Page 130 of Scattered Glitter

I shrug. “Wouldn’t know.”

Before anyone can protest further, I turn to Sylus, who holds out a hand, steadying me as I swing a leg over and mount his bike. He chuckles as I clamber onto the seat. Then he reaches for his helmet and places it on my head, buckling the strap with a level of care that almost feels like he’s tucking me in. “Ready?”

I nod, and he gets into position in front of me and starts the engine with a rumble. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I glance over in time to see Koen and Levi get into the Bronco while Ezra mounts his bike, a red version of Sylus’s matte black Yamaha.

Sylus hasn’t got a helmet on, so I’m thankful when he takes the drive slowly, leaving the others to trail behind us. After several relatively quiet minutes on the road, Ezra ridesup beside us and his voice cuts in through the helmet’s comms.

“I’m sorry.” I look over at him, but his gaze remains forward. In other circumstances, I’d find it almost charming that they have their helmets synced. “They’re my family.” He continues, “And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe. It’s nothing personal. I wouldn’t have hurt you under any other circumstances. As Koen said… this is serious. And if protecting them means I have to cross a line?” His voice trails off as we reach an all-way stop, then he finally looks in my direction. “I’ll cross it.Every time.”

His words settle heavily on me, and I think of Rosalee and Ace,myfamily. I’d have done anything for them, sacrificed anything to keep them safe too.

I know what that loyalty costs.

“I get it,” I murmur as we continue down the road. “I still owe you one punch to the face, though.”

He doesn’t answer, but I hear a soft exhale through the line, almost a laugh, and then he revs his engine and takes the lead the rest of the way.

When the neon lights of Celeste come into view, they seem to cut through the night, and glow across the line of people queued up outside. As we pull up, Sylus smoothly guides the bike past the line and to the back, where he parks.

Sliding off the bike, I pull off the helmet, smoothing my hair and letting the dress fall back into place as Koen steps out of his car nearby. I turn to him and ask, “Why’d we park back here?”

He offers me my purse, and I take it. Before he can answer my question, Levi grabs my hand, guiding me toward the back entrance with a grin. “You only go in through the front if you want to be seen.”

At the door, the bouncer nods in recognition as he stepsaside to let us in. We slip through and enter a dim hallway. The throb of music grows louder with each step until it finally explodes around us as we enter the main part of the club. My eyes go wide, taking in the luxe setup, the flashing lights, the crowd swaying to the beat.

I look up at Levi, who’s still holding my hand and pulling me through the throngs of people. “You go into the crowd like this?”

“Chill.” He chuckles, glancing down at me. “It’s only until we’re up in the VIP booth.”

The crowd presses in, the scent of perfume, cologne, and liquor filling the air. Ezra is at our back, with Koen and Sylus trailing behind him. As we push deeper, people begin to recognize Levi, murmurs and glances following us. I watch a woman turn, reaching out toward him with that starstruck glint in her eye.

Before she can make contact, I intercept her hand with mine, pushing her away. “Look, don’t touch!” I snap, standing in front of Levi, then pulling him forward. He laughs, clearly amused, and I glance back, making sure everyone’s still with us. Ezra’s gaze meets mine, his brow raised in a silent question. “What?” I yell over the music, but he simply shakes his head with a hint of a smile.

Finally, we reach another bouncer who opens a private stairway leading to the second floor. As we head up, the pulse of music vibrates beneath my feet, sending a hum of excitement through me. The space is open, overlooking the dance floor below, but secluded enough to offer some privacy.

This is fucking amazing.

Levi takes my hand and twirls me, and that’s all it takes to break the ice, Sylus joining in to dance off the stress of the evening. The waiters drift in and out of our booth, balancing trays of champagne glasses and bottles nestled inice trays. Levi and I fill glass after glass, toasting to nothing and everything as the night presses on, and I spend much of it dancing between Levi and Sylus, lost in the rhythm of it all as time slips away into the steady pulse of the bass.

At some point, a remix of “Alors on Dance” by Stromae starts up, and Sylus grins down at me, his fingers grazing my hip as he pulls me in. By now, everything is warm and loose but also electric like the night itself is alive, and I find myself forgetting the tension from earlier, abandoning myself to the moment.

This is what I needed.

I catch sight of Koen where he lounges on the couch, watching us with a small smile, his gaze tracking my every move. Ezra is standing behind Levi, close enough to step in if need be but far enough to give us our space.

As I laugh at Sylus wiggling his eyebrows at me, my purse vibrates. Pulling out my phone, tipsy as hell, I try to focus on the screen.Captain Bossy.The name makes me grin, and I open the message.

You okay?

Sylus looms over my shoulder as he asks curiously, “Who’s texting you?”

I roll my eyes with a laugh. “Captain Bossy.”

He squints in confusion. “Captain who?”

“Alaric, I think.”That’s his name, right?“He’s probably worried he hasn’t heard back from me.”

Sylus rolls his eyes. “He’s a little scaredy-cat.”

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