Page 11 of Blind Bite
The alcohol buzzed through my system, warm and fuzzy, as my friends dragged me toward the dance floor. Maybe they were right. Maybe I needed to stop measuring my worth by who stayed and who left.
Chapter Eight
I pulled Lilith onto the dance floor, watching her stumble slightly in her heels. My heart ached seeing her so down about dating. This wasn’t the vibrant, optimistic friend I knew.
“Come on, those hips weren’t made for standing still,” I grabbed her hands, forcing her to move to the pulsing beat.
A flash of purple hair whipped past as she spun, a reluctant smile finally breaking through. Two guys nearby caught my eye, one of them giving an appreciative nod in our direction.
The familiar bass line brought back memories of Marcus, his strong hands on my waist, breath hot against my neck as we moved together right here three weeks ago. My phone buzzed in my clutch for the hundredth time this week—probably another text from him asking to take me to dinner.
I pushed the thought away. Marcus was safe, predictable, perfect boyfriend material. Which was exactly why I kept him at arm’s length, limiting our interactions to heated moments and nothing more. He was always taking whatever morsels I gave him, Marcus never said no. He’d pick me up, and we’d go grab a drink, maybe dance, then end up at his apartment off the strip. After an hour or so of him worshipping me, I returned home to my cozy bed, my sanctuary. And each time, I received a sweet goodnight text from him and a “good morning beautiful” when I awoke the next morning.
“Are you still resisting the hot guy outside who looks at you like Mysti looks at salmon?” Lilith gave me a knowing look.
“I’m not resisting. I have boundaries for a reason. Like protective walls and he exists outside of them.”
“Just date him. He’s crazy about you. At least you have someone who actually texts you when he says he will.” Her tone was bitter towards the end.
“I’m the queen of commitment issues. What can I say?” I laughed, twirling her again. My smile never faltered, but who was I kidding? I was far from qualified to give dating advice, given how I kept running from anything real with Marcus. I wasn’t even capable of giving love to someone who freely gave it on a silver platter.
“You’ll see once you stop letting jerks like Beckett destroy your confidence.” I pulled her closer as the two guys from earlier approached. “Speaking of guys...”
The taller one’s eyes were fixed on Lilith, and I felt a small surge of hope. Maybe what she needed wasn’t another pep talk from me—just a reminder that there were plenty of fish in this neon-lit sea. And this fish was damn cute.
I gave the two a welcoming smile that lured them our way. Lilith fidgeted beside me. Nudging her arm, I glided up in front of the blonde and started dancing with him. Then I turned to look at Lilith while I ground on him with a wink. The drinks were finally hitting just right, and I was determined for us to have fun.
Tall, dark and handsome circled my girl into his orbit. She gave up resisting and started swaying to the beat. Her smile finally lifted up her cheeks. She looked like a totally different person than the one who had first entered. She was looking like her old self.
Bringing my attention back to my dance partner, I turned, wrapping my arms around his neck as he pulled me flush with his body.
The bass thrummed through my bones as I pressed closer to him, his hands sliding down my sides. Over his shoulder, I kept tabs on Lilith. Her dance partner whispered something in her ear that made her throw her head back laughing—genuine joy lighting up her face for the first time since the Beckett disaster.
“I’m Jake,” My dance partner’s breath tickled my ear.
“Amelie,” I matched his rhythm, my hips swaying. “The purple-haired goddess is my best friend, Lilith.”
“That’s my buddy Tom with her. He’s been obsessed with her since you two walked in.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Good taste. She deserves someone who actually notices her.”
The song shifted to something slower, more sensual. Jake’s fingers traced patterns on my lower back, sending shivers up my spine. The familiar urge to pull away, to maintain distance, crept in. But the tequila shots from earlier made everything feel softer, easier.
Lilith caught my eye and mouthed ‘thank you’. Mission accomplished. Tom’s hands rested respectfully on her waist as they moved together, and I felt a flutter of satisfaction at getting her back in action.
“Want to grab a drink?” Jake’s question pulled me back to the moment.
I glanced at Lilith again, but she and Tom were lost in their own world. “Lead the way.”
As we weaved through the crowd, my phone buzzed again. Marcus. I ignored it and focused instead on Jake’s hand in mine, warm and steady. Tonight wasn’t about my complicated love life or Marcus’s persistence. It was about Lilith getting her happiness back, about showing her that one ghosting jerk didn’t define her worth.
And if that meant dancing with a cute stranger and pretending I didn’t see Marcus’s name lighting up my phone? Well, that was just part of being a friend.
Chapter Nine
The morning sun felt different today, warmer somehow. My steps had a bounce that hadn’t been there in days as I crossed the campus quad. Drunk dancing really was the best medicine—even if my feet still ached from those heels Amelie insisted I wore.
I checked my phone. Twenty minutes until my next class. It was just enough time to fuel my caffeine addiction.
