Page 149 of Toxic Kiss

“Don’t be a baby, you can still have a soda or something,” she says, evilly.

“Oh yeah, that’s the same thing.”

“Well, I’m not drinking,” she says, like that will make it all better. Oddly, it does help.

“I never thought I’d see the day,” Vex pipes up and says before grabbing my shot and downing it himself.

“Fucker,” I mumble.

“I’m just helping you out,” he says, and I want to wipe the smug look off his face as everyone chuckles.

Vex pulls his cigarettes from his pocket. I hold out my hand, but then look at Haven.

“Can I still have a smoke, Mom?”

She rolls her eyes.

“Whatever.” Haven crosses her arms. “Do what you want, you always do anyway,” she mumbles just loud enough that I can hear.

With a nod, I light up and take a drag on the cancer stick. The last vice that my doctors haven’t ordered me not to touch. I don’t smoke all the time, but it helps curb other cravings…I glance at Haven, except for one particularly persistent need.

“Why did you drag me in here anyway?”

Crossing her arms over her band shirt, she glowers at the stage where two girls are putting on a show.

Fuck she looks hot in the ripped shirt with our name splashed across the front. Now all I can picture is her wearing nothing else while I eat her for breakfast.

“Why not? Shouldn’t you have your camera out, filming us or something?”

She makes an, I’m going to kill you, face at me, and just like that, I’m transported back in time to when we used to make faces or throw shit at one another behind our parents’ backs. She has a surprisingly great arm, and I’ve taken a remote to the side of my face more than once.

My heart swells. Haven has always been my home. My normal.

Declan, finally off his call, walks in before Haven can answer my question.

“Fuck, a mob is forming outside,” Declan says, unbuttoning his suit jacket as he sits. “That stunt you pulled tonight may have been spontaneous, but it was brilliant. You two have real chemistry on camera. No one will even suspect that you are engaged to another man, Haven,” Declan says, obviously trying to get a rise out of her.

She doesn’t react, but Declan has managed to piss me off with the mention of the ex whose face I want to pummel. I clench my hand, and my knuckles scream in pain, but I’d still lay the piece of shit out. My heart hammers faster at the thought.

“That’s because she’s not.” I jump in with a growl. “She dumped his sorry, cheating ass.”

Haven’s furious gaze flicks in my direction.

“Thanks for announcing that. Would you like a megaphone? You could do it again, louder this time, and really humiliate me for old times’ sake.”

I open my mouth, but my brain freezes with the cold look in her eyes. Shit.

“Is this true,” Declan asks.

“Yeah, it is. I’m going to the bathroom.” Haven stands up, and I move with her. “I don’t need you to escort me.”

“Okay. Brett, take Haven to the bathroom,” I order and then sit back down. “Oh, and make sure she comes back and doesn’t try to sneak out an exit door or something.”

“You…” she says, mumbling the rest too low for me to hear as she stomps off.

“You’re really pressing your luck,” Eren says, sipping his beer as a group of dancers heads our way. Perfect.

“That’s the point.”