Page 75 of Offside Devil

I almost trip on the train of my dress climbing out, but Zane steadies me. His fingers wrap around my hip, and I forget all over again that this is fake. Because when he looks at me the way he is now, it’s easy to forget it’s not real.

“Thanks,” I mumble.

His hand tightens, sliding over my waist. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”

Then the cameras start flashing.

The stairs up to the front doors of the venue are lined on both sides with journalists behind velvet ropes, hordes of them, like jackals at the watering hole, gnashing and calling out names and those bulbs going pop-pop-pop.

My heart lodges in my throat. “Oh my.”

“It’s a zoo out here.” Zane takes my hand, wrapping it protectively around his elbow. “Smile for the hyenas.”

I manage a shy smile that I hope doesn't reveal exactly how close I am to throwing up on my shoes. I keep my eyes locked on the stairs in front of me so I don’t fall again.

But a little voice in my head keeps whispering a very inconvenient truth.

I started falling a long time ago.

31

MIRA

The Phoenix Angels sure know how to throw a party.

There are one hundred and fifty people here, at least, not including the waitstaff. I’ve been introduced to dozens who work on the management side of things and their spouses, plus half the team. Their names are swimming around in the sea of champagne I’ve consumed, and I’m overwhelmed in the best kind of way.

It’s actually kind of… fun?

I’m shoving some kind of cucumber cracker sandwich concoction in my mouth to soak up a little of the alcohol when an arm hooks around my shoulders.

“Now, why would your date leave you here all alone, Miss McNeil?”

Under my breath so only I can hear, I mumble, “Nathan Moore has more hair than anyone else.”

I thank past me for coming up with these stupid little mnemonic devices. Though, Nathan and the man-bun he himself described as “stately” less than thirty seconds after we met would be hard to forget.

“Zane went to get us both drinks.” I stretch onto my toes to find him over the crowd. And I do find him…

Talking to his assistant, Hanna, at the bar.

Hanna tosses her red hair over her shoulder, laughing at something absolutely hilarious Zane must have said. It’s the first time she’s spoken to him all night; I can tell by the way I keep finding her throwing eye daggers at me from across the room that she’s keeping her distance from me. And this is the first time Zane has left my side all night.

She didn’t waste time pouncing on the first opportunity, I guess.

Nathan shifts around me, bowing low and offering his hand. “While your date is away, would you care to play?”

Before I can say anything, Daniel walks by and kicks Nathan in the shin with his left leg.

“Fuck!” Nathan hisses. “That thing should count as a weapon. They should have frisked you at the door.”

“Ask Mira here to dance again and you’ll get a lot worse from Zane. I just saved your dick,” he says. “You’re welcome.”

Nathan scowls at him, and I reach out and squeeze his shoulder. “My feet are killing me, anyway. Maybe later?”

Nathan gives me a mischievous smile. “As soon as you get bored of Whitaker, you give me a call.”

He melds into the crowd and is bowing low in front of a very pretty blonde within ten seconds.

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