“Well, that was impressive. Swift, precise, and with absolutely no mess.”
“Naturally,” I said, grinning at him.
He laughed one of his beautiful laughs again.
We were about to settle back into our conversation when a hurried approach caught my attention.
Zayn was there in the next moment standing before us, glaring at me, then gazing at Winter with desperation.
He laid his hand on Winter’s shoulder and lowered his voice. He was in such a state that he failed to enact anauditory reductionspell. Lowering his voice wouldn’t do much of anything in a space filled with supernatural beings, many of whom possessed enhanced hearing capabilities.
“I need you. Right fucking now. Outside, babe?”
Winter ground his jaw. “No.”
“It’ll be whatever you want.” He whispered in his ear, “On my knees for you, taking it anywhere, Win.”
Winter hesitated.
I rose from my stool and came around to his other side. As I laid my hand on his shoulder, he craned his neck to look up at me in surprise.
I kept my hand there and stared out steadily at Zayn. “We were engrossed in conversation. Your interruption isn’t appreciated.”
Zayn’s eyes flashed. “I don’t give a fuck. I’m talking to Winter, not you. It’s not your business.”
“Seeing as though Winter has already agreed to play with me tonight, it very much is my business,rageling.”
“Rageling? What the—” He eyed Winter incredulously. “Is this true? You’re hooking up with this new guy?”
“Why not?” I cut in. “I believe you’ve hit double digits in the last five days alone.”
He jolted. “You’ve been watching me, creeper?”
“Oh, absolutely.”
Zayn’s eyes blazed in fury at me.
I narrowed mine, bringing the serpentine element to the surface, while I also had my citrine magic flame.
He sucked in a breath. “Winter?”
Winter looked from me to Zayn.
Then he grasped my hand on him, holding me to him. “Go,” he told Zayn. “Find somebody else to use. I have company for the night.”
“To use? That’s not what… I didn’t mean for it to… I don’t…”
“Come to think of it,we’llgo,” I said, guiding Winter up with me. “This event has lost its luster.”
And then we left Zayn staring after us as I wrapped my arm around Winter and strode us out of the venue.
“That wasn’t merely performance, beautiful,” I breathed at Winter’s ear.
He turned to me, eyes shining. “Message definitely received.” He grinned excitedly. “My place or yours?”
My back hitthe wall of my dorm suite.
Winter pushed against me, his bulk and height dwarfing mine as he slapped his palms down either side of my head, then licked along my clean-shaven jawline.
