Page 122 of Until We Burn
It’s ridiculous and absurd of me to act this way because there’s no proof that Kai is seeing anyone else. Except my judgment is clouded by the embarrassment and paranoia of possibly looking like a fool who thinks a boy like that would only have his attention on me.
Nearly every girl wants him. Why wouldn’t they? Kai is gorgeous, kind, and hardworking, and it still baffles me that we’ve grown this close. But there’s no way I’m the only girl on his mind. Not when there’s so many other girls who don’t have controlling fathers and manipulative siblings who’ll put him through hell if they find out we’re sneaking around together.
I fidget against the leather chair as a group of girls wander up to Kai, Luke, and Rowan down at the bar.
So what if Kai hypothetically sees someone else? We’re just friends who occasionally have sex. It’s not my place to fume over who he decides to sleep with. But the rationality doesn’t sink in; it bends and warps into a jealousy that drowns out every ounce of reason.
Especially when I watch the girls fawn around him.
They’re dressed as angels, yet they act as unholy as demons. One of them nestles up to Kai. Her finger trails down his chest plate whereblack, embossed curlicues twine into brambles and roses. Jealousy pricks my heart.
I look away before I can see more.
“I need to use the washroom. I’ll be right back.”
“Alright!” Stella chirps.
I push out of my seat and storm towards the bathroom.
“Aiya!”
I clash into a big chest and stagger back. Hands grip my arms.
“Someone’s in a hurry.”
The pads of their fingers press into my skin, so strange and revolting, I shrug out of their touch and look up.
A tall guy stands in front of me in a silk purple shirt with the word ‘lust’ printed on his sleeve. Lipstick stains pepper his bare chest. It’s baffling to me that anyone would want to go near him. The bold, lecherous look he uses to eye me up and down is as sickening as the unkempt stumble on his face.
“Nice costume.” He smirks.
I scoff and cross my arms. “Do you have any idea who I’m dressed up as?”
“What happens if I get the answer right?” His hand draws down to tug lightly at the pomegranate beads on my dress. As he does, the strobe lights flash over a tattoo of a coiled snake sitting above the date 07.10.2019.
Realization hits me.
He’s a Lakefield Viper.
Nausea curdles in my gut as his hands dip down my hips and rove towards my ass.
Suddenly, Kai emerges from the stairs and rises behind the Viper.
“There you are.”
Kai bumps past the Viper to wrap his arms around my waist. Anger twists the details on his skull face paint, and his dark green eyes glow in threat. But he’s utterly gentle when he leans down to kiss my cheek.
“Sorry for taking so long, princess. The men’s room was down to only two stalls.”
“That’s alright.” I smile up at him with an irritated curve to my lips. “We were just having a lovely conversation.”
“Oh? Is that right?” Kai cocks his head. His gaze flicks up at the Viper and his smile stiffens. “I’m sorry for interrupting. I’ve always been told I have bad manners.”
“And yet you never do a thing to improve on it,” I quip.
Kai’s deep whisper tempts my urge to sin. “I thought you liked it when I misbehave.”
Desire curls through me, stoking the fire between my legs, and burning away all the pettiness and jealousy I had felt.
