Page 58 of Firefly
But sharp. Dangerous.
“Oh,” Bianca says loudly enough for me to hear. “Two can absolutely play that game.”
My jaw tightens instantly, and Firefly grabs a drink from somebody walking past and throws it back hard while keeping eye contact with me the entire damn time.
Challenge accepted.
The next hour becomes pure warfare.
Rosie ends up in my lap near the poker tables laughing while I pretend to care about whatever story she’s telling me.
Truthfully? I barely hear a word she says because every few seconds my eyes drift back toward Ophelia, and every time they do… I regret breathing because she’s making sure I see everything.
The random guy dancing behind her. Another feeding her shots. One asshole whispering in her ear while she laughs too hard at something that probably wasn’t even funny. She’s drunk. I can tell immediately.
Her cheeks flush pink, her movements loosen. That fake careless smile gets wider the more she drinks. And it pisses me off beyond reason.
“She’s staring at you,” Rosie murmurs while tracing circles against my chest.
“No shit.”
“You wanna make her jealous?” she asks as I look down at Rosie fully for the first time tonight. “Because it’s working.”
My eyes flick back to Ophelia just in time to catch some prick touching her waist.
Jealousy rips through me instantly.
Ugly. Violent.
So I do the mature thing.
I lean down, cup Rosie’s cheek, and press my lips against hers. The crowd nearby whistles while she melts against me.
Easy. Warm. Forgettable.
And when I glance up again? Firefly is staring directly at us, but her expression shatters me. Because beneath all the anger…she looks hurt.
Good. Hurt people hurt people, right?
Then she downs another shot and lets some idiot pull her towards the dance floor.
That’s when my restraint starts cracking. Rosie notices.
Shit!
“You’re not over her,” she whispers, licking the shell of my ear.
I laugh darkly. “Understatement of the century.”
“Then why are you here with me?” she asks.
Because Ophelia disappeared. Because I’m angry. Because if Firefly can act like I don’t matter, then maybe I should find someone who does.
Instead, I shrug. “You seemed fun.”
She smirks. “And I’m a sure thing.”
That too.
