Page 16 of Power

She turned around, holding still for a second as she explained, “If you go home tonight, you’re going to spin yourself into an anxiety attack over all this. You need to take your mind off it.”

“I did. I am.” My panicked eyes darted to Sex on Stilts who, yep, was most definitely looking straight at me now. More accurately, his gaze was darting between me and the woman I was whisper-yelling at. The blonde beside him was mid-story, but he wasn’t even pretending to listen.

But did Dakota listen to me to stop? No. No, she did not.

She stormed right over to him.

8

SCARLETT

I had to launch myself off my barstool to chase her down as she closed the distance between her and Jace, my heels clicking against the hardwood floor in rapid succession. The warm glow of bulbs cast dramatic shadows across the exposed brick walls, making everything feel more intense than it already was. But I was too late.

Dakota leaned her back against the bar next to him like she’d known him a thousand years, the epitome of casual confidence I’d always envied.

“Hi. I’m Dakota.”

Jace’s eyes—they’d been different with me. Warm, curious, like liquid amber in the bar’s dim lighting. But with Dakota, they were guarded. Understandably so. She wasn’t what I’d call good with boundaries. It was another of the things I adored about her, but right now?

Right now, I hated it.

“Dakota!” I scolded.

Jace’s eyes swept to me, and as they locked on mine for, like, ten heart-stopping beats, they softened, his mouth relaxing from its firm-ass line to a ghost of a smile. The kind of smile that made the crystal glasses behind the bar seem dull in comparison. I hatedthat his almost smile had this effect on me. That it made me feel special—because in my opinion, Dakota was far more gorgeous than I was. The girl always got all the looks when we were out together. And of more importance, his smoldering intensity had this magnetism that drew me to him like a current I couldn’t stop.

I wondered who he was or if he realized that every single woman in this bar—and I mean, every freaking one—wasstillstaring at him with pure longing and desire. The rock music floating through the speakers couldn’t mask the collective sighs of them hoping Dakota and I would “bomb” and they’d get their chance with him.

“This is my friend Scarlett, whom I think you met,” Dakota continued while Jace continued staring so intensely, I wasn’t even sure he was listening to her. His focus was a tangible thing, like a spotlight. “She’s had a terrible day and needs some cheering up.”

Her ridiculously embarrassing words were the only thing that had the power to snap my focus away from Jace.

“Dakota, so help me.”

“You look familiar,” Jace said to her, a deep crease appearing between his brows. His eyes narrowed as he studied her face, and he tilted his head, like someone trying to place a half-forgotten nightmare. “I never forget a face. Where do I know you from?”

God, even the crease was sexy. I wanted to lick it.

She didn’t take the time to explain her familiarity was probably because she was a huge influencer on social media and that she got recognized from time to time. I mean, I was assuming that’s why he recognized her.

Because what else could it be?

Instead of addressing his question, she wiggled her eyebrows at him and said, “You look like a big boy, capable of lots of cheering.”

Dear God, please open the ground beneath me and just … let me free-fall to the core of the earth.

“Enough.” I literally yanked her by the arm away from the damn bar.

She half smirked, half looked annoyed that I’d cut her off short.

“I’m sorry about my friend. She was born without social skills.”

I dragged Dakota back to our barstools.

“I’m going to suffocate you,” I whisper-yelled. I loved her, I did, but, “We aren’t in middle school. I don’t need you sneaking notes to a guy I like!”

“So, youdolike him.” She arched a knowing brow at me.

My attraction (okay, fine, G-force pull) to him wasn’t the point. The point was, “That was embarrassing as hell. Honestly, it’s a good thing I’m not interested in dating anyone right now because if I was, you’d have just ruined it with the first guy in an eternity I’d actually want to!”