“The party sucks. And you suck, too.”
“No, I don’t. Though there was definitely some sucking going down tonight.” I grin, showing her all my teeth. I fiddle with the leather band around my wrist and wait for her reaction.
She doesn’t disappoint. She clucks her tongue, a noise of disgust. “God, don’t you have anywhere else you need to be?” Her hand goes to her pendant, an interesting tangle of wire and white beads in the shape of a rose that catches the light from the window.
“Nah. Nobody’s looking for me. You can have me for a while longer.”
“I don’t want to have you. Go away.”
Damn. She’s a tough nut to crack. Worse still, earlier she’d looked at me like I was candy, and now she looks at me like I’m dogshit under her shoe.
Can’t remember stepping on her fucking toes. Then again, what’s new? I annoy people. That’s why they don’t keep me around for long.
See, Helen? Told you.
Keeping the smile on, I lean on the other side of the window, sucking in the cool night air. I fumble in my pocket for my pack of smokes and my lighter. I feel unaccountably nervous, which is annoying me. What the hell do I have to be nervous about?
Let her glare. I’m immune to others’ opinions of me.
I pull out a cigarette and stick it in my mouth, then lift the lighter and draw my first lungful of toxic smoke, grinning again when she turns her gaze away.
Ah. Score.
It’s strangely satisfying to get people even more riled up with me than they were to start with. I guess it touches a dark place inside of me where my anger at the world festers—at its pettiness, its ugliness, its unfairness.
Hell, what did I do to piss her off in the first place, anyway? How is her bad mood my fault? Screw the bitch.
I can’t help looking at her, though, through the smoke I blow through barely parted lips. She hasn’t moved, despite her obvious annoyance at me, and her fall of long dark hair gleams like silk. The harsh light picks out her upturned nose and smooth cheek, the long dark lashes framing pale eyes.
Her short dress sparkles, silver threads that are woven in the dark blue textile catching the neon glow. Her ass is a perfect heart, her tits heavy, and her legs are long and shapely. For a second I wonder what she’d look like, naked underneath me, those long legs wrapped around my waist.
Shit. I suck in smoke and almost choke on it as the mental image slams into my brain. “Fuck.” I bend over, coughing.
She huffs. I thought she’d find my choking to death amusing, but not even in my dying throes can I get this girl to crack a smile.
“So,” I finally manage to draw breath, “I heard you’re moving in here, with Kayla. This makes this practically your party.”
“This isn’t my party. It’s Ev’s and Kayla’s.”
Huh. Fair enough. “Have you known them long?”
She tenses, and I have no clue why. “Only just met Kayla today. I’ve known Ev for a while, though.”
“But you’re from around here, right?”
“What’s with the third degree?” Her glare is back full force, and I blink.
What’s up with you? I wanna ask, but refrain.
“I was just making conversation,” I mutter, stubbing out my cigarette on the window sill. “Don’t get your panties in a twist.”
She glances my way and opens her mouth, then snaps it shut when the door behind us whines as it opens.
Heels clack on the floor.
“Jesse, babe, been looking everywhere for ya,” a female voice slurs, and arms wrap around me from behind. “Come back inside.”
Not again.