Page 146 of The Play Maker

She doesn’t bother hiding her scowl. “Don’t you have a sewer to crawl back into?”

Cole’s jaw tenses as he chews his gum. “Didn’t realize they let Viper off her leash tonight.”

Aurora flips her hair. “Careful, Reaper. Keep looking at me like that, and I’ll bury you in the backyard.”

He pops his gum with enough force it sounds like a threat. “Keep talking and I’ll catch a felony.”

Aurora gives Cole a sugar-sweet smile, full of venom. “Good. I’d love to see you behind bars,” she says, before brushing past him, knocking her shoulder against his.

I blink, turning my attention to Isabella. “Did they just threaten to kill each other?”

She chuckles “You’ll get used to it. What do you want?” she asks, gesturing toward the drink table. “Jungle juice? Punch?”

“I don’t mind,” I say, even though I don’t really feel like drinking.

She fills up my cup with something orange and hands it to me, and I take a sip.

My gaze is torn when a group of people all cheer, though I can’t see where it’s coming from since the house is packed with bodies, reeking of beer and weed.

And somewhere in this mess is Austin—my boyfriend.

That word still throws me. Boyfriend.

I glance around the crowd of people and spot him before he sees me.

He’s across the room with Logan, both of them laughing and drinking. At least he looks like he’s having a good time. My eyesdrift when I see a girl standing close to him, one hand on his arm. She’s smiling, leaning in closer to him. My stomach sours at the sight, but a few seconds later, Austin shakes his head and takes a step back.

“She was two seconds away from climbing him,” Aurora says, arching a brow as she sips her drink.

“He moved away,” Isabella points out.

“Still. That girl had a mission,” Aurora says. “I saw her lick her lips like he was dessert.”

“Let her try,” Isabella says. “It won’t work.”

The nerves in my stomach settle from their words. But before I can say anything, I notice Austin climbing onto the coffee table in the middle of the living room, Logan helping him up.

“Oh no,” I mutter, already mortified. What the hell is he doing?

“Everyone,” Austin shouts, raising his cup in the air. “Listen up!”

The music cuts off and everyone turns their attention to Austin. Some people laugh. Others yell ‘Take your shirt off!’

Austin shoots them a wink. “Appreciate the energy. But I’m here for an announcement. Just in case anyone missed the memo,” he says, placing a hand over his chest, “your boy is taken. Locked down. Off. The. Market.”

He scans the crowd and then smiles when his eyes lock on mine and points directly at me.

I want to sink into the floor.

“That’s my girl,” he says. “Right there.”

I attempt to hide behind my cup as all eyes turn toward me. My face is on fire.

“So unless your name is Maisie Wilson, do not flirt with me. Do not touch my arm. And definitely do not ask me to do a body shot off your belly button. I’m a committed man now.”

Logan helps him down, and Austin throws an arm around him. “Now this guy?” He jerks a thumb at Logan. “This guy’s single, and fucking ready to mingle. Go nuts.”

The music kicks back in a few seconds later. The crowd cheers and the party rolls on like nothing happened, but I’m pink from head to toe.