Toxic (Denazen #2)(60)

I watched them float onto the dance floor, weaving farther out than we’d dared go. Why should they stick to the edge? With Jade wrapped around him like a boa constrictor, everyone was fairly safe.

Beyond them, I saw several familiar faces. Barge was dancing close to a girl his own age, a slight brunette in a purple cocktail dress and kitten heels. They looked cozy. Every once in a while she’d giggle, and he’d light up like the sun. A few feet away, Panda was there with Sira, who seemed uncomfortable with the whole situation. I’d bet Ginger had tapped her to chaperone. Panda, being the gentleman, must have asked her to dance. All in all, the whole scene screamed of blah. I was about to turn to the door—I needed to check on Kiernan—but someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“I can cut in now, yeah?”

I sucked in a deep breath and looked around, frantic. Kale was with Jade, swaying to the music on the farthest edge of the dance floor. I could barely make them out through the crowd. “Where’s Kiernan?”

Able flashed me a wicked grin. “She ran to the bathroom, then was heading out to show Aubrey a really good time in the backseat of my car.”

“You’re a sick shit.”

He took my hand and dragged me onto the dance floor. “Aww. You’re too sweet.”

His skin was cold and clammy. How the hell had Kiernan not noticed its wrongness? I fell in step with the music, determined to keep it together. Able wanted me to make a scene and attract attention. I refused to give him that.

“So who’s that with your boy?”

I didn’t answer, following his gaze to where Kale and Jade were dancing dangerously close. Kale kept glancing over his shoulder, searching for me, I assumed, while she tried to keep his undivided attention.

“They seem pretty cozy.”

Poking. Able was just poking me to get a reaction. Two could play that game. “Cut the crap. I know about Jade—I’m not an idiot. She’s keeping him on that end so he can’t see you.”

He chuckled. “You do have it all figured out, yeah?”

“Yeah,” I snapped. “Wanna know what else I know? You’re gonna leave Kiernan alone after tonight.”

“Demanding little thing, yeah?” He chuckled and spun me around. “How ’bout you leave with me, and I’ll never talk to Kiernan again? Then you can shield your friend from my obvious bad influence, and I can let my brother heal you so you don’t die an agonizing, wasteful death. Everybody wins, yeah?”

“What about Kale?”

“Not worried about him. Soon as you’re tucked away, Cross knows he’ll come running.” He paused, tilting his head to the right. With a grin, he nodded across the room.

The crowd parted slightly. Jade was pressed up against Kale with both arms wrapped around his neck. Their faces were so close that if you saw them from a certain angle, it might have looked like they were kissing.

“Then again, maybe you’re not the beginning and end of his universe anymore, yeah?”

Suddenly I changed my mind about wanting Kale to see him. Look. Turn this way. But the song came to an end, and Jade led him off the dance floor and back to the table. The waitress was just setting down our drinks. He followed her without so much as a glance backward. Apparently I’d been forgotten. With a sick lump in my throat, I watched as they each took a glass, weaving back through the crowd and to the door.

“I’m not going with you,” I told Able.

“Your dad explained it, yeah? I was standing right there. You know what’s going to happen?” He trailed his finger down my neck and nudged aside the shoulder of my dress. “Wow. Hit you hard, didn’t I? You don’t have much time, girly. Starting to feel it, yeah? Random chills. Flashes of heat. Dull, aching pain that increases until your eyes won’t stop watering? He left out a few things. Have the hallucinations started yet?”

“If you don’t remove your hand, I’d going to rip it off.” I kept my voice even, but the truth was, his fingers on my bare skin turned my stomach. And his words? Even worse. He was scaring the crap out of me. Hallucinations?

“I’ll take it from here,” a voice said.

Able released my hand and stepped away. “No-number-Alex. How ya doin’, man?”

Alex might not be my first choice for a white knight, but at that moment, I didn’t give a damn. I would have taken Sal, the piss-soaked homeless dude on the corner of Fifth and Mesher.

“I’ve overstayed my welcome, yeah? No problem.” Able turned to Alex and winked. “Ask her if the pain’s set in yet.” Giving me a long once-over, he sighed. Before I could move away, he clasped a hand down on my left shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze. Involuntary tears stung the corners of my eyes. “See you real soon, girly.”

Once Able was out of sight, I turned back to Alex. The room erupted in applause as a live band began setting up in the corner. “What are you doing here? You don’t live at the hotel.”

“What am I doing here? What was he doing here?” He narrowed his eyes. “Ya know, this is becoming an annoying trend, Dez. I save your ass, and you act like a bitch.”

“Did I look like I was in mortal danger? We were just talking.”

“He was at your house waiting for you, and he works for Denazen. Oh, yeah, and he was driving the van from hell—or did you forget? He wasn’t here hoping for a hookup.”