Page 12 of Sunflower Persona (Classic City Romance #2)

The question breaks the awkward tension in the air, and the rest of them avert their stares. Their judgment is visceral, worming its way into my veins, making me itch from the inside.

I swallow back the need to scratch away the unease and answer in the strongest voice I can muster. “Never played.”

“Then you definitely need to see a master at work.” Nathan threads his fingers together, cracking his knuckles as he stretches his arms and rolls out his neck.

“As if,” James says with a snort and pulls out of her boyfriend’s embrace. “You’d have more luck learning from Morgan than this fool.”

“Morgan sucks,” Karis fills me in with a mock whisper.

“What the fuck? I’m awesome at pool,” Nathan protests.

“If flirting with girls at the table is playing, then sure, you’re the best,” James says with a condescending grin.

“You’re one to talk.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? You know I could kick your ass any day of the week.”

“Oh yeah? Prove it, then.”

“Fine,” she snaps, “but let’s make this interesting. Winner gets complete control over the next game night.”

“Oh, come on. I don’t want to play Pictionary again .”

“Sounds like you’re admitting defeat already,” she taunts.

“Fuck it. Fine. I hope you like Risk.” He sticks out his hand, and she grabs it in an aggressive handshake before the pair storms off toward the tables in the back.

Morgan sighs as he watches his girlfriend go, but the love-sick smile never leaves his face.

“I should make sure they don’t kill each other,” he says and follows them.

“Come on, new girl, this is bound to get interesting.” Karis doesn’t wait for a response as she drags me behind her.

Evelyn falls in step beside me with a sheepish smile.

“I’ve learned it’s best to just go with it.”

I figured that one out on my own.

They’ve got the balls racked in the middle of the table by the time we make it back there, and they are arguing, quite loudly, over who gets to make the break shot.

Morgan already looks defeated as he runs a hand through his messy curls.

Karis beelines in the pair’s direction. I’m not sure if she’s planning on mediating or getting in on the action.

“Is this normal for them?” I ask my only remaining companion.

“Pretty much. You should see them at game night. Half the time, I’m convinced it’s going to end with one of those three killing each other. They probably would if Gage didn’t keep them in line.”

It isn’t hard to imagine him wrangling his friends. From what I could tell, he does a great job with the kids’ classes, and this trio acts like overgrown toddlers.

I wouldn’t mind if he wanted to boss me around either. The thought alone sends a shiver of need to my core.

“That sounds like a lot of fun.” The words come out breathier than I intended.

“You should totally come to the next one,” she says, thankfully oblivious to the direction my thoughts have taken.

“You don’t have to invite me out of pity.”

“It’s not a pity invite. It will be fun. Plus, I think Gage would like it if you came.”

“Pfft. He wouldn’t care.”

If he wanted me there, he would invite me himself.

“I’m pretty sure that man said more to you in the past twenty minutes than he’s said to me in the entire year I’ve known him.”

“He was just being nice.”

“Gage doesn’t do nice. Trust me on this. At least give me your number so I can send you the details.”

Fuck it. What’s the worst that could happen?

***

James and Nathan came out the gate swinging, and their intensity hasn’t wavered since the game started.

I’m not the only one drawn in by their competition.

Several other patrons wander over to watch the carnage—because that’s what it is.

For all his cocky talk, Nathan never had a chance.

At some point, Evelyn drifted closer to the table, leaving me alone on the outskirts.

“Some game, huh,” an unfamiliar voice rasps from behind me.

Too fucking close.

Hot breath crawls down my neck, thick with the stench of stale tobacco, making my stomach churn and spine tingle with unease. The pit in my gut has every alarm in me screaming.

“Sure.” I duck my head as I step away from this stranger, but he follows my movement, staying too close to my back for comfort.

“What’s a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this by yourself?”

Nausea threatens to rise as he runs a clammy hand down my bare arm before bringing it to rest on my waist with a bruising grip.

Rationally, I know I can pull away and tell him to fuck off.

If I make a big enough scene, the others are bound to notice, and they wouldn’t let anything happen to me…

right? Regardless, my body won’t listen to my mind.

I’m paralyzed—like a deer locked in place while it watches its impending doom.

“I’m not alone.” I don’t sound nearly as confident about that as I should.

Gage’s friends are less than twenty feet away, but the distance seems like forever with him looming behind me.

They are all too wrapped up in their spectacle to notice how uncomfortable I am.

I risk a glance at the counter, hoping maybe I’ll be able to catch Gage’s eye, but the bar has gotten busier since I got here, and the growing line of customers occupies his attention.

It looks like I’m on my own—not like that’s anything new.

“Sure you aren’t, sweetheart. Either way, you aren’t alone anymore. How about you let me buy you a drink, and you can tell me a bit about yourself.”

“I already have a drink,” I manage to squeak.

“Not a problem. We can skip straight to part two, then.”

“No, thank you,” I protest, but I doubt it will do anything to deter him.

“Come on, sweetheart, I—”

“Hey, Kori, are you all right?”

My whole body sags with relief as Nathan comes into view, with Morgan and Karis flanking him from a distance. I never thought I’d be grateful to see his hollow smile. Although there’s nothing but rage in his empty eyes now.

“I am now,” I say, and this time when I move away from the creep, he lets me go.

Even with his hands gone, my skin crawls where his hand touched me. I’m going to need an extra-hot shower to get the feel of him off me. Nathan wraps a protective arm around my shoulder, and the friendly facade falls away.

“You can fuck off now,” he says with a sneer.

“Hey, the lady and I were just talking.” The creep takes a step in my direction, but Nathan angles himself so he can’t get any closer.

“And now the conversation is over. So, like I said, fuck off. Or we are going to have problems.”

The creep hesitates for a moment before stepping back with a shake of his head.

“Bitch ain’t worth the trouble,” he spits as he walks away.

Karis crowds my other side as soon as he’s gone, and on a cue I miss, Nathan transitions me into her arm and storms off toward the bar.

“Are you okay?” she asks as she guides me back to the group.

“I’m fine,” I lie.

I should be fine. He didn’t do anything more than invade my space. It’s not like he groped me or said anything particularly untoward. Still, the encounter has me more shaken than I’d like to admit. Who knows what would have happened if the others weren’t here?

“If you say so,” she says but doesn’t push the issue further, which I’m thankful for. If they make a big deal out of what happened, I might break.

She drops her arm once I’m back in, safely surrounded by the others. No one says anything for a moment, and a bubble of awkward energy grows in the air.

I take a large sip of my now-warm drink, finishing it off, and ask, “So who won?”

“Jamie,” Evelyn says without the cheer I’ve come to expect.

“Cool,” I mumble and let the silence overtake the group again.

Eventually, they fall back into casual conversation, but the vibe is wrong.

Everyone is too still and the banter forced.

Nathan stays at the bar with Gage. Both men watch over us with stormy expressions.

It’s not surprising from Gage, but the rage is wrong on Nathan’s face. He’s too pretty for that.

Fuck.

I did this.

That awkward bubble grows, heating my body with every expansion.

Sweat trickles down my back, but it does nothing to stop the burning.

Nausea rages in my stomach, drowning all the seagulls and butterflies—and whatever else lives there—in the pools of boiling lava.

I ignore the feeling for as long as I can manage, but it overwhelms me completely.

“I’m gonna go to the bathroom,” I tell Evelyn.

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll only be gone a moment.”

“Are you sure? You don’t look so good.”

I wave off her concerns, even as she disappears down the tunnel.

The world spins with each step I take. I’m not sure if it’s seconds or hours that pass, but eventually, I make it to my destination.

I stumble over the threshold and beeline to the sink.

Water is good. Water will cool me down. The first splash of cold liquid on my face is euphoric.

The second is orgasmic. I would weep from the sweet relief that simple action provided.

But it’s not enough. I’m still burning alive.

Darkness creeps into the edges of my spiraling vision, and it’s only then that I realize something is very, very wrong with me. I need to find Gage. My danger-man can fix anything.

With that singular thought, I try to stumble to the bar, but the darkness creeps closer and closer the more I fight to move.

The world is a million miles away as I push through the door, into the secluded hallway.

Just a few more steps, and I’ll be okay.

Once I get back into the bar, Gage will save me.

I only make it one more step before the world slips away completely. As I float in the dark, the burning finally stops.

“Hello, sweetheart.” The cruel rasp cuts through my moment of peace.

Ice floods my veins as panic fills me, and then there’s nothing.