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I’d have to be wearing them.” Pulling back, I snicker seeing the heat in
his eyes. I’m wearing them, but he doesn’t need to know that, and realistically
he’s not going to be finding out.
    Before I can move back out of his space,
his hands land on my hips, keeping me close. Meeting his eyes again, I see
lust, clear as day. Shit . A trill of
apprehension runs through me and my smile falters for a half second. I’m not
sure I’m ready for this. I shouldn’t have said what I did. I’ve always hated
girls who tease guys. Not their guy in a playful way, but to get a random guy
to pay attention to them, only to back out at the last minute, which is what
I’m about to do. This isn’t me.
    “Luke, get your ass over here.”
    His hands tighten against me before he
releases the hold he has on my hips and shouts over his shoulder, “Taron, cut
the shit. I’ll be there in a minute.” He rubs along his lips with one of his
hands, and his eyes are filled with a lot of questions that I’m not sure I want
to answer. “You staying around? We can get some drinks later. Here at the
club.”
    What will it hurt? We’re planning on
sticking around until later anyway. “Okay.” I offer him a shy smile. “I’d like
that.”
    He grins, backing away from me. “I’ll be
back real soon.” He trips backwards over some cable on the floor, only just
catching himself before he ends up on his ass.
    “Come on lover boy.” Talon, who is Taron’s twin, hits him on the back, laughing, but not
before Luke looks back toward me, with an embarrassed grin.
    “ Ohmygod .
Callie, are you crazy? Reece is going to flip. I’m surprised he stayed on the
stage with you flirting like crazy with Luke.” Thalia grabs hold of my arm to
get my attention.
    I sigh. “Look…Reece isn’t interested in me
anymore. He went off with that skank.” I inhale and exhale, slowly to try and
prevent my tears from falling. “You told me I had to move on, which is what I’m
trying to do.” I hold my hand up to stop her interrupting me. “I know all Luke
is after is a good time. That’s all I want. I’m not sure if I’m ready to be
with someone else. I was only with Reece for an afternoon of delight,” I grin,
“and the evening, but…we connected. Or at least I thought we did and I’m just
not ready to connect in that way with someone else.”
    “You know what we need?” She grins. I know
that she heard everything I said, but in true Thalia form, she knows I need her
to change the subject.
    I shake my head. “Do I want to know what we
need?”
    “Let’s go and watch the guys from the
front. I can’t really see Phoenix from here, and I’m thirsty.”
    Taking my arm, we about-turn and jump down
the few steps leading away from the stage. How Thalia knows where she’s going
is beyond me because I can’t see a damn thing. It’s pitch black with flashes of
light from within the club, every time the door at the end of the corridor
opens.
    “Thalia...” I trail off. My breathing is
becoming uneven with the panic welling up inside me. I can’t do this. The walls
are closing in. All the time I’m putting one foot in front of the other while I
cling to Thalia.
    She opens the door and pulls me into the
actual club. We’ve come out close to the bar, which isn’t too crushed with
people. Because of Deception performing on stage everyone is pushing forward
and dancing.
    I’m trying to get myself centered when
Thalia shoves a bottle of water into my hand. “Drink.”
    I guzzle the water down, which helps quell
the panic I’m feeling. Ever since being a small child and getting locked in the
attic, I’ve had a fear of the dark. I’d gone up there to hide from the boy
next-door who I’d seen arrive with his parents. He’d looked up to my bedroom
window the minute he’d stepped from his father’s car. He gave me the chills.
Still does if I’m honest. He always watches me…he just stares…constantly. My
parents had no idea I was hiding up