Throttled (Dirty Air Series Book 1)

We are doing this. Noah and me.

I never imagined he would come around. Days turned into weeks since the Baku disaster, and he didn’t make a move, except for the time in Italy.

Noah hires a car to take us to a party, the lights of the city passing us by. Noah grips my hand on his lap, occasionally giving it a squeeze, checking that I’m still here.

“I don’t want my brother to know. At least not yet.” I look at him head-on, no shoes stealing my attention this time.

The temperature in the car drops a couple degrees. It may sound dramatic, but I swear it happens.

“Why?” His edgy voice makes me frown.

My eyes plead with his. “It’s new. I don’t want to distract him from the Championship since you’re both teammates and he won’t like it. He tends to be overprotective of me.”

Noah doesn’t talk for a full minute. I shift in my seat, waiting for him to say anything. His frown makes me wish I could take back my words.

“I’m not happy about it because I don’t want to treat you like a dirty secret. I’m happy to be with you…but if that’s what you want, I’ll respect it.” He shrugs.

“If it works out, I’ll tell him after the Championship, once everything is finalized for him.”

His blue eyes stay pinned to mine. “It’s going to work out, so we’ll tell him when you’re ready.” His clipped voice has a finality to it.

“Thank you.” I move close to him and wrap my arms around his waist, a new gesture that feels right. He gives the top of my head a quick kiss before he returns my hug.

“Now, time for kissing and making up. I hear that’s the best part.” He mumbles the words into my hair.

My laugh makes his own chest rumble.

I can now confidently say kissing and making up might be my favorite part too.

I’ve watched extravagant weddings on television, even a few crazy sweet sixteen parties where a kid cries over getting the wrong colored convertible. All those parties one-up each other with new levels of craziness. If I combined every single overdone party known to man, that would sum up what Noah and I walk into for the Singapore celebration. Do all local events look like this—filled with indulgence, celebrities, and glam bordering on obscene? It’s a party Gatsby would envy. But I love every second of it, soaking up the activities, including a side stage where people perform.

People say this is one of the best parties of the entire Championship. None of the galas so far hold a candle to it. We stand on the rooftop of the most famous building in the city overlooking the whole island, the supertrees glowing while buildings around us light up.

“Amazing, isn’t it? Plus, now I have a date, which makes it ten times better.” Noah’s hand grips my waist. His sexy smirk makes my heart pick up and my thighs clench. I sigh at the grin he saves especially for me. He wears a navy-blue tux today with black lapels and a crisp white shirt. I love the look on him, especially when my eyes gaze upon the bow tie. He looks dreamy.

He gives me a peck on the lips. My body stills as I search around nervously for my brother.

“I’ll keep an eye out for him. Don’t worry.” His gruff voice vibrates against my chest. Lying to my brother makes me sick with worry, making it difficult to fully enjoy attending the event with Noah.

Darkness cloaks us, giving us the ability to disappear into large crowds of people, becoming one of the many partygoers. We grab drinks at the bar before we search for our friends.

We find them soon after, Noah’s fingers tensing before he removes them from my waist. The loss of contact makes me frown. But it’s a necessary precaution at the moment, at least for the next two months until the World Championship is over.

We pull up to the table Jax and Liam reserved, bottles of alcohol set up in the center. Sophie sits next to them. I take up a spot next to her while Noah sits on the opposite side with the boys.

“Did it work out between you two?” She yells over the music into my ear.

I nod my head up and down in confirmation. “I’m surprised you helped pull that plan off. What happened to saying no to fuckable bodies?”

She winks at me. I laugh because it looks way more like a twitch.

“This time it was worth it. I have faith it’ll all work out. The magic dildo told me so.” Both of her dimples show.

“Hey, I finally found you. Didn’t see you earlier.” My brother pulls me up for a hug. His words tug at my thin resolve, my lies building a wall around myself.

I play off my discomfort. “You’ve been busy being a Champion and all. Must be such a hard life. Hopefully your hand hasn’t cramped from carrying the trophy around all day.”

“If I have to do another interview I’ll scream. How do you guys ever get used to this?” He glances at the guys who send him a hello.

“You don’t. Eventually press conferences become a running joke. Check some of ours out on YouTube.” Liam hands a shot glass to my brother before tipping his own back. He pours alcohol for the rest of us. Sophie and I knock ours back at the same time, my nose scrunching as the alcohol burns my throat.

I try to pace myself throughout the night. A for effort. F for execution.

I’m drunk by 12 a.m. Liam and Sophie dance around together. Both look smashed, Sophie stepping all over his toes with her sneakers, but he takes it like a man, chuckling at her drunken display. Pretty much everyone has let go and is having a good time except Noah. My brother left so I get the all-clear to scoot over to his side of the couch.

“Why are you sober?” I try to pout my numb lips.

“I think I’m going to cool it on the alcohol for a while.”

Right. He and alcohol have a rough history.

My heart thumps in my chest as he smiles down at me. “You have such a good smile. It’s not fair. I want to look that good.” My fingers touch his face, grazing the rough stubble beneath them, imagining how it would feel in other places.

His chest shakes from laughing. “You look even better.” He brushes my hair out of my eyes like a gentleman. His lips brush up against my temple, pressing sweetly before leaving again.

“Your kisses are the best. Like nothing I’ve ever had,” I whisper-shout.

“Oh, tell me more.” He lures me in, wanting to hear my drunk confessions.

I glance around to confirm Santi’s gone. All clear.

“They turn me on. Like a lot.” Killing the sexy game, I think.

But he snickers at me instead of answering.

“What’s so funny? Why are you laughing at me? I’m busy flirting. Hello.” I push at his shoulder to make him stop.

He shoots me a breathtaking smile. My arms cross over my chest, his eyes narrowing as he stares down at my cleavage. I return the favor by checking him out. His messy hair does it for me, along with the bow tie he already undid an hour ago. Sigh.

I grin. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

He throws his head back and lets out a roar of laughter. I like being funny.

“Should I take that as a yes?” I clap my hands together.

“Sure, Maya. Let’s go. Meet me outside in five minutes.” Noah gets up from the table and says his goodbyes to the group. He acts like an expert at this incognito stuff to the point that someone could think we’d planned it all before.

I scroll through my phone, a hard job when all I want to do is get up and leave with Noah.

I wait for a total of four minutes before making my grand exit. My brother mopes at my departure after I find him schmoozing with sponsors. His sulking looks vaguely like mine, and I don’t like how much I corrupt him.

I check the town car’s license plate like Noah told me to. Numbers blur but it looks about right. My body falls into the bench seat dramatically, my dress swooshing around me as material flies everywhere.

The ride back to the hotel is quick with our driver adjusting his rearview mirror in hopes of sneaking a peek at our heavy petting and toe-curling kisses in the back seat. Noah barks at him to cut it out and to keep his eyes on the road. The older man sputters out an apology, the sound of his mirror returning back to normal making me laugh. At least until Noah shuts me up with more kisses.

I struggle to keep my eyes open by the time we pull into the hotel. Alcohol hits me all at once, my body giving up the battle to stay awake. We both get out of the car at the same time since the hotel looks empty.

Noah practically carries me to the elevators. My feet are finding it difficult to keep up with his pace; they’re dragging behind me as he holds me up.

I’m a giggling mess, but he joins me like a good sport.

It’s all fun and games until he rejects my advances in his room.

“What do you mean, no?” My vision clouds as I take in a blurry Noah, his tux jacket abandoned, and his bow tie lost somewhere in the car ride. He snickers when I stomp my foot for good measure.

“You’re drunk. I don’t want to risk you not remembering the first time I fuck you. I’m a gentleman, meaning I want to fuck you sober.”

“I’ll remember. I promise.” I lift up two fingers like a Scout’s honor. He props up one more to show me how it’s really done.

“What do I know, I wasn’t a Girl Scout.”

Noah laughs as he pulls me toward the bed. It’s one of my favorite sounds, gruff and short. He shows me exactly what he can do even if I’m drunk.