Love vs. Payne (9 page)

Gia looked up just in time to see Paige kissing him. She wanted to march over there and drag Paige off him by her long hair, but she could not. She was supposed to hate Maddox and by no means should she be consumed with jealousy over him. But most importantly, she should not be wishing that Maddox had asked her to the prom instead of Paige, the idea was absurd as well as forbidden.

***

“I’ll be right back. Marko said, planting a kiss on Gwen’s cheek as he excused himself.

“He is so sweet.” Alice smiled in excitement.

“He is nice.” Gwen played it cool, although her friends could see the exhilaration brimming within her.

Marko walked over to the elaborately decorated seating area and sat down at the table next to Maddox.

“Got a present for us,” Marko grinned as he pulled out the large bottle of cognac from under his jersey.

“Just what we need.” Chase grinned as he grabbed a used cup from the table next to them. Marko frowned as he pulled a stack of cups from under the other side of his jersey. “Damn, what else you got in there bro?” Chase grinned as Marko discreetly filled the cups.

“To us,” Marko held up his cup as the other football players followed suit, “for being the best football team this school has ever had!”

“Yeah!” his teammates cheered.

“And for making it through high school without a fucking scratch!” he finished as he swallowed the fiery liquid.

Normally a speech like that would have Maddox hyped, but he was too focused on Gia Love and her prom date. He was not even aware of Paige who sat next to him, rubbing his thigh under the table. Although he was not aware of Paige, Gia was, she could see everything that the girl was doing.

“Let’s dance.” Gia smiled at Frankie, who almost lost his composure at the beauty that was emanating from her.

“I’ve been waiting for you to ask all night, sugar.” Frankie cast his smile to draw Gia in, but it was only making her cringe. She was not big on the overdramatic gestures of false romance and although Frankie was harmless, he was starting to get on her nerves. Never the less, right now, she needed to use him to prove a point, so she took his hand and led him to the dance floor.

Maddox nearly jumped out of his seat as he watched Gia take Frankie’s hand. He felt his anger rise to an outrageous level as he forced himself to remain seated. His expression bordered on hostility as he sat there watching the two of them begin to dance. Frankie was way too close to Gia for Maddox to remain calm and he felt the muscle in his lip begin to twitch. Frankie had no idea he was close to getting a beat-down, Gia on the hand could feel Maddox’s warning stare from across the room. She was doing everything in her power to not look in Maddox’s direction, but felt herself being drawn in. Just when she was afraid she would give in and look at him, she decided to turn Frankie around so she could turn her back to Maddox.

Maddox felt his body begin to shake with rage as he watched them dance. Paige was trying desperately to get his attention, her hand was close to his erection, but he refused to look away from Gia.

“Gia Love is so trashy,” Paige spoke to her best friend Flossy, who sat across the table from her. “I heard she couldn’t afford a prom dress, so she had to make her own.” her cutting words finally gained Maddox’s attention, but for all the wrong reasons.

“I heard the same thing,” Flossy, her superficial, peer-pressure created clone agreed on prompt, “she looks terrible tonight.”

Their words played on his mind as he looked at Gia, he thought she looked stunning. She did not need some elaborately decorated, expensive gown to be beautiful. Even in her plain, handmade gown, she managed to outshine every other girl at the prom. He imagined her sewing her own dress and felt his heart fill with pride, that girl would not allow anything to hold her back.

“And what is going on with that horrific corsage around her wrist, are those
carnations
?” she was appalled by the thought of such an inexpensive flower being used for prom.

“They sure are,” Flossy nodded her head, her disgust more than evident, “and look, she even topped it off with an old, ratty red bow in the middle.”

“You have got to be kidding me,” Both Paige and Maddox looked down at the corsage on her wrist. He felt a cold, bitter rage wash through his body as he realized that she had indeed used their ‘dare’ bow as the centerpiece for her corsage. It felt like she had just shot him through the heart with a bullet that was guided by betrayal. She was taunting him with their bow, daring him to react and he was more than happy to accommodate her. “Doesn’t ribbon cost like a dollar at the craft store?”

“Even desperate Frankie wouldn’t waste a dollar on that trash.” Flossy snorted as she laughed. Paige’s irritation mounted as she realized their words were not working on Maddox and decided to up the ante.

“I guess sucking him off in the parking lot could only get her a prom date, not a decent corsage.” she laughed haughtily and Maddox turned to look at Paige, although he was not focused on her.

“What did you just say?” he asked.

“About what honey?” Paige batted her eyes innocently.

“The parking lot bit.”

“Oh, rumor has it that Gia Love was caught giving Frankie Floyd a blow-job in the parking lot last week.”

Maddox turned back to watch Gia and Frankie, getting a mental picture of the two of them in the parking lot. Was it possible she had something going on with Frankie? He knew she would never give him oral sex in a parking lot, but maybe they held hands or even kissed once. He felt the muscle in his lip begin to twitch as he watched them continue to dance with her back to him. Maddox believed Frankie was holding her closer than necessary, he felt the bile rise in his throat as he watched Frankie’s slim arms snake around Gia and try to pull her closer. It took everything in his power to remain seated and not react to what he saw, but he was not sure how much longer he would be able to control his temper. He cringed every time Frankie touched her, he touched her as if he had a right to and Maddox wanted to rip his hands off. He was shaking with rage, trying to calm himself down, he knew he had no right to react this way. He had no claim on Gia, she was his enemy that was all, he would never be able to have her the way he wanted her, never. He had to let her go, but first he needed to get the hell out of the prom before he did something bad.

***

Gia was trying to remain cool, but she getting irritated with Frankie trying to be so overtly sexual with his dancing. She was continually dodging his swaying hips and over eager hands. After her third attempt to keep him at arm’s length, she was ready to throttle him.

“We don’t have to be so close.” she said for the hundredth time.

“Sorry, sugar pie,” he wiggled his brows and Gia stared at him questioningly, “I can’t help myself, it’s that sexual static, it’s like electricity between us, don’t you feel it sugar bear?” she watched his face as he cooed like a child, his mouth opened wide. She vowed if the spittle on the end of his slightly protruding tongue dripped on her, that she was going to slug him.

“No, I don’t.” she said, ready to pull away from him.

“You don’t feel that?” he swung his pelvis like a weapon and Gia pulled back just in time. Frankie, feeling her pull away, made the grave mistake of grabbing her butt to pull her back to him. Gia, in a state of shock, looked at him in stunned disbelief.

“Take your hand off me right now.” she demanded as her anger sparked in her eyes.

***

Maddox watched as Frankie tried to pull Gia closer, his hands dangerously close to her hips.

“Are you alright honey?” Paige asked as she watched Maddox’s face turn bright red and his large muscular body begin to shake. He ignored her, trying to take a deep calming breath, getting a grip on his escalating temper before it sent him over the edge. Just as he decided to stop procrastinating and really leave before something happened, Frankie did it, the jackass slid his hand down to Gia’s ass.

Maddox was up and rushing towards them, before he even knew what he was doing. His boys saw him react and were right behind him, not knowing what was going on, but ready for anything. One never knew with Maddox, he was naturally quick-fisted but with the foul mood he had been in lately, anything was possible.

He stalked towards Gia, standing very close behind her, facing Frankie.

"Get your fucking hands off her." Maddox said calmly, although his expression promised certain death. Frankie cowered under the power of Maddox's homicidal glare and quickly stepped away from Gia.

"Stop." Gia gasped as Maddox put his arm around her waist, she tried to pull away, not wanting anyone to see them together. She was thankful for the packed dance floor and the huge circle of football players surrounding them. Maddox pulled her tightly to his chest, daring Frankie to say something. He wanted to scream at the little man and tell him the rules about what belonged to Maddox Payne. He felt childish, wanting to resort back to screaming "MINE!" while he stomped the small guy to the ground.

"Leave him alone Maddox!" Gia hissed at him.

Frankie was not stupid, sure, it had felt good, to have the prettiest date at the prom, but nothing was worth his face. Besides he was sure he saw Alicia smiling at him earlier, he strutted towards her, ready to dazzle her with his charm.

***

Maddox took Gia out of the school and she started to struggle the minute they were alone. He took her over to the huge tree in the back by the parking lot and over next to the football field.

"What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?" she yelled as softly as she could manage.

"Why was his hand on your ass?" He demanded furiously.

"Do you realize you just took me out of our prom, with everyone watching us? She fumed, angry that he would take that risk."