Cosy?
Like hugging her damn phone?
I clench my teeth.
“Calm down. I intercepted her,” he says. “She looked startled to see me, and then I hung out with her the rest of the night…” He sighs. “She wanted to ask about you but didn’t. I could tell, mate.”
“Intercepted? Intercepted what exactly? Seriously, Jax, you being all vague is making this worse. Did he kiss her? Touch her? What happened?”
“His arm was draped around her shoulder. And they were close. Like, if I were her boyfriend, it would have been too close. I couldn’t see much more. When I approached, it was like a bomb went off. They turned into shrapnel.”
Calming breaths.
“Point Casanova out to me. Is he here?” I gesture towards the booths. Every muscle in me is distractingly tight and rigid, and the alcohol is stopping rational thought from entering my mind.
“What are you gonna do?”
“Nothing.” I down the rest of my bourbon and set my glass on the bar. “Have a chat. A nice chat.”
Jaxon lifts his head, squinting over the top of heads until he stops. “Ah. There. Black haired guy.”
I stare at this pretty boy. Too pretty. I glare at the empty spot opposite him, at the two drinks, one half empty, one completely full and untouched.Right…I wander over, ignoring whatever it is Jaxon is trying to say to me.
Grabbing the drink that is opposite him, I slide down into the chair. “Thanks for the drink.”
Yep, I’m an arsehole.
Black Beauty’s eyes widen as I swig from what I can only presume is a drink for Blesk. “K-Konnor,” he stutters. “Right? Your name is Konnor. Well, that wasn’t for you, but I can grab another one.”
I finish her drink, eyeballing him. Setting the empty glass down, I say, “She likes wine. White.”
“What?” He avoids my eyes, pretending he has no idea what I’m talking about.
I spread out my legs, slouch down, and make myself comfortable opposite him. “Blesk.She likes wine. Not whatever cheap fucking rum is in this.”
“It’s Captain Morgan, actually, and I really like it.”
Her voice.I’m completely startled when I hear her soft, melodic cadence coming from the crowd. I stay still, but my eyes track her as she approaches me with a subtle smile playing on her lips. Andfuck me, gravity, time, space, any quantifiable relevance to moments and places completely cease to exist.
She issobeautiful.
She stops beside the table. “Hi, Mr Slater. You aren’t dead. I thought you ran out of food.”
“I ate the batteries.” I grin at her, and Black Beauty says something, but I’m looking at her, and she’s looking at me.
Her soft smile turns into a bright beam. “I’m glad you aren’t dead, Konnor.”
“Wouldn’t you rather have wine?” I ask. “Over rum, I mean. Wine is so delicious and corny and good looking.”
She giggles, stickingthattongue out between her teeth. “Wineiscorny and good looking.” She rolls her eyes before agreeing, “And delicious. But rum iseasy.”
I click my tongue and rise to my full height, looking down my lashes at her as I say, “Oh now nothing good ever comes easy, Miss Bellamy.”
She arches her neck, holding my gaze.
I completely don’t care that we are in public, on display, or that the room has gone quiet, and I can feel the press of attention. I don’t care that Black Beauty is scoffing as if I've just stolen his favourite toy. I don’t care about anything other than her. I know Elise told me to chill, to bring the obsession down a notch, but I can’t. It’s who I am. A fucking psycho, like she said.
“Duch.” I grip Blesk’s chin and tilt it upwards.Goddamn, those eyes.“I know you think I only like you because?—
