Page 126 of Illusory

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Many songs and even more drinks later, I found myself surrounded by several Avalon pack members, locked in a high stakes game of pool with Americo’s younger brother Aemon. That is, after my sister abandoned me to go make out with Americo in one of the back booths of the tavern like a fourteen-year-old on her first night away at summer camp.

Lucky for me, I had way too much liquid courage sloshing through my veins to let it put a damper on my evening. I was there to have a good time and to forget about everything else, so I didn’t even hesitate when Aemon challenged me to a friendly pool game.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that he was very easy on the eyes. Divine gold irises like his brother, though his were rimmed in dark brown and his hair was shorter and shaved on the sides. Not that I was trying to look, because I wasn’t. Well, not in that way anyway, but it definitely helped with the wholedistraction thing.

My mouth dropped open as he sank the final eight ball. “Are you kidding me? You totally cheated,” I accused, more flabbergasted at his audacity than angry about it.

Aemon smiled as he propped the pool stick on the ground and leaned his weight on it. “I didn’t cheat.”

“Yes, you did. You literally hustled me.”

“A bet’s a bet, Slayer. Pay up.”

“No way.” I crossed my arms, refusing to let him play me like that. The guy literally acted like he didn’t know how to hold a pool stick when we’d first started. “I want a rematch. Double or nothing.”

The corners of his lips twitched as though he were working to keep himself from grinning like a Cheshire cat that was about to score its milk. “Fine. Rack em’ up.”

I paused, suspicion creeping in at how quickly he’d given in. “You’re up to something.”

“Me?” he asked innocently, pointing at himself. “You’re the one that asked for the rematch.”

“Yeah, but you gave in too easily.”

He wet his lips and then stepped into me, flashing a bright grin as he scanned his friends and then settled his eyes back on me. “Maybe I’m just easy when it comes to pretty girls,” he said, his words coming out all flirtatious and gravelly.

Howls and heckles broke out from his packmates around us.

I had to admit that if my heart weren’t already completely owned by Dominic and Trace, I probably would have melted a little at that line and the way he was grinning at me. Especially with the absurd amount of alcohol I’d downed that was currently making me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

“I bet you think you’re just so damn cute right now, don’t you?” I said, shaking my head at him, but unable to bury myown smile.

“Among other things,” he said, placing his hands on the pool table on either side of me as he inclined his body toward me.

He was standing really close then, and the room was definitely spinning.

“Is a cheater one of them?” I asked as I hopped up onto the pool table and then playfully kicked him back a step with my foot.

More cheers broke out as one of his friends rustled his hair and taunted him. Aemon laughed again, knowing it was all in good fun.

“So, are you going to give me a chance to win my money back or what?”

“How about I give you a chance to erase your debt completely?” he countered.

My eyebrow arched up at him like a question. From the confident way he was standing and the playful smile on his face, not to mention being spurred on by a literal pack of wolves, I could already tell he was going somewhere different with this new bet.

“Something tells me you’re not going to suggest a dance-off.”

“I considered it, but no,” he said as he closed the gap again and gripped the edges of the pool table on either side of me before bringing his face next to my ear. “I was thinking we could settle this with a kiss instead.”

“A kiss, huh?” I asked, laughing. I wasn’t sure if I should have been flattered or offended, but with the asinine amount of alcohol in my veins, the only feeling I could pull off was amusement. “As tempting as that offer is, I’m going to have to pass,” I said and then bopped him on the nose with my index finger.

I had enough guy problems as it was. The last thing I needed to do was add another one to the mix.

“Why is that? You got a boyfriend already or something?” he asked, genuinely interested in the answer.

“Two actually.”

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