Page 31 of Hired Help

Then she gently tugs her hand and I release her, scraping my teeth over her bottom lip in a nip before I pull away.

I draw back slowly, heart thumping with enough force that my body shakes with each beat. The press of people at the entrance grows steadily. If she wants to make an impression, now’s the time.

“Do you want to head in there or stay in the car for longer?”

“I—” Her posture straightens, and she stares at the clutches of teens with a faint frown. For a second, every inch of her body expresses doubt, then she squares her shoulders. “Let’s go in now.”

CHAPTERNINE

BROOKE

Daegan looks sogood in his tuxedo I have twinges of anxiety rocketing through me. I thought I’d be nervous turning up to the dance on his arm but it’s such an understatement I don’t know how to process my conflicting emotions.

I want him to look attractive, of course I do. But seated next to him, I feel like when I was a girl, watching dad and whatever-number-wife he was on getting ready to go out for the evening.

He’s a man and I’m nothing but a child playing dress-up. A child he’ll soon hate for what she’s about to do.

The whole time I was getting ready, I thought I had myself under control. Then I turned up at his door and it felt like a frontal assault of my eyeballs. His hair is caught back at the sides, forming a small knot on top of the long strands at the back, which flow freely over his shoulders.

It contrasts beautifully with his crisp white shirt. Even with it buttoned, there are tattoos visible. The backs of his hands are decorated with intricate designs that continue past his cuffs.

I tear my eyes away, my stomach a mess of nerves. Inside the cage of their tangled vines, butterflies flit back and forth, the movement of their delicate wings making me shiver.

I need a drink but right now I don’t know if I’d be able to keep one down. Floss walks past dragging Dex, a boy from my year, behind her.

No one watching is ever going to be fooled into thinking she’sdatinghim. She looks irritated when he speaks and slaps his hand away when he tries to rest it on the curve of her waist.

Being the year below, she can’t buy tickets directly. I guess Dex fulfilled her ambition to attend tonight without meeting any other criteria.

Kaden sweeps past, too. He’s got Hilly clinging to him and appearing overjoyed to have him as her plus one, although his gaze only warms when he glances over at his stepsister.

I can’t see Harrison anywhere and instead of adding to my nerves, I immediately hope he isn’t attending. The beautiful plan I concocted has come off without a hitch, but it led me to an area I’m still not sure I want to be.

If he sees me on his dad’s arm, he’ll never forgive me.

This isn’t just cheating—the thing he hates above all else—this is fooling around with the person who implanted that hatred to begin with.

Except it’s not cheating because he dumped you.

I pull at the doorhandle while the thought pulses in my head, letting it push me past the point of no return.

“Too quick for me,” Daegan quips as he arrives at my side from around the back of the vehicle. “How am I meant to show my flare for opening doors if you’re radicalised enough to open them yourself?”

The simple joke makes me laugh, which makes me relax. His entire manner eases my tension, just like always.

I think losing his friendship will be the biggest blow of this evening, but it’s too late to stop this trainwreck. It has been since I first put it in motion.

“Ready?” he asks, guiding my hand into the crook of his arm and stilling my tremor by putting his over top.

“Yes,” I manage, having to breathe twice as often because my lung capacity has shrunk to nil. “Let’s go.”

A ridiculously small purse dangles from my wrist. It’s got my credit card, my room keys, my phone, and the entry tickets. I couldn’t even squeeze a lipstick in there to touch up my makeup.

The doorman accepts the thick cards and directs us inside. I wave to a few people, enjoying the double takes as they glimpse the eye candy walking beside me. Floss’s mouth gapes, then she rushes over, leaving her date behind without a second thought.

“Nice to meet you,” she says, standing in front of Daegan so we both have to stop. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure.”

“Real subtle,” I mock, then forget how to talk altogether as his large palm stakes the curve of my hip as its new resting place.

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