I immediately grab my beer from Penelope and take a swig, watching Trevor working his moves on Lyric, trying his best to be smooth. It’s always worked in the past, but it won’t be happening tonight. Not if I have a fucking say.

She laughs and leans back when he attempts to kiss her neck, but he doesn’t stop there. He slips his arm around her waist and starts grinding against her to the music. She’s a little stiff at first, but loosens up enough to wrap her arm around his neck and get lost in the music, dancing against him.

The more I watch them, him grinding into her, her swaying her hips under his hands, the harder it gets for me to keep my cool. I feel my blood boiling and I’m on the verge of exploding.

Without thinking, I grab my beer and make my way across the bar. As much as I want to protect her from myself, I want to protect her from him more.

I finish off my beer, set it on the table beside me, and step up behind Lyric, cracking my neck. She must feel my presence, because she stops dancing and releases her grip on Trevor’s neck.

“Memphis,” she says in surprise, peering over her shoulder. “Are you leaving?” She turns around to face me, waiting for an answer.

I shake my head and clench my jaw at Trevor as he mumbles fuck under his breath. “No, I’m staying. Don’t you think you need to slow down and drink some water? You’re slurring your words.”

She laughs under her breath and shakes her head as if I’m crazy. “I’m fine. I’ve only had like five drinks, Memphis. You’re the one that’s had like twenty shots. Maybe you need some water.”

Her roommate, Bailey—I think it is—jumps in between Lyric and me and bites her bottom lip, oblivious to our conversation. “Mmm . . . so the sexy neighbor has come out to play.” She leans her neck back and gives her boyfriend a kiss as he possessively grabs her waist and nods his head at me, showing me that she’s his.

“Keep her company while I’m gone, man, but don’t get too close.” He kisses her one more time before walking away, toward the pisser.

“Dance with me.” Grabbing my shirt, she attempts to pull me against her, but I shake my head and point her toward Trevor as he attempts to kiss Lyric, but she turns her face, giving him her cheek. He’s fucking lucky. Just the thought of his lips on hers makes me want to crush him.

I see Lyric eyeing us up, uncomfortably, as her roommate moves closer against me in an attempt to get me to dance. She almost looks jealous. Trevor keeps trying to dance with her, but she’s too distracted, keeping her eyes on me. Something about that makes my cock twitch.

“Dance with Trevor. I’m not much of a dancer. It looks like Lyric needs a break.”

She gives me a pouty face before rubbing her hand down my chest and turns to jump in between Trevor and Lyric, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I get one dance, bitch, and then he’s yours,” she slurs.

Lyric steps away and laughs before walking over and stopping in front of me. She looks up into my eyes and licks her bottom lip. Her whole body is glistening with sweat now, and all I can think about is tasting every inch of her. “Dance with me, Memphis.”

I pull my eyes away from her lips and flex my jaw. As much as I want to put my hands all over, I need to fight it, but this fucking liquor isn’t doing much to help it.

“No, Lyric.”

She takes a step closer and runs her tiny, soft hand down my arm. “Just once. It’s not even a big deal. It’s just a dance. It’s not like I’m asking you to fuck me. I’m asking you to touch me.”

“You want me to touch you,” I growl. I roughly slide my hands over her hips before gripping her waist and slamming her up against the wall. Leaning in, I fist her hair in my hand and whisper in her ear. “Is this how you want me to touch you? Touching someone that I know always leads to them getting hurt.” I grip her waist tighter and press my body flush with hers. Her body trembles against mine and her breathing picks up as my bottom lip brushes over her ear. “I’m fucking tainted, Lyric. Running now would be your best option.”

She looks up into my eyes and wets her lips, fighting to catch her breath. “I. Want. You. To. Touch. Me. I’m not running anywhere.”

FUCK! Those words do me in.

Gripping her face with one hand, I place my other hand on the wall above her head and lean in close to her lips. “Fuck me,” I growl out, before slamming my lips against hers and squeezing her face as I kiss her, hard, almost a little too hard.

She moans out as I press harder, running my tongue along the seam of her lips, causing her to open up for me. Slipping my tongue inside, I roughly massage her tongue before sucking it into my mouth and moaning. I could do so much more with my tongue, but that will only be asking for trouble.

Fuck, she tastes so damn good.

She kisses me back, hard, the two of us taking out our sexual frustration on each other, me trying my hardest to not just fuck her right here. I press my leg between her thighs and wrap both of my hands into the back of her hair. God, I want her so bad right now.

Pulling away, we both fight for air, her chest rising and falling so fast it almost looks as if she can’t catch hers at all.

“Let’s go,” I demand. “I’m getting you out of here.”

Without a word she nods her head and places her hand over her lips, looking around the room as various people stare at us. Trevor’s eyes look heated and that Liam guy looks a little crushed. Poor guy. He could never handle a woman like Lyric.

I can’t tell whether or not everyone’s surprised to see me kiss a girl in public or if they’re surprised that she just kissed a monster like me.

Either way . . . I just fucked up big time.

MY HEART RACES THE ENTIRE cab ride back to Memphis’ house. The last thing I expected was to feel his lips pressed against mine and to feel the desire that exploded inside of me in doing so. He hasn’t looked at me since, and I almost can’t take the anticipation. It has my chest aching.

Once the cab pulls in the driveway, I attempt to reach into my purse for money, but Memphis stops me by reaching for my wrist. “Don’t.”

He pays the driver and then reaches for my hand, pulling me out of the cab behind him before releasing my hand. Without saying a word, he walks to the side of the house and let’s himself in, leaving the door open behind him. That’s an open invitation.

This guy is so fucking confusing. First he tells me to stay away, then he kisses me, and then ignores me the whole ride home. All it does is make me want to scream at him and tell him off. I don’t need this shit. I don’t like being messed with.