swaying as he gave me a scan. “You look nice. I missed you.”
“Not all that much, apparently,” I said. My chest was glass too brittle to contain careening emotion.
His brown eyes narrowing, he glanced at Chad as if he were the problem, and frowned. “What the fuck, Phillips? You making a move on my girl?”
“Got no problem with you,” Chad said.
“You’re gonna have a problem with me if you don’t move away from her.”
“Not your girl, Warren,” I said stiffly, my arms and legs locked. “Not your anything.”
“You trembling in my arms when I kissed you last night says you are.” War stared down at me, a crease forming between his brows beneath the red bandanna tied around his head.
“I had an off night. I made a mistake. One I’m not going to repeat.” It tore me up more than it should have to look at him right now and know he’d been with someone else right after kissing me.
“Not a mistake.” His expression turned dark. “The best thing that ever happened to you is what you mean.”
“Listen, Warren.” I blew out a disbelieving breath at his arrogance. “Don’t take this the wrong way, since we’re going to be in a band together and all, but I’m not the right type of girl for you.”
“Don’t really care what you think.” His chin came up. Silken layers of dark and light brown hair slid forward to shadow his eyes as he peered down the length of his nose at me. “Told you how it was going to be last night.”
“Last night is over,” I said, noting his nose had a slight bump in it. Probably had been broken before. “You don’t tell me what to do or think, Warren Jinkins.” No matter how cute he was with his strong features and his broken nose, his authoritative bullshit rankled. “You don’t own me.”
“I do when my tongue is in your mouth.” He stepped closer, his movement so abrupt, his wallet chain slapped his thigh.
“It was just a stupid kiss.” I clenched my hands into fists, noticing we had an audience, this one bigger than the last one.
Oh joy. Insert more sarcasm. Only one class completed today, but I’d already had two very public confrontations with guys.
Having had enough, I leaned forward. “I’m done with guys today thinking they can intimidate me.”
“Who’s intimidating you?” The crease between War’s brows deepened. “I’m just trying to make you see—”
“Grrr! I see you, Warren. I get it. I’m not some stupid little slut who will drop to my knees and suck you off in a bathroom or anywhere else just because you’re handsome and you know how to kiss.”
“Lace.” His voice went low, and his eyes softened. “None of those other girls mean anything.”
What a bunch of crap.
I threw my hands in the air. “Not talking about this anymore. Stay away from me, Warren.” I stomped past him, pushing my way through the gathered crowd. A few patted me on the back. Spotting an exit door, I shoved it open and stepped outside.
Tears blurred my vision. Squeezing my eyes shut, I willed them away and leaned back against the wall, trying to calm down.
Breathe, Lace. In and out. You just need some fresh air.
Only I inhaled a lungful of cigarette smoke. Realizing I wasn’t alone, I opened my eyes to a noxious cloud, a familiar face just on the other side of it.
War
“Hold up.” A huge Latino guy grabbed my arm just as I was about to go after Lace. “You trying to claim Lace Lowell as yours?”
“Not trying to.” I frowned down at where he gripped me, then lifted my gaze. “She is mine.”
“Hate to be the one to break it to you, pendejo.” Dumbass. His expression and voice were amused. “But she didn’t get that memo.”
“Get your hand off me,” I growled, and he released me.
“I’d let her cool down for a moment if I were you, but it’s your call.”
“Who the fuck are you?” I narrowed my eyes. He looked somewhat familiar. “Why should I care what you think?”
My glare burned as hot as a solar flare, but his was cool, glittering gold. Under normal circumstances, I’d have laid him out, right at the beginning of our interchange without all the dialogue, but I wanted to know what the deal was between him and Lace.
“Name’s Juaquin Acenado.” He hooked a thumb toward his huge chest. “Most people just call me King. Heard your band’s short a percussionist.”