Page 115 of Scattered Glitter

“Really?” I ask skeptically. “You expect me to believe that?”

“Really.” His eyes soften as he steps closer, his thumb brushing lightly against my skin. “I had no idea the girl they were talking about was you. You look stunning tonight, by the way.”

“Thanks,” I mutter, trying to ignore how my chest warms at his words. “I have a job to do.”

“Wait…” he tugs a little more firmly, not enough to hurt, just enough to keep me there, tethered to him for a moment longer, “… please.”

I sigh, tilting my head, trying my best to stay unaffected. “What do you want,Sylus?”

He pauses, his gaze dipping to my lips before meetingmy eyes again. “God, my name never sounded better than from your lips.” His voice cracks slightly, betraying his usual swagger. His smirk is still there, but there’s a softness now, almost nervousness as if he’s worried about what I’ll do next.

“Why are you here?”

“It’s my brothers’ birthday.” He shrugs, letting go of me reluctantly, his fingers brushing my arm one last time. The loss of his touch leaves a void I refuse to acknowledge.

“They’re your brothers?”

“Two of them, yes.”

“The Lane brothers don’t have any more brothers,” I argue with a shake of my head.

I know that.The mediaknows that.

He shrugs. “Blood doesn’t make a family.”

Thick, uncomfortable silence and stillness blooms between us then. Just as I try to shake it off, the music swells around us, a saxophone solo cutting through the air, and it only seems to amplify my emotions, all the loneliness I’ve felt over the last few days bubbling up inside me, spilling over before I can stop it.

“You didn’t text me,” I blurt out, the accusation sharp, my hurt unmistakable.

“Missed me?” His nerves recede, and he grins, but I only glare at him, my lips pressing into a thin line. That makes his grin fade, and he tilts his head, his eyes searching mine. “You said you wanted time for yourself. And I tried to respect that. Fuck, Sparkle, it killed me. I missed you like crazy too.”

Damn him.

Damn him for being so annoyingly sweet.

“I didn’t miss you. I don’t care. It’s fine,” I lie, ready to move on from this. “I have things to do.”

“Baby,” he whispers, stepping closer. “I’msorry.”

I hate that he can make me soften so easily, and I especially hate that he’s looking at me as if he sees everything I want to hide.

Ugh.

“You don’t have to be sorry. This is casual, remember?”

“Yeah, casual for you.” He reaches out and strokes the back of my hand. “Casual for me didn’t work.” His smile turns softer. “I’m obsessed with you. How could I not be? Look at you. You’re stunning and funny and apparently fucking capable too.You’reKoen’s thief?” He laughs, but it turns into a kind of groan as he says, “That’s so damn hot.”

Fuck, this is becoming more complicated by the second.

Too intertwined, too real.

“Whatever. See you around.” I’m intent to turn and leave, but he takes my head in both his hands and presses his forehead to mine, stopping me.

“Give me half a chance, Sparkle, and I’llsuffocateyou with my love,” he whispers, his eyes boring into mine. “I thought leaving you be for a few days was a good idea. People can take me in small doses, like hot sauce or rollercoasters. I’m a lot, and sooner or later, I’m too much for most people. I guess I was hoping to delay the inevitable by holding back just a little, but I promise I’ll never do that to you again. You can have me whole, unfiltered, every second of every minute of every hour. Until you kick me out because you’ve had enough.”

Shivers skitter down my spine as longing, annoyance, desire, and something close to fear barrage me. I’m too on edge, the tension from seeing him again, the nerves of what I’m about to do, and the fact that I can’t even have a damn drink to calm myself. It’s too fucking much.

I need someone on my side for this.

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