Page 57 of Wants and Needs
This is a disaster, a trainwreck waiting to happen.
We need to call it all off and?—
“CJ just texted me that they’re leaving the brownstone, so I think we’ll all arrive at the same time. It’s going to work perfectly since all the cameras will be pointed at them and no one will give us a second glance.”
“Good,” I whisper.
The doors open, and when we step out I feel Carter grip my hand. I startle but manage to control it enough.
“Are you okay?” he asks, and squeezes my hand one time.
I look him in the eyes then, and have to swallow hard at the worry I recognize there. I close my eyes and go with my instincts.
“Talk to me.” I whisper my plea.
“What?” he asks quietly too.
“Just tell me anything. Your voice is calming,” I explain.
It takes him a second, but then he does it. He tells me aboutthe talks he’s been having with Sebas and CJ, all the plans they have for their galleries, and I listen intently right there in the middle of the building’s lobby.
In the back of my mind, I process how his hand is warm and soft against mine—he’s always warmer than me—how he grabbed me this time, and how I’ll probably have all night to experience it.
I need to enjoy it, then.
I have no idea if that will happen again, so we can’t not go. I can’t miss this shot with him or with Michelle Blackwell.
I open my eyes and Carter stops mid-sentence.
“You alright?” he asks.
“Better,” I confess, and nod, then I’m the one squeezing his hand. “Let’s go.”
The car ride is silent and our entrance goes just as planned. No one even notices us, and we even hear shouts for Hawk and Wolf to get into pictures together. We walk around all the photographers, and when we finally step inside the ballroom of the Park Avenue Certon, it’s to see Tristan speed walking our way.
“You’re here,” he says with a wide smile that looks weird, and I’m about to point out we’re right on time when his gaze turns down and he frowns at my hand holding Carter’s. “What’s this?” he asks, looking up at Carter with wide eyes, then immediately closes them. “You know what? Never mind. I’ll go see where Michelle is. You guys go get a drink.”
He’s walking away before I can agree with him, and when I look at Carter, he shrugs and just leads me to the bar.
I get my whiskey and Carter opts for scotch, then he takes a step closer and starts talking right by my ear.
It’s crowded and loud, I understand that’s why he does it, but the fuzzies are still happening at an alarming rate.
“So when we see Tristan walking over, I’ll just turn around and lean on the bar,” he starts, reminding me of the plan we came up with. “I’ll be right with you the whole time. If she asks to go somewhere else, you can decide if you want me to go too or if you’re good with Tristan. Then when that’s done, we wait until the dickhead comes at you, and we put him in his place.”
“Yes, and then we can leave, right?” I ask, already beyond anxious.
All of Carter’s friends are coming—or well, the ones who are in the city—but he assured me he doesn’t care about staying for the party.
“Yes, as soon as that’s done we leave this place and go get some ice cream from the bodega by your building.”
I let out a slow breath, and I’m close to feeling more settled whenhisvoice freezes my insides.
“Plain old black tux, huh?” Dirk says, and again I’m reminded of how awful his voice sounds. “Boring as always,” he says, and I see his cruel smirk—the one I have no problem recognizing—as he trails his gaze from the bottom of my shoes to my eyes.
“I’d say you’re the biggest wanker I’ve ever met in all my life, but you’re not,” Carter says, voice hard and harsh. I see true fury come into Dirk’s eyes, but Carter doesn’t care, in fact, he smiles back. “You’re not even good enough at being an arsehole, how about that?” There’s a mocking tone to his words that Idon’t particularly enjoy, especially when Dirk opens his dumb mouth.
“And you clearly need to get your head checked if you’re in love with this one,” Dirk snaps and points in my direction without looking. “In fact, maybe your freak matches and you just increase each other’s weirdo meter.”
