Page 127 of Shattered Stars
“You flung a pile of shit at my head.”
“I nearly passed out on the account of second-hand alcohol fumes.”
“I wasn’t that bad.”
He chuckles, sipping at my champagne before handing it back. Then we both stand there staring at each other with such heat I’m surprised we don’t set the hall on fire. I’m sure it would be obvious to anyone who looks how badly we want each other, how hard it is to keep our hands off each other.
“You know I’d ask you to dance if I could, sweetheart,” he whispers.
“You would?”
“Of course, I wouldn’t want any of these other losers getting their lecherous hands on you.” He leans closer, lowering his voice further. “I’d hold you in my arms, right up against my body, let you know just how good you really do look, make you a little needy and desperate grinding against you in such a way only the two of us would know. Then, when I’d be satisfied you were well and truly swollen and wet for me, I’d take you outside and I’d have you.”
“That’s not very romantic, Professor.”
“I’m afraid if you wear a dress like that my thoughts are going to be as dark as the depths of hell, little one, and not romantic at all.”
I smile at him again.
We’ll find a way later?I ask him in my mind and he nods.With Azlan too?He nods again, this time unable to help but smile darkly in a way that has me shivering with desire.
I turn away quickly, pretty sure if I stay any longer I’ll give myself away.
I gaze across all the faces searching for Winnie. The hall is full to the brim now, some people dancing to the music – classical re-imaginings of some popular rock songs – others are talking and laughing, others sampling the food and the drinks. I keep searching, pretending I’m not looking for another face too. But no matter how hard I search, I can’t find his face. He’s probably choosing to be fashionably late, to make some statement of an entrance. Like he needs one. There will already be some kind of presentation to the dueling team half way through the ball and with Spencer absent, Tristan as vice-captain will be collecting all the adoration and all the praise.
I shake my head and go back to searching for Winnie, wondering if she’s made good on that promise to drag Trent to the nearest available empty room.
I can’t find her anywhere and instead my gaze lands straight on Summer, glaring straight back at me.
Her white-blonde hair is scraped back from her face and an impressive-looking tiara balances on the crown of her head. Her dress is an icy blue color that enhances her violet eyes and it clings to her body like water, showing off her curvy hips, and even curvier bust. The dress is strapless with a slit all the way up to the top of her thigh and she’s wearing matching gloves that stop just past her elbows. She looks gorgeous – of course – or at least she would if she weren’t scowling at me with a fucking murderous frown on her face.
46
Tristan
I standin my old childhood bedroom and let my mom fuss around me in a cloud of some expensive floral perfume. She ruffles my hair, her long nails catching slightly against my scalp.
“Are you sure you won’t let me trim a bit off, darling,” she says. Her eyes are just that tad, tiny bit, unfocused. She’s not high as a kite yet, hasn’t taken enough of her pills. But that’s probably down to my presence. I’m sure as soon as I’m gone she’ll be popping them like candies.
“No,” I say, jerking my head away from her hands and then almost immediately feeling like a jerk when hurt shimmers in her eyes. “I like it this long,” I say, kissing her cheek and trying to make up for the damage.
“You know your father prefers it short. He can’t stand it when it’s too long.”
I turn and look at myself in the mirror – some dark family heirloom hanging on the wall, the glass a little cloudy, totally unsuited to a kid’s room. No wonder I had nightmares most nights sleeping here as a kid. Half the furniture in here looks likeit was stolen from some haunted gothic house. It scared me half to death. That and the shouting. The screaming.
I smile flatly at her, a smile both of us can see doesn’t reach my eyes. “It’s fine.” I mess it up and let it flop forward, knowing it will infuriate my father even more.
Right now, I don’t give a shit. I didn’t even want to come here tonight, seriously considered ignoring the summons.
It would enrage him, at best have him boot me from the family like Azlan, at worst have him scrabbling for ways to punish me. What does it matter? It’s only a matter of time now until those consequences are realized. Because Rhianna Blackwaters is going to be mine. She may be fighting it, she may tell me that she doesn’t want it, but I felt her come on the end of my fingers, I felt her squeeze around those fingers, I heard her soft sighs and her sweet moans and that tells me everything else is lies and bullshit. She wants me as much as I want her. She can’t escape fate and her bond any more than I can, than Stone or Azlan could either. We’re all destined for her, and maybe that is fucked up or troubling or worrying, but maybe I don’t give a damn.
“Do you want me to do up your bowtie for you?” my mom asks, still hovering at my side.
“Sure,” I tell her, cringing when I see how much that little concession pleases her. I do up the top button of my dress shirt and bend my knees a little so she can thread the tie around my neck and tie it at the bottom of my throat. She bites her tongue as she does it, concentrating, and when she’s done, she rests her hands on my chest and beams.
“There! You look so handsome. I always knew you would be. You were such a beautiful baby.”
I chuckle. “I was a fat baby. I’ve seen the pictures.”
