When Beretta’s hand falls on my shoulder, I look to him.
He gives me a little shake. “We were just gonna fuck with you, start trouble for whoever you ditched with for the fuck of it. Didn’t think it would be your fam and didn’t know you had an interview with the Joker.”
A small smile finds my lips and I glide my finger along my skin below the cut, fluttering my eyes. “I’d say the position is as good as mine, what about you?”
He chuckles, walking backward toward the car. “You’re committed, that’s for sure,” he teases and reality slams over me once more.
Committed.
I’m committed.
I belong to a man who looked into my eyes while I stood cut and bleeding before him, his only concern if his trophy would no longer be posh and polished.
He didn’t apologize or exhale in relief that we made it off the yacht before it blew the fuck up. He didn’t ask if I was okay or offer comfort as I remained there, unmoving and maybe in a bit of shock.
He was cold. Showed no emotion.
Not an ounce of fucking care.
Just as you wished for, Jameson...
I don’t realize I’ve closed my eyes until a forehead meets mine, and I open them to find Arsen has stepped into me.
His arms are gentle and wrap around my body, hugging me to him.
My features smooth out as I look up into his dark blue eyes. My hand falls to his chest, and a soft smile finds my lips.
“It was an accident,” I tell him, shrugging one shoulder. “I slipped getting out of the bath.”
It’s a lie and doesn’t explain why my car is here and I wasn’t, but my hair is wet from the shower. And like Beretta pretty much pointed out, I left my car here like this when I ditched with them the last time, so maybe I left with someone else today.
Arsen’s eyes are tight, and he doesn’t believe me, so I curl my lips up higher.
Never forget your smile.
“I saw your note.”
As if he forgot, his face transforms, a sly little grin slipping over him.
“And I know you wrote that very first one, too. I have to admit, I like your voice,” I whisper. “It’s sexy, or so I imagined.”
He chuckles, and my attempt for much-needed space but my inability to take it on my own works.
He releases me, stepping back a bit.
But he’s intuitive, and he reaches out again, cupping my face.
He nods slightly and I nod back.
I’m okay, Arsen.
He doesn’t believe me, but he does join his friends inside the car.
I step around mine, slipping into the driver’s seat with conscious effort not to glance in their direction. I know their eyes are locked on me and I know they are waiting for me to give them more.
I know because I can feel it.
It’s a tragic, unwelcome warmth, one I’ll freeze out with my mother’s favorite mantra: by any means necessary.
Maybe even tonight.
But since I’m not yet in my right mind, and apparently still a glutton for punishment, I dig Arsen’s note from my purse to read it once more.
Only I don’t get to.
Because it’s gone.
Hot, sweet, cheap whiskey burns its way down my throat and I welcome the sting, then pull the second shot glass to my lips, experiencing it all over again.
I take a deep breath, finish off half of my glass of water, my mind flashing to the ocean waters from earlier this afternoon.
It was beautiful and blue.
As was the yacht that exploded four feet from me.
I wince, tearing my hand from my face when I realize I had subconsciously reached up to touch the cut on my cheek, currently buried beneath my best layer of makeup, yet is still visible enough to make the bouncer warn me that ‘spousal drama isn’t welcome in this place.’
What made Anthony decide to come to the school when we have never even spoken outside of our routine? He or his receptionist emails me Sunday’s plans, sometime Friday afternoon, I add it to mine and my mom’s calendar and show up when and where I’m told. That’s it.
And then there’s the yacht...
I growl, running my hands over my hair and planting them on the bar top a moment later.
Screw this, I didn’t come here to think.
I came for the opposite.
I turn to the dance floor, getting myself as deep into the crowd as possible.
No matter what angle I shift toward, there’s no more than five inches of space between me and