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“You’re the best,” I say, walking over and snatching it from his hand.

His eyes flash with pain at my words, and I regret them instantly.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, my heart cracking open once more.

If it could have been him instead, then everything would have been so different right now.

He shakes it off, and his usual boyish charm returns to his eyes.

“So what’s the deal with your dad and Nico? Bit of a one-eighty.”

“Apparently having a hit out on me made them reconsider allowing me to be so completely incapable of protecting myself. They were impressed by my shot for a virgin.” I wink.

“Virgin my arse,” he scoffs, making my cheeks burn.

Focusing on the bottle of glitter, I twist the top and go in search of a glass.

“You want some?”

“Of that?” he asks, his eyes dropping to the bottle in disgust. “Nah.”

“It won’t make your dick shrivel up and turn into a vagina, I promise,” I tease.

“I’m not so sure about that,” he quips as I pour myself a drink and down half of it, wincing at just how sweet it is. “That good, huh?”

“You really should try some,” I say, running my tongue over my teeth, half expecting to find grains of sugar clinging to them.

“I’m good, thank you.” His eyes track me as I move toward my drawers to dig out some underwear. “Want me to help pick?” he offers.

“There’s something wrong with you,” I mutter through a smile.

“Maybe. I’ve cheered you up though, right.”

“I’m fine,” I argue.

“Sure. Just like he is.”

My breath catches in my throat at the thought of him going back to his life as if nothing ever happened. As if me and the time we spent together meant nothing. Less than nothing.

“He’s a mess, Cal.”

My fingers tighten on the pair of knickers I’d pulled from my drawer.

“Is that meant to make me feel better or something?” I hiss.

“No. It’s meant to make you realise that walking away from you wasn’t what he really wanted. That the things I can only assume he said to you yesterday weren’t true.”

“Well, he sure sounded convincing,” I mutter.

“Calli,” Alex sighs. “He’s so gone for you, but he’s terrified.”

“He’s not the only one.” The words come out so quietly, there’s no way he hears them. “If he’s not brave enough to be honest, to try and fight for this, then I’m not interested.”

I shove the drawer closed with more force than necessary, making the bottle and trinkets on the top rattle.

Alex is silent as I rip open my wardrobe and pull out one of the dresses I had delivered this morning that Jocelyn brought down for me. Neither of them are something that Mum would ever choose for me, but this one is a little bit more demure than the one I’m saving for tomorrow night. I figure we should build up to that. Plus, there’s every chance that Daemon is going to be there, and I feel like I really need to pull out the big guns if I’m going to have to face him and pretend nothing has happened.

“Your mum chose that?” Alex asks, his eyes on the dress.