Whatever happened between them, whatever bullshit she said about wanting him, it seems to be over now.
And right on time.
“Tasia, what are you doing?” Karter asks, and it sounds like she’s scolding her friend. Clearly, they haven’t discussed whatever the fuck is going down here.
But Cynthia nudges me, and I know exactly what she’s thinking.
I slowly smile at Ace, flicking my gaze up and down his body like I’m checking him out, completely ignoring Sylvan, whose eyes are on me like a brand.
“Ace.” I say his name breathlessly, like I’ve been dying to see him, then I step away from my friends, shoulder past Sylvan,who refuses to move, and stretch my arms up, standing on my tiptoes to press my body into Ace.
I think, when he wraps his arms around me and squeezes me so tight I can barely breathe, we’re both using each other.
And I think he’s just saved the night.
“Fuck them both,” I whisper against his ear, just to see if we’re on the same page.
He turns his head and buries his cold nose against my neck. “Fuck. Them.Both.”
I refuse to talk myself out of what I do next.
I pull back as Ace slides his hands down my body and grabs my ass, and I tilt my head.
Then I kiss him like I’m fucking starving.
His teeth clash with mine, someone whistles behind us, someone claps, another person tells us to get a room, but there’s a grin in their words.
And I devour his mouth, licking along his lips, twirling his tongue with mine.
I canfeelthe anger emanating from Sylvan without looking at him. Some part of my brain, the psych major part, knows I’m poking the bear. But the rest of me, twenty-one and reckless, slutty and bold, she doesn’t give a fuck.
Reluctantly, I pull back, but I press my temple to his, staying on my toes as he squeezes my ass.
“God, I’ve missed you,” Ace says, his voice a low rumble, but loud enough for our intended audience to hear.
“I need you to fuck me?—”
“If you kiss her like that again,” Sylvan is there, between us, his voice low, his lips nearly pressed to Ace’s ear while his eyes are on me, hard and icy. “I’ll break your fucking neck.”
But it’smewho responds. I stare back at him as I say, “Until you can grow the fuck up and have an adult conversation, you don’t get to make my adult choices. Fuck off, Frostbite.”
FORTY-SIX
NEVE
“We were actually kind of… together, going to a party in the Beaches as a couple, until a couple of hours ago. She texted me, said she was coming here with someone else, and it was over. I came to talk to her but, you saw how that went. After she let me come inside her last night.” Ace runs his tattooed fingers through his hair as we stand inside the dark foyer of Castle Morack. He glances at me and winces while Cynthia clears her throat from my side. “Sorry,” he murmurs.
I shrug. “Nope. Don’t be.” I swallow hard and glance at Karter, the four of us waiting now for our turn to enter into the intricately carved black doors ahead of us. We’ve been listening to spooky music and screams for fifteen minutes, but it’s warm in here, and I don’t mind.
Sylvan and Tasia jumped the line, everyone making way for Sylvan Connor like he was the Prince of Halloween himself.
With that blank look in his eyes when he threatened Ace, he might as well have been. But it didn’t stop him from leaving me. With her.
Sure, I ran off from him this morning after he bought me breakfast, but it still felt weird, watching them together.
And why threaten a man, then leave me with him?
Fucking child.
