“I can’t trust you,” I say, my voice barely audible over the bass. “You weren’t there when I needed you most.”
He shakes his head, disgust twisting his features. “Typical. You’re blowing this out of proportion, like always.”
“I was hospitalized, Arlo,” I say, trembling with rage. “A thug tried to crack my skull open. You call that out of proportion?”
“Yes. You were never in mortal danger. He only wanted your purse, and if you’d handed it over, none of this would have happened. You played the hero, and now you can’t handle the fallout. That’s not on me.”
I inhale, his words hitting me like a slap to my face. He’s blaming me for the attack? I can’t believe it. “I think you should go,” I manage, my voice ice-cold.
“Yeah. Maybe I should.” He turns on his heel, disappearing into the crowd without a backward glance.
I watch his retreating form until he vanishes among the sea of dancers. Tears sting my eyes, threatening to spill over.
“You alright?” Ryder’s deep voice rumbles behind me.
Ryder. His presence is steady, solid, grounding me in the chaos. I don’t turn around. I can’t.
“Perfectly fine,” I say, the lie sitting bitter on my tongue. I wipe the corner of my eye, willing the tears away, my chest tight.
He steps closer, and the air between us crackles. Even without looking, I can feel him—too close and not close enough. A heat radiates from him that has nothing to do with the crowded room, and for a second, I want to lean into it, into him.
But I don’t.
He stays where I told him to, a careful distance, respecting the boundaries I set.
I bite my lip, focusing on the music, the shifting bodies around us, anything but the way his presence pulls at me.
“If you need?—”
“Oh, there you are!” Jill’s bubbly voice cuts through the tension like a knife.
Ryder retreats into the shadows as I plaster on a smile, turning to face my best friend.
“Jill! This party is insane,” I gush, eyeing her outfit. “And what in the world are you wearing?”
“The sluttiest thing I could squeeze into,” she cackles, twirling to show off her barely-there dress. “I’m not leaving solo tonight, that’s for damn sure.”
“The party is incredible. It’s packed in here.”
“Right? I invited everyone I could think of. Have you seen Riley and Bailey?”
“No, not yet.”
“And where’s that boyfriend of yours?”
“He had to go. Something came up,” I lie. I glance at Ryder, who stands like a statue. If he heard my lie, he doesn’t react.
“What a shame,” Jill smirks, not bothering to hide her sarcasm. “But you know how I feel about him.”
I bite my tongue, nodding. Jill’s distaste for Arlo was no secret. I never understood why—they’d barely exchanged five words. I’d once wondered if she was jealous, harboring a secret crush, but I know Jill. That’s not her style.
And now... I’m not sure I disagree with her assessment anymore. Maybe she saw something I didn’t.
Jill drags me through the crowd, and I play my part in the social circus. Air kisses and hollow pleasantries fly.
“Miranda, darling! You look fabulous!”
“Paul, how’s that merger going?”
