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I didn’t care about this woman. She wasn’t my responsibility.
From beside me, Ryder laughed a disbelieving sound. “Look at you over there about to lose your shit.”
My eyes narrowed as I ripped my attention from the woman and set it on him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Right, my friend. You look super cool and collected over there.” Sarcasm dripped from his tone.
“I am always cool and collected.” Except in the moments when I flew off the handle at this country sprite.
Irrational.
The song ended and the line broke apart as another song began to play, the lights dimming farther as the strobes slowed.
People began to couple up.
Some asshole waltzed up to her in all his swagger, and that irrational screamed.
Verging on psychotic.
Exactly as she’d accused me of.
It made me want to squeeze his neck. Drop him to his knees. I didn’t exactly have a reputation for playing nice with others.
Only that sensation nearly exploded when the man turned to the side, and I got a good look at his face.
Nate.
That arrogant fucker from the ranch.
He said something and Paisley giggled, and he was slipping an arm around her waist, taking her other hand as he drew her close then began to lead her in some dance the two of them both seemed to know.
My tongue stroked across my lips in hopes of erasing the bitter taste.
Ryder laughed hard that time and clapped me on the knee. “Oh, I see how it is.”
“You don’t see anything.”
“Don’t I? It looks to me like you want to dip your pompous dick into my Pais, after you treated her like shit and caused her to quit since you can’t seem to keep the asshole at bay, even when you knew she is someone important to me.”
Air heaved from my nose, and I did my best to keep my attention on him instead of letting it get sucked back to Paisley.
It didn’t work.
Because she laughed loud as she was getting twirled round and round, and I couldn’t stop myself from watching.
Guilt grabbed me by the throat, grating like stones as Evelyn’s face flitted through my mind. I worked my jaw through the admission. “I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
Temporary insanity. Although I supposed it wouldn’t be temporary when it came to Paisley Dae.
“Then fix it.”
“Fix it?”
My gaze snapped back to see her as she stumbled to the side, and she laughed even harder like falling on her ass would be the highlight of her day. It was clear her blood was soaked in alcohol. The woman more untamed than normal.
“Apologize and ask her to dance.” Ryder waved with his tatted arm toward her like it was a magic wand.
My brows shot for the sky. “Dance with her?”
He was the one who was insane.
“You know, that thing you do where you move your feet back and forth? Dance. But I’m guessing it’s the apologizing part that is going to be the most difficult for you.”
A heavy sigh blew between my lips.
This was absurd.
Ridiculous.
Still, I pushed to my feet and left my tumbler on the table, and I moved through the web of bodies that spun and swayed. My teeth ground as hard as my footsteps as I moved over to where Paisley was currently hanging onto Nate’s shoulders, flinging herself all over, out of beat and in perfect time.
She was all easy laughter and goofy moves until she found me standing there like a maniac on a short fuse, raging beside her all over again because I couldn’t seem to fucking move.
“You,” she seethed, untangling her hands from Nate. The fucker looked at me like he wanted to punch me for the interruption. I hoped he did. That I could beat this aggression out on him.
Paisley took two steps toward me, erasing the distance, and started jabbing me in the same spot as she had earlier.
I felt scourged at the connection point.
“You,” she snarled, and her eyes squeezed closed for a blink as if she were attempting to control herself or maybe she was just processing all the insults she wanted to toss my way. “How dare you come here and ruin my night. I don’t like you.”
Few people did.
I should turn and walk. Get the hell out of here because I never should have come in the first place. But there I was, tossing out the stupidity that Ryder had planted in my head. “Would you like to dance with me?”
For a beat, her eyes rounded in surprise before a crash of laughter clanged from her, harsh and grating, full of offense and disbelief. “You want me, to dance, with you?”
“Ryder thought it would be a good idea.”
In hindsight, it was not the best thing to say. Fury flared through her angel features, the little devil making a resurgence, and I swore to God her mossy eyes glowed red.
