Page 6 of Tell Me No
“Oh, but he did. That night and every night I’ve worked since then.” I tell him, and he looks shocked. A knowing grin splits his lips and I look around, wondering if I’ve missed the joke. “What?”
“He’s been there every night?” He asks.
“Yeah. He just sits out front like a stalker waiting for me to leave, then follows me home.” I nod, annoyed.
“Hm. Interesting.” He says, a boyish smile breaking out across his face.
“Why?” I ask him, but before he can answer, someone calls his attention to the opposite end of the bar.
“I’ll catch up with you guys in a bit,” he says. I see him pull his phone out of his pocket and shoot off a quick text before focusing on the waiting customers.
Picking my drink up, I walk back to the table to join my friends. Kelsea is chugging water, sweat lining her hairline and collarbone from dancing for the past hour straight. Everett threads his fingers through her dark hair, placing an open-mouthed kiss on her bare shoulder. There are some moments, moments like this one in particular, when I regret closing myself off to the world around me. I wish I had someone to look at me the way Everett looks at Kelsea, the way Elijah looks at Ember. Like I’m the center of their world and everything else is just static. But that’s a dangerous game to play and I already know how badly it hurts to lose.
“Your boy finally texted me back,” Elijah says, shooting me a look daring me to object.
“He’s not my anything and definitely not a boy,” I mumble that last part into my drink as I take a gulp. “What did he have to say?” I take the bait, knowing that’s what it is.
“He’s on his way. Apparently, he had a job to take care of,” Eli replies, studying my face for any sign of reaction. He won’t find one. I’ve perfected the ability to avoid showing emotion, even when my mind is screaming.
“Good for him. Maybe he’ll have a drink and remove the stick from his ass,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“Tell me the truth, Aurora.” Elijah’s voice drops to a serious level. “Are you in to Breaker?”
Four sets of eyes fall on me, all waiting for my answer. Anxiety clouds my mind at being the center of all this attention. I squirm under their scrutiny, shifting uncomfortably in my seat. I look to Kelsea and Ember to save me from having to voice my feelings out loud, but neither of them throws me a lifeline. Traitors.
“Fine! I’m in to him! Whatever,” I shout, taking a swig of my drink and slamming my glass down on the table. Kelsea and Ember exchange a knowing look. Elijah’s unreadable expression burns a hole through me before his gaze flits behind me.
The air around me electrifies, and I know he’s here before he even announces his presence.
“In to who?” The dark, deep rumble of his voice raises goosebumps along my skin, but I refuse to show even a second of a reaction to his being here.
Turning in my seat to face him, his powerful gaze sears straight through me. I can see the question in his eyes. Neither of us is willing to give in. Catching sight of Iris coming this way over his shoulder, an incredibly stupid idea hits me. So I say the worst thing I could say, a challenge unlike any other. I stand, my body barely an inch away from his. His beautiful grey-green eyes trail over my face, drinking me in. Fueled by whiskey and hurt feelings, I give him a dangerous smirk before I open my mouth and say, “Iris.”
I push past him as Everett barks out a loud laugh behind me. But I don’t turn around, instead I paste on my best sexy smile and stop Iris before he gets to the table.
“Just go with it, okay?” I say, grabbing his arm and pulling him behind me onto the dance floor. He looks utterly confused but obeys. We move onto the dance floor, Fire For You by Cannons thrumming through the speakers. The bass sets my blood on fire, the need to dance becoming irresistible. I smile up at Iris, moving my body to the beat. He smirks, knowing I’m stirring up trouble, but so far, not caring. Surprisingly, he’s a great dancer. We move together so fluidly, his hands on my hips as the lyrics of the song run through my mind over and over.
I was on fire for you
You breaking me down
Don't know what should I do
When you come around
As much fun as I’m having just dancing with Iris, I wish it were someone else here with me. I wish someone else’s hands were gripping my hips, someone else’s body pressed tightly against mine. I stupidly glance back at the table and see every single one of our friends watching us. But the eyes I lock onto belong to only one man. He’s livid, rage pouring off of him as his fists clench at his sides. Too bad for him. He should have taken one of the hundred chances I’ve given him before now.
Playing with fire like a fucking pyro, I turn in Iris’s arms. My back is flush against his chest as the sexy techno beat of the song gives me courage. I don’t break eye contact with Breaker as I lace Iris’s fingers with mine, moving his hands to sway my hips. He knows I’m using him, but he doesn’t seem to mind one bit.
“You’re gonna get me in some deep shit, Rory.” He says into my ear and I laugh.
“You were in deep shit the second you touched me, Iris.” I reply.
“Dalton. My name is Dalton, by the way. I just want you to know what to etch into my fucking headstone after he snaps my neck,” he says, sounding genuinely concerned. I finally look away from Breaker, closing my eyes and throwing my head back in a loud laugh.
“You’re not wrong, Dalton,” I joke.
“Oh fuck,” he says, his hands immediately leaving my body as he steps back. He puts at least a foot of space between us, holding his palms up in surrender as Breaker stalks towards us. “Her idea, man! Her idea!”
