Page 81 of Kingmakers, Year One

“No,” she says.

She turns and walks away from me, back toward Leo.

My teeth grind together so hard I think they might break.

The rage I feel toward Leo Gallo is a hundred times hotter than this fire. I could set him aflame if he so much as looked at me.

Chay regards me with open curiosity, hands stuffed in the pockets of her leather pants.

She says, “You’re full of surprises.”

Biting back what I’d like to reply, I skulk back over to Bram instead.

“No luck, huh?” he says, with an infuriating mixture of pity and smugness.

My fists clench. I’m so angry I could hit him right in the face.

Before I can do anything, he says, “Here,” and presses something into my palm.

It’s small and hard. A pill—round, yellow, smaller than my pinky nail.

“There’s other ways,” Bram says, his eyes gleaming in the firelight.

“What the fuck is this?”

“Drop it in her drink. She won’t turn you down after that.”

A fucking roofie.

I don’t want Anna passed out and helpless. I want her riding on top of me, her long hair a curtain around us, her gorgeous face wild with the sensation of my cock sliding in and out of her.

I’m about to drop the pill in the sand.

Then I look over at Leo and Anna, and a different idea strikes me.

“Thanks,” I say to Bram.

I find the makeshift drink station on the edge of the sand and I mix up a cocktail—light on liquor, heavy on fruit punch. I drop the pill inside and swirl the cup to help it dissolve.

Then I look for my quarry.

I see her standing next to her redheaded friend, wearing a silky camisole top, her hair and makeup done with a pathetic level of care. All for nothing—I doubt Leo has glanced over at her once.

I sidle up to them, holding the drink casually as if it’s mine.

“Enjoying the party?”

Gemma looks surprised that I’m talking to her. “I guess,” she hesitantly says.

“How about you?” I say to her friend.

“Aye.” The redhead has a little more enthusiasm.

“Hey, didn’t you ace the last shooting match?” I say to Gemma.

“Yes . . .” She frowns. “But how did you?—”

“Leo mentioned it.” A lie—it was Valon who told me. But she’s too stupid to realize that Leo and I don’t talk about anything, let alone about her.

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