Astoria rolled her eyes dramatically, but the corner of her mouth twitched upward into a smile. “What have I told you about calling me that?”
“You secretly love it. Admit it,” he shot back, and she didn’t deny it.
Suddenly, I felt caught in a moment that felt very intimate between them as they stared each other down with a burning desire that I had never witnessed two people have for each other. It made the green monster inside me spark alive. But as soon asit began to rear its ugly head in my mind, Astoria tore her eyes away from Nolan and met mine again.
“So…” She turned her body toward me, cutting Nolan off from the conversation. “Any plans today?”
“Lawyer,” I said, setting the mug down on top of a picture of a blonde girl who had painted her lids with purple shadow and overlined her lips with red lipstick that made it borderline clown territory. “Estate stuff.”
“I’ll drive you if you want,” Astoria offered without hesitation.
I paused. Not because I didn’t need the ride, but because I didn’t deserve her kindness. Still, I nodded once, trying to ignore the guilt rotting in my gut like a slow leak of poison.
Astoria clapped her hands lightly on the bar. “Great. I’ll find you some decent clothes to wear. Maybe something with fewer bloodstains than the ones you had on last night.”
She winked and turned toward the hallway, but before she could get far, I called after her, “Astoria.”
She turned on her heel, blonde hair swaying around her face. “Yeah?”
“Thanks,” I said, the word landing heavy in the quiet surrounding us.
Astoria’s smile softened into something raw and real. “Of course. Even though I drag in strays all the time, I think you might actually stick this time. My brother seemed…intrigued.”
Heat burned my cheeks instantly. I didn’t need the reminder of the way Kaius Mordred’s stare had burned through me last night. And how I enjoyed being the center of his attention.
Then, right on cue, the devil himself appeared.
Kaius strolled out of the door that sat on the right side of the hallway. He was dressed in a black long-sleeve shirt that clung to his frame. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing off the deep ink that marked his skin. Dark jeans slung low onhis hips, and I wanted him to turn just slightly so I could fully admire how they hugged his butt.
A girl followed behind him—tall, bleached blonde, and trying too hard to look like she wasn’t hanging on Kaius’s every word. She wore a bright-blue club dress that cut down in the front until it reached her belly button. Her heels clacked against the checkered floor as Kaius walked her out.
A deep, bubbling rage began to prickle at my skin as I watched him place a hand on the small of her back. It didn’t make sense. I shouldn’t care who Kaius was with, let alone how he touched them. I hated the man. But for some reason, something deep inside of me wanted nothing more than to wipe the little smirk off the bottle blonde Barbie that was standing next to him. I might as well piss on him at this point just to really drive the point home.
“Heather wants to bartend,” Kaius said with mild amusement, nodding toward the girl. “But I told her we don’t hire anyone who can’t not only serve behind the bar but also do the routines on it.”
“Well, if she wants the job so bad, she can jump up right now and give us a taste of what she can do.” Nolan’s lips dipped into a devilish grin as he spoke. He was baiting the poor girl, and I was going to enjoy every minute of it.
“Is that a challenge, Nolan?” Heather asked, and it was so painfully obvious she was trying to sound sexy.
I bit my tongue watching as the blonde clumsily maneuvered herself onto the bar like a wet fish out of the water. Astoria stepped back into the room, turning toward a screen on the wall behind the bar. She pressed a few buttons, and then a pop song began to blare out of the speakers.
I almost spit out my coffee when she started to dance, if that is even what you could call what she was doing. She flailed around like she was being electrocuted, hips moving entirely offbeat, arms running up and down her body in a motion I could tell she thought was sexy. Her eyes looked directly into Kaius’s bored ones, squinting and winking as she thrashed about.
Nolan coughed into his cup, which caught Heather’s attention. He choked down his laughter and gave her an awkward two thumbs up. I bit my lip so hard I could taste blood as she dropped onto all fours and began to crawl toward Nolan, her hands and knees crunching the résumés as she trampled them. When she finally got close enough to the man, she began to whip her head around, blonde locks smacking Nolan in the face. Astoria had to turn into the wall as one of Heather’s extensions sailed through the air, landing just in front of her feet.
When the music finally faded out, Heather whipped her head up and then leaned back on her legs, spreading them slightly so we could all see she wasn’t wearing anything under her dress.
I flicked my eyes toward Kaius, but he just stood there, unimpressed, arms crossed over his chest, but I could see a faint smirk ghosting his lips.
Nolan looked petrified of the woman, and I think this was the only time in his life he was rendered speechless. Astoria began to clap, coming around the bar and helping Heather off it.
“You’re hired!” Astoria exclaimed.
Heather squealed in joy, listening to Astoria’s clear instructions to be here for her shift next Monday night at eight. Heather thanked her once before skipping out of the bar, one hand tracing Kaius’s chest as she went. I clenched my teeth, turning to a shocked Nolan as he looked toward Astoria.
“What the hell, Tor?” Nolan sputtered out.
Astoria looked at him once before bursting out laughing. Her hands fell to her knees as she hunched over, trying to catch her breath.
