Page 118 of Making Choices

I loop my arms around his neck and allow him to crush my body against his.

Every inch of his chest is hard, the eight-pack that I know lays hidden beneath his shirt and cut is etched like stone, but it’s the obvious erection that pokes me in the stomach that captures my attention. I dance my fingertips along the leather covering his spine, then I shove my hands into his silky hair. Slash moves one of his thighs between mine. His hands are splayed around my lower back, just above my arse, and he uses his grip to move us in time to the thumping beat.

Lifting onto my tiptoes, I angle my mouth to his ear. “You’re so pretty.”

He flushes with colour before leaning down to say, “Pretty? That’s the adjective you’re choosin’ to describe me?”

“Pretty sure pretty is a verb.”

“That’s quite a tongue twister you’ve got goin’ there, Cherub.” As the song changes to a slower tempo, Slash adjusts our rhythm. “Makes me wonder what else you could do with that tongue.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Would probs have a heart attack to be honest.”

When I grin at him, he smirks. After taking hold of my hand, he dips me backward, supporting my back as he moves me in a half-circle. Recognising the move, I’m giggling hard as he pulls me upright and cradles me to his chest. We sway back and forth, pressed together like bookends until Isaiah bobs up next to us and taps Slash on the shoulder.

My eyes track Slash as he stomps off in the direction his prospect just gestured. When he stops to speak to someone, my heart jumps into my throat.

Zeke.

They exchange words, then my current dance partner follows my ex-fiancé outside.

“Holy fuck,” Nadia screeches directly into my ear. I jerk like I’ve been electrocuted. “He pulled the Johnny Castle on you.”

“What?” I blink fast as I try to make sense of her comment. “Oh, yeah... Slash knows I’ve always wanted to try that.”

“He’s gone for you.”

“No. He’s...” Frowning, I search my MDMA-addled brain for the right words to explain that Slash is gone for Zeke, but he’ll likely be back quickly. Those two can’t stand each other right now, I’m sure any meeting between them will be short and blunt. “He’s—”

Sander muscles his way between us. “He’s an idiot, is what he is.”

Looking up at my twin, I try to ascertain the abrupt change in his mood. “Weren’t you just stuffing your tongue down my best friend’s throat?”

“Yeah, so?”

“So, you’re hardly an authority on who’s an idiot around here.”

My twin has the good grace to look away as he mumbles, “I’m just tryna look out for you.”

“I’m fine,” I retort. “High as a kite, which obviously helps.”

“You’re high?” The way Sander’s expression immediately darkens alerts me to my mistake. He takes hold of my jaw and keeps my head still as he scans my face with panic-stricken eyes. “Fuckin’ hell, Anna... where’s your head at?”

After jerking free of his grip, I rub my chin.

Sander glares at me.

I shrug, then I meld into the crowded dance floor before he can say anything else.

Half expecting him to chase me down, I turn to look over my shoulder. Instead of demanding answers from me, my brother has turned his wrath on Nadia. She immediately gives as good as she gets. Part of me wants to defend her, since it was my choice to take drugs tonight, until the tiny portion of my brain that still holds a small grudge over her betrayal with Alex when we were at high school rears its head to demand that I leave them to their never-ending drama.

They deserve each other.

It’s an uncharitable thought.

Yet I can’t find it within me to regret it.

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