Page 72 of The Rule Breaker
His grin widens, too far gone to catch the insult. “What?”
Aurora takes a sip and gives him a deadpan look. “That you think I’m even remotely interested.”
The guy’s grin drops, irritation flickering across his face. “Being a bitch isn’t attractive, you know.”
Aurora arches her brow at him. “And what makes you think I’m trying to attract you?”
I bite back a laugh, watching the exchange. The guy scoffs before turning his attention to me. “What about you, sweetheart?”
I scrunch my nose, the stench of alcohol hitting me even from this distance. “No thanks.”
He mutters something under his breath, his face flushed with embarrassment, before he stumbles off into the crowd.
Aurora raises her cup, her lips twitching into a smirk. “To being unapproachable.”
I clink my cup against hers, a small laugh escaping me. “Cheers.”
We’re still laughing when a groan cuts through the noise.
“Great. Viper’s here to ruin the party.”
I turn, my gaze falling on Cole. He’s standing nearby, arms crossed, and his eyes are locked on Aurora with a look that couldmelt steel. He drags his gaze down her body, pausing at the low neckline of her top, and then flicks his eyes back up to her face with a tight expression.
Aurora doesn’t seem fazed. She takes another sip of her drink, her lips curling into a half-smirk. “Wow, you’re already in my business? That was fast.”
Cole scoffs, his eyes running over Aurora’s outfit once again. “Do you ever wear clothes that actually cover you?”
Aurora’s gaze sharpens. “Stop looking at me and it won’t be a problem.”
Cole’s smirk fades, his jaw tightening. “Trust me, I’m not fucking looking.”
The tension between them thickens, heavy and suffocating. I glance back and forth, my curiosity bubbling up, but before I can say anything, Cole saunters off without another word.
“Okay, what’s with you two?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at Aurora. “You look like you’re ready to kill each other.”
Her face screws up in disgust. “That would involve me getting close enough to touch him. Not happening.”
I arch a brow, but she offers nothing more.
I take a long sip of my drink, the coolness of it running down my throat as I scan the room, letting my gaze bounce from one face to the next. The noise of the party hums around me, a blur of voices and laughter blending with the pulse of the music. It’s all just background noise—until I freeze.
There he is.
Ryan.
Leaning against the far wall, looking effortlessly perfect. His dark hair’s a little tousled, and his sleeves are rolled up just enough to show off the muscles in his forearms. And because the universe has a cruel sense of humor, he’s surrounded by a group of girls—each of them with their attention locked on him.
My stomach drops.
He got what he wanted, and I was stupid enough to give it to him. And now, I’m just another girl in his past.
Aurora’s eyes flick back down to her phone when it buzzes and she chuckles, a grin tugging at her lips.
“Chase?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
She looks up, her grin widening. “He got my picture,” she says, shooting me a wink. “He’s asking for another one,” she adds, tilting her head at me. “You’ll be okay for a minute, right?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” I reply with a chuckle.
