I cut my eyes in the direction they’ve warned me about, and I peek out around my hair just barely. Sure enough, the devil is there, and he’s staring this way.
I whip back around, desperately trying to think of a way to get out of here without any of them seeing me. I spot Corbin and Maverick when I turn the other way. They are hounding girls on the dance floor, which is perfect, because I won’t have to worry about either of them noticing me while they’re prowling.
I wish they’d hurry and get Kode his drink so he’d quit staring this way. With my new, darker locks, he most likely has no clue who I am. I can still get out unscathed.
Think, Tria. Think escape.
I stand, but a warm body is suddenly very close behind me, and I stiffen. Please don’t let it be—
“You can’t possibly be leaving so soon,” a deceptively seductive voice murmurs close to my ear, making me all the more tense as his warm breath fans my cheek and leaves unbidden chills in its wake. Shit. He knows it’s me. “Because it’d be a shame if you left before meeting me.”
Oh. My. God. You’ve got to be kidding me. Kode Sterling is hitting on me? How much has he had to drink?
I clear my throat, but I refuse to turn around. “I’m pretty sure I’m not your type,” I say, but my voice sounds off, a little higher than I want it to be.
“And how would you know that?” he asks, pressing his front closer to my back.
Oh damn. He’s turned on—turned on because of me. This would be hilarious if I didn’t know him well enough to be certain he’ll punish me for this.
I turn around, giving him a second to study me, and his eyes widen in horror as his drink sputters from his choking mouth.
“Probably because you’ve hated me for eleven years,” I say evenly, letting not one droplet of emotion taint my deadpan delivery.
My eyebrow cocks up as he stumbles backwards, making a fool of himself. I’m definitely going to pay for this. He’s a ruthless son of a bitch. I should enjoy it while it lasts, because the upper hand I have will soon turn into the foundation of a stronger sense hatred.
“Tria?” he says through a cough, sounding as though he’s disgusted and shocked in the same breath.
I can’t help it; I stifle my laughter, but my mocking smile creeps into place.
“No,” he says, shaking his head as if he’s seeing things, hating himself in this moment.
A humiliated and dumbfounded Kode Sterling—love it.
“Yes,” I say, relishing my ounce of power before he jerks it away.
“Fuck,” he hisses, staring at his bottle of beer as though it’s the enemy. Then those murderous eyes cut back toward me, and I almost shrivel up. “What the hell are you doing here?”
No. I won’t cower down to him. You stand up to bullies, right? I won’t cry in the corner tonight. I’ll fight back, damn it.
“Probably the same thing you’re doing. Having fun in a place where no one was supposed to know me.”
“Mr. Sterling, your beer,” a waitress says, interrupting us.
He waves it off, acting as though he’s terrified of what might be in it. “I changed my mind,” he mumbles, setting his almost-finished bottle on the bar.
I have to get away while I still can.
“Tria?” a familiar voice says, but unlike the last familiar voice, this one is welcome.
“Raya,” I say, smiling, so damn grateful she’s here. Kode won’t dare do anything to me in front of her, because he’d be terrified it’d get back to his precious obsession—Rain.
She looks from me to Kode as if she’s confused. No doubt she’s become painfully aware of our horrible history by now.
“You two together?” she asks incredulously.
I laugh, but Kode still seems to be in utter shock.
“No. You here alone?” I ask, not elaborating on the screwed-up situation.
“Yeah... but Kade is on his way. He had a meeting with a restaurant that wants to start distributing some of his wines. I told him I’d meet him here.”
I loop my arm through hers, savoring the saving grace she does not know she’s offering, and start walking away. “I’ll keep you company.”
***
KODE
Un-fucking-believable. Why am I still watching her? What is wrong with me? Why is my damn dick still hard?
Ah, hell. Are they really going to play pool?
Raya seems to be instructing Tria, and I watch with guilty pleasure as Tria leans over the table, offering me a peek closer to her perfectly sculpted ass.
No. No. Hell no. I cannot be attracted to Tria Noles. Nope. Not happening.
I glance down at my betraying appendage and curse it for refusing to lose its arousal. Several muffled swears and threats spill through my lips, but the damn thing is still at full attention.