Page 25 of The Monster and the Masochist

She was making me crazy.

Crazier than I already was.

These ups and downs were going to kill me.

“Theo, this needs to–”

“Cassandra, are you heading out?”

I stiffened as Nolan’s voice rolled between us, and I silently cursed.

Ugh. I thought he had left already.

He approached the bar. His gaze skated down Theo’s relaxed form, and the two of them sized each other up like a couple of animals who were about to compete for the same scrap of meat.

It irritated me to no end that the scrap of meat in question was apparently me.

Theo straightened slightly, an unnerving smile spreading on her face as she took Nolan in.

She glanced at me, raising that fucking eyebrow again, and I wanted to tear my own hair out.

Nolan and Theo in the same room was enough for me to want to admit myself into a psych ward.

“Hey, I’m Nolan, Nolan Cross.” My rival and one-time fuck buddy introduced himself to Theo.

Feeling completely worn out and raw, I considered just abandoning this conversation entirely.

If I just left the bar, I could pretend this wasn’t actually happening.

“Theo, Theo Fairview.”

They shook hands, though the tension in the air was so thick I could have sliced it with a knife.

“How do you know Cassandra?” Nolan asked smoothly, placing his hand on the small of my back, as if he were making some sort of claim.

Theo’s eyes tracked the movement, and again, she gave me ‘the eyebrow’.

Nolan bristled next to me, and I pinched the bridge of my nose as a headache finally began to form.

“Our brothers are engaged,” Theo explained, her tone dry.

“I see. Did you enjoy the event? I wasn’t aware it was open to extended family,” Nolan asked. His delivery would have seemed pleasant to someone who didn’t know him, but I’d seen him use that voice in court.

Icicles were dripping from each syllable.

Theo’s eye twitched at the implication that she was family. She glanced back at me briefly before looking down at where Nolan’s hand was still resting lightly on my back.

“I was actually just leaving,” Theo said, sliding her hands in her pockets and turning away. “Nice to meet you, Norman.”

Nolan frowned.

“It’s Nolan.”

“Oh, what did I say?”

“Norman.”

“Ah.”