Page 132 of Chaos

He knows I’m lying. Probably because I’m redder than I was five seconds ago, more flustered by a tiny tattoo than by, y’know, being naked and perused.

“C’mon.” Gentle fingertips prod my skin. “Tell me.”

“It’s nothing. It’s stupid. I got it when I was, like, eighteen.”

Finn raises two expectant brows, and I know he’s not going to let it it go.

“It’s for luck, right? As in…” I lick my dry lips. “You get to see it. Lucky you.”

That gaze intensifies even more. Sharpens. Disappears momentarily as he closes his eyes for the beat it takes to inhale deeply and exhale harshly before flashing pupils so blown, I can barely see any deep brown. “Hm. Lucky me.”

Seeing that thread of control so close to snapping, I can’t resist giving it a twang. “Could be luckier.”

Finn gives a pained laugh, clapping a hand down on my ass. “Get off of me, trouble.”

Sighing, I oblige. “If you’re trying to soften me up,” I start as I stand, catching my dress just before it falls and exposes me even more, “then depriving me of orgasms is not the way to go about it.”

Tracing his bottom lip with his tongue, Finn stares at the fabric pooled around my waist like he’s just remembered there’s nothing else beneath it. “Why would I wanna soften you up? I like you mean.”

“Well, horny Lottie is a real bitch.”

“Perfect,” he croons, and fuck if it doesn’t sound like he really means it. That heady,hornygaze rises, pupils so dilated I can’t tell where they end and obsidian irises begin. “You’re that desperate for me, huh?”

As my own eyes narrow, I wonder if they look anything likethat. “Maybe Adam is feeling lucky.”

His narrow right back—game on, they seem to silently say. “Does Carmen work today?”

Dick. “Go find her if you’re so curious.”

He cocks his head. “Can I?”

“You can do whatever you want.”

“Okay.” He nods, standing too. “I will.”

He kisses me.

32

Delirious.

Giddy.

Lucky.

I blame my poor,orgasm-deprived brain for why I slope into the kitchen wearing clothes that aren’t mine and a great, big hickey on my neck without a second thought.

Even worse, I’m not alone. I’m not even a little bit alone. I have a huge, unignorable man at my back who won’t stop pawing at my waist and twirling my goddam hair and fiddling with the clothes,hisclothes, the boxers and t-shirt that he tossed at me to change into—and covered his fucking eyes while I did like a stupid gentleman.

I don’t realize my error,ourerror, until it’s too late. My feet hit the last stair, Finn lingering on the one above, and there’s nothing we can do; within seconds, every eye is on us.

“Well, well, well.” Though her face crumples with feigned confusion, Yasmin does nothing to keep that splitting smirk at bay. Or maybe she simply can’t. “What do we have here?”

Straightening my spine, I lift my chin defiantly. “None of your business.”

Perched on a stool beside his girlfriend, Theo snickers. “Fuckin’ knew it.”

“Youknew it?” Reaching across the island counter, Adam extends his hand, palm-up, towards his friend. “Pay up, bitch.”

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