Page 95 of Point of No Return

“True but-” I stifle my sudden awareness of Skar as he enters the room by swallowing a sip of coffee. “But you have to promise not to keep the name in the family.”

“You mean, don’t name my five future kids William? Done.”

Skar brushes past us and pours himself a steaming mug from the pot.

“I hope that doesn’t mean you’ve picked out the names already,” I tease, but I’m only halfway paying attention.

It wasn’t like I was up half of the night wondering when Skar was going to get back from dinner. And I’m certainly not trying my hardest to ignore him right now.

Aleks looks at me and then his eyes bounce toward Skar, and he gives a tense nod. “Right… Well, I’m gonna be in the car.”

I silently curse him for leaving me alone with his brother.

Traitor.

The tension is palpable- thick enough that I can reach out and touch it. Yet all he’s doing is looking at me.

He says, “I could use your help with Aleks at the club tonight.”

“Anything else?” my tone is sharp. He watches me carefully, studying my expression like I’m a puzzle he can’t quite solve.

“Are we going to talk about what happened at the villa?”

I try not to picture it- his hands, the words he said to me- but the images come on too strong.

“We don’t have anything to talk about.”

As soon as the words are out, I want to swallow them back up because we both know they’re not true. Instead, I stand, ready to dismiss it all and leave, but he beats me to the punch, stepping between me and sweet escape. I come face to face with his chest.

“I think we do.”

Bastard.

“How was my mother’s Adipi last night?” I ask, finally looking up to where he towers over me. I know that my mother cooked for him. I know that they met and they talked… and he did it without ever telling me. “It was always my favorite.”

He doesn’t deny it, but I can’t help but feel lied to. And… after what happened at the villa last week, I realize I’m mad because there’s no denying that I’m attracted to him. I want him. Yet I can never have him. He's gotten closer than anyone has ever gotten before. I can’t let him. So I leave before he can push past the point we’ll both regret.

Dreams are not mine to have.

Music blares throughout the club, loud enough to make my blood hum as I walk the length of the club. People clamor everywhere. Some are unwinding at the bar, others are swaying under the flashing lights on the dance floor.

Crew’s taller than almost everybody, and he easily carves a path through the throng of people for Aleks and me. Skar said he’d meet us here, but as I sweep the crowd, I realize he’s probably already retired to the office for a reprieve from the chaos. Tonight, I don’t mind the noise.

I put on a cute pair of heels and a tight little dress, and people are drunk enough not to linger and stare at the array of tattoos on my shoulder. Almost everyone else here has similar tattoos. Metal dangles out of holes in people’s ears and lips and eyebrows. For once, I don’t feel quite so out of place.

We cut across the bar beneath the stairs, and Aleks orders me a drink as Crew hovers nearby, overlooking the crowd. I know damn well he could probably take on any given person in it.

I let the music take control, swaying as I watch everyone collect on the dance floor. It’s hot enough that I gather the hair at my neck and hold it to my scalp as sweat builds on my skin. It’s a pleasant sort of buzz- the energy, the music, the drinks. There’s nowhere in particular to be except here. Now. No thought of tomorrow. Just today.

Aleks squeezes my shoulder, motioning me forward so I can hear him over the noise. “I’m going to go find some friends! I’ll meet you back here in a bit?”

“Sure!” I yell back.

Crew steps closer as Aleks disappears into the masses. I watch as he crosses to the other side of the club, and when I see him hug someone, I turn back to the drink he ordered me.

It’s some kind of fruity margarita, but it burns, sweet and hot, all the way down. It makes the music hum a little louder, the lights around us a bright wave of cherry red and midnight blue.

I smile, still dancing lazily as I feel someone’s hand at the small of my back. I know without turning that it’s Skar. His warmth, the breath of his shoulders, his dark amber scent; it’s almost familiar.

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