Page 20 of The Illicit Play

“Hi, Bells. How are ya?”

“Yeah.” Her shoulder hitches as she rests her hand on the bar, looking past me to the dance floor.

It’s instinctual to turn and see what she’s looking at, and I instantly regret it. Mac and Teah are playing a serious game of tongue twister, his hand palming her ass while she fists the back of his hair.

I grit my teeth, spinning back before I can shout at the top of my lungs,“We’re in public! Get a room!”

But I don’twantthem to get a room. The thought of them doing?—

Nope, don’t you fucking go there.

Gripping my beer bottle, I train my eyes on the bar while Bella lets out another sigh. “They got together a few weeks after you broke up.”

I work my jaw to the side, tempted to ask if she was cheating on me and only revealed the relationship after we were done. Shit.

“It’s been so… stressful,” Bella ends in a whisper.

My eyes dart to hers. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know.” Her face puckers with distress. “He’s just so… wild. And we’re worried about her. She was so steady and stable when she was with you. Mac is… pulling her away. I don’t like it. I wish she’d never dumped you. It’s like she lost her mind or something. You are… a million times better than him.” Her lips form a deep pout. “I’m really sorry, Grady.”

I shake my head, my throat swelling as I wrestle my way through this conversation. “Do you… think she’s safe?”

Bella brushes her teeth over her bottom lip, obviously considering her answer carefully. My insides coil into tight, painful knots while I wait her out.

If he’s hurting her, I’m going to end him. I don’t give a shit if she’s over me and I’m not her man anymore. I won’t let someone cause her any kind of pain.

But then Bella nods. “Yeah. As far as I’m aware, he’s not hurting her or anything. He’s just… bringing out another side of her, I guess. She seems to love being with him—is constantly running out of the house with this big smile on her face. She’s giddy and excitable and…” Her nose wrinkles. “I just prefer you. All of us do.”

I nod, not sure how to respond to that. She’s not theonly one who’s been against this breakup. Teah’s parents still check in with me—a little text or phone call every week or so to see how I’m doing. They’re heartbroken that their daughter ended things. I wonder if they know about Mac.

Unable to stop myself, I glance over my shoulder again. They’re not kissing anymore, but they’re dancing close, lost in their own little bubble. His vampire hands are running up her back, those long pale fingers squeezing her close. Yeah, I can’t imagine her parents being cool with a guy like him. Their country club friends would be horrified if he walked in with his messy black hair and multiple piercings. His bad boy rocker look and “fuck off” vibes aren’t exactly high-class.

“Anyway.” Bella sighs, her smile sad when I swivel back to face her. “You take care of yourself.” Patting my arm, she says a silent goodbye and walks back to the table of sorority girls.

I watch them for a second, knowing half of them, then having to wave when a couple of them smile at me. One of them blushes, her eyes dipping with a coy smile.

Oh, fuck no. Please do not go falling for me. The last thing I need is another sorority girl from the same house as Teah. Forget it.

Turning my body to face the bar, I focus on my beer, running my thumb up and down the condensation before taking another swig, then slapping it back on the counter.

“Someone’s having a bad night,” a gruff voice murmurs behind me, and I spin to find Carson and Nylah giving me sad smiles.

Shit, I’m not sure how many more of them I can take. Their sympathy is killing me.

Zander saunters up just behind them, his hard gaze on the dance floor. “Is that Finn Macalister?”

“Yeah,” I mumble, hunching over my beer with a dark frown.

His hand lands on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, man.”

I shake my head, not even knowing how to respond.

“Did she leave you for him?” Nylah takes a seat on the other side of me while Carson flags down the bartender.

I sigh, tracing the blue letters on the bottle with my thumb. “I don’t know. I want to think she didn’t cheat on me. But who the fuck knows.” I growl.

“It sucks.” Zander nods, resting his elbow on the bar, then holding up a finger to indicate that he wants a beer too.