My eyes flick over to Beau. “I didn’t realize I said that out loud.”
He snorts with laughter, which actually makes me laugh, but also attracts the attention of the hot tub inhabitants.
Micah rubs his hand over the top of his head, and in a low voice mutters, “Here we go.”
The three of us step closer, and Xander finally turns around to see what the girls are staring at. He laughs, like he’s completely surprised to see me. “What thefuckareyoudoing here?”
My face falls. I wet my lips, but between the alcohol I’ve consumed and taking in his bewildered tone, my brain is having too much trouble trying to process to be able to formulate a response.
Aria in her hot-pink bikini turns all the way around and straddles Xander, kneeling on the hot tub seat, and jabs her finger in my direction. “No one wants you here, you skank.”
Chest heaving, I stare at Xander, and he cocks his head to the side, silently watching me with those deep, dark eyes.
Oh fuck, I’m such an idiot.I should have listened to what my head was trying to tell me. This has all been another let’s-fuck-with-Scarlettploy. All of it.Why did you believe him?Blood rushes to my face.
Just then, Xander grabs Aria by the waist, lifting her and setting her off to his side. “Red,”—he closes his eyes for a second—“it’s not like that.”
I hand my cup off to Micah. I murmur, “Excuse me. I need the bathroom,” and dash back inside.
A quick glance over my shoulder confirms no one has immediately followed, but Aria shouts again, waving her arms in the air. “That’s right,whore.Go back where you came from!”
A tiny tinkling sound fills the air the more she moves her arms. I freeze.What the—My eyes narrow, and I turn right back around, storming toward her. I’d recognize the sound of my charm bracelet anywhere. Holding out one hand, I point with the other. “That’s my bracelet. Give it back.”
Everyone in the vicinity looks between me and Aria, confused looks on their faces.
“My mother gave that to me. Give it back.”
She pouts as she takes it off. “But Xander gave it to me.” His head whips to face her right before she proceeds to drop my bracelet into the hot tub.
I’m fast, but I don’t think I’ve ever moved so quickly in my whole life. I kick out of my shoes and sail into the tub, clothes and all, immediately ducking under the water. I faintly hear Farrah, Danica, and Alora squeal and scramble over the side, put out at having their hot tubbing interrupted. Aria and Xander don’t move from the bench seat.
I come up for air once before going back under. Finally, I see the shimmer of the silver over toward the side of the tub. I snatch it up just before it gets sucked into a filter.
With my bracelet clutched tightly in my grasp, I resurface, splashing them as I stand. Aria squawks, but I hardly hear her. My hard gaze locks on Xander. “That was pretty low.”
“I—”
Aria twists in his hold, elbowing him right in the gut before he can finish.
I shake my head. They totally deserve each other.
Blinded—I’m blinded by anger and disappointment. The worst part is, all of those ugly feelings I’m having? They’re aimed at myself.
Sopping wet and shivering in the night air, I can’t look anyone in the eye. Never have I felt so completely fucking stupid in my entire life. Someone offers me a towel. With a murmured thank you, I stalk off toward the house. Right before I’m about to go in, my conscience gets the best of me. I can’t traipse through Beau’s parents’ beautiful home and leave puddles everywhere. I stop at the door, strip out of my jeans, then pull my soaked blouse over my head and let it slap wetly onto the patio. I’m left in my bikini—the bikini I’d worn just for Xander. Here, I’d thought something was changing between us, but all that douche-canoe was doing was reeling me in so he could get close enough to stomp all over my heart. My chest aches with regret.
I’m so upset my movements are jerky. I towel off as best I can, and when I see people in my peripheral vision heading in my direction, I don’t look up, but hold up a hand to stop them. My voice hitches as I say, “Please leave me alone for a few minutes.”
I rush inside, wandering through the big house, fighting tears, and trying to remember where that one bathroom we’d passed on our way outside was. Between the haze of liquor messing with my brain and the adrenaline still coursing through my body I can’t think straight. I end up at the front of the house near the stairs. Not knowing where else to go, I hastily make my way up them, needing to be alone for a few minutes to process what just happened, away from everyone’s prying eyes. I pray for any door to be open.
At the end of the hallway, I finally turn a knob and find an empty room. I hurry inside, and close the door behind me. From the looks of it, it’s a spare bedroom. Not bothering to turn on the light, I sit on the bed, my head dropping into my hands.
I’m such an idiot to fall for his tricks. Has he been working up to this all week? Apologizing? Kissing me? Putting his hands on me? Inviting me to come tonight only to pull the rug right out from under me and make me look like a complete fool? I shudder to think of how I’d carefully picked out what I was going to wear tonight—for him. I want to laugh and scream at the same time at the part of me that had thought for even a second that maybe I’d be the one in the hot tub with Xander, perched on his lap. I’m so, so stupid. I keep allowing him to play with me, then even when he shows his true colors, I come back for more.
I’m filled with utter disgust. I don’t know how I thought I’d ever belong here.
Chapter 30
The door creaks open, and I frantically wipe at my face with my fingers, trying to get rid of the few tears I’d allowed to fall and any makeup that might have been messed up by my dunk in the hot tub. I’m probably about to be joined on the bed by a couple wanting to get it on, so I begin to stand, ready to get out of their way and let them have at it. At least someone will be having fun in here tonight.