Page 172 of Scattered Glitter

Fuck.

“Grab something to eat in the car, somewhere where the view’s pretty, casual…” He pauses, a bit of uncertainty crossing his face when I don’t respond right away. “I mean, I could take you out to a fancy restaurant if you prefer. I just…” His fingers tighten around mine, and he lets out a small sigh, looking down before meeting my eyes again. “It’s complicated for me to go out without… drawing attention. And honestly, I’d rather be somewhere where it’s only us.”

This is what they want from me. This is the plan.

So, why do I feel sick?

“There is nothing I would rather do, Nico.”

Sylus

Jealousy usually bores the hell out of me…

… until I see her givingHarringtonthat look.

The look that’s supposed to bemine.

The guy is a walking cliche of privilege and money, plus that wholeI’m tortured and mysteriousvibe. She falls forthat?

Sparkle looks absolutely breathtaking, dressed in black and feathers, elegance wrapping around her like a second skin. Her moves are so natural and confident that it gets under my skin. I’d normally feel proud, maybe even a little smug,knowing this beautiful woman moaned my name a few hours ago.

Watching her give Harrington that soft look, though, the one I’ve caught her flashing at me and even Koen lately? It stirs something in me I’d rather not feel. I don’t usually get this possessive.

Except, I know that gaze, and I knowmy girl. It’s the one that tells me she’s feeling something real. That’s the exact look that made me fall even harder for her the last few days because it shows me that shewants me back.

When she leans into me, lets me be her rock, her person, it’s the greatest feeling in the world. And with Koen, I’ve seen the same flickers, the way her smiles become softer, and her laughs come easier. I get that. I want that for her. For all of us.

But having her look that way atHarrington?

Hell no.

Not fucking cool.

I don’t even know the guy. Sure, I’ve heard the stories, but I wasn’t around when the worst of it went down. I only know the version Ezra, Koen, and Levi told me, and their opinions couldn’t be clearer. They see him as a traitor, an asshole,the enemy.

So that’s what he is.

I lean back against a pillar and cross my arms over my chest, watching as they move together, tension and intrigue coiling between them as if it has a life of its own. She’s good, but I’m not blind. She’s not playing a role. She’s justher.And it doesn’t surprise me that the best way to snare him was to be herself. She’s that magnetic.

She’s letting him in just enough to risk getting tangled up for real.

My phone vibrates in my pocket as I watch Sparkle and Harrington twirling closer, her laugh slipping into the airlike she’s enjoying herself. I check the message from Alaric, barely taking my eyes off her.

How’s it going?

I press the video call icon without thinking twice, and after a few rings, Alaric’s face fills the screen, shadows casting over him from the near darkness of his room. The contrast between his setup and this goddamn masked party couldn’t be sharper. As the call connects, I change to the back camera, pointing it toward the dance floor so he can get a good look at the show.

“It’s going a little too well for my taste,” I mutter, but they’re too far away for the camera to be able to catch the soft smile she sends Harrington’s way.

“That’s her? Fuck, she’s gorgeous.”

“Tell me about it.” I let out a sigh, shaking my head. “These damn masks… can’t see her face properly.” I flick the camera back to face me.

“Your mask doesn’t look any better, idiot.” His smirk is only faintly visible in the dim light. “Turn the camera back to the good view. I haven’t even seen her properly.”

“You hot for my girl, too, now, bro?”

This shit is getting annoying.

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