Page 33 of On the Breakaway

“I didn’t ditch her.”

“Mm.” She turns to look down the alley. “Sure.”

I cross the pavement slowly, leaning against the other side of the railing, giving her space. “You seem very invested in this.”

“I’m not invested,” she snaps quickly.

“Sounds like it.”

She turns fully, irritation flaring. “I made an observation.”

“About my nonexistent relationship?”

Her brows pull together. “Nonexistent?”

I shrug my shoulders, watching her face. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

Her expression flickers before she manages to smooth it out, like she’s trying to file that information away without making it obvious.

I bite back a smile because I’m pretty confident Avery has no idea how much of her emotion she wears right on her face.

“Even if she’s not your girlfriend. You shouldn’t bring her here and ditch her.” Avery turns toward me. “It’s a shitty thing to do.”

“Would that make you feel better?” I shift on my feet so that I can see the gleam in her eyes.

“Excuse me?”

“If I were an asshole. Would it make you feel better?” I rub my hand over my hair, pushing it out of my face as I wait for her to answer.

“You are an asshole.”

I click my tongue. “Maybe, but not the kind you want to paint me out to be.” I step forward again, letting the alcohol fuel my recklessness. “I think you’re a little too curious about what I’m doing with women.”

Which is nothing. I’m doing nothing with women. But fuck, the idea of doing something with Avery sounds a bit too enticing right now.

She scoffs, rolling her eyes, but doesn’t step away.

“I think you have this picture in your head of who I am, but we both know you’ve made it up.” I push a strand of hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. “This dance is getting boring, Chaos.”

It’s anything but fucking boring.

“You’re right. You’re boring.” Her voice is quiet, but her eyes are on fire.

She isn’t saying anything I don’t already think about myself, but it cuts coming from her, just the way she intended.

“If you want to know who Sloane is to me, just ask.”

Her jaw tightens, and she steps back, breaking the tension. “I don’t know what you think I want, Grayson, but I’m not curious. I was looking out for her. I see you. I see right through the facade you put on for everyone. I know better.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, knowing that she’ll see what she wants to see. It’s infuriating.

She’s infuriating.

Instead of giving her the satisfaction of losing my cool, I move for the door.

“Yes, go back inside to your date.” She bites.

I whirl around, suddenly too tired of playing and too tired of letting her believe I’m something less than I am. “Sloane recently moved here. She’s Wyatt’s sister and practically family. She’s finishing college out here and staying with him until she finds a place.”