Page 131 of Scattered Glitter

I type out a quick reply, filing Sylus’s comment about the good captain for when I can think about it more clearly.

I’m fine. But I have to kick your ass soon.

Would be deserved.

I grin, biting my lip as I type again.

Would be easier if you were here.

I don’t know if I should make my ass-kicking easier for you.

Sylus called you a little pussy. You should definitely come to whoop his ass.

I won’t be baited by a guy who wears T-shirts meant for five-year-olds.

A laugh bursts from me, a deep, full sound that draws Sylus’s attention. He grins as he plucks my phone from my hands and reads the thread.

“Okay, you laughed way too hard at this.” He presses the screen, holding the phone up as he records a voice message. “Ric, my man, fuck off.” He grins and ends the message, tossing my phone back into my purse. “Let’s put that thing away,” he says, pulling me back into his orbit, his hands guiding my hips as we move to the beat.

Warmth radiates from his possessive grip, his palms traveling over the curve of my waist, his fingers tracing a line up my spine as he pulls me in closer. The playful gleam in his eye shifts to something deeper, something smoldering as our gazes lock and we move effortlessly together.

He ducks down so his lips hover below my ear, his words slipping past the music and wrapping around me. “I can’t wait for later… when it’s just us, and you’re all soft and quiet for me.”

Sylus’s fingers slide up the slit of my dress, his touch grazing my thigh, while his lips find the spot where my neck meets my shoulder. My head tilts back, letting the rhythm and his touch consume me.

Then, Levi swoops in, grabbing my hand and pulling me away. “Birthday boy perks,” he yells, tossing Sylus a teasing grin. I laugh at Sylus’s unamused expression as Levi hands me another glass of champagne, and I take it for what it is—an opportunity to catch my breath.

Levi and I toast, clinking our glasses, the bubbles tickling my nose as I take a long sip. His eyes shine as he watches me, but after a few seconds, his gaze drifts to Ezra, as I’ve noticed it has all night. The lights shift, lighting up the secluded section we’re in long enough for me to see Ezra is watching Levi too. I thought it was his protectiveness, but there’s definitely something else lingering in his gaze.

Ohhh…

My grin grows wider as I start to sway again, silently wondering if Levi has any clue about Ezra’s little crush on him. With my glass raised above my head, I spin, and then Sylus steps up behind me, finding my waist again. We pick back up where we left off, him pressing close, but Levi waves him off with the flick of a hand. “Shoo. It’s still birthday boy’s turn.”

Right, birthday boy.

There are two of them.

I drain the rest of my champagne and glance over at Koen, who’s still seated on the plush couch, watching the scene unfold with his usual calm intensity. Grinning, I sway over, stopping in front of him. “Is this seat taken?”

Koen’s smirk deepens as he gestures with an open hand next to him. “Not at all.”

Without hesitation, I slide onto his lap, my legs straddling him as I settle in. His gaze locks onto mine, and for a split second, a flicker of surprise crosses his eyes, and then it vanishes, replaced by that smug, unreadable expression.

Let’s see if we can crack that exterior tonight.

He doesn’t stop me, contrary to the last time I tried this,so I start to move, rolling my hips slowly against him, letting myself sink into the beat. My fingers trace light patterns along his shoulders as I lean in close. The dress has ridden up, leaving my thin G-string and his suit pants as the only barriers between us.

Koen’s gaze doesn’t wander. It doesn’t drop to my body like every other guy’s does when I do this. He’s not looking at my legs, hips, or chest. His eyes stay locked on mine as if he’s stripping me bare without even touching me.

Under normal circumstances, that would have been a giant red flag. But it’s Koen, and his control flusters me the longer he maintains it, bringing a warmth creeping into my cheeks. My breath catches, and my vulnerability rises to the surface under his unrelenting gaze. I consider looking away to see if that would break the connection, but Koen catches my chin with his fingers before the thought is fully formed, his thumb tracing a line along my jaw. “Eyes on me.”

I obey but stop my dance, my chest rising and falling with shallow breaths as his fingers push lightly into my skin while his thumb strokes a slow, lazy path along my chin. My whole body responds to him, heat pooling low in my stomach, and I start to move again, but this time, it’s not a dance. It’s a squirm.

Koen’s self-assured grin only deepens. His hand is steady as he keeps my chin tilted toward him and he leans in, the warmth of his breath brushing my lips as he says, “Good girl.”

Shivers run all over me, my body responding helplessly, my breaths coming faster under his gaze, wanting nothing more than to close the small space between us.

Koen’s expression says he knows exactly the effect he’s having on me, and that only makes it worse. The need to break free overtakes me. I push off his lap, standing abruptly, feeling the rush of cool air as I put distancebetween us. “Champagne!” I abruptly yell, cutting through the music.

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