Page 169 of Dance of Defiance

Sick.

Disgusted, and not because I was thinking about sex with men.

Because I was thinking about sex with menwho weren’t him.

That’s the only reason I let Laz hook me up with Anna tonight: I had to feel something else.Anythingother than that ache whenever I think of Val.

As if cued by a director with a sadistic sense of timing, the fucking brunette across the room on his lap giggles loudly. She grinds her hips on him, shoving her tits in his face.

He doesn’t want you. He wants ME.

Bitterness curls inside me.

Hedoesn’twant me. He made that abundantly clear when he fucked me against the wall, made me come harder than I’ve ever come before, left his cum trickling down my leg, and left.

For good.

I’ve been trying to swallow that bitter pill ever since, but it seems there's no amount of alcohol in the world that’ll help it down.

Mercifully, Anna finally slips away from my side. She starts talking animatedly to Brooklyn and Milena about fuck-who-even-cares as she pours herself another drink from the bottle on ice.

“Hey, are you okay?”

I smile at the sound of my sister’s voice. My eyes swivel to her as she takes a seat on the banquette next to me, her pink dress fanned out around her and a barely touched—thank fuck—glass of bubbly in her hand. She looks at me sadly, her brow slightly furrowed.

“Roman?”

“All good, Evie,” I mumble. “Just…enjoying the night.”

She smiles wryly, turning to look at Anna, still babbling away at Brooklyn, Milena, and Nero. The first two are trying to be polite and feign interest in whatever she’s saying. Nero looks like he wants to cut off his ears.

“She’s…interesting?” Evie ventures. “How did you two meet?”

“Pretty sure Laz used to sleep with her.”

Evie makes the face I’d expect her to make hearing me say that.

“Oh,” she says tightly, her face turning the same color as her dress. “That’s...yeah.”

I chuckle. “Don’t let me ruin your night, Eves. Just being a grump.”

“You've been a grump for a while.” She frowns. “I’ve been trying not to be annoying about it, but I’m curious, and I care about you?—”

“Evie,” I smile as I take her hand. “I’m fine, really. Just…lots on my mind.”

She makes a face. “Dasha, huh?”

Sure. Let's go with that.

“I guess,” I lie, feeling like a piece of shit for it.

Her mouth twists as she pats my hand. “You know I’m here whenever you need, right?”

I grin at her. “Yeah. I know.”

“And you remember what mom used to say about yucky situations?”

I smile quietly. “I’m surprisedyoudo.”