Page 43 of Pleasure & Prey: Vol. 2

“I’m…meeting some people here,” I murmur, giving her a wide-eyed, nervous look.

Her confusion lasts only a moment, before her smile widens. “You’re with Wren’s party, right?” she asks, a small chuckle in her voice. “He said he might have someone else coming. And that she might be a little nervous.”

“Nervous is probably just him being nice,” I mutter, pulling on the edges of my skirt and suddenly feeling simultaneously over and under-dressed. Butterflies take flight in my stomach, but it’s not a cute or comforting feeling. In fact, it makes me nauseous.

“You’ll be fine,” she assures me, coming around the hostess stand. “Come on. I’ll take you to their table.” Breezing through the restaurant in between the bar and booths, she takes me in an L-shape until we’re in another room, only filled by four bigger tables that each have their own corner of the room.

Immediately, my eyes lock on Wren’s table. It’s a large booth, with half of the seats facing my way and another bench facing the other. It looks like it could easily fit eight, but tonight, there are only four people there.

Wren sees me first. He and the girl, a blonde-haired woman who looks about my age, are the two people facing me, while the other two face them. Wren grins, and nudges the girl, who glances up at me with some surprise. Within seconds, though, she smiles and says something to Wren, nudging him back the same way he had her.

“I know I said I brought you here for your pity party, Jed,” Wren begins, when I’m close enough to hear. “But I really hope you’re okay with me inviting someone else to join us.”

Jed. I should’ve realized the tousled blond hair facing away from me was his. But I’d been too focused on being nervous and counting my heartbeats to make sure I’m not about to stroke out.

“Who…” Jed trails off when he turns to look at me, and for the first time in the week I’ve known him, he looks absolutely lost for words. It does nothing for my nerves, and I can feel my fingers twisting in my skirt as the waitress says something and walks away. “Saylor,” he murmurs finally, still with that unreadable gaze.

“Hi.” I don’t know what else to say. My heart pounds in my throat as I stare down at him, unsure he even wants me here. Glancing at Wren for help, I see that he’s beaming, and his eyes flick between us. “I don’t…if you would rather that I leave⁠—”

“No.” Jed is quick to cut me off before I can finish. He surges to his feet, ending up right in front of me without much space between us. “No, I…” It’s like he can’t believe I’m here. Which I’m sure of in the next moment when he reaches out to brush his fingers along my arm as if he needs reassurance I’m not a hallucination. “You came,” he murmurs, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Wren invited me,” I reply, unable to look away from him. All of the boredom and emptiness from the last few days just snaps into pieces, and there’s no doubt in my mind that I’m just as attracted to him as he is to me. No matter how crazy that is. “I thought maybe you wouldn’t want to see me anymore.” Behind him, I see Cass ease himself out of the booth, only for Wren and the blonde girl to bring his glass and utensils over to their side before making room for him on their bench.

“Why?” Jed’s brows knit together in confusion. “Why would I ever not?”

“Because I left.” The answer seems obvious to me, and I don’t step away when he touches my arm once more. “Because I didn’t stay.”

“Saylor…you needed to go home.” He smiles wryly, in spite of himself. “Of course you were going to leave.”

He makes it sound so…obvious. Like I hadn’t been running away from him at all, and instead had made a move we’d both agreed on in advance. I can’t help the stupid grin that crosses my face when I think about it that way, and some part of me unfurls, letting the rest of me relax.

“You could sit down. Both of you,” Wren remarks, gesturing theatrically to the booth as if neither of us know it’s there. “Then you could order a drink, we could all order food, and you know. This could be something other than the world’s saddest pity party.”

Jed’s eyes flick back to his friends, and I see him register Cass on the other side of the table with a slight narrowing of his gaze before he steps away from me and reaches out a hand to me. “Inside or outside?” he asks, though from his movements, I have to wonder if he’d prefer the outside.

Which, in all honesty, is fine with me. I sit down and scoot to the far inside of the booth, my elbow against the wall. I didn’t need to go so far, though. Not when there’s room for two more of us on the bench. Gingerly, Jed sits down as well, giving me glances every few seconds as if he can’t believe I’m here.

“Saylor showed up at my work today,” Wren hums absently, taking a drink from his glass. “She stalked me. Her words, not mine. She stood on the other side of my office and stared at Cass like she was going to shank him. It was something.”

“I didn’t mean to,” I sigh, burying my face in my hands as I lean my elbows on the table. “And it wasn’t that bad. Right?”

“Oh, it was something,” Wren assures me wickedly, leaning back and pressing his shoulder against the blonde girl’s.

When she sees me look her way, she grins. “I’m Hazel. He’s kind of an ass. Do you want me to punch him for you?” she asks sweetly, her eyes dancing.

“I do,” Jed mutters. “Hit him hard. He’s enjoying this way too much.” I glance up at him when his leg brushes mine, but when I don’t flinch, he does it again. Only this time, he doesn’t pull it away.

“Please, not at the table,” Cass sighs. “I know this is your romantic Lady and the Tramp moment and all, but not at the damn table. Not even for Jed will I put up with you guys playing footsie while I’m right here.”

“He only says that because he can’t get a girlfriend,” Wren informs me sweetly.

“I’m Saylor,” I tell the girl, realizing belatedly that I hadn’t told her my name. I don’t want her, or any of them, to think I’m being rude. “Though, I’m sure you probably knew that already.”

“I’ve been hearing about you for a few days,” she agrees. “But that’s not a bad thing.”

“Well, she was pretty concerned when I told her I rolled up on Jed holding back your hair as you puked all over his slaughter shed.” It really feels like Wren just can’t help himself. I see now why Jed wanted her to hit him.

“Please stop,” Jed deadpans, leaning back. “Please. If I can’t be weird, neither can you. Besides, they don’t know you here like they know me.”