Only With You (Knights #2)

31

LANDON

I try to talk myself into going downstairs to talk to Julianna, but as I watch my friends order another round of shots, I decide against it.

We’ve barely scratched the surface of our deal , and I’m sure we would’ve, but Eloise showed up and took her away from me. I’m not sure what happened between her and Micah, but it must’ve been bad, because she swore she was going to murder him if she didn’t have a drink.

Julianna, like Jagger, asked me to join them, but I can’t bring myself to do it.

The noise is already enough stimulation and I’m wearing my earbuds, but they can only do so much. And if I smell any more liquor than I have to, I’m going to throw up.

Some days, I can force myself to put up with it, but today, it feels like too much.

I stayed in the VIP section, because if someone spills something on me, especially whiskey, I’ll lose it.

Though right now, I’m really hating how sensitive I am, because I’ve seen so many guys go up to Julianna. I don’t know what she tells them, but she never takes drinks from them or goes out to dance with them. Though, she hasn’t taken any drinks from the girls or gone dancing with them either. She stays rooted at the stool with her palm covering her cup that she’s been nursing for a while now.

Occasionally, she’ll look up and our gazes will collide, and she’ll give me this haughty smirk. I used to hate it, but now, they’ve grown on me and I look forward to them.

My thoughts come to an abrupt halt because Brook stands in front of her, breaking our eye contact.

“Fuck it,” I mutter to myself and decide I’m done standing here.

I didn’t think they were talking anymore. I overheard Julianna tell the girls she decided to cut things off because she didn’t feel that they were compatible.

I don’t get to take a step when Nikki stands next to me along with Leah.

“Hey,” they say.

“Hey.” I keep it brief, but Nikki’s words stop me in my tracks.

“So you and bleach Barbie bitch are a thing now?” She snarkily laughs.

“Nikki, stop.” Leah shakes her head, huffing frustratedly, and then regards me. “She’s drunk.”

Nikki scoffs. “Oh, come on. Don’t act like they’re not all the same. Fake-ass bitches who swear they love everyone and that kumbaya shit.”

“If you don’t shut up, we’re leaving,” Leah warns her.

I’ve maxed out on patience, I’m overstimulated, and annoyed. But my irritation topples over when I peek back down at the bar and don’t spot Julianna or Brook.

“Jesus, Landon, out of all the people, her? I really thought you were better than that.” Resentment coats her words.

I sidestep her, but she’s adamant she’s going to make a point.

Leah tries to pull her away, but she jerks away from her. “I promise there’s nothing special about her. Just look around. You’ll find one like her in every corner.” She smiles wide, proud of her statement. “She’s a copy and paste of all the bitches in here. I promise they’re not that hard to find.”

Sucking in a sharp breath, I stare down at her. “Don’t fucking talk about her. I won’t repeat myself.”

Her smile only grows. “Or else what? I can say whatever I want.”

I was trying to be the bigger person, but I’m over her bullshit and she’s pissed me off.

“You’re right, you can, and I can, too.” I nod and look at Leah. “Ask Nikki what she was doing the day you waited for her to help you move. You waited, what, three hours, right?”

Leah was also staying at the apartment complex that burned down a few months ago.

Panic sets on Nikki’s features and I swear the colour drains from her face, but I’m not sure since it’s dim in here, nor do I care.

“I-I-had car problems.” Nikki stumbles over her words and stares at me, begging not to say more.

I don’t, but before I walk away and search for Julianna, I look at her one last time. “Keep Julianna out of your goddamn mouth.”

It was never my story to tell, but she pissed me off, but it’s not like she did a good job about keeping it a secret. There are videos and pictures. I’m not sure how Leah doesn’t know that her best friend fucked her brother and the guy she’s talking to at the same time, but I don’t care. It’s not my problem.

By the time I make it down to the bar, no one but Malik and Jayden are there, talking and laughing.

“Hey! About time you came!” Jayden raises his arms and goes to hug me, but I step back. I grimace at the drink that spills down his arm, but he does nothing but laugh about it. “Why don’t you let me love you? I just want to love you!”

I blankly stare at me. “Have you seen Julianna?”

A droopy smile cracks on Malik’s face. “You know she’s really cool. I don’t understand the rift and she’s really pretty.” The playfulness on his face dissolves and he clears his throat when I cock a brow. “She went to the restroo?—”

I don’t wait for him to finish as I’m off in that direction. I weave through the crowd, ignoring the people who try to stop me. When I make it to the hall that leads to the restroom, I finally spot her, but she’s not alone. It’s not Brook who she’s with, but some other guy.

Unlike when she smiled at Finnick and Brook, she’s not doing that and looks uncomfortable.

As I cut the distance and stand behind her, the guy clamps his mouth shut and his eyes go round.

Julianna peers over her shoulder and up at me. The moment her eyes set on mine, I swear I feel her body physically relax against me and the worry in her eyes dissolves.

I don’t know what possesses me, but I wrap my arm around her front and draw her in, pressing her back close to my front. She doesn’t fight or protest. If anything, Julianna easily lets me hold her against me.

What did he do?

“You’re too close.” My harsh voice gets him to step back.

A cunning smile splits across his face. “We were just talking.”

She stiffens and lays her clammy palm on top of my hand and squeezes it. I’m not sure if she realises she’s doing it, but I don’t stop her. Her nails dig into my skin, drawing my attention back to the dumbfuck still standing in front of us.

“Now, you’re done,” I coldly state, causing his smile to fall.

His brows pull together defensively. “Landon, I swear we’re just?—”

“Fuck out of here.”

His gaze zeros on Julianna like he’s debating or hesitating, but he scoffs and walks away. Any residual tension evaporates from her body.

I don’t drop my hand, but I glide it across her back until I’m standing in front of her.

“Julianna.”

She doesn’t meet my stare and shakes her head, her voice helpless. “Please, not right now.”

Something heavy lands on my chest at the weakness and exhaustion in her voice.

“Did he?—”

She takes a step back like she’s making herself small, vulnerability lacing her words. “Nothing happened.”

My eyes snap back to the entrance of the hall, and as if she could read my thoughts, she grabs my arm.

“Please.” She finally meets my stare, pleading desperately. “Don’t go.”

Despite wanting to do the opposite and find out what happened, I keep one hand on her waist and I use the other to cup the side of her neck. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

She sucks in a sharp breath and stares off into the distance, looking pensive before lifting her gaze back up to me. “Do you want to leave?”

I don’t think for a second and reply, “Where do you want to go, Love?”

Calling her Love wasn’t my intention, but it fell from my lips so naturally. She reacts to it like it’s a word she’s used to hearing and something I say often. At least, that’s what it feels like because she melts into my body, and a small, shy smile tugs on her lips.

That smile . Fuck, that smile always wreaks havoc in my brain because I guess it’s still unfathomable that she’s genuinely smiling at me. Something about that small curve on her lips; soft, shy, and almost delicate, causes and creates a different kind of uproar to my mind.

I can’t begin to describe how much I obsess over seeing them.

“Do you trust me?”

“I trust you.”