Page 22 of Ink & Stardust

“Jesus, Lyric, relax. I’m fucking with you.” She drops her head back, her laughter filling the room.

“You’re an ass,” I tell her flatly, tugging open the door.

“An ass that you just happen to love,” she calls after me.

“That’s debatable.” I chuckle, pulling the door closed behind me so that she doesn’t have a chance to reply.

The door across the hall opens almost at the exact same time, and I swear, every ounce of air is sucked from the building whenI glance over and my eyes land on the person who exits the room adjacent to mine.

Kai freaking Elliot.

And what’s more... He’s shirtless...

Any words I could possibly say die on my lips as I drink in the sight of him. The ripple of his muscles. The deep cut of his abs. The ink that covers not just the full length of his arm but also travels over his shoulder and down his left side, covering almost the entire left half of his torso.

I blink once. Twice. A third time before sense seems to return.

“I should have known,” I finally say, not having to fake the anger in my voice. Because Iamangry. How dare he treat me the way he did last night, with such care, only to lie to me about why he was even coming to my building in the first place, which was clearly for a booty call.

Just when I was starting to think maybe he wasn’t exactly who Maisie warned me he was, he goes and proves her right.

“Pardon?” He arches a thick brow, amusement tugging at his handsome features.

“That’s why you were leaving the party.”

“Maybe.” He lifts his shoulder in a half shrug before throwing the shirt he’s holding over his head, tugging it down his body in an action I find impossible not to watch.

“Why pretend that you were going home? Why not just follow me up if you were going to come up here anyway?” I gesture to the door behind him, trying to remember the girl’s name who lives there. Clara or Claire. Something like that.

“It seemed in poor taste, given everything.” His eyes soften, which only serves to irritate me further. I don’t want his pity.

“You really are everything they say you are, aren’t you?” I adjust my bag on my shoulder.

“That depends. Who’s they? And what do they say?”

“Everyone.” By everyone, I mean Maisie, but I’m obviously not going to tell him that. “And they say you go through women like it’s an Olympic sport. Here you had me thinking maybe there was more to you.” I do my best to seem indifferent.

“Sorry to disappoint.” He has the audacity to grin.

“Do me a favor and next time you see me, melting down or otherwise, just keep walking, yeah?” I take off down the hall, hoping like hell he doesn’t follow me.

“Are you mad at me?” His long stride makes it easy for him to catch up with me.

So much for him not following me.

“Why on earth would I be mad at you?” I take the stairs faster than I probably should, pushing my way outside moments later, Kai still fast on my heels.

“You tell me.” He’s next to me now, keeping up with me with infuriating ease.

“Look.” I stop abruptly, turning toward him. “I appreciate what you did for me last night, truly. But if you’re the kind of guy who lies and sneaks around, I’m not interested in knowing you.”

“I never lied.” His dark blue eyes flare in challenge.

“You weren’t exactly forthcoming either.”

“I didn’t realize I had to be.” He steps into me, his large frame invading my very small bubble. “You know what I think?” He dips his face so that we’re eye level, so close I can smell the toothpaste still fresh on his tongue. My stomach hollows. “I think you’re jealous.”

“Jealous.” I choke on the word.

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