Page 45 of Heart of Thorns

My heart skips every other beat as I stand near the door. I’m immobile.

“Briar?”

Oh, for fuck’s sake. Really?

I move slightly, and there stands my ex-boyfriend. As if the night couldn’t get worse.

I shift in my boots with anger rushing to the soles of my feet. I wonder what he’d do if I just pretended he didn’t exist?

He clears his throat.Fine.

“Ben.” His name comes out of my mouth like boredom.

I look for Thorne. He’s my boyfriend. Isn’t this the part where he swoops in and saves the day?

“How have you been?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I give him a once-over.

I should ask him how he’s been since sticking his tongue down another girl’s throat while he was still my boyfriend—just a few weeks after my accident—but instead, I mumble, “Better without you.”

“What was that?” he asks, leaning in close.

I back away and hit something hard from behind. Goosebumps cover me from head to toe.

It doesn’t take me long to notice that there’s a lot of people here.

Every booth is filled.

There are two exits, and I mentally track the path I’d take if there were a fire.

God. Get it together, Briar.

I should be admitted, truly.

“Hey.” A sturdy hand collides with mine, and a rush of warmth spreads over my goosebumps. My fingers intertwine against his like they knew it was Thorne before my head did.

“Hi,” I whisper.

My breathing is shaky, and he must notice because his attention immediately falls to my mouth.

“How do you two know each other?” Ben questions, still standing entirely too close.

Ready or not, here we come.

Having Thorne’s hand in mine, backing me, gives me the strength that I need to get my shit together.

“We’re seeing each other.” I face Ben again and soak in the shock on his face.

His eyebrows shoot to the sky, and confusion flickers over his features. He swings his gaze to his teammate in betrayal.

“You’re dating Briar?” he asks. “Since when?”

Thorne narrows his gaze “Since when do you care who I’m seeing, Patterson?”

I squeeze Thorne’s hand, and he quickly glances down at me. He scours my expression, then returns to glare at his teammate.

It doesn’t take long for Ben to grumble and walk away.

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