Page 54 of Vicious Little Snakes

Arden wiggles her finger at me, basking in my frozen stare. “But not Caroline, she’s got both.Et si j’avais su que tu aimais la chatte, je t’aurais laissé m’occuper de moi pendant que je suçais la bite de Liam.”And if I had known you loved pussy, I would have let you take care of me while I sucked on Liam’s cock.

Fucking cunt. I snap, turning around, taking an empty champagne flute off the table and fill it, bringing it back to her.

“How rude of me. I didn’t offer you any champagne, Arden.” I extend it out, hesitating before drawing it back. “Or are you still a part of the program? I know it was sanctioned after that tiny little incident involving your dad’s Aston Mac.” I suck some air between my teeth. “Pity—it was such a beautiful car. At least from what I could tell from all over the internet. Tell us, how do you deal with such attention?”

Liam frowns behind her, and Kai loudly whispers, “Care.” But Arden—Jesus, if looks could kill, I’d be fucking dead.Welcome home, bitch. We’ve leveled up.

Arden takes the glass from me and sips it, smiling. “So sweet of you to ask first, Caroline, but I’ve never had a problem with alcohol, only cunts.”

Oh. I like it when they put up a fight.

She looks back at Liam, lifting her chin. “She’s everything you described and more. Reminds me of me when I was that age.”

I rip the glass back out of her hand.

“Glad you could indulge in reliving your youth. But you should probably keep your hands to yourself tonight since it’s a high school party. Wouldn’t want to add statutory rape to that rap sheet of yours.”

You’d need a fucking ax to cut through the tension. Kai is discreetly squeezing my free hand, hard enough that I know he’s trying to get my attention, but I don’t fucking care.

Arden turns, running her nose up Liam’s neck, making me sneer. Liam’s eyes stay on mine, his face adorned with the meanest smile like he’s enjoying every word.

Arden shifts her gaze to mine. “Then I guess I’m lucky because the only boy I’m interested in is eighteen. I’d share like you offered to, but I’m much too greedy.”

My stomach drops as Liam rubs his nose against hers, taking her overly injected lips in a lingering kiss before saying, “If you’re done making new friends, I’d like to dance, Arden.”

Arden looks back at the four of us, wiping a finger under her lip to clean the smeared lipstick.

“Duty calls. But this was nice.”

Everything inside of me is rattling, making me feel like I’m vibrating. Arden tugs away from Liam, closing the distance between us, coming so close to my face that I jerk back.

“Oh, and Caroline. Save me a dance later.”

She grabs the back of my neck, pulling me forward and planting a hard kiss on my lips before releasing me. “Happy birthday, Carebear.”

CAREBEAR. I almost bite her.

Chatter starts behind me. Donovan flooding my ears with a long trail of words I’m not listening to. Kai asks me question after question, but I’m not answering because I’m watching Arden walk away with Liam.

“What the fuck was that?” Donovan’s voice booms, finally breaking through.

I grab a napkin off the table and wipe my mouth, tossing it to the floor.

“Karma.”

* * *

An hour later, I’m pretty sure that my eyes are permanently glued to the bar where Liam and Arden are posted. They danced, basically fucking on the floor. He kissed her again and introduced her around like she was a trophy he’d won. But watching him now has to be the most challenging part of the night. Every expression he’s made—easy, serious, amused, all of them—they’re genuine, relaxed, and killing me.

Before Donovan came back, Liam and I played this stupid game. The one where he talked to other girls, and I pretended not to notice because, in the end, I still got a piece of him nobody else got. Beggars can’t be choosers because each time we had these moments—ones that were so honest and real—I’d forget that he didn’t want me.

But I’m not sure I can endure this anymore because the idea of Liam never stops hurting me. He can’t help it. That’s the consequence of the pact I made with the devil when I signed my name on the unrequited contract.

Arden laughs at something he says and grabs his leg. I feel sick.

“Hey.” Kai slaps his hands together. “Baby, you’re being a horrendously bad hostess, sulking around like a poor sport.”

“Shut up.” I pout.