Page 14 of Smolder

“She’s out of your league, Baset,” Landon told Milo as he walked toward the bar.

“She’s out of all your leagues.” Merce’s voice caused me to tense.

Taking a quick glance at the stairs, I found Merce standing there, his eyes locked on me. There was a pleading in them that seemed ridiculous, considering the situation. It wasn’t as if I’d broken up with him. He was the one who had ended things. I gave him a tight smile, then turned my attention back to the table of very nosy males.

“Who else are we waiting on?” I asked.

Witt’s eyes shifted from Merce to me. “Just Topher. The others have pussy lined up.”

“I brought that bubbly lemonade you like,” Milo told me. “Want a bottle?”

I nodded. I’d never had carbonated lemonade until I started coming here to parties. The first time I tried it, I fell in love. The girls used it for a mixer, apparently, for their vodka. It’d become my go-to drink on game nights since I wasn’t drinking alcohol. My dad had made the idea of drinking unpleasant for me. I rarely touched it, and I’d never been tipsy.

“Thanks,” I told him when he handed me the cold bottle from the mini fridge at the bar.

“Royal.”

Merce’s voice made me tense again.

Why was he down here? He sucked at cards.

If I ignored him, it would seem as if I cared. That he’d hurt me. I didn’t want him or any of the others thinking that was the case. Turning, I looked at him, but said nothing. If he wanted to clear the air or whatever, fine. Get it over with.

“Can we talk?” he asked.

His green eyes that I’d once been affected by no longer held any power over me.

“Not really any time for that, Merce,” I replied.

His eyes cut to the table, then back to me. “I just want to talk,” he said. “It won’t take long.”

Why? We had talked. It was done. Nothing more to say.

“Eh, I can’t think of anything we need to say. I mean, you said it all. I heard it. Life moved on.” I glanced over at the others, who were watching us like a live-action movie. “Don’t y’all agree?”

Landon was grinning with an amused twinkle in his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. He held up his glass of bourbon. “Cheers to that, mate,” he said.

“Gotta say, I agree with her, man,” Julian added with a knowing look in my direction.

Cody held up his hands. “Not touching this one. His bedroom is across from mine. I have to see him more than the rest of you fuckers.”

“What did I miss?” Topher asked, and all eyes swung to him as he descended the stairs into the basement.

His dark red hair and Scottish accent made him popular around campus. He just needed a kilt.

“Just agreeing that it’s time to play,” I told him, walking past Merce to go take a seat at the table.

“Like hell you were,” he replied. “I missed the drama, didn’t I? Dammit.”

“No drama,” Milo told him.

“Royal, please,” Merce said behind me as if we were the only ones in the room.

“See!” Topher exclaimed. “I knew it! I missed it!”

“Shut up,” Cody drawled.

I turned back around to see Merce still standing where I’d left him, his eyes on me. If I had loved him, this would be hard. I’d feel something. But there wasn’t anything stirring in my chest.

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