Page 55 of Vendetta

“Want me to get you another?” he offered, and I flashed him a flirty smile and a nod.

“If you don’t mind!” I asked, raising my voice to be heard over the music and placing a hand on his upper arm. His smile widened.

“I’ll be right back, save me a dance!”

I turned back to Bexley, wrapping my arms around her as we continued to dance.

“Cashton’s here, and he’s staring at us,” I whispered-yelled in her ear, hoping she could play it cool.

“Where?” she exclaimed, spinning around to look for him. I quickly grabbed her shoulders and turned her back towards me before she could make things any more obvious.

“Don’t look! Just keep dancing with me, keep me distracted,” I begged.

“Roger that!”

She continued to move her body, loose hairs falling from her hairdo as she downed her champagne and threw it over her shoulder, the glass shattering somewhere in the distance. Oh gosh, she was definitely drunk. Was I drunk? I was definitely drunk too. I should call us a cab soon, right after this next drink. I didn’t want Cashton to think I was running from him.

This was good, this was fine. We would just ignore him and pretend he wasn’t here. It was easier said than done though when I could feel his all-consuming presence over every other person in here, his effect on me suffocating.

“Here you go, ladies,” the male extended a champagne glass to each of us, Bexley thanking him as I offered him a genuine smile. His hair was blonde and tightly cropped, his frame not as tall or muscular as Cashton’s, but still fit. Not necessarily my type, but I was in the mood to have fun, and would happily accept the distraction from the man across the room.

“I’m Jonah,” he offered. Making his way around me, he placed his hands on my hips, his body pressing into mine. It felt wrong, his hands nowhere near as confident and commanding as Cashton’s. I cringed as they roamed over my body.

His friend made his way over to Bexley, placing his hands on her waist. She barely seemed to notice, too lost in the moment, but I made a mental note to keep an eye out for any sign of her becoming uncomfortable. Neither of them would be coming home with us, that was for damn sure.

I lifted the champagne to my lips, the liquid courage allowing me to fall back into Jonah just slightly, the feel of him still repulsive but more tolerable with the alcohol flowing through my veins. The burning gaze piercing the side of my face let me know that Cashton was still watching, my body on fire at the thought. A part of me wanted him to see me with someone else—To see if he would get jealous, to see if he still felt anything towards me like I did him. I blamed the alcohol, but part of me wanted to poke the bear and see what would happen.

He was the one who had said he wanted nothing to do with me.I don’t hate you, Landry. I loathe you. He made it clear where he stood, and I shouldn’t feel apologetic for trying to have a little bit of fun. It was no longer his business—Not that it ever had been in the first place.

He couldn’t push me away and then get mad with how I chose to live my life. He had no right. I took a big sip of my new drink, the liquid courage making my head feel lighter as I placed my hand on top of Jonah’s, guiding it further down my body until it rested on my hip. It felt wrong, his hand burning on my skin as I tried not to rip it off of me.

The only hands I wanted on me were Cashton’s, something that would never happen again. The thought made my body ache, needing the feel of him against me instead.

I didn’t want to feel anything. But between Cashton’s presence, and Jonah’s hands, plus the added stimulation of the pounding music and buzz running through me from the alcohol, I felt like I might just combust. It was all too much, and I was going to break.

“I have to go to the bathroom!” I declared, shoving Jonah’s hand off of me as Bexley met my gaze.

“Bexley, want to come?”

“I’ll be fine, I’m probably going to step outside for some fresh air. Meet me out there when you’re done!”

I studied her for a moment, making sure she was coherent enough to know what she was doing. She offered me a reassuring smile, sobering up for a brief moment to let me know she was okay.

“Sounds good,” I nodded, turning to push through the crowd as I headed towards the back of the ballroom, finding thehallway marking the way to the restrooms. I just needed a minute alone to get my head in order.

My heels raced over the carpeted flooring, my hand reaching down to lift my dress so that I wouldn’t trip over it.

I was so caught up in my escape that I didn’t hear the steps coming up behind me, a hand gripping my arm and spinning me around before I was pinned against the wall of the hallway.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he raged, the mint of his breath and cedarwood of his cologne enveloping me as he pressed his body into mine, towering over me. My breath hitched, my body wanting to melt into him, but my mind still clear enough to keep me steady.

“What do you mean, Cashton?” I practically growled, baring my teeth and lifting my chin defiantly.

“What games are you playing? Trying to make me jealous, princess?”

The audacity of this man to think that I was trying to get back at him by flirting with another guy.

“I’m not trying to play any games,Cashton,” I practically spit at him, enraged at his completely accurate accusation.

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