Page 78 of The Cruelest Chaos

Natalie doesn’t need to be told twice. She downs her shot, then wipes the back of her hand over her mouth.

I glance at Maverick.

He’s still staring at me, his arms crossed, Lucifer now with him and the other boys, save for Cain, who I don’t see right now.

“Take them, Ella, come on!” Natalie says, pounding her palms on the table.

Sid says nothing, but when I tear my gaze from Maverick, she’s watching me.

I down the shots, one after another.

They burn all the way down and deep in my belly, warming me.

Natalie reaches around to hug me which is awkward but I kind of like it. It’s a real hug, and although I don’t think taking two shots of tequila warrants that kind of embrace, I’m not complaining.

“Come dance with me,” Natalie whines, suddenly standing up and yanking on my arm.

Oh God.“N-no,” I say, shaking my head. “I don’t really like to—”

“Oh, come on, Ella,” Natalie chides me, still tugging on my arm. “Let go,remember? Didn’t Marnie tell you that?” She rolls her eyes, blows a strand of hair out of her face. “I’ve heard her say it so much I dream about it.”

She gives my arm another violent tug, and then Sid stands to her feet, too, looking suddenly annoyed.

I glance over at Maverick again. Him and Lucifer are head-to-head, Maverick pointing in his face, and Ezra and Atlas looking tense beside them.

“Fuck it,” Sid mutters. “Let’s dance.”

I let Natalie pull me to my feet.

Before we can head to the few people dancing toLock It Upby Eminem, in ways that actually make me feel a little embarrassed for them, the waiter returns, bearing three more shots of tequila on a serving tray.

He winks at me. “Before you make everyone in here start drooling?”

Natalie nudges me, and she’s the first to take her shot. Sid glances at me. “Go on,” she urges me, then walks away without a word.

“I-I can’t have four shots of teq—"

“Come on, Ella, let’s go!” Natalie presses me, giddy with excitement.

I’m going to regret this.

The waiter is staring at me. The music gets louder, the lights dimmer. Maverick is still arguing with Lucifer.

Fuck it.

I take the shots and immediately regret it as my head spins.

But I place the last glass carefully back on the tray and the waiter smirks at me. “Good girl,” he nearly whispers, but I can hear him and my face warms.

Natalie dies laughing and drags me after Sid, the three of us threading our way through pool tables and other patrons. The bar has suddenly gotten crowded and it’s not feeling so low key anymore.

By the time we get across the room, underneath the colored lights that make me feel a little like I’m about to have a seizure as they flicker with the music, I can’t see Maverick anymore, which is saying something. He’s taller than most people in this room, but it’s packed.

Natalie starts grinding on me, and I feel a little panicky. A few girls are dancing beside us, and a couple is in front of me, the girl in a short red dress as she bounces her ass on the dude’s crotch.

I close my eyes as Natalie’s fingers come to my waist.

I don’t know what to do. How to move. I’m not a good dancer.