Page 25 of Make Me, Break Me

The Earl of Nothingness—self-proclaimed, not my words—watched me sway on my chosen patch of soggy carpet in my borrowed heels with a careful eye.

“Are you going to stand there all night, you Brit perv?” I nudged his thigh with my knee playfully to take the edge off my words, forgetting I wore a skirt for the first time in God only knew how long.

Highschool, probably. I blamed the tequila and my roommate as I smoothed the beaded material nervously, ducking to hide behind my hair curtain as he returned my scrutiny.

Not that I was uncomfortable with Nelson. I’d become more than familiar with both him and Falcon in the last months, working with them side by side. Thankfully, neither of them slacked off, though I suspected that last was because of some unspoken threat that came direct from Dex. Even if we weren’t speaking, he still made an effort to protect me.

The suffocation factor doubled.

“He thought I might find you here.” Nelson brought up the beast not in the room and bestowed me with his sweetest smile all at once, throwing a pair of the cutest dimples my way.

He was seriously gorgeous, if you were into that sort of thing.

I needed far more grit, and maybe a few bruises to make it all work for me, but hey, I got it. Nelson looked like he hadn’t taken a single punch in his life. Or done anything with his hands. There were girls who liked that kind of thing, I guessed.

I kinda liked rough fingers. And grit. And ink. And broken things.

Which brought me back to Dex.

The very missing Dex from my bed who broke our agreement and my rules, which made me super snappy, especially when my shitty mood was paired with tequila.

“He who?” I shot back at Nelson, but with no heat.

We both knew who he meant.

“Pet.” Nelson looked at me sorrowfully. He trailed a hand down my face and leaned forward. “He’s loitering behind the pillar, lamenting the fact he brushed you off today like the natural asshole he is. Wanna bring out the beast?” His gray eyes sparkled with undiluted mischief.

Perhaps the Lord of Nothing at All is more interesting than I gave him credit for.

I grinned at his sassy, toyboy smile. “You’re on.”

“You’re not going to ask what I had in mind?” He pressed a hand over his heart and stumbled. “I’m mortally wounded, milady.”

“You’re a giant flirt is what you are, Lord Nelson.” I flipped my hair and laughed at his theatrics, my chest loosening enough that I managed to breathe for the first time in hours.

Since I realized Dex had blown me off.

I’ll blow something, but it won't be you, baby.

The concept of revenge, no matter how petty, spurred me on.

“Call me that between the sheets and I’ll rise to full mast for you.” Nelson wiggled his eyebrows until his pompous hair flopped boyishly over his eyes.

I burst out laughing as he leaned both arms above me, resting his forearms either side of my head to cage me in against my chosen section of wall.Maybe the Lord of Nothingness has more muscle than I expected.Who knew what a knit vest, a good bow tie, and a blazer could hide?

The mood between us sobered in an instant. I crooked one leg against the wall, tilting my head back.Who’s the fucking flirt here?

But teasing Dex—when he either walked away still wanting me or didn’t want me at all—with a man he knew was all too tempting.

I trailed my tongue across my bottom lip, watching Nelson’s pupils dilate as his gaze followed the motion.

“Pity this is only a one-time thing,” he murmured. “Mourn my loss, Zinzi. He’ll tan my hide for touching you.”

Dex.

Guilt slapped me face first as my tequila-addled brain realized what we were about to do and what a really bad idea this was for both of us.

He cancelled everything. He didn’t turn up.

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