The Other Wesley Ch.7

XAVI

How is loving Ryan making me miserable? Even as I say that in my head, I feel myself shattering.

"Unhand me," I say, my voice trembling like a little bitch. "You might hate your brother, but he's my only family and I'm not going to sit and watch him get used again. I'm going outside."

Greyson doesn't move. His grip on my waist is iron. His voice is so calm it makes me want to cry in anger and frustration. "You're not going anywhere, drama queen. And I'll bloody your nose if I have to."

I feel something break inside me. "Who the hell do you think you are anyway?" I snap. "You think you can intimidate me with your stupid muscles? Let me go! You have no right to control me!"

"I'm not controlling you, you idiot! I'm stopping you from making a fool of yourself for the second time."

God, if he'd just release my hands so I can punch his face. It'll hurt, but it'll be worth it.

"I see why Ryan never talked about you. You're a self-centered, arrogant, rude, selfish asshole who cares about nothing but himself. You'd watch your own brother get hurt and do nothing about it!"

His eyes darken for a moment and I think he's going to hit me. "The thing is, Ryan loves getting hurt. He craves Delancy's toxicity the way a child craves milk. He's addicted. You're the only one who's seeing a problem in that. You're projecting your feelings toward him."

"You can't tell me what to feel, you brother-hating asshole!" I move to punch him, but he grabs my hands and twists them behind me.

He grins next to my face. "Yes, I'm a brother-hating asshole. But Ryan wants Delancy, and no matter what you do, he'll never want you."

The words are like a physical blow. "You're despicable."

"What can you do about it, pretty boy? You wanna put him in a cage so he stays away from Delancy? You think you're the first person who's tried to come in between their love story? Just let it go."

"I can't."

The words slip out before I can stop them. My chest is aching, my face burning, and I'm standing there like an idiot with my heart bleeding all over the floor for a man who's out there chasing someone else.

Greyson tilts his head, studying me with the eyes of a cat who's just found a mouse to play with.

"Let's make a bet," he says suddenly, catching me off guard.

I narrow my eyes. "A bet?"

"If this wedding takes place between Delancy and Robb, I'll let you be so you can chase Ryan to the ends of the Earth if you feel like it. Follow him around like a devoted puppy. I won't lift a finger to stop you."

"And if it doesn't?"

A slow, wicked grin spreads across his face.

"If the wedding goes to shit--which it will--I will violently pursue you, Xavi Bailey. There is nowhere in this world you can hide where I won't find you. I will enter your head, your mind, your body, and your soul. I will ruin you for anyone else. You won't be able to think, breathe, or sleep without seeing me... feeling me... everywhere. And when I'm done with you, you'll forget Ryan Wesley ever existed. Because the things I could do to you... the things I want to do to you..."

For some unknown reason, I feel my throat tightening. I turn away from Greyson, facing the window again, wondering why my body has gone live with shock. It's the hatred, I tell myself. The pure, undiluted hatred is making my body react this way. Not desire. Never desire.

Yet somehow I'm aware of every inch of space between us, as though we're skin to skin. I flinch as his lips brush against my ear.

"All you need is something new to obsess over," he purrs. "Let me provide that for you. Let me give you a new hobby pretty boy, and a very pleasurable one, too."

God, what the hell is going on? This is Ryan's evil brother. I can't let someone like him wreak havoc on my hormones. Is this the effect all tattooed guys have on people? I'm not liking this at all. Yet my body is betraying me. I can feel goosebumps rising on my neck and...

"Don't do that!" I find myself saying in a voice so strained I barely hear myself. "My best friend's brother is just against the rules. There's a code to this."

"A code? Are you in high school?" He chuckles. "Fuck the code. I want what I want, and you look very ripe for the taking, Xavi Bailey. I want to teach you things."

He grasps my jaw, forcing my gaze back to his. I gulp, feeling weak-kneed. No man has ever...

"I don't need your stupid lessons."

I can't breathe as he presses his hard torso against mine, forcing me to acknowledge the unmistakable bulge i'm sporting... Oh, fucking hell.

"I almost always get what I want, pretty boy. And right now, you're what I want. You better hope the wedding holds, because at the moment, I want nothing more than to tie you down and bury myself in you until you forget how to breathe."

My pulse is hammering in my throat. I've never felt this kind of... no, this is madness! I won't let any devilish force come in between my attraction for Ryan. This is nothing like the sweet ache I feel for him. This is demonic.

"Get away from me," I whisper.

"Just take the deal, pretty boy."

My brain is screaming run, but my traitorous body is leaning forward like a bitch in heat. I hate myself now more than ever because despite my love for Ryan, part of me wants to see what happens when I let go to this animal. I want to learn.

Swallowing so hard that I'm sure I've swallowed my organs, I try to assemble a bit of dignity. "Fine," I say, looking away from those demonic eyes. "We have a deal. Wedding happens, I never hear from you again. If it doesn't... give it your best shot."

I feel his grin against my cheek. "You have no idea what you've just signed up for, pretty boy. Now, I have a wedding to destroy."

I feel my pulse leap. "What? No! You said you weren't doing that!"

"Well, I did say that before you agreed to my offer. I can't let my chances of winning get wasted by playing fair."

"Look, you asshole, you're not sabotaging the wedding, got that?"

"Let's bet on that, too?"

"I'm done with your nonsense bets!"

Hot fingers grip my jaw firmly, steering my gaze back to his face. "You sure about that?"

Before I can say anything, the front door bursts open and Ryan walks in, eyes bloodshot and hair standing on end like a ruffian. The sight of him like that, so sad and broken, snaps me back to reality. It reminds me of why I'm here in the first place, to be supportive and not... oh God.

He turns to us then and I want to die of embarrassment as he takes in the scene. Greyson pinning me against the window like... It doesn't look straight, I tell myself.

"What are you two doing?" Ryan asks after a moment of stunned silence.

I step away from Greyson like I've been burned, my cheeks flushed. "Nothing, we were just... talking."

His eyes narrow and he takes a step closer. I move on instinct toward him, but then his fist connects with my jaw, hard, sending me staggering to the tiled floor.

"You just had to ruin everything, didn't you, Xavi? It was going perfectly fine with Delancy until you had to bring up the STD stuff!"

I'm speechless, ears ringing as I watch Ryan rage at me for being a good friend and caring. He's never gotten physical with me before.

"You're crying?" Ryan laughs dryly pushing his hair back. "You're fucking crying right now after what you did?"

I tap my cheeks and yes, there are tears everywhere. But it's more from the sting of rejection than the pain. He moves toward me as if hesitating, but just then, Greyson sends a fist into his nose, sending him flying toward the ground.