“What the hell just happened?” Steve stared at him. “He just beat the shit out of you and you’re complimenting his arm strength?”
“I mean…” Ody touched his jaw again. “He hits hard.” He winced immediately afterward, covering his mouth with the back of his hand as he checked for blood. “Shit…”
“Can you stand?” Antony asked, offering him a hand.
Ody grabbed it and pulled himself up.
“Why did he hit you?” Anna asked, her voice trembling.
“I’m fine,” he said, trying to reassure her.
Mano had already disappeared. God only knew where he had gone.
“He’s not picking up... Damn it, where is he?” Ranya said, staring down at her phone.
“He probably went somewhere to cool off,” Christina said. “Don’t worry.”
After making sure Ody could walk, they headed back. He sat in the back seat with Anna while Christina drove.
By the time they reached the hotel, Ranya was about to lose her mind with worry. What if they had left him behind? How was he supposed to get back? What if something had happened to him?
She rushed into her room and pulled up short when she saw Mano lying on the bed. “Oh my God, you’re here!” She hurried to his side. “Are you okay? Where were you?” She sat beside him, searching his face for any reaction. He didn’t respond. “Mano…”
“Leave me alone.”
She let out a frustrated sigh and pushed herself to her feet. “Fine.” Grabbing her towel, she headed for the shower.
Meanwhile, Ody groaned as he approached his bed.
“Does it hurt that bad?” Anna huffed. “What the hell happened this time? I never liked that guy. I knew from the start he was bad news.”
“Cut it out, Anna.”
“What? You’re mad atmenow? He’s the one who hit you!”
“It was my fault. Drop it.” He climbed onto the bed.
Anna frowned. She knew him too well. There was no way it had really been his fault. Not enough to deserve a punch to the face.
The rest of the afternoon passed with everyone staying in their rooms, resting.
Later that evening, they agreed to go out for one last night of dancing, hoping it would distract them from everything that had happened before heading back to Athens.
Ody lay on his side, staring at the wall. His jaw still ached where Mano had punched him. And just like that, the memory came rushing back.
He had been splashing around in the water alone after Anna went back to shore.
He knew Mano was still swimming somewhere nearby. But he had no desire to talk to him. Not after what had been said in the hotel room. And definitely not after their fight in the car.
Mano had said it outright. To him, Ody had been nothing more than a fling. Just his weekly fix. How could he say that? Just minutes earlier, Ody had confessed that he didn’t even want Anna to touch him. That he only wanted him. That he wanted to get to know him. To actually spend time together. And yet...
“Well? Isn’t that what you do? Never get attached. Keep someone around for a week... then throw them away like they meant nothing.”
“Maybe that’s just how it is.”
Why did it hurt so much?
He swam toward the shore when suddenly water splashed beside him. Someone swam past him in freestyle strokes. When he surfaced, Ody recognized him. Black hair, slicked back and dripping. The person responsible for this pain.
