth.
Brian approached, brows furrowed. “What’s wrong?”
Gretchen’s eyes widened as she stared at me. “Oh my God,” she said, the words muffled by her hand. “It’sDavid?He’sthe one you—”
I grabbed her arm and yanked her away, wine sloshing around the glass in my other hand. “Give us a minute,” I called over my shoulder, pushing Gretchen through the crowd until we were in a quiet corner.
Her face, frozen with shock, quickly thawed. “Oh, Olivia. No, no, no. If David Dylan is the one you’ve fallen for, get up off the ground and run. He’s a total womanizer.”
I’d accused him of that many times, and it was true. He was a player. But I’d called him that to push him away, not because I couldn’t recognize that to him, I was different. Whathe and I hadwas different. I bristled. “You don’t even know him.”
“I don’t have to. I know enough guys just like him, Liv. Someone like that can be . . . dangerous. He knows how to make you feel special. Believe me. He’s handsome, charming, and sexy. There’s no way he’s not single for a reason.”
“Sounds familiar,” I accused.
“Well,” she said, seemingly unfazed, “I learned from experience. From guys like him.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “I’m not going to act on it.”
“You meanagain?” she said, pursing her lips. “What was he talking about—a bruise? Last night? Did you sleep with him?”
“No. I told you we didn’t.”
“And?”
“And what?” I asked. “I don’t want to get into what happened now—”
“Fine. I’m tired of pulling information out of you.” She sighed heavily, backing away. “I thought we made progress earlier, but apparently not. Come find me when you’re ready to talk for real. Shit’s going to come out one way or another.”
I didn’t want to think of Davena just then. Or at all. But with Gretchen’s warnings, Davena’s also echoed through the black hole her absence had left.
“You can’t hide from your desires. You can suppress them, ignore them, maybe even kill them off. But they’ll stay buried and rotting inside you.”
24
There was nothing in the world like the feeling of bass pumping against my brain, reverberating throughout my entire body. The fast and steady beat pulsed in me, entangling with the chardonnay I’d just pounded, manipulating my limbs and looping my hips. Flashes of red, green, and blue pierced the darkness of the dancefloor. A white spotlight flickered over glowing, sweat-dampened skin.
A man took my hips from behind. For the briefest second I wished it was David, but for all the restraint we’d shown, he’d never grab me out of nowhere. I pushed the hands off and made my way to the bar to order more wine.
As I waited for the bartender, a heavy arm landed across my shoulders. “Hey, babe,” a young, stocky blond said, swaying with me. “What’s your name?”
“Who are you?” I asked, trying to slip away, but his grip tightened. I’d vetted every name on the guest list, and those I hadn’t met face to face were at least of drinking age, while this guy looked barely eighteen. “Who are you here with?”
“I work in the restaurant downstairs and just got off,” he said, his words slurring together as he put his mouth to my ear. “My friend and I snuck in.”
“Dude, shut up,” said another guy in a black button down. “You’ll get us in trouble.”
They burst into laughter. “What’s your name?” the blond repeated. “You’re hot.”
“You guys aren’t supposed to be here,” I said. “I have to throw you out.”
“Aw, come on. Lighten up,” he pleaded. “Let’s get a drink. I’ll buy.”
