"Less than a week," I chuckle out, and he lets a laugh free as well.

"Well then, I guess we're both the new kids on the block."

"I guess we are," I murmur while turning up the glass. "So how do you know the people that live here?"

"I don't," he laughs. "I'm a total party crasher. I guess I'm busted, but I thought it'd be a good way to meet some of the locals."

"Well, instead you met me. Another newbie."

He smirks, but doesn't laugh like I do. "I'd say this was a party worth crashing."

I blush lightly, and then Cindy walks back in.

"Hey, Alyssa, come here. I want to introduce you to Misty and Heath."

I turn to face the platinum blond vision, and then I hold my hand out to shake his.

"I guess I should go mingle. It was nice meeting you, Thad."

He smiles, pulling my hand to his lips instead of shaking it, and then he plants a soft, sweet kiss on the back. "It was very nice to meet you, Alyssa."

The way he looks at me makes me blush again, and I turn away, happy that someone else is interested in me besides Kane - the asshole who left me naked in bed while he went to find his missing girlfriend.

Time to drink until I can quit thinking about him.

The howls of the drunk exude the howls of the wild as I giggle over every stupid joke told. Staggering, I make my way outside where Heath is standing.

"This is a great party," I slur.

He laughs, though nothing is funny, and I laugh too while hanging off the back deck overlooking the lake.

"I'm glad you came."

"Me too," I chirp while chugging another guzzle.

He smiles as he leans toward me, and a sick feeling strikes my gut right before he jerks me forward into a kiss. I push him back with all my strength to shove him off while wiping his slobber from my face.

"What the hell?" I scold. "You're married."

He laughs and shakes his head. "Lighten up. It's a party."

He starts toward me again, and I dart underneath his drunken grasp and rush down the stairs to escape him, happy to reach the yard.

"Alyssa, I can play this game," he chuckles out, and I start scouring the party in search of Thad, praying he's still here.

I'm not surprised when I don't find him - since I haven't seen him in hours - and I start running to escape the drunken fool following too close behind.

My phone buzzes, and I juggle it up to my ear, hoping it's Frankie getting ready to scoop in and save me.

"Are you seeing this?" I ask, though my drunken stupor has made my words sound unintelligible and malformed. "Where the hell are you already, Frankie? I need your help."

"Alyssa? Are you drunk?" Kane's voice sounds out, and I get all the sicker as silence steals my breath, his voice concreting my feet to the ground. "Alyssa, where are you?"

The music blares louder as several drunken people stagger out of the house, and then I feel arms wrapping around me far too tightly.

"Let me go!" I yell while struggling under Heath's grasp.

"I've got you now," he chuckles out.

"Alyssa, damn it! Where are you?!" Kane demands.

"I swear I'll break you like a damn twig if you don't let me go right now!" I screech.

My phone drops to the ground as I start trying to free myself from this asshole's grip. If I use my power on him, I'm breaking the law of the light. If I don't use it, I'll probably end up dealing a consequence that I'm not willing to face.

I finally get enough leverage to stomp his foot, making him yelp and loosen his grip, and giving me the chance to start running again. I cry out as I stumble and crash to the ground, but knowing that scum is right behind me, I pull myself up and start running again.

I look over my shoulder to see Heath gaining on me, and suddenly I'm brought to an abrupt halt as I slam into a hard body. New arms wrap around me to keep me from collapsing to the ground.

"Alyssa," Heath chuckles out from not far behind, but when I look up, I see the fury burning in Kane's eyes as his grip on me tightens.

Shit! How'd he find me?

"Kane," Heath murmurs in surprise as his groggy eyes zoom in.

"Heath," Kane strains out through gritted teeth. "I think you should get back to your wife, don't you?"

His grip tightens on me more when my legs try to give out, and Heath's eyes glaze over with fear as Kane stares him down.

"Um, yeah," the stupid ass murmurs, and then he turns to walk away, leaving me alone with the guy I damn near gave something I couldn't get back.

He breathes out heavily, watching Heath until he staggers off into the shadows, and then he looks down to me.

"You okay?" he says too sincerely.

"Peachy," I mumble while trying to wobble free from his grip.

"Damn, you're so drunk right now," he sighs while catching me before I lose my footing again.

"So what?"

He doesn't have time to answer before the heel on my shoe breaks and I go falling forward. I tense up, but I'm suddenly going up before I hit the ground. Kane pulls me into his arms in a bridal-style carry.

"Kane, please put me down. I want to go home," I gripe while struggling.

"I'm sure you do, but you're too drunk to walk, and quite frankly, I'm not taking you home until I know you're not going to have alcohol poisoning."

"That's a little melodramatic," I scoff.

"No, ignoring me all day, staying away from your house, and then getting drunk at some random party where you don't have any friends there to have your back is melodramatic."

His tone is almost scolding, and I start to laugh at how absurd he sounds.

"Stalk me much?"

His jaw tenses, proving he's a little madder than I realized.

"Alyssa, you're obviously pissed, and all I want is a chance to explain about last night."

"It's fine. I'm sure Amy was thrilled to have you come after her, especially when she found out you left me naked in the bed to run out."

He huffs loudly, cursing under his breath, and then he murmurs, "You heard that? Why didn't you just say something?"

I squirm uselessly in his powerful grip. I'm too drunk to be very strong right now. Fuck it.

"Sounded like a personal problem, and it was obvious I was the other woman."

He groans, frustration rolling over him as he readies himself for the big explanation.

"Not even close to being the case. Yes, Amy is a little obsessed with me, but I've never been with her. She's just my damn roommate," he grumbles, as if he's exasperated. "She gets a little crazy, but we usually just calm her down."

"How? Do you put her back in her cage?" I mumble sardonically, not really meaning for him to hear, but he lets a laugh out.

"Something like that," he snickers.

Obviously I didn't say that as quietly as I meant to.

"How did you find me?"

He motions behind him with his head, though I have no idea what he's motioning to.

"The music. It's not like we haven't heard it thudding every time we go outside. We don't go to Heath's parties, but I would have shown up sooner, had I known you were there."

"Why? So you could tell me all about leaving me naked in the bed to go chase after another girl?"

His head drops back as he lets out another exasperated groan.

"You're really blowing this out of proportion. The last thing I wanted to do was leave you. Believe me, it was painful to do. But that's not why I would have shown up. Heath has a reputation for doing girls the way he tried to do you tonight."

"Oh," I mumble, looking away as a sick pang strikes.

That was way too damn close.

"So I suppose your mother's friend - Frankie - was supposed to be watching out for you?"

I thought so.

"I just assumed he was. I guess he would have been if I told him I was going out."

"I would have been if you had just talked to me."

I sigh, not really sure if I want to be talking to him right now. He definitely didn't do much for my confidence.

"Sorry, but I still don't feel right about all this. I shouldn't have even let you in my bed, and now you're whisking me away to who knows where."

"My house," he says as we start up the steps, making me look around.

My jaw drops when I see the three story cabin stretching wide. There's no way they can afford this beast. And he thought my place was impressive?

"Okay, this definitely doesn't feel right. I really don't want to be around Amy right now."

He frowns, and then he shakes his head.

"Don't worry about her. She knows not to mess with you, and she'll eventually get the hell over me."

Doubtful.

I sure as hell can't seem to stop thinking about him, and I just met him.

"Just take me home, please."

"If I take you home, I'm staying with you. I'm not leaving you alone tonight, not with the heavy amount of alcohol you've apparently taken in."

I can't let him stay with me because then I wouldn't be able to sneak out to get away.

"Fine," I huff. "I'll stay until I'm sober enough to leave."

He smirks, and then his delicious lips stroke my forehead as a guy opens the door to the cabin for us.

"Did you kick his ass?" he asks.

"No, but it was hard not to. Do me a favor, Zee, will you go grab Alyssa's phone? I think she dropped it around the midway point."

"Yeah, sure. Maybe I'll get the chance to run into Heath."

The menace in his eyes is unmistakable. They really hate Heath.

"Play nice. Don't cause a scene," Kane warns before walking through the enormous living area filled with gallant, large widows.

The others are stretched out on couches and chairs, some of them coupled up, and the others seeming causally engaged in whatever movie they're watching. Then I get sick when I see Amy staring at me with the scorned woman's fury.

"Should have kept her in that cage," I almost whisper, and Kane lets out a laugh again.

"You're probably right," he murmurs while kissing my forehead again.

"You alright?" one of the girls asks, seeming sincere in her concern.

"Fine, just drunk," I mumble.