Page 59 of Downfall

I take a page from Allie’s book and strut over to him, swiping the ping-pong ball from his hand. “I’ll go first.” I take my aim, but glance back before I shoot. “You’re drinking all the cups.” Someone needs to remain level-headed here, and I’ve already done my fair share of self-medicating lately. He nods like a freaking bobblehead.

Closing my left eye to get a better look, I aim, shoot, and sink the cup dead in the middle.

“Fuck yeah!” Kev looks both shocked and proud as he raises his hand in the air. I really want to call him Kevin because I don’t feel like we’re on a nickname basis yet, but what if his name isn’t actually Kevin? What if it’s Kevith or something? In the end, I decide to not call him anything and give him the high-five he’s waiting for.

I’m good at beer pong, damn good, but so are Emily and Allie, and Kev for that matter, although his talents wane the more cups he has to drink on our behalf. He also gets braver, opting for a hug instead of a high-five when I sink the second-to-last cup.

When we’re finally down to one cup on each side, Allie glares at me like she has a personal vendetta. It’s my turn and I know she’s going to try some ridiculous distraction technique, so I don’t even bat an eye when she looks behind me and fake gasps.

“Oh, shit,” she says, trying to rattle me, but it’s not going to work.

I bring the ball up, rotating it slightly between my thumb and forefinger. Kev puts his arm around my shoulder. “You got this, kid. Don’t let them get to you.”

I roll my eyes at his dramatics and start to take the shot when Emily lets out a low whistle. “Who brought the scary Daddies?”

I’m not sure why that makes me turn around, but I do and am immediately faced with Ashton, who looks both amused and slightly concerned, and Declan, who’s shooting homicidal daggers at Kev’s arm, still wrapped around my shoulder.

Without losing eye contact, he walks over, turning his attention to Kev before simply saying, “Remove your arm from my wife.”

Kev looks at Declan, then back at me, his eyes wide, before he slowly drops his arm to his side.

“Ash, take my sister home,” Declan demands.

Amelia emerges sheepishly from her perch on a nearby chair, beer in hand. “I’m good, Dec. I can⁠—”

Declan levels her with a glare, and she holds her hands up. “A ride would be great, thanks.”

Ashton shakes his head, rubbing the side of his face as he looks in the direction of his wife. “Come on, Chaos.”

Her face resembles that emoji with all the teeth showing. “Yeah, I…um think this night has officially run its course.”

I don’t see what else happens because all of a sudden Declan is inches away from me, so close I can feel his heart beating hard against his ribs. His mouth brushes against my ear, his breath hot. “Can we talk?”

Dropping the ball on the table, I cross my arms.“I don’t have anything to say to you.”

He makes a sound, something between a scoff and a laugh. “It wasn’t a question. Do you want to do it here in front of your new friend or find somewhere private?”

Huffing out a frustrated breath, I head for the staircase. He’s following me, of course, I know he’s following me, and I wish it made me angrier, but if anything, it makes heat pool between my thighs.

Stupid, traitorous vagina can’t stay in her damn lane.

Judging by the line in front of it, I assume the door to my left is a bathroom, but I keep stalking down the hall. There has to be another one.

Finally, I find a door hidden around the curve of the hallway and feel a flood of relief when I shove it open and find no one inside. Declan’s right behind me, but I don’t slam the door in his face because what’s the point? He closes it behind us, gently.

“You want to explain what the fuck that was?” he finally snaps.

“I was helping your sister, Declan. She felt uncomfortable, so I came to give her a ride home.”

He laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “You were helping my sister?”

“That’s what I said.”

He takes a step forward. “By playing beer pong with some douchebag frat boy?”

“Kev is actually really nice,” I say sweetly. “He’s a grad student.”

Declan stares at me for at least five full seconds, completely unblinking. “Kev?”