Page 38 of Sprite Wedding
We’d been having a great time until now. It wasn’t often that the six of us could go out for a night together, let alone a show. I’d seen this band play before, but Zoe hadn’t. Introducing her to something new always brought me new enjoyment. I loved seeing her smile and hearing her laugh. All I wanted to do was make my mate happy.
Right now, she appeared ready to murder.
“Am I interrupting something?” Zoe repeated.
“No, no, of course not,” I sputtered.
“We need a few minutes alone,” Linda countered.
“No, we don’t,” I said through clenched teeth. I’d been trying to get away from Linda, but she was persistent.
Zoe tipped her head and stared up at me with a hard stare. “Friend of yours?”
I glanced at the floor of the club. Was there any way out of this awkward situation to salvage this night? Music surrounded me, thumping into my body. No answers came to mind.
“Zoe, this is Linda,” I introduced, avoiding eye contact.
“Aren’t you lucky to be with Lucas tonight?” Linda said in a sickly sweet tone. “We dated for a while.”
“We didn’tdate,” I clarified and faced her.
Linda brushed my arm with a dismissive wave. “Oh, Lucas, you’re such a tease.” She faced Zoe. “We slept together. Hooked up. Banged. Whatever you want to call it, we did it. And in many positions, too.” She laughed and then motioned before her body. “He’s skilled with his hands, isn’t he, Zelda?”
“Zoe,” I said, knowing damn well that Linda messed up her name on purpose.
Zoe recoiled, wincing before she painted the neutral expression back in place. “I agree. Lucas is incredible with more than just his hands.” She stared back at Linda with the hard expression that she’d pinned on me, refusing to cower under the zing. “We’ve beenveryhappy together for averylong time.”
I didn’t know what was going on here, but the tension was thick enough to smother all oxygen from the club. I searched my brain to say something. Do something. But I might make things worse if I stuck my big fat paw into this.
“A lot of the women at Ripped aren’t so happy, including me.” Linda pouted. “Lucas was one of the best performers. We want him back.” The predatorial look in her eyes signaled that she wanted me back in her bed as well.
Not going to happen.
How the hell was I going to get out of this red-hot mess?
“Lucas is a grown man and knows what he wants,” Zoe said, her gaze as fixed and steady as when she was on an investigation.
“Yes, indeed. It seems like he missed us too,” Linda said with a leering smile. “That’s why he returned.”
In all of Hades Crazies…
“That was a one-time thing,” I said. “For old times’ sake. But it proved that my club days are behind me. I’m not coming back.” To the club or her.
That was true. Dancing at the club was fun when it was fun, and then it wasn’t anymore. I’d much rather spend a night anywhere with Zoe than doing anything with anyone else.
She had to know that.
“Have a good night. I’m going to hang with my girl and my friends.” I placed my hand on Zoe’s lower back, steering her back to the stairs leading to the balcony.
Perhaps I should have been more adamant with Linda at my house. That way I wouldn’t have had to deal with this conversation tonight.
And I should have told Zoe the whole story then. Because now, I couldn’t help but feel guilty, even though I didn’t ask for this or encourage it. But I had kept something from her, and judging by the hurt in her eyes that she attempted to disguise, that had been a mistake.
As we walked up the stairs, Zoe turned to me and demanded, “What’s going on, Lucas?”
I squirmed. “I’ve been trying to shake her off.”
Zoe arched a brow but didn’t say a word.
