This guy had to have something wrong with him. Who went this far for an apology? Eli tried to move again. Cameron chuckled and pressed down on him. “Struggle all you want, you’re not going anywhere?”

“How about I yell then?” Eli snapped.

“You can try that,” Cameron brushed his lips against his ear. "But nobody will think it’s because you want help.”

Eli couldn’t keep the blush off his cheeks as the meaning of his words sunk in.

“Come on,” Cameron coaxed, speaking against his neck “there’s no need to be so stubborn, I only want you to say sorry.”

Eli focused on the ache in his wrist and closed his eyes against the heat he couldn’t escape from as it trickled down his back. He shifted his head, so Cameron’s breaths were landing on the side of his neck instead. “Sorry”

Cameron’s breaths stalled. The weight pushing him down increased and Eli grunted.

“Hey-“

“Say it again.” Cameron commanded.

Eli really didn’t want to. “Sorry.”

“Again.” Cameron’s lips brushed against Eli’s neck, alongside his tongue.

Eli flinched. His stomach twisted but as he opened his mouth to hiss at Cameron, his arm was released. He let out a breath of relief. Cameron tugged Eli’s shirt down, exposing the skin around his shoulder.

“I said again.” Cameron growled against his neck. His voice dropped lower, and the commanding tone was laced with something a lot stronger than annoyance.

“Sorry.” Eli unconsciously obeyed and felt a change shiver through him. His eyelids were suddenly too heavy to keep open, and the shortness of breath turned into pants. Dimly, Eli realised he was turned-on. It didn’t matter how annoyed or absurd he found the situation, his body responded, effectively shutting up his mind. He titled his head to the side, giving Cameron better access as he planted kisses and nips down his neck.

Cameron was breathing heavily against his skin, and he nuzzled the spot where Eli’s neck and shoulder met. Eli moaned as his tongue caressed him. He didn’t know what was wrong with him, but he arched against Cameron. Cameron groaned, catching Eli’s hip and pressing them tightly together.

Cameron’s teeth scratched against his skin. Eli moaned again. The heat that throbbed through his core dashed away any embarrassment, and he ground back against Cameron again. Cameron let out a husky growl. The sound made Eli shudder, and a thousand sensations raced through his body from where his mouth was over him. His teeth started to sink in.

Cameron’s head was abruptly jerked back. The growl that left his throat this time wasn’t because he was aroused, it was because he was pissed.

Eli’s eyes shot open, and he turned around in time to see Cameron being thrown onto the ground. He threw his legs over the side of the bed as Cameron jumped to his feet. He snarled and tackled the guy who had tossed him on the ground. Eli yelped, barely managing to jump out of the way, back onto the bed, as the two of them crashed into the bed-side table.

The room went dark, but the bangs and crashing was enough to make Eli flinch.

“Calm the fuck down Cameron” A voice growled from the ground.

“Fuck off” Cameron snarled back. His voice was higher than the other one. Eli assumed he was on top of their scuffle.

The overhead lights came on. Eli squinted at the sudden illumination, only taking the bodies rushing in as blurs. They went to the two rolling on the ground, trying to separate them. The guy Cameron was fighting was bigger than he was, but from the blood smeared across his face Eli was sure that didn’t make a difference.

There was more shouting. Cameron was yanked off the bigger guy, restrained by two others. One of them hissed something into his ear, and he looked behind him to the door. People were peeking in, trying to glimpse what was happening. Cameron stopped fighting. He hissed something back and yanked his arms free from the guys.

They all regarded Cameron warily, like he was ready to explode at any second. Eli stared at him with the same wariness, because he looked like he really was going to. Cameron, as if sensing Eli was looking at him, turned his head. Their eyes met, and then Cameron’s gaze travelled down to his shoulder.

Eli realised he was cupping the spot Cameron had been kissing. Cameron’s eyes darkened, and he took a step towards the bed.

“Cameron.” The guy who had hissed at him before, put a hand on his shoulder.

Cameron glared and shook it off. But he didn’t approach the bed. Instead, he turned his back and stormed out of the room. The guys all let out visible breaths of relief.

Eli had no idea what just happened.

“Hi," Kaylen’s face appeared out of thin air, “You didn’t get caught up in that did you?”

“No” Eli felt the gazes of everyone turning in his direction, and he did not like it one bit.

“Good” Kaylen leaned over the bed, pulling his hand away from his shoulder, staring intently at him.

Eli knew from the amount of nibbling Cameron had done there would be a mark of some sort. His cheeks filled with heat, and he pulled his hand from her grip.

“Mm” Kaylen purred, “I could definitely eat you up” Someone cleared their throat behind her. Kaylen rolled her eyes, “Of course I’m not going to” She sat back up off the bed, “not with witnesses at least” She added, dropping a wink in Eli’s direction.

Eli didn’t know how to respond, especially when he spotted Noah in the doorway scowling in his direction.

Oh no.

Eli turned around, sliding off the bed and buttoning up his shirt. He pulled on his shoes and Kaylen once again joined him.

“So," He said quietly, “Was that his girlfriend’s brother or something?”

Someone choked behind them. Eli looked, seeing it was the guy who’d been fighting Cameron. Ah, Eli looked away quickly. He’d heard him.

“No," Kaylen giggled, “That’s Oliver, one of the guys that live here.”

“Okay” It didn’t tell Eli why he’d interrupted like that.

“Sorry about the mess.” Noah apologised.

“Why are you apologising?” The guy that had talked Cameron down asked.

Noah’s eyes flicked towards Eli.

Eli bristled at the meaning behind it. “I didn’t break the damn thing”

“Eli” Noah scowled at him.

“Noah it’s okay," Kaylen stood up for Eli, “We all know what Cameron can be like, it’s not Eli’s fault.”

“Yeah, Noah.” Eli seconded her. He earned himself a nasty glare from his brother.

Kaylen giggled.

Eli realised she was drunk.

The room had emptied out to just four. Noah helped clean up the broken bits of glass, something Eli would have done if he didn’t think Noah would snap his head off if he went near him.

“That other one is David," Kaylen waved her hand towards him, “He’s the only one who can handle Cameron’s temper.”

“Sometimes.” David muttered as he picked up the last of the glass.

Noah straightened up, “Kaylen, you mind showing me where this goes?”

“Sure” Kaylen chirped hopping from her seat.

Eli spotted a huge chunk of the lamp sitting next to his feet. “Wait there’s a -“ He turned around and cut off his raised voice to see David still in the same place.

He stood up and came over, “Where?” Eli pointed to the shard. David scooped down and picked it up. “Keep these on if you go walking around anywhere.” he tapped the side of Eli’s shoe.

“I will.” Eli answered.

David’s eyes turned to him and hovered on his neck. Eli squirmed in discomfort when his gaze lingered there, and some magnetic pull tugged the hand that had been sitting there down. David’s eyes flashed up to meet Eli’s gaze. Heat trickled through Eli. He had no idea the source, and couldn’t keep eye contact with David. He looked down.

“No wonder he couldn’t hold back” David muttered to himself, leaving the room in a few quick strides.

Eli took a few breaths, then flopped back on the bed. “What the fuck.”