Page 15 of Ex- Factor
I was so bored I could scream. Instead, a dry, forced chuckle escaped me. I let my eyes drift away from his face, scanning the room for a distraction, any distraction.
The air shifted.
A shadow crossed our table. I looked up.
My heart did this stupid lurching thing, then started hammering against my ribs like it was trying to escape.
Silas.
He wore a black crewneck, sleeves pushed up to his elbows, dark jeans that fit him just right. He had a fresh haircut. Don’t ask me how I knew—it wasn’t like he got a line-up or something. He looked good.
The restaurant was full, and I could see other women looking too. That annoyed me for some reason.
He just stared at me for a second, then turned his attention to the other man.
“Jace,” he said. His voice was smooth, easy, like he wasn’t bothered—but his eyes looked bothered. “Didn’t know you were back in town.”
Jace stood to greet him, grinning. “Yeah, been back a few weeks. Dad’s got me running errands and kissing ass.”
Silas glanced back at me. “Eshe.”
“Hey,” I said, suddenly hyper-aware of the neckline of my dress, the way it rode up my thighs. It looked like I was on a real date. I didn’t want him thinking that. My fingers tightened around my fork.
“Didn’t expect to see you here,” I said for lack of something better to say.
“I bet you didn’t,” he said, voice low.
Jace sat back down like he didn’t notice the tension. “You two know each other?”
Silas didn’t answer. He gave me one last look—something unreadable, something that made my stomach twist—then walked off.
I turned to watch him. He ended up at a table with two men that looked like they were there for business. He didn’t look in my direction, even though he was sitting in my direction.
The air felt heavier after he left.
I turned back around.
“You okay?” Jace asked, biting into a spring roll.
“Yeah.”
“You sure?” He leaned in, lowering his voice. “You’re not dating him or anything, are you?”
I shook my head.
He nodded. “Good. I mean, you know he’s bad news, right?”
I raised an eyebrow.
He kept going. “Silas. He got cut off by his parents and turned it into a personality. Dropped out of college, started dating women twice his age to live off of them. Him and that friend of his—Cassius? They were selling drugs. That’s why Cassius is so rich. They’re the delinquent type.” He smirked, like it was funny.
I didn’t say anything. Just took a slow sip of my water, the ice clinking against the glass—because I knew Cassius wasn’t a drug dealer.
I didn’t like people who talked behind folks' backs and smiled in their faces. Jace was officially somebody I wasn’t fucking with.
Jace shrugged. “Just saying. Don’t get involved with that type of crowd. You’re better than that.”
I almost rolled my eyes.
