Page 74 of Muted

Finally, she removes her ass from his dick to stand. I don’t miss the way he tries to subtly adjust himself and I fortify myself to lock this shit down. I’m perfectly aware that I was the one to push against the idea of anything involved with her because of her age, but that kiss in the hallway changedeverythingfor me.

When Susu sits back in her regular spot, I know I’m in trouble as she picks her phone up. The way her spine straightens, and her shoulders hit her ears, I want to delete everything I sent. It’s not that I don’t want answers, but I should have taken a few minutes to calm my thoughts and approached her without as much emotion.

My phone buzzes. I want to close my eyes instead of reading what she has to say.

Susu: Umm… try again.

Me: I’m not sure there’s any other way to ask that.

Susu: Well, I’ll answer with the same amount of enthusiasm. None of your fucking business.

Okay. Yeah, that didn’t help my riotous thoughts at all. Again, I text back with frustration rather than using reasonable words like the adult I am.

Me: We’ve been talking and I kissed the fuck out of you…

Susu: We have, and you did. It was also phenomenal.

Me: That should mean that whatever the hell is going on between you and Vance should NOT be happening.

Susu: Try. Again.

I know she’s done with me right now, but I’ll be damned if she’sdonewith me. She shoves her phone into her bag wedged between the piano and the wall, then plops back on the bench and waits on Vance as he speaks to the crowd.

The second half of the night just gets worse after their brief break. More looks, more smiles, more winks. Just more everything and I leave at the end of the night by storming out the back door.

I’m going to get answers tonight from her one way or another once she gets home. If it was Chaz she was interested in, I’d probably be able to handle that. But not Vance. He’s an egotistical snob and I barely know him.

So, I’m determined not to share.

Vance

“That was quite the show tonight.”

I pause when I hear Chester. Itwasquite a show tonight and now I’m ready to get home. I’m fucking wired and turned on. There’s all this pent-up energy I need to figure out a way to expel, and I can’t do it here.

Shit. The way she sat on my lap and rocked back and forth to reach the notes was beyond heavenly. The thoughts I was having would send me straight to the pits of hell.

“Itwas,” I admit. And it was. Tonight was the most fun we’ve had together, and the audience fucking knew it. They were just as invested as Susu and I were.

Chester leans back in his chair, considering me. Not sure what he’s got on his mind, so I say, “You have a good night. I’m going to head home.”

“Let me ask you something, Vance.” He ignores my desire to leave, so I don’t respond until he gets on with it. “There something between you and Susu?”

I lean against the doorframe and tilt my head slightly, curious why he wants to know. “Why?”

It’s always been clear to me that most of the people here at the bar think I’m a prick and cocky as hell. I am, but I have every right to be. Cocky, not a prick. That I blame on my parents and I’m working on it. It’s the reason for my lack of friends in general. That didn’t bother my mother and father, but certainly bothered me.

Chester ignores me again, and it’s beginning to grate on me. “If thereissomething going on between the two of you, I only ask you to keep relatively PG while at work.” He seems to hesitate with a thought, then says, “I said the same to Theo.”

Well,thatjust confuses the fuck out of me. “What does Theo have to do with anything?”

There’s a hint of anger that flashes in his eyes before he schools his features, acting like he’s not bothered by the gut punch he delivers. “I assume you knew about them. It’s none of my business what you all—”

Cutting him off, I hide how hurt I am behind a condescending tone. “If you don’t think it’s your business, then the appropriate thing for you to do at this moment is stop speaking. Like I said before, I’m heading home.”

Chester nods his head sharply once and crosses his arms. Before I leave, I deliver a parting blow. “I’d also look in the mirror before you try to drive a wedge and create drama between people. I see the way you watch her. I’m not oblivious to my surroundings as much as you apparently think I am.”

His eyes look to my right out the door, and I assume it’s because of what I said. But he’s focused and when I turn my head, I see Susu standing there, a mix of embarrassment and ire shaking her shoulders.

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