Chapter 71
Chapter 71
Nicole POV
Fact: when you are the football captain of your college team that hasn’t lost a single match ever since Eric Wolfe joined it, everyone knows you. Even those who are not from your college. He is the youngest captain, most handsome of them all and… well, all girls wanted a piece of him.
So obviously the moment we enter the frat house, girls are looking at him with stars in their eyes, irrespective of the fact that he is holding my hand. No, squeezing it tightly. And guiding me through the crowd. True to her words, my best friend and roommate, Brie, is right behind me with her boyfriend,
Matt.
The party was loud, crowded, and brimming with energy. Music was thumping from every wall as we weaved through the crowd of people. There was a mix of laughter, chatter, and excited shouts. Tables were littered with red Solo cups, empty cans and occasional spilled drinks.
In the main room, some people were dancing under the multicolored string lights. Most girls were wearing revealing dresses, and I felt overdressed. More than that, I felt claustrophobic. I wanted to get out of here as fast as possible. Memories of what Cain did to me returned with full force.
Eric was taking me through the crowd of these dancing people when all at once I bumped into someone. Two hands steadied me and when I lifted my hand, I saw a wide–eyed Ethan with Lexi.
“Nicole, what are you doing here?” he asked, glancing at Eric. Lexi looked from me to Eric, her face scrunching in disgust.
Eric’s hand immediately wrapped around my waist possessively, and he pulled me towards her. Electricity zipped through my body and I felt like I was next to a hot furnace. Why was it that Eric’s touch ignited such a reaction from me while Ethan’s touch didn’t do a thing? I licked my dry lips as my eyes went to Lexi, who was wearing a short pink dress with a halter neck. She smirked, and I clenched my teeth, she was clearly showing that she defeated me. I lifted my chin, put my hand lightly on Eric’s chest, and said, “I am with my boyfriend.”
Ethan’s eyebrows shot to the roof as Lexi’s eyes widened in surprise. I knew that stating that Eric was my boyfriend in public was something heavy. Some people started looking at us. A blush crept on my cheeks. I had to remind myself that Eric was my fake boyfriend. At the end of it, we will be going our separate ways.
“Are you fucking mad?” Ethan spat. “I told you he is a fuckboy!”
I hated the way he spoke about Eric. I felt a strong urge to slap him. But i controlled myself, closed my fist in front of his face and said, “And so are you. At least he isn’t cheating on me behind my back.”
“Nicole, I’m sorry,” he groaned.
I shook my head as I glanced at Lexi. “Nice way to say sorry.”
“Nicole, Lexi is just-”
“Cut the fucking crap!” Eric growled as he came to stand in front of me to put distance between me and Ethan. “Nicole is with me, and if I see you around her again, I’ll make sure you fucking go to the hospital. Is that understood?”
And for the first time, I saw Ethan getting furious. His muscles bulged, and it was like he was about to attack Eric. My heart leaped out of its cage at what happened next.
Eric’s muscles bulged, and his neck strained. He let out a guttural snarl as he glared at Ethan. It seemed like I was looking at two animals in a forest about
to attack each other head on,
“Stop it!” Matt pulled Eric back, but he was so bulky that Matt’s efforts were not working. More of his teammates came to his side and tried to pull away, but Eric wasn’t budging.
I didn’t know what came over me. I placed my hand on Eric’s chest and purred, “Please darling, let’s not make a scene here. He’s not worth it.”
Eric’s entire demeanor softened in a second as his eyes snapped to me. “Wh—what?” he asked in disbelief.
Dear earth, please swallow me. I plastered a sexy smile, snaked my arms around his neck, looked into his eyes intensely and repeated, “Please darling,
1/2
Chapter 71
let’s go somewhere else.”
I think Eric stopped breathing. He was a good actor–Thad to give him that. He immediately calmed.
“Of course, love. Whatever you say.” He held both my forearms, kissed them and then walked out of the room, leaving a very flustered Ethan and text was sure that his teammates were also looking at him as if he had grown two heads. God, why had the temperature increased suddenly?
As if understanding my predicament, Eric brought me outside near the pool, where I saw a few girls and boys swimming and playing water polo. I gulped in fresh air hungrily, the feeling of claustrophobia dissipating.
“Join us!” one of the boys in the pool shouted, glancing at me.
“I can’t!” Eric shouted, “I have to take care of my girlfriend.”
What the hell. Was he mad? I elbowed him for shouting so loud like he was telling it to the entire universe.
“Ouch,” he chuckled, rubbing the side of his chest. “What? Aren’t we a couple?”
1 lowered my voice and whispered, “Fake couple. Don’t get carried away.”
He laughed. “You know it and I know it. Not the world. So what I did, I did.”
I rolled my eyes as he led me to a lounge chair. He sat over there and spread his thighs for me to fit in between.
“I won’t sit there,” I blurted, my face heating.
He tugged me toward him. “Fake gf, you must look legit at a frat party.” He tugged at me again and I resisted.
“No!” I blurted. Would he molest me?
His eyes narrowed as he studied my face with concern. “Is something wrong, Nicole? Do you want to get out of here?”
I closed my eyes and tipped my head up. This was ridiculous. Eric wasn’t like that. But what could I do with my racing thoughts? And as my luck would have it, I opened my eyes to snap at him when my gaze fell on Lexi, who was staring at me like a hawk, standing behind a glass of a window in the main room. And with her was Ethan.
Gritting my teeth, I sat between his thighs, shrinking in my place, hoping he wouldn’t molest me. But when Eric touched my waist and gently tugged me to his chest, I felt… protected. Like he would keep me safe from any predator in this world. And against my better judgment, I found myself leaning on his chest. I tipped my head up to look at him as he tilted his head down. From afar, we looked like a couple in love.”
“Just because we have to maintain the façade of fakeness,” I murmured.
He lowered his lips and when they were only a breath away, he whispered, “The façade is beautiful…”
“OMFG!” a high–pitched voice reached my ears, breaking our reverie.
Eric whipped his head up. “Ashley?”
AD
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