Willow sets the shot glass down with a bit more force than necessary, and I watch as she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Everything okay?” I ask, trying to sound casual.
“Yeah, fine,” she says, but her eyes are already drifting toward the hallway where she last saw Blaise. I follow her gaze and piece it together slowly. Maybe it's not something as simple as a falling out. Maybe it's something else entirely.
Jade interrupts my thoughts. “We should make a batch of something. Maybe spiked fruit punch?”
“Sounds perfect,” I say, pushing the thought of what could be happening between Blaise and Willow out of my mind for now. I’ll ask Knox later.
With all hands on deck, we easily finish the rest of the party prep in what feels like seconds. I check my phone and use myparty voice to yell, “Hey! Knox should be here any second! Find a hiding place, because we won’t have much notice. I’ll answer the door since I told him I’d hang around so we could have a quiet evening here.”
Everyone starts to look around, trying to find places to hide. It’s almost comical watching a group of grown men and women try to make themselves invisible behind furniture and in doorways. I turn back to the kitchen and see that Isla is whispering something to Willow, who nods but doesn’t smile.
“Thanks for this,” Willow says to me as she starts to walk toward the living room.
“Of course.”
I watch as she enters the living room and Isla holds me back for a second. “Do you think Willow and Blaise…?” Isla starts, but I cut her off.
“They wouldn’t. Knox would kill him,” I reply. “Now you have to go hide.”
We make our way to the living room, where Willow is lingering near the doorway, clearly unsure where to go. I point her toward a corner where a tall potted plant offers some halfhearted cover. She shrugs and moves in that direction, but not before casting another quick glance at Blaise, who is crouched behind a sofa with two of the guys from the team.
My attention is drawn to the front door when I hear a knock. Knox wouldn’t knock on his own door, so who is that? I look around the room, and everyone freezes in their hiding spots. I tiptoe to the door, my heart pounding, but it’s not from fear. It’s the excitement of springing this surprise on Knox. I open the door and this time, it’s my turn to freeze in place.
“Tessa,” I say, trying to keep my voice neutral. “What are you doing here?”
She glares at me and lets out a long breath. “I need to talk to Knox.”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes and step outside, closing the front door behind me. “He’s not here. Is there something I can help you with?”
Tessa crosses her arms and taps her foot, clearly agitated that I’m blocking her. “It's none of your business.”
“If it has something to do with MY boyfriend, I think it’s my business. Now what can I help you with?” Was it petty of me to say that? Sure, but I could careless right now.
Tessa's eyes narrow, and for a moment I think she's going to explode. “You know that you’re such a bitch for sinking your claws into him after I told you not to.”
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. The last thing I need is a scene right in front of Knox's house, especially with everyone inside. “Knox makes his own decisions, and he chose me.”
Tessa's lips curl into a smirk that is pure evil. “For now,” she says. “But we both know he's just biding his time.”
“Is that what you tell yourself?” I shoot back. “That he's just waiting for you? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like he's moved on. Just like you should have.”
She takes a step closer, and for a moment I think she's going to slap me. My body tenses, ready for whatever comes next.
Instead, Tessa stops and tilts her head, her smirk growing wider. “You really don't get it, do you? The reason I'm telling you all this is because I've been where you are. I know how it feels to think that he’s in it for the long haul.”
I’ve had enough and she’s doing nothing but wasting my time. “But you’re the one that cheated on him and broke his heart so what’s your fucking point? Other than you’re being a weirdo who has to come and see her ex-boyfriend on his birthday. Or did you already know he wasn’t here because one of your favorite pastimes is stalking him and writing details about it in your little black notebook?”
Tessa’s face drains of color, and for a split second I see something like fear in her eyes. Then she recovers and I can see the anger on her face. It all happens quickly, but it clicks immediately that she’s going to attack me. And I was already ready.
Tessa lunges, her hand aiming for my hair, but I sidestep, and her momentum carries her into the door. The thud is loud enough that I worry it might alert the people inside. She recovers quickly, turning to face me with a wild look in her eyes.
“You think you're so clever,” she spits out. “You think you have it all figured out. But you don't know shit, Selene.”
I hold my ground, not moving an inch closer to her. “Enlighten me then.”
But instead of responding, she tries to attack me again, but I see a flash out of the corner of my eye. A strong hand grabs Tessa's wrist and pulls her back. It's Knox and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look this angry.