Page 33 of Dirty Martini
“And who started that?” I cock my head. “If you can’t handle being around me because it’s distracting, just admit it.”
He bites down hard on his bottom lip, indecision in his eyes. Finally, and reluctantly, he nods. “Fine, but don’t screw around. Remember, I work here.”
“Duly noted,” I say with a shit-eating grin.
He walks away without asking me what I want. And he saidIwas acting childish. I wait a few minutes until Skylar notices me. His hair is green this week and sticking out at all angles as if he’s been messing with it all night. He bounces toward me with a giddy smile on his lips.
“Ah, the younger Hill,” he greets with a little bow. “So wonderful to have you here. Want it Bareback again?”
“Please and thank you,” I say, handing him my card. While he starts the drinks, I decide to be nosy and poke around a bit. “So, Skylar, how’s it like working with Rhys?”
He chuckles as he starts mixing my drink. “Oh, so you want to play that game?”
“What game?”
“Look, I’m cute but not dumb,” he deadpans, rolling his eyes. “I suspected there was something going on between you and Rhys, but that last encounter just proved it. There’s some serious tension you two have to fuck out of your systems, and while I’dloveto contribute to you two getting it on, Cass made me promise to stay out of it.”
I blink at him repeatedly because, damn, I didn’t expect that. No point in playing it coy now. “Okay, you got me. Sure you can’t tell me anything?”
Nibbling on his bottom lip, he pours my cocktail. He glances behind him at the stage, almost as if he’s afraid his friend will hear us, before turning back to me with a mischievous smile. “Okay, okay. So, you know, Rhys isn’t usually super grumpy.”
“But?”
“But he’s been in a mood for, like, two weeks now, and I can’t help but think that a certain blond himbo dreamboat has something to do with it.”
I smile triumphantly at that. So I really am getting under his skin. The confirmation is good to know. “Awesome. Thank you.”
He hands me my drink. That monstrosity that I had last time actually isn’t that bad. When I go to take it, he wraps his hand around my wrist and drags me forward. “What?—”
“I like Rhys,” he states plainly, his dual-colored eyes narrowed dangerously. “Like, a lot. He’s pretty amazing once you get to know him, even though he’s shit at letting people in. If whatever you two are doing doesn’t end in mutually incredible orgasms and a bi-awakening, I’m going to go postal.”
Incredible orgasms and a bi what?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say innocently, even though the warning does make my skin heat up a bit and my cock take interest. “Rhys and I are just getting to know each other again.”
“Sure,” he says with another roll of his eyes. He lets me go and blows me a kiss. “I gotta go now, but just think about what I said.”
He bounces away with the same ethereal quality he arrived with, and I’m left trying my hardest to activelynotthink about what he said. I sigh, sipping on my Bareback as I lean against the bar top. I don’t care about the consequences of fucking withRhys. At first, I just wanted things to be okay with us. I thought he was the guy I knew when I was younger, but it turns out, he’ssuchan asshole. What I did to him was terrible, but it’s been years. I thought he’d at least give me a chance to earn his forgiveness, but he’s stuck living in his bitterness.
And we all know anger doesn’t taste as sweet on your own tongue.
I could just raise the white flag. Do exactly what I should and let him live his life without my interference, but fucking with him makes me feel…something other than the typical overwhelming panic and dissatisfaction that I normally do. When he watched me fuck myself, I felt so seen. When he kept his eyes on me while I was in the pool, I felt powerful. When he looked so completely terrified just a few moments ago, I felt in control.
And I’m not stopping for anything.
I hang around the bar as planned, happy when Rhys messes up not one but two drink orders. Skylar keeps bugging him about me, asking if he’s going to check up on me, or hinting that the storage closet in the back room is up for grabs. Finally, when he can’t take it anymore, Rhys barks out that he’s going for a smoke and disappears into the crowd.
I figure this is my perfect chance to strike.
Skylar gives me a thumbs up as I move away from the bar and toward the back door of the club where I know Rhys went. I exit the club, hit with a cloud of humidity that’s cool in comparison to how hot it was inside. I find Rhys leaning against the brick wall, head hung low, cigarette perched on his lips, angrily texting away on his phone.
I stroll toward him, hands in my pockets. “You good, Rhys?”
His head snaps up in my direction, nothing but pure, unadulterated hate in his brown eyes. Not just that, but frustration too. Like he’s ready to snap. “What do you want?”
“Like I said. Just checking up on you.”
“Bullshit. What do you want, Everest?”
