Fuck, what's the matter with me?
The smile on Evan's face widened as he realized how he was getting to her, and he stepped forward, even closer into her space. Energy crackled between the two of them, and Camelia couldn't look away as his face became the only thing that she could see. Her instincts blared with alarm and anticipation as she felt James closing in behind her, boxing her in.
Evan leaned a little closer, and his scent filled Camelia's nose as she glared at him. "Then what would you prefer I call you, baby?" he murmured.
Fuck. Camelia swallowed, then forced herself to lift her drink to take another draw, her hand shaking slightly. Evan's gaze dipped to her mouth, the blue darkening as a drop escaped her mouth and rolled down her chin. Camelia saw his hand twitch as if he wanted to reach out to touch her.
"Ev..." James' voice was low with warning, but he pressed closer, his clothing brushing up against Camelia's back. The brief contact was like an electric shock, and Camelia couldn't stop the tiny whimper that escaped her.
"I would..." she said, her voice embarrassingly low and throaty. She sounded...needy, as if she were about to beg one of them to fuck her. Or both of them.
The door to the kitchen slammed open as two giggling girls - not Gammas - entered, swiping new sodas before turning to exit again. They didn't give Camelia or the two men a passing glance, but the interruption was like ice water on all three of them. Camelia let out a shaky sigh, and the warmth at her back disappeared as James stepped away.
Evan didn't move, though, looking down at her with the same intensity as before. It was different, now, though. Almost accusatory as he looked down at her, as if their reactions to her, the way thattheywere behaving were all her fault.
Camelia smiled sweetly up at him, setting down her beer and placing her index finger in the middle of his chest, pushing him back. The tiny contact zinged up her arm with an intensity that shocked her, but she forced herself to ignore it as she said, "I would prefer you not call me at all, asshole."
She turned and forced herself to walk smoothly out of the kitchen, sweeping the party and finding Aria easily. She was talking to a couple of Betas, guys that looked like they were hanging on her every word, and she approached, tapping Aria on the shoulder to get her attention. "I'm heading out, okay?"
Aria's eyes widened. "But we've only just got here! I'm sorry for leaving you, I wasn't thinking..."
Camelia shook her head, ignoring the annoyed looks that the two boys were sending her way as she offered her friend a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it. I'm not really one for the party scene."
Aria nodded, reaching into her pocket and fishing out her keys. "You can take my car back. I'll get a ride with one of the girls, if you're good to drive?"
Camelia took the keys with a flicker of gratitude, nodding. "I only had one beer. I'm fine. Thanks."
Not waiting for an Uber meant that she could hightail it out of the party right then rather than waiting for a ride, and as she walked out the front door, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Evan and James standing near the doorway to the kitchen, both of their gazes fixed firmly on her as she, for lack of a better term, fled.
She ignored the burning sensation their attention left as she exited the house, and rubbed the back of her neck to dispel the tingles as she found Aria's car and climbed in.
No more parties for her. That was far...far too close.
Chapter eight
James
The moment the front door of the sorority house shut behind Camelia, James slumped a little against the wall, letting out a shaky breath. Evan was still tense beside him, energy radiating off him like a gas, and James reached out and grabbed his wrist, heedless of who was watching. He needed the contact, and the Gamma part was in full swing around them. Nobody was paying attention.
"James." Evan let out a shaky breath, running his hand through his hair and glancing his way. The irritation, the confusion andlustin his blue eyes reflected the complex feelings swirling inside of James, and he nodded once, grinding his teeth together.
"I know."
"Fuck." Evan glanced around and shook his head, putting his hand up to stop the advances of a younger girl – a Gamma pledge, if James had to guess – and growled, "Let's go. I need to get out of here."
James nodded again, and the two of them quickly made their way out of the house. A cursory glance told James that Camelia had already left, probably using her friend's keys that James had watched her snag, and Evan clicked his key fob, flashing the lights of his Alfa Romeo and letting them both in.
The energy in the car crackled between the two of them, the encounter with Camelia having left both of them tense. James clenched his hand into a fist and relaxed it over and over again as he stared out the window, his erection throbbing between his legs even as he determinedly ignored it.
"What the fuck is up with her?" Evan finally growled. His grip on the steering wheel was tight, and James shook his head, the confusion and anger that his friend was feeling all too familiar.
"I don't know." James hated to admit defeat, to admit a lack of knowledge. Knowledge was power; knowledge kept you safe. Kept you from getting killed.
This girl was an unknown quantity, and every new interaction with her only left James more confused, more spun up inside his own head.
He reached out and lay his hand on top of Evan's tense thigh as they pulled in front of the dark condo they shared, forcing himself to breathe calmly as Evan looked at him with near-murder in his eyes. "Go to the gym, Ev. Pound out some of that aggression."
A flicker of humor crossed Evan's eyes at the phrase, but he didn't take the bait. He ran his hand through his hair, then gave a short, sharp nod. "You coming with?"
