Page 136 of Wicked Lord

“You’re all brute force while I take a stealthier approach.” He gave a sinister smile. “I’d poison or drug you before you had a chance to raise your fist at me.”

Sometimes, I wondered if Gage was crazier than Killian.

“You’re twisted, Van Horn.” I spun on the stool and rested my back against the bar to study the partying coeds. “I bet Slate wouldn’t hinder my desire to get completely obliterated.”

If I didn’t shut out these thoughts of Lorelei, I’d do something stupid, like hunt her down and force the truth out of her. Her feelings for me couldn’t have all been a lie. We had something special, and I wasn’t the only one who’d felt it.

“If you want to join Slate in his idiocy, be my guest.” Gage flicked his hand to the left of the massive room where our friend had a girl stretched out on one of the pool tables, using his mouth to grab a shot glass from between her cleavage. “Vaughnwon’t be happy if he finds his latest conquest half naked and writhing under Slate.”

Tate, one of Lorelei’s sorority sisters, giggled as he licked her stomach. The urge to march over there and demand she tell me where Lorelei was burned through my veins.

That would be a bad idea, though. I’d look desperate, and Lorelei made it clear she wanted nothing to do with me.

A familiar laugh cut through the music, and my attention swiveled to the center of the room where Cordelia danced with a bunch of other scantily clad girls. I smiled and stood, wavering on my feet before using the bar to catch my balance.

She was the perfect distraction.

“Her again?” Gage snarled as he noticed where my eyeline had landed. “I thought you were done with Cordi.”

“Never say never.” I made a beeline toward my ex and brushed my body against hers as she continued to dance. “Hi, gorgeous.”

Cordi spun around, a brilliant smile crossing her face. And then, as if realization hit her, the cheerful light slowly faded from her eyes. “What are you doing, Axel?”

“Dancing.” My hands curved over her hips. “Let’s have some fun.”

She grabbed one of my arms and hauled me back to the bar where a scowling Gage still sat. “What happened with you and Lorelei?”

I clenched my jaw and tried to keep from lashing out. Why was everyone so damn invested in my relationship? “Things didn’t work out. End of story.”

Cordelia folded her arms against her chest. “You guys were so happy together. That doesn’t evaporate overnight.”

When I tried to snatch the tequila shot by Gage, he smacked my hand away.

“Go sober up, Vanderhart, before you do something stupid.” He motioned the unlit cigarette clutched between his fingers toward Cordelia and then stuck it behind his ear.

She flipped him off. “I have a little more self-respect than to hook up with Axel when he’s clearly still in love with Lorelei.” She grabbed a silver and black purse from the bar. “I have exactly what you need, Ax.”

As she dug inside the tiny thing, Gage’s large hand snapped out and clutched her wrist.

“If you even think about giving drugs to Axel right now, I’ll throw you over my shoulder and toss your ass out in the yard.”

Her irises suddenly burned like green fire as she jerked out of his grasp. “Touch me again, and I’ll rip that piercing out of your lip.” She pulled out a mini chocolate bar. “Here, Ax.”

A lump rose in my throat as I took the candy, thinking of the many times Lorelei brought me gourmet chocolate. She’d been struggling with money and had probably sacrificed a dozen lattes from the coffee shop to buy the sweets for me.

Where had it all gone wrong?

Brock had to be behind Lorelei’s sudden change of heart. Did he threaten her family to force her compliance?

“Thanks, Cordi.” I toyed with the wrapper.

Gage cursed as a furious Vaughn stormed toward Slate just as he took another body shot off Tate. “I knew that idiot would get in trouble for this.”

He shoved purple locks out of his face and marched toward the impending drama.

Cordi snorted. “Slate is a walking ball of trouble.”

I gave a humorless laugh. “He just can’t help himself.”