Elastic Hearts (Hearts #3)(76)

Victor’s lips twitched at whatever expression I must have been making, and it became clear that we were playing a game. A stupid, annoying, childish game I had no interest partaking in. My life was already a damn game with the media attention and Gabriel. I didn’t need that to bleed into this part of my life. Why the hell would he do this to me? He knows how much I hate the games I’ve had to play with Gabe.

“Does it hurt?” the blonde asked. Her voice felt like nails on a chalkboard, and I knew it was just me that felt that way.

“It’s fine,” he said. I wanted to punch him for not moving away from her touch.

“I can’t believe you didn’t let me drive you,” she said.

“I don’t let anybody drive my car,” he said. I hid my smirk behind my glass of champagne as I took a sip.

“I feel you,” Brent said beside me. “It takes a real special girl for me to take things to that level.”

“I feel the same. Only Marcus drives my car,” I said, feeling the need to chime in.

Marcus, who I needed to call so he could take an Uber here at some point and drive me home. Unless I just took one myself. Brent laughed and draped his arm around me. The way Victor was glaring at him, I was surprised lasers weren’t shooting from his eyes. Maybe this game would be fun after all.

“Maybe tonight will be my lucky night,” Brent said, clinking his glass of water with my nearly empty champagne flute. I raised an eyebrow, looking at our glasses.

“Maybe you’re right.”

“It was nice to meet you,” Brent said to Victor. “Congratulations. Nicky, aren’t you going to introduce me to your father?”

“Right,” I said, looking at Victor’s date, who he still hadn’t introduced. She was smiling at me though, so I felt obliged to return her smile as I walked away. My gaze got caught on Victor’s again. “See you around.”

While I introduced Brent to my dad, I checked my phone and veered off to the side to look at the text messages Chrissy had sent me.

CC: Did you see this?!?!

I opened up the message and clicked the link she’d attached, my stomach instantly dropping and curling in disgust as the pictures of Victor and the blonde girl appeared on my phone. They were holding hands, laughing, kissing, acting very together. Today. I felt the heat hit my ears first, and then spread quickly through my body. I’d hung out with Brent a few times outside my house, but that was all it was. Hanging out. It had never gotten to the point of kissing. He’d tried, but I’d shot him down and told him my mind was on someone else, because it was. I’d been too busy thinking about Victor, and that * now seemed too busy, actually playing the part a little too well.

Unless he wasn’t playing the part at all.

I narrowed my eyes in his direction, and sure enough, there he was, holding hands with the blonde.

Holding. Hands. With. The. Blonde.

I glared so hard, trying to make his head explode first, then hers. One of the waitresses passed by with more champagne. I set down my empty flute and took another.

“What is that? Number four?” Brent asked, joining me. I was too mad to smile, but I nodded as I took a sip. “I would say tonight might really be my lucky night, but I’m not into taking advantage.”

I looked over at Victor again, his broad back facing me, his hand on the blonde’s shoulder, and something inside me snapped. I took a deep breath, walked into the dimly lit hallway, and pulled Brent by his tie. The last thing I saw before my lips crashed on his was the confused look on his face. Luckily his confusion didn’t translate into his kiss. I tugged his tie a little harder, wishing he’d drop the good-guy act and kiss me. I wanted to be kissed like I was needed, but he was cautious, nice, his lips soft, his tongue coaxing. I ended the kiss and he leaned away with a huge smile on his face, his brown eyes glinting.

“That was . . . unexpected.”

I smiled, trying to work up some excitement, and took another sip of champagne.

“Nicole.”

I gasped at the sound of Victor’s voice saying my name. Brent’s smile dropped as he turned around, wiping lipstick off his mouth. Victor’s eyes jumped from me to Brent and back to me.

“Am I interrupting anything?” he asked, his voice a quiet storm that made me uncomfortable.

“No, we were just . . . talking,” Brent said slowly. He turned toward me again and smiled over his shoulder. I forced myself to meet his gaze and smile back, because f*ck Victor. The only thing I could picture was his lips on that girl. It was driving me crazy. Why? Why was such a stupid thing driving me crazy?

“I need you to sign some papers. I won’t take up too much of your time,” Victor said, beckoning my attention. I cleared my throat and walked forward, brushing past Brent.

“You’re going to make me snap,” Victor said, his voice dangerously low as I walked beside him. I plastered on a fake smile for whoever was looking at us.

“Already beat you there,” I said, continuing to walk toward his office. “Where’s your girlfriend?”

“Is that what this is about?” he asked, closing the door behind us. I inhaled the smell of him. His office was coated in it. I exhaled, walking to the front of the desk as he stepped behind it.

“No, I just act like a f*cking child for absolutely no reason.”