Page 19 of Salvatore

“Save it,” I hiss through my teeth. As I watch, Aedry returns to the VIP section. Her arms are crossed and she keeps her focus far away from me. I disconnect the call, not bothering to say goodbye and pocket my phone.

“Fuck,” I mutter.

She slinks in beside her friend, the one currently not straddling some douche. Her friend stops smiling when she sees her and leans into her. “You okay?” I see her mouth.

Aedry nods carefully, the way women do when they’re trying not to cry. I swear, if my brothers were here, I’d wring their necks. Someone like her doesn’t belong with someone like me. If anyone should know this, it’s them.

Donnie wraps her arms around me and rests her head against my shoulder. “Tell me who she is.”

“No one,” I repeat.

“Then why are you so pissed?” When I don’t answer, she starts pushing like only Donnie can. “She’s really pretty. Nice legs, body. Hmmm . . . I wonder which of those men are going to get to taste those perky tits.”

“Shut it, Donnie,” I grind out.

One of the dickheads trails his hand up and down her spine like he owns her. My blood boils as she stiffens. But what I’m feeling doesn’t brew from anger. It’s from shit I’m not ready to deal with that Donnie quickly points out.

“You like her, don’t you?” she teases, appearing to enjoy the show.

“She’s my brothers’ teacher. That’s all.”

“Mmm. I think it’s more than that.”

Maybe it is, but I don’t tell her that.

Donnie’s friends show. I’m hoping they’ll distract her, and for a long while they do. But she catches me eyeing Aedry and how that fucktard makes his way closer and closer to her, ignoring the fact that she’s not even talking to him.

What does Donnie do? She sends a round of shots to Aedry’s table telling her they’re from me. At first, I don’t like it. I don’t want these pricks to think I play nice. But then I think it could be a way to make amends.

They all raise their shots and toast me.

Everyone, except Aedry.

She slides her shot across the table to her friend, not bothering to glance my way, even when she stands and edges her way around the table. I think she’s headed home alone?at least, that’s what I’m hoping. It’s not until I see her cut left that I realize she’s headed to the restroom. The moron who’s been trying to hook up with her all night follows, not that any of her wrecked friends notice. They’re too caught up with the men groping them and kissing their necks.

Shit.

I want to go after her, thinking this guy is up to no good. Donnie catches her leave and notices the guy trailing her. “I want to dance, Sal,” she says, shoving her friends ahead of her.

Like I said, Donnie’s not stupid. She’s been at these clubs enough to recognize a predator when she sees one. And she knows me well enough to know I’m plenty pissed, especially when another idiot hurries to catch up to her first.

Donnie moves ahead, stopping near the hall that leads to the bathrooms to grind with one of her girls, allowing me to keep an eye on her while checking on Aedry. This way, when shit goes down, I don’t have to tell Vin I left his woman. And judging by the way those two dumb fucks are waiting for Aedry by the bathroom, I know there’s going to be trouble.

Just like I know both are going to walk out of here bleeding if they touch her.

Aedry

I don’t feel well. Something’s . . . wrong. It’s more than the shot and the sips of champagne I’ve had. And it’s more than Salvatore’s rejection.

My hand sweeps along my brow as I shift through the fog clouding my mind and recall our encounter. God, I feel so stupid for thinking someone like him, so hard, different, and gorgeous would take interest in someone as average and clean cut as me.

I slip out of the stall, taking a moment to run cold water against my wrists after washing my hands. My mouth is strangely dry and I can’t seem to snap out of this haze.

I reach to grip the granite counter when I stumble to the side. The women beside me laugh.

“Oh, looks like Snow White got something good,” the brunette says.

“Give me some of that,” someone else says, giggling in a way that suggests she’s more than drunk.

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