Addicted for Now (Addicted #3)

by Krista Ritchie

“No one is going to hurt you. I promise.”

nothing's gonna hurt you, baby - C.A.S.

“Remind me why I came here with a girl,” Ryke says with a longing look. He checks out her ass, and the girl only grins wider.

RYKE. MEADOWS.

“Daisy is here,” Connor says. “What?” Ryke goes rigid.

THE WAY I JUST SHOT UP FROM MY BED.

Ryke takes a seat on the edge of the bed, scowling at the carpet. He seems deep in thought. About what—I have no clue. Could be Daisy. Could be Melissa.

oh, this is gonna be FUN.

Now I know exactly why Ryke was scowling. He knew she was going to be trouble. Not because of her personality. But because…she’s beautiful and too young to be here.

;')

“Daisy. You coming?”

only her?? okay, rykeee.

“Okay,” Daisy says, eyeing the taco. “I’ll eat it.” “Stop talking about it and do it,” he says. She sets a hand on his leg and the other on his wrist as he holds out the taco. She leans forward to take a bite, and I swear, her eyes connect with his the entire time. There’s something incredibly dirty about this—I see it, does anyone else? Lo says nothing. When she takes a bite, her eyes flutter closed and she lets out an audible moan. “Oh my God,” she mumbles, chewing.

LILY, YOU'RE NOT DELUSIONAL. THERE'S TENSION.

Sauce leaks onto her chin, but her head is tilted back, too absorbed in food bliss to notice. He uses his thumb to wipe the sauce right below her lip. “Good, right?”

ARE YOU KIDDING. that's so ATTRACTIVE.

“I could take a daiquiri,” Daisy says. “Virgin, right?” Daisy doesn’t even blink. “No, I’m drinking rum.” “I don’t really condone underage drinking. You’re what, seventeen?” “Sixteen,” she says, still unaffected by Melissa’s edgy words. “In some countries, I’m old enough to be married and sold into prostitution, so hey, I think a couple of drinks won’t necessarily kill me.” “Well life is different here. We’re in America.” “We’re in Mexico, actually.” Melissa’s throat bobs, but she tries to brush off her snafu with a shrug. “Yeah, whatever.” Ryke hardly suppresses his grin, and when he meets Daisy’s gaze, she gives him a look like you’re going to get in trouble.

MMMMM.

“She does have a nice ass.” “Yeah?” Ryke says casually, eyeing Daisy as she observes Melissa.

HELLOOOOOO.

I even catch a glimpse of his sharp cheekbones and devilish smile, his eyes flitting up to mine for a brief moment. Then he turns to the sink. My mind switches into imagination mode. Thinking about all the ways he can do me. “Morning, love,” he says, watching me through the mirror.

LOVE. he's so cute bro.

The position is not so innocent. But any arousal is smothered by Lo. He is laughing his ass off, his voice echoing in the boxed shower. He cannot stop. Seriously. “It’s not funny. This shower is a demon,” I tell him. He tries to hide his smile, but fails.

so cutee omg :')

Yesterday with Lily was literally the only day that alcohol never crossed my mind. Not once. We snorkeled with the turtles and climbed to the top of a Mayan ruin. She never asked me for sex, and I never craved a drop of whiskey.

I narrow my gaze. “Do you have a gold brick in their too?”

**there. editor, c'mon!

“I only have…” She pulls out a wad of cash from her bikini top like it’s nothing, like Ernesto’s eyes haven’t just zoned in on her breasts. She counts the bills one by one, really fucking slowly. “…Two-hundred pesos.” Her big green eyes rise innocently to Ernesto, but he’s still looking at her tits. I step forward, irritated beyond belief. “Hey.” I snap my fingers at him. “Two-hundred pesos?”

She wraps her arm around my waist and presses her head against my chest. I immobilize. “We’re on our honeymoon, you see, and I promised my sister I’d bring her back something. She’d just love this. I know it. Could you make an exception just this once, please?” My eyes widen at Ryke, but he’s just glaring, and when I mean glaring, I mean he has the whole Frankenstein’s monster routine down. Hard set jaw, clenched fists, taut shoulders, and tight lips. He looks about ready for a fight. But I’m not sure who he wants to pummel.

OH????

“I would check myself, but I’m here with a girl,” Ryke says dryly.

RYKE WHATT. EVEN WITHOUT A GIRL HERE, YOU CAN'T DIG YOUR HANDS INTO A SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD'S BOOBS.

“You’re the fucking daughter of a multi-billion dollar mogul. Bartering with a man that makes a thousand times less than you is the equivalent of stealing.”

But when Daisy inhales strongly, staring at the sand with tears brimming, trying to bottle her emotions, he turns his gaze on her. I watch his face change. If he was concerned for me, I don’t even know what to call the expression he has for her. What the hell did I miss when I was in rehab?

a lot, lo. a lot.

Because they have to know that nothing can ever happen.

ha....ha.....

I just barely catch Daisy’s words. “I think kissing is overrated.” Oh no. Ryke tenses beside me, and I hope he’s hearing my fucking voice raging in his head right now.

oh, ryke......

“If I’m not fucking mistaken,” he says, “you mentioned sex being overrated as well.” When?! Rehab. I fucking hate rehab. I missed everything.

I LOVE LOREN. IMCRYINGG.

“You shouldn’t let any guy fuck you until he makes you come at least twice.”

I CANNOTT. LO IS GONNA HAVE ME DEAD.

Melissa slaps him across the face, the sound like a gunshot, and most of the restaurant quiets. Ryke sets his chair legs on the ground, his cheek red. That had to sting like hell.

THE LAUGH I JUST LET OUT.

Melissa lets out a low laugh. “Really?” She rises and throws down her napkin. “I’ll be back at the hotel, not that you’ll care.”

WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE ISSS.

“She’s the last person…ever. I promise, Lo.”

so......

I run my hand through her hair and then bite her shoulder playfully before setting an equally chaste kiss on her neck.

i love when he bites her shoulder. it's so cute :') and she usually laughs and swats him awayy.

“That bad, huh?” He turns to Rose. “I told you that Sebastian isn’t that smart. He bought his way into Princeton. You should have let Joseph Kim teach her.” “Sebastian is smart,” Rose refutes. “You don’t know him like I do.” Connor wears a blank face, but if he’d show true emotion at all, I think he’d be upset by that.

JEALOUSY????!!??

Rose smacks her purse at Connor’s chest, beating him with the damn clutch until he drops his hand from her mouth. “That was unnecessary.” She points a finger at him. And I swear, he tries not to smile. I think he’d like nothing more than to tackle her on the seat and make out with her as much as Ryke is doing to Melissa.

AAAA.

the two begin arguing in French.

ugh, give me the WORDS.

“Now I want to see more ladies in the air! On shoulders now! Let’s go!” Girls start climbing on random guys’ shoulders, being lifted into the air like Melissa and me.

I JUST LAUGHED THINKING ABOUT ROSE AND CONNOR DOING THIS. ROSE WOULD NOT DO ITT.

Just as Lo sets me on my feet, I crane my neck and spot Daisy fingering the clasp on her back. “Daisy!” I shout with wide eyes, equally as mortified as Rose.

RYKE IS HONESTLY LIVING HIS LIFE RIGHT NOW. he has a topless girl on his shoulders and daisy is about to strip. INSANE.

Her eyes flicker beside me. Not to Lo, but to Ryke. His normally hard features are darkened slightly. And I think he’s trying really, really hard not to call Daisy a tease, just to piss her off and start something.

“I’m thirty seconds,” Lo says under his breath, his eyes flickering to Ryke. “I’m fifteen.” I frown. For what? To intervene? Connor looks between them. “You both can’t be serious.” Ryke glances at his watch. “Five…” “She’s a smart girl,” Connor reminds them. “She’s sixteen,” Lo says. “Three…” And then the guy slaps her ass, and Ryke is about to drop Melissa on the ground.

I LOVE CANCUN. jealous ryke is too good.

Connor raises his hands. “I didn’t say a word.” Her eyes soften at him. “You’re exempt.”

awww.

“Daisy,” Ryke says with so much emotion to the name that shivers run down my arm. And it’s freakin’ hot out here. I think he wants to say a lot of things to her—give her some sort of pep talk about how she doesn’t have to please other people to make herself feel better—that doing so will hurt her in the end. But Melissa leans her head down and starts whispering in his ear, deterring him from speaking his mind. So Daisy says, “I’ll see you around.” And she actually drags me off towards a tiki bar that sits on the beach.

BRUHH, MELISSA. HE DOESN'T WANT YOUUU.

“That has never happened. Mom comes with me. She wouldn’t let anyone touch me inappropriately.” Rose believes her. She nods, but I stare at Daisy for a long time, not as trusting. Maybe because I have lied for so long that I can see right through it.

omg, daisy. stop.

“She’s probably too afraid she’ll get wasted and lose her virginity to a guy with an IQ less than hers.” Connor breaks his usual placid expression, his mouth opening in slight surprise. Oh shit. “What did I say?” He takes a small sip of his wine and his face resumes its normal composed regime. “I didn’t know she was a virgin.”

I'M TWEAKING OUTTTT. OHMYGODDDD.

“I don’t care that she’s a virgin. I care that we’ve been dating for six months and she hasn’t told me. Obviously, I’ve overestimated the progress in our relationship.”

awhh, stop. CONNOR, MY SHAYLA.

I’m about to rise and descend to the dance floor, but Daisy shoves his arm hard and points a finger in his face—a Rose move that I wouldn’t think possible from the youngest Calloway. I glance at Ryke, and he rubs his lips, curiosity swimming in his eyes. She intrigues him as much as her actions concern him. The mix is not good, and I don’t need to remind him of that. He’s heard me shout it in brutal warning.

OH?? ryke fights people when they disrespect women, and daisy just DID THAT FOR HIMM. ryke, you know you love her.

“Because I think she loves you more than she loves sex. And you love her more than you love alcohol, but you two just haven’t let yourselves believe it yet.”

As soon as the words leave my mouth, Connor is on his feet, and he can’t hide the concern on his face this time. “You worried, Cobalt?” Ryke calls, but I can tell Connor’s sudden ruffled composure is making Ryke equally alarmed. Because Daisy is the other girl downing the liquor—and

“It’s usually green, and it’s also banned in the United States because thujone has hallucinogenic properties.” “Yeah,” I say, rising to grab his arm to stop him. Rose has to know, I keep telling myself. She wouldn’t drink something foreign to her. “I’m sure Rose knows what’s in it.” His concern doesn’t waver. “The bottle isn’t labeled.” What? I look back down to the girls, where Daisy is taking another shot of absinthe. The bottle glows from the light underneath it, and sure enough—there’s no label on the slender glass. They don’t know it’s absinthe. Shit.

this is gonna be fun.

“She’s probably running around here somewhere. I’m sure you and Lo can find her yourselves.”

who asked you?? you don't even need ryke right now. a girl is plain drunk and missing, but you're worried about getting LAID.

“You don’t know me,” he sneers. “You don’t fucking get it.” She steps into his face. “I didn’t come here to babysit!” “Then leave!”

EXACTLYYY. LIKE WHAT?? nobody asked you to babysit.

“Wait.” Ryke looks between Lo and me. “If I help, this is it. You two can’t be hounding me about her anymore. You can’t have it both fucking ways. I’m either ignoring her or I’m her friend. That’s it.” “You’re her friend!” I exclaim, practically throwing my hands up in the air.

IT'S HAPPENINGGGG. the start of it all!

“Hey,” he says, gauging her state. “Hey.” Her eyes fill with tears. “Dais, it’s okay. You’re okay.” He brings her to her feet, and her legs quake.

dais.™ :')

I am here for him, just as he is for me. So I turn to Lo and poke his arm. “Did you see Captain America?” I ask. And his face lights up. He stares down at me as we walk, and the guilt begins to wash away. “Yeah, who the fuck thinks he can fly?” I smile. I love him. More than sex. More than anything.

AWW.

His hand slides down to the back of my neck before he whispers, “I’m going to fuck you.” Oh. God. Now? No, that can’t be right. He must sense my confusion because his lips quirk. “Tonight, love.”

"LOVE." loren. hale.™

“She’s tossing in her two Ducati Superbikes.” His eyebrow quirks. “I already have a motorcycle, Dais.”

we know..... we know, ryke. (i know a certain scene that happens in hothouse flower!)