LOVING THE MADMAN

A Friend of Carl's

ATHENA.

“You're coming to my party tonight, right?” Stacy Clarke, my closest friend, asked as she rummaged through my wardrobe.

I paused the selfie video I was recording and turned to her with a shrug. “Do I have a choice?”

She flashed a forced smile. “Nope.”

I sighed and resumed the video.

Stacy walked over and featured in the video for a second before tossing a few clothes on my bed. “Some hot guys are coming tonight,” she said, holding up a violet tube top. “Carl’s bringing a few of his friends.”

Carl was a mutual friend.

“Good for him,” I muttered, uploading a second video to my i********: story. I glanced at the viewer list, already a few hits. One weird-looking account caught my eye, but I shrugged it off.

Stacy caught me zoning out and snapped to get my attention. “You’re getting laid tonight, Athena,” she stated. “Pick a guy and go to bed with him.”

“I’m perfectly fine,” I replied, rolling my eyes. “I don’t need to get laid.”

“Yeah, sure you don’t.” She smirked, then picked up a pair of tiny denim booty shorts and added them to the pile.

“I’m surprised your dad’s even letting you throw a party after the last incident,” I said, flopping back onto the bed.

The last incident was when Stacy’s ex, whom she met at a bar just a week prior, invited his wild biker friends. Drunk, reckless, and completely out of control, they wrecked the party.

It ended with the cops at the door, but somehow, her father got it all swept under the rug.

“You’d be shocked how many bodyguards he’s got on duty,” she said with an eye-roll. “Like twenty or more. That was the only condition he gave.”

“At least he’s letting you have the party,” I muttered. “If something like that happened to me, my dad or brothers would lock me in a tower.”

“Yeah, you need to run away or something. You live like a prisoner,” Stacy said, sitting beside me. “And it’s not even like you’re seventeen. You’re twenty-three. You’ve finished college.”

I forced a smile. “At least they let me work.”

“Yeah. From home.” She rolled her eyes. “You design apps and post beauty content online. Babe, that’s not living. You’re wasting your youth… no offense.”

“Hey, sometimes I model,” I said defensively. “And I leave the house for that.”

“Yeah, like once in a blue moon.” She raised a brow. “When was your last gig?”

She paused. “No… when was your last gig that you actually answered the call for?”

I nudged her ribs. “Okay, fine. You win.”

“Your family can’t protect you forever, Athena,” she said more softly. “They’re not letting you live your life. And at the rate they’re going, I’d bet money they’re lining you up for some arranged marriage crap.”

“If he’s hot, I won’t mind.”

Stacy snorted and nudged me. “We can definitely agree on that.”

After a while, she stood up and grabbed the tube top again. “So, we’re going with this one, right? You can pair it with the denim booty shorts.”

I sighed, eyeing the fabric. “I can already hear Slade and Robin’s blood pressure rising.”

Stacy grinned devilishly. “You’ll change at my place. Are your bodyguards tagging along?”

“You know that’s not optional.”

“Ugh. Isn’t there any way to ditch them? Or at least convince Slade you’ll be fine without them? There’s already going to be enough security at my party.”

“I’ll talk to him.” I groaned.

“Yessss,” she sang, clapping her hands. “Tonight’s going to be amazing.”

She grabbed her phone and slung her bag over one shoulder. “I need to get my nails done and suffer through the wax. Catch you later, sis.”

“Later.”

I watched her leave before sighing again.

I stared at the daring outfit Stacy had laid out on my bed, nothing like the princess life I was currently living.

Stacy was right about all of it.

I was wasting my youth, hiding behind a screen, designing apps, and making videos that gave the illusion I had a life. Pretending I was content with how tightly my world was being controlled.

Sure, I went out now and then. I attended parties. But never without bodyguards, never without someone watching me like a hawk.

Any guy I showed even the slightest interest in was either scared off or chased away by Slade or one of my brothers.

I couldn’t even dare to bring a guy home for fear of his safety.

It was crazy, really.

I wished freedom was something I could reach for and just grab. But it wasn't that easy, especially when I was the last-born and only daughter of Harold Davis.

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The party was swarming with security. There were guards everywhere. In corners, by the doors, probably hiding in the plants too.

Stacy’s dad made mine look like a chill parent.

“Whoa. This is insane,” I remarked in surprise, entering the room.

“I know, right?” Stacy handed me a red cup filled with booze. “Good thing some of them are hot. I might try hooking up with one.”

She winked at me.

I shook my head, laughing. “Life isn’t all about s*x, Stacy.”

“Uh, yeah, it is,” she replied. “As long as it’s good…no, phenomenal sex.”

Her eyes ran over my outfit. “This was a great choice. You look so hot.”

She threw an arm around my shoulder, guiding me through the crowd.

“You’ve already caught that guy’s eye,” she said, nodding toward one.

She turned me. “And that guy.”

Another turn. “Aaaand… that guy.”

She stepped back dramatically. “Now, take your pick.”

Then, with some seriousness, she smoothed back a few loose strands from my face and adjusted my loosely tied-up hair. The tube top left my shoulders and collarbones bare, and Stacy took full credit for that fashion decision.

“Personally, I vote for the guy in the black tee.”

I followed her gaze.

He was handsome, with dark blond hair, a killer jawline, and square shoulders.

“Why him?” I asked.

She shrugged. “He’s giving BDE. Big d**k Energy.”

“Oh my God, Stace.” I giggled, smacking her arm. “Can you not?”

She grinned and pushed me forward.

“Go. And don’t come back unless you have good news.”

“Fine, fine, I’m going.”

I turned back with a mischievous smile. “How do my boobs look?”

“Great. Excellent call going braless. Let those perky…”

“Geez, stop,” I laughed, heading toward the guy.

He noticed me approaching, a smirk already forming on his lips.

“Hey,” he said.

I smiled. “Hi.”

He turned to face me fully, and I was met with an impressive chest.

“Hugh,” he introduced.

“Athena.”

He smiled. “That’s a beautiful name.”

“Thank you,” I said, trying not to blush. “So... how do you know Stacy?”

“Friend of Carl’s.”

I nodded. “I figured.”

We made our way to a free couch, and I sank into it. Stacy spied me from across the room, smiling happily.

She then made an exaggerated hand gesture, a crude motion that I could’ve sworn was meant to symbolize a handjob and then a blowjob.

I choked on my drink.

Hugh shifted closer immediately to pat my back. “Hey, easy,” he said in a soothing voice.

Once the coughing fit was over, I took in a deep breath.

“Thanks.”

“Anytime,” he replied.

Hugh raked a hand through his hair, and the motion of his arm lifted the sleeve of his shirt, revealing a glimpse of his toned forearm. But it was the scent of his cologne that was very appealing.

“What do you do for fun?” he asked.

“Mostly apps,” I said, tossing my empty cup on the table. “I design them.”

He raised his brows in surprise. “Seriously? That’s so hot. Like, sexy-nerdy.”

I laughed awkwardly. “Thanks... I think?”

Before I could say more, he flagged someone down.

“You need another drink.”

“Oh, I’m not really a…”

“Come on. Just one more. This one’s better.”

He passed me a new cup—one with a slightly stronger smell.

Fuck it. I was here for fun, right?

I took the cup from him and sipped while he watched.

“So…?”

“It's…” I smacked my lips. “A bit strong, but tolerable.”

My cheeks were heating up already. I had low tolerance for alcohol, but what was the worst that could happen? This place was loaded with security.

“How'd you feel about ditching this place?” Hugh suggested, leaning in closer. “There’s a private garden out back.”

The smirk on Hugh’s face made it very clear what he had in mind for us “out back.”

I wasn’t entirely opposed. Maybe I did need to get laid. And Hugh was hot enough to make me consider it.

“Sure,” I said. “Just give me a few minutes. I need the bathroom.”

“Alright,” he said with a grin. “I’ll be right here.”

I needed a moment to take a huge breath, maybe touch up my lipstick, and definitely reevaluate my life choices.

Rising to my feet, I made my way through the crowd of drunk dancers and affectionate couples. Once I was clear of the chaos, I pulled out my phone to text Stacy, who had mysteriously vanished.

She was probably making out with some guy in a closet or something.

As I typed, too distracted to look up, I walked straight into a wall. Or a chest that felt like a wall.

Strong hands caught me before I could stumble, and my pulse quickened at the familiar touch, but I refused to acknowledge the charge it sent through me. Until I looked up and was met with the last person I expected to see.