Page 55 of Pretty Heartache

“Micah,” she says, her jaw dropping. “What are you doing here?”

“Ember invited me, remember?” I look over her shoulder. “But it’s clear you were preoccupied.”

“I was dancing.” She’s clearly annoyed I’ve shown up. The pain and regret I saw in her eyes in the kitchen has returned. “You know, it’s what people do at clubs like this.”

“I thought you were here to celebrate your best friend’s birthday.” I can’t help it. Seeing Adeline dancing with Soren’s associate has me on edge and raging with jealousy. I’m furious with Archer, and I’m angry at myself for not being here to protect Adeline. I doubt him dancing with her was pure coincidence, especially given Archer’s voicemail earlier.

“I am celebrating. Is this what you came here for? To ruin my night?” She seethes with anger. “I was having a good time.”

“That man had his hands all over you.”

“So did you the other day. But apparently, it doesn’t have to mean anything. I must not mean that much to you if you allowed me to walk out the door earlier. You don’t have the right to get upset with me for dancing with someone else.”

I take a step forward, eliminating the space between us. “You have no idea how it fucking killed me to watch you walk out thedoor dressed like this.” I lower my voice, not wanting others to hear.

“Seriously?” She gapes, crossing her arms over her chest. Her breasts spill out of the fabric. “You’re going back to this? Treating me like a child?”

“No,” I growl, leaning close enough to bring my mouth to her ear. “I’m treating you like a fucking woman. Trust me, the images of what I want to do to you in this dress haven’t gone away since you walked out that door. But I must admit, it’s getting pretty fucking exhausting trying to protect you and warn you about fucking assholes who just want to fuck you.” I fight to keep my hands off her. Her body is like a magnet. Especially in this fucking dress.

“You don’t need to protect me. Or rescue me!” Adeline yells over the pounding music, jerking back, her cheeks flaming red and eyes lining with tears. “I’m fully capable of taking care of myself. I’ve been doing it all my life.”

“Sounds familiar.” I scoff, thinking back to the day she claimed she didn’t need me to rescue her at the pool.

“I meant it then, and I mean it now.” Her eyes narrow.

“You have no idea who that man was that you were dancing with.”

“And youdo?”

I look past her shoulder, watching Soren’s associate disappear behind a curtain toward the back of the club. His eyes catch mine before he fades into darkness.

“I’m not doing this with you, Micah,” Adeline mutters. “I can’t.” She holds her hands up and spins back around in the direction of where Soren’s associate disappeared.

“Adeline, wait.”

She pushes her way through the crowd and ignores me. I’m quick to follow, but I struggle to keep up. The crowd swells, andthe deeper we go onto the dance floor, the more people there are between us.

“Adeline!” I yell, keeping my focus on her long ponytail.

I finally catch up to her before she makes it to the spot she was dancing in earlier. She spins around, and when her eyes find mine, they’re fueled with more anger.

She crosses her arms beneath her chest. “You can’t just come in here, demanding I listen to you, and tell me you want to do all these things to me then not act on them. I don’t think that’s why Ember invited you.”

She turns on her heel, but I wrap my hand around her wrist; the crowd surrounding us forces us together. Our faces are less than an inch apart, with her nose practically touching mine. The heat radiating off her body surrounds me.

I look into her pleading eyes—ones that tell me she wants me to finally break down the remainder of the wall I’ve had in place between us. The crowd grows impossibly thicker when I bring my mouth to her ear. She shivers next to me, resting her cheek against mine.

“We can’t.” My voice rumbles in her ear. “I’m not good for you.”

She jerks back, stiffening her spine, her eyebrows slanted in frustration. “Suddenly you’re not good for me? You act like I care you went to prison or that you’ve been through some shit in your past. I don’t care about that, Micah.”

“I’m not good for you.” I chance another glance up to the black curtain.

The man with the snake tattoo emerges from behind it. But this time, he isn’t alone. He’s with his twin; the other one of Soren’s associates. They both stand at the edge of the dance floor, looking down. The man with the snake tattoo points to the spot where he and Adeline were dancing earlier. Unease grows in my stomach, and another chill slinks down my neck.

Why are they here? Was the man with the snake tattoo dancing with Adeline on purpose? Are they keeping tabs on her because Archer has found himself in Soren’s debt once again?

The lengths to which Soren will go to get even with Archer are unknown, but I know tonight isn’t a mere coincidence. My stomach turns.

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