Chapter 35 #2
And I know the feeling all too well.
“I don’t think she’d pick me for something like that.” I force myself to laugh, trying to cover my unease and the response that came a bit too late to be natural. “I’m a nobody with nothing to my name.”
I have to swallow the urge to tell him more, to pull back the mask, if only a little, but I can’t. I’m not here for honesty, confessions, or anything close to real. I’m here to do a job, one that will ultimately rip away whatever trust he’s offering me now.
Nicholas’s eyes darken, his hand drifting from my cheek to the nape of my neck as he leans close. “You have no idea how breathtaking you are. And you not being part of this circus makes you even more intriguing.”
I let myself sink into the moment, savoring the warmth of his hand and the quiet strength in the way he holds me, leading us smoothly across the dance floor.
Unfortunately, reality quickly creeps back in, and I catch myself glancing around, scanning the crowd, searching for familiar faces, a hint of glitter from Levi’s suit, Koen’s sharp gaze, or Sylus’s knowing grin.
Nicholas’s hand shifts on my waist, pulling me closer. “Hey,” he whispers, bringing my gaze back to his. “Stay with me.” His thumb brushes over the back of my hand. “They’re not here. It’s only us.”
I nod, taking a breath and letting it settle between us. His touch, his calm, it’s a balm cutting through the noise in my head.
After a few moments, he asks. “What are you doing Tuesday night?”
His question catches me off guard, a slight jolt that sends a small thrill through me. “Nothing… why?”
“I thought… maybe I could pick you up. We could drive around a bit.”
Drive around?
Fuck.
“Grab something to eat in the car, somewhere where the view’s pretty, casual…
” He pauses, a bit of uncertainty crossing his face when I don’t respond right away.
“I mean, I could take you out to a fancy restaurant if you prefer. I just…” His fingers tighten around mine, and he lets out a small sigh, looking down before meeting my eyes again.
“It’s complicated for me to go out without…
drawing attention. And honestly, I’d rather be somewhere where it’s only us. ”
This is what they want from me. This is the plan.
So, why do I feel sick?
“There is nothing I would rather do, Nico.”
Jealousy usually bores the hell out of me…
… until I see her giving Harrington that look.
The look that’s supposed to be mine.
The guy is a walking cliche of privilege and money, plus that whole I’m tortured and mysterious vibe. She falls for that?
Sparkle looks absolutely breathtaking, dressed in black and feathers, elegance wrapping around her like a second skin. Her moves are so natural and confident that it gets under my skin. I’d normally feel proud, maybe even a little smug, knowing this beautiful woman moaned my name a few hours ago.
Watching her give Harrington that soft look, though, the one I’ve caught her flashing at me and even Koen lately? It stirs something in me I’d rather not feel. I don’t usually get this possessive.
Except, I know that gaze, and I know my girl. It’s the one that tells me she’s feeling something real. That’s the exact look that made me fall even harder for her the last few days because it shows me that she wants me back.
When she leans into me, lets me be her rock, her person, it’s the greatest feeling in the world. And with Koen, I’ve seen the same flickers, the way her smiles become softer, and her laughs come easier. I get that. I want that for her. For all of us.
But having her look that way at Harrington?
Hell no.
Not fucking cool.
I don’t even know the guy. Sure, I’ve heard the stories, but I wasn’t around when the worst of it went down. I only know the version Ezra, Koen, and Levi told me, and their opinions couldn’t be clearer. They see him as a traitor, an asshole, the enemy.
So that’s what he is.
I lean back against a pillar and cross my arms over my chest, watching as they move together, tension and intrigue coiling between them as if it has a life of its own.
She’s good, but I’m not blind. She’s not playing a role.
She’s just her. And it doesn’t surprise me that the best way to snare him was to be herself. She’s that magnetic.
She’s letting him in just enough to risk getting tangled up for real.
My phone vibrates in my pocket as I watch Sparkle and Harrington twirling closer, her laugh slipping into the air like she’s enjoying herself. I check the message from Alaric, barely taking my eyes off her.
Alaric
How’s it going?
I press the video call icon without thinking twice, and after a few rings, Alaric’s face fills the screen, shadows casting over him from the near darkness of his room.
The contrast between his setup and this goddamn masked party couldn’t be sharper.
As the call connects, I change to the back camera, pointing it toward the dance floor so he can get a good look at the show.
“It’s going a little too well for my taste,” I mutter, but they’re too far away for the camera to be able to catch the soft smile she sends Harrington’s way.
“That’s her? Fuck, she’s gorgeous.”
“Tell me about it.” I let out a sigh, shaking my head. “These damn masks… can’t see her face properly.” I flick the camera back to face me.
“Your mask doesn’t look any better, idiot.” His smirk is only faintly visible in the dim light. “Turn the camera back to the good view. I haven’t even seen her properly.”
“You hot for my girl, too, now, bro?”
This shit is getting annoying.
“Koen told me she said she wasn’t your girl at all.” I catch the hint of a challenge in his eyes. “He thinks that it’s all wishful thinking on your part.”
“Yeah, Koen also thinks mustard on pasta is a good idea. I don’t exactly trust his judgment on anything.”
“I think it’s called a honey mustard vinai—” Alaric starts, but I cut him off.
“Let’s just agree it’s culinary blasphemy and move on.” I glance back at the woman who is definitely my girl, catching her as she laughs up at Harrington, seeming quite comfortable in his embrace. “Goddammit.”
“What is it?” Alaric asks in concern, and I focus back on the screen.
He’s concerned for her.
She’s got a way of wrapping all of us around her little finger, and it hits me that Alaric’s pining doesn’t stir up the same irritation as Harrington’s blatant interest does. Not even close.
“Don’t worry.” I wink at him, making him huff a laugh. “She’s fine. I’ll make sure of it.” But when I look back to where they were dancing a second ago, she’s gone.
Scanning the room, I spot Harrington standing alone beside the dance floor, looking a bit lost. My gaze skips over him and continues scanning the crowd, and my heart jumps as I catch sight of Sparkle weaving through people, heading toward the far side of the room, probably off to the restrooms.
“I’ve got to go,” I tell Alaric, already moving in her direction, then cut the call before he can ask questions.
I weave through groups of masked people chatting and sipping champagne. The music fades into the background as I slip into the corridor, catching sight of her as she disappears into the women’s restroom. I hesitate for only a second, then I push the door open and step inside after her.
She’s at the mirror, hands braced on the counter, her gaze fixed on her reflection. She doesn’t even look my way, probably assuming it’s just another woman walking in. I make a quick sweep, noting that all the stalls are empty, then stride back over to the door and lock it with a click.
That’s when the eyes behind her mask snap up in the mirror. Her lips part, her breath hitching. “Sylus…” she gasps, straightening, “… what are you doing here?”
I close the distance between us, then grip her waist and lift her onto the counter. “Reminding you who your person is,” I murmur, maybe a little too roughly. “And who made you scream last night.”
Her mouth opens, ready to argue, but I don’t give her the chance. I’m already pressing her back into the sink and claiming her mouth, having to do my best to hold back a cry of victory when she instantly melts under me.
I might as well tattoo it on her wrist—Property of Sylus.
Maybe I’ll let Koen and Alaric add their names underneath it, only much smaller.
I trail my lips along her jaw, down to her neck, where I nip and suck at her skin until her body starts to tremble.
“Sylus,” she murmurs, breath hot against my ear, a moan slipping out as I graze her collarbone with my teeth. “What… what is this about?”
“This?” I ask as I lick a path to her ear before whispering, “Just a little public service announcement.”
We can’t have her forgetting what side she’s on.
I slide my hand along the slit of her dress and up her thigh until I find my way between them, my fingers toying with the lace of her panties.
“Does he make you hot, Sparkle?” I ask, my voice laced with sarcasm as I run the pad of my thumb over her center.
I know she’s registered the meaning of my question the moment she jerks back, fire sparking in her eyes as her head snaps up. Good.
“This is about Nicholas?”
“I dunno, is it?” I raise an eyebrow. “Or are you finding excuses to bring him up? Are we pining over rich boys now?”
“Aren’t you a rich boy too?” she shoots back.
Meh. Semantics.
“Does he make you hot?” I repeat, watching her closely as I continue to run my fingers over her body.
“What if he does?” she bites back, all defiance.
I pull her panties aside, smirking when I feel how wet she is. “Did dancing with him make you wet?” My finger glides up and down her slit, and I savor the feeling, the way her body reacts to my touch. “Or is this all for me?”
She doesn’t back down. “What if he does? I told you I’m not going to be exclusive with you.”