“Ay, don’t worry about them. Troop’s been waiting on you. Come on,” Carlos said, moving ahead of me.
As soon as we stepped onto the balcony, Troop extended a hand to me which I accepted and he immediately pulled me into his personal space, hugging me against his body with one arm because he was also holding a drink.
“You look sexy as fuck, Sophie,” he said, causing his lips to brush against my skin as his face nuzzled my neck.
After he released me, I smiled as his cologne lingered. Trooper pulled me into his side, sliding his arm behind me and gripping my waist to keep me near.
“Who’s this, Trooper?” one of the women asked with a displeased look on her face.
I glanced at him and he placed his glass to his lips, turning it up slightly before he answered.
“My bad, Sophie, this is Ray and Nadia.” He nodded to each woman respectively.
Ray, the one who asked who I was, frowned a bit but Nadia extended her hand and smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Sophie. I love your dress. Is that Marc Jacobs?”
I returned her smile before I responded. “Yes, and thank you.”
“I know his stuff anywhere. I’m a little obsessed, but you’re wearing that,” she announced as her eyes moved across my body.
“It’s cute or whatever,” Ray added, which caused Nadia to cut her eyes toward her.
“Come on. Let’s give them a minute,” Nadia announced, tugging Ray’s arm, even though she didn’t seem pleased about the idea of leaving me alone with Trooper.
“Trooper, we’ll be back,” Ray said.
He simply nodded without even looking her way.
“Why you always starting shit, Ray?” I heard Nadia whisper as the two of them left the balcony and entered his apartment.
“I’m glad you’re here and you look amazing.” Trooper’s hooded eyes focused on me. I assumed he was either drunk or high, based on his relaxed demeanor. It was more obvious than the other times I had been around him.
“Thank you for inviting me.” He made me nervous and I felt out of place around him. My stomach fluttered as his hand gripped my waist tighter.
Trooper finished the last of his drink before he let me go and stepped away to place the glass on a small glass table in the corner. The second his hands were free, they were on me again. This time, he moved my entire body so I was against his chest and standing between his legs as he leaned against the railing that circled his balcony. I held my breath when he leaned in and kissed my neck a few times, then looked up at me.
“I need to get you a drink so you can relax a little. You’re nervous as fuck.” He chuckled then held his hand up before he nodded at someone behind us.
Moments later, I heard a voice behind me, so I looked over my shoulder.
“Yes, sir, how can I help you, Mr. Carter?” a young man dressed in a white shirt and black pants asked with his eyes on Trooper.
“Let me get a Samuel Adams and she’ll take a…” He looked at me and waited.
“Lemon drop.”
“Yes, ma’am. Be right back.” The guy disappeared and Trooper was focused on me again, while his hands moved up my back.
“So what you been up to, Sophie?” Trooper asked with that sexy grin of his.
I wanted to tell him he would know if he hadn’t disappeared on me all week. But I kept that to myself.
“Just business.” I tried my best not to sound annoyed, but apparently, he could tell based on his response.
“I haven’t been ignoring you, Sophie. My man Los needed me to handle somthing out of town with him. I left the day after I was with you and just got back last night.”
“I didn’t say you were ignoring me.”
