Thankfully, I lived in the middle of the damn desert, and there wasn’t another house around within earshot. The DJ Riley hired was spinning all of the latest hip hop songs, loud enough to blow my fucking ears out, but it set the mood.

It reminded me of the night I met Cassie at Coyotes. I still remembered her intoxicatingly beautiful eyes, those long legs, and that sweet smell. Cassie whipped me that night, and I’d been wrapped around her fucking finger ever since. The reality that I’d be leaving her the next day hit hard and made me want to focus elsewhere.

The house began to fill up as I was getting in the shower. Adriana helped Nat welcome everyone in, making sure drinks were filled. I hurried along in the shower, throwing on a pair of khaki shorts and a basic t-shirt before making my way out into the crowded confines of my home. It felt good to see so many people coming out to chill, have a drink, and see me off. There were people who I hadn’t seen in months, but they were welcomed.

Cassie finally showed up with Dalton. The black, lace shorts she wore showed off her sun-kissed legs just perfectly, hugging her firm ass just right. She paired them with a red tank top, flanking her ample tits and showing off a little too much of what I deemed mine. She spotted me, and made her way over, but was cut off by an overly excited and equally fucking annoying Adriana. Her school girl, cheerleader type of reception was enough to grate anyone’s nerves.

“Cassie, oh my god! I feel like it’s been forever! You look hot. How are you?”

“I’m great, Adriana, thanks. You look great too.”

Adriana was wearing a tight-fitting black dress, and I fucking hated it. It showed off way too much, but she was grown and made sure to remind me of that when I told her the dress didn’t cover enough. I was losing on every front with the women in my life.

I snaked my arm around Cassie’s middle, placing my lips on her neck and kissing her softly.

“Ugh! Alex, you can totally wait for all of that shit,” Adriana whined.

“And you can let me have my girlfriend. I’m going to be without her, remember?”

She rolled her eyes, then turned her attention back to Cassie. “It’s good to see you, Cassie. We’ll catch up once Alex gets drunk, and you’re free.” She winked before turning and strutting off in four inch fucking heels. How females walked in that shit, I would never understand.

A while later, Riley and Smith challenged a few people to a beer pong tournament. It wasn’t the smartest thing I had done, considering I had already drunk four or five Jack and Cokes—heavy on the Jack, light on the Coke. Cassie kept trying to get me to slow down, but it was to no avail. I was in my element, the drinks were flowing, and it was my last night of freedom for what felt like a long fucking time.

Nat went behind the turntables and played with the records as the DJ played Nelly’s Grillz. Riley took a gum wrapper and folded it up, fitting it to the top row of his teeth and pretending he had the grill that they sang about in the song. He was probably about as drunk as I was, so it didn’t come off as ridiculous to me. In fact, I found it downright comedic and followed suit, much to Cassie’s embarrassment.

“To our motherfucking brother. May you kick some insurgent ass and bring your ass back home, safe and sound!” Riley yelled above the crowd.

Mass “oorahs” filled the house, beer bottles clinking in unison. I drank the last of whatever was in my cup. I was to the point where I had no clue what I was drinking anymore. I had reached that level where everything ran together, and it all tasted the same. The more drunk that I got, the looser that I felt.

Smith asked for Garth Brooks’ Friends in Low Places, then handed me a microphone and sang along with me as we both drunkenly slurred our way through the words. Adriana, Cassie, and Nat filled the room with “boos.” It was all in good fun until Jensen strolled in with Newsome and Castillo by his side.

My eyes fixed on the three of them, and while I really had no problems with Newsome, he was with two people who I couldn’t imagine having around me at the moment, and I wondered why the hell they would show up anyway.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I growled, storming over to where they stood.

“Damn, Alex. Can’t even properly greet us as we come to say goodbye?” Jensen asked, smirking at me. “Is that Adriana?”

“Don’t worry about my fucking sister. Why are you here? And why the fuck did you bring her with you?”

I looked over to Castillo who looked as if she felt the wrath of my greeting. She had fallen long and hard as far as I was concerned, and I could have gone without seeing her before leaving for some shit that I really didn’t want to see. Jensen waved at Adriana who marched over, throwing her arms around him as he picked her up off the ground. The sight of it all incensed me. I hadn’t filled Adriana in on everything that had gone down between us, but he knew we weren’t on good terms and his little act would do nothing but further piss me off. He placed her back down, and they made small talk right in front of me as if we were done speaking.

“How fucking long do you plan on being here, man?”

“Alex!” Adriana shrieked.

“They aren’t fucking welcome in my house. He knows it, and she damn sure knows it,” I said, lowering my eyes and glaring at Castillo. She shook her head and began to speak, but was cut off by Newsome.

“We just wanted to come and see you off, man. Forget all the bullshit. You’re going where a lot of brothers never make it home from. Chill, man.”

“I can’t fucking chill when I have snakes slithering around me. I don’t know whether to hug these fuckers or watch my back. That’s worse than where I’m going. At least there I know who my enemy is.”

“Alex, we aren’t your enemy!” Castillo shouted above the music. “We care about—”

“Don’t even. Fuck all of you. Every single one of you.”

“What’s your problem, man?” Newsome asked, looking absolutely stunned.

Riley walked up behind me with Cassie and Nat in tow, both cautiously approaching, unaware of what they might be walking in on.

“Jensen is a little bitch, and his side chick, Castillo, is a fucking con. That’s my problem.”

“She hasn’t done shit, Alex. Damn, dude. You are a paranoid fucker. Your shit is out in the open, you and Cassie are a couple, and no one is out to get you. She’s a long-time friend that you did wrong, and if anything, she should be pissed at you.”

Fire was raging inside of me. Not only was Jensen one of the last people that I wanted to be spending my night with, but he was spouting off shit that did nothing but further piss me off. This guy had fucking balls, I’d give him that, but I couldn’t be sure that I wouldn’t forcibly remove him and Castillo if they didn’t turn the fuck around and escort themselves out.

“You must be fucking her. That’s why you’re so protective.”

“Alex!” Cassie yelled, gripping my shoulder.

“No, it’s all good. I don’t care. Sloppy fucking seconds, thirds, whatever you want to call it. I don’t give a shit. Just take her back wherever you came from. And see your asses out, you’re no longer welcome in my fucking house.”

I turned and walked away. Cassie came storming behind me, pulling my arm and turning me around.

“What, Cassie?” I yelled, fueled by rage and mass amounts of alcohol. “I’m done with this shit.”

“Alex, that fucking Vernon guy is here.”

Those words were my undoing.

I charged like a raging bull stuffed with steroids.

I made contact with Vernon as he stood at the front door, and sent both of us hurdling to the floor before he’d had the chance to see me coming. My fist connected with his face over and over again, and he held his hand up, trying desperately to fend off the menacing blows. Every piece of irritation was boiling over, and I could no longer contain it. It needed a release, and he was the target. He was behind so much of my antagonism, and there was no way that I was going to try and stifle what so badly needed to come out.

The alcohol swirled around inside of me, causing me to lose my balance temporarily. It gave Vernon just enough of an edge to push me off of him, sending me barreling to the floor as he stood and adjusted his clothes in front of me.

“Alex, man, what the fuck is going on with you?” Newsome asked, helping me to my feet.

I yanked my arm from his grasp, glaring at Castillo. “Did you fucking bring him here? You dirty whore. How many guys are you fucking?”

“I didn’t bring him here!” she yelled, looking fed up with my antics. “I didn’t even tell him I’d be here tonight.”

“That’s right, I had to ask around because all of a sudden Leti wants to act like she doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

“Alex, you’re fucked up. Leti didn’t bring Vernon here. Fuck Vernon,” Jensen defended.

“Yeah, fuck me,” Vernon condescendingly added, stepping into the middle of us all. “That’s exactly what’s been going on. I’m tired of being a scapegoat here. Fuck everyone involved in this shitty situation.”

This guy was one of the worst people that I’d ever had the displeasure of knowing, but there was something about the tone of his words that struck me… made me want to hear more.

“What the hell are you rambling about, Vernon?” Riley asked, looking pissed off and overly annoyed.

“You all fucking hate me, and I embrace that, but I’ll tell you what, I couldn’t have possibly gone to First Sergeant without the help of Leti.”

“He’s a damn liar,” Castillo defended. If I didn’t know her sly, conniving ways, I would have softened towards her charade for a bit. The conviction in her voice was almost Oscar worthy.