Page 81 of Fight or Flight
The room is the same one they usually host parties in, and it’s basically a giant stone ballroom that they convert into different spaces as they need them. Right now it’s set up so there’s a DJ booth and dance area off to one side, a cluster of furniture like couches and loveseats in the far corner, and a bar off to the other side.
And through the open door at the back is the entrance to the party favor room, where they keep the good stuff.
The party is already in full swing, and the room is filled with people who are dancing and drinking, and all of the furniture is taken up by couples in various stages of getting it on.
Keeping Shane in my line of sight, I go to the bar and pour some iced tea into a highball glass so it looks like I’m drinking, then start wandering around to get a feel for the vibe and scope out where everyone is.
A few people wave and call out their greetings to me, but most keep their distance, which suits me just fine.
Shane, on the other hand, is almost immediately surrounded by a group of Belmont girls he hangs out with, and I don’t like the flare of angry heat that settles in my stomach as he laughs and starts flirting with them.
Ignoring whatever the fuck that was, I sip my drink and angle myself so I can keep Ben, who’s standing near the dance area with a few other members of the Kings, and Shane in my line of sight.
“Hey, handsome,” a soft voice at my side says, pulling my attention from the two men.
I give Courtney one of my signature smirk smiles. “Hello, beautiful.”
I’ve known Courtney since we were in boarding school, and we hooked up once back in the day, but we’ve been cool since. She’s one of the few people on campus I can actually stand, and I appreciate her unapologetic way of going after what she wants.
“I wasn’t expecting you to be here,” she says, leaning closer so I can hear her over the music. “Is Jax around?”
“Nope, and he’s still very much with Myles,” I remind her.
“Too bad. I’ve always wanted to collect the set.” She grins and gives my arm a little bump with hers.
I laugh. “Understandable, but it looks like that ship has sailed.”
“Looks like.” She takes a sip of her drink. “Still have your one and done rule?”
“You know it. What about you?”
“Oh yeah. Although I might take a page out of your book and open my options to the ladies because I’m getting tired of dealing with men.”
“Men are exhausting.”
“They really are. Did you hear about Sarah and Derek?”
“No, what happened?” I ask, feigning interest.
She launches into a convoluted story about how her roommate and whoever the fuck Derek is got together after cheating on their respective partners, but I only half listen as I keep an eye on Shane, Ben, and the time while she talks.
“That’s crazy,” I say when she finishes. “He’s cooked.”
“So cooked.” She lifts her glass and finishes her drink. “I need a refill. You need one too, or are you good?”
I shake my half-full glass. “All good.”
She gives me a little wave and heads over to the bar. I take a sip of my drink, and when I check on Shane, I find him staring at me with a decidedly unhappy look on his face. Our eyes lock for a few beats before he quickly looks away and goes back to flirting with the petite blonde who’s practically hanging off him.
More of that dark heat fills me, and I casually press on my earpiece to turn it on.
“Act normal,” I say, keeping my voice low.
Shane immediately whips his head toward me.
“That’s not what I’d call acting normal,” I say dryly.
He looks back at the blonde and laughs at something she says.
