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She takes my hand and kisses it, making Finn laugh hard. “Pleasure was mine. I’ll be seeing you.”
She winks at me before walking away, and I just gawp after her wondering what just happened.
“I think she likes you,” he teases before kissing me softly. He pulls back, gaze darting around the room when his smile drops. I follow his line of sight and I see why.
Descending the staircase is Georgia, her red hair piled up on her head and her creamy skin highlighted by the scarlet dress that’s basically painted onto her. Her arm is looped through Lincoln’s, whose smile is so bright it almost hurts my eyes.
It’s just for show.
I repeat the line in my head like a mantra. I know his real smile, that one he has just for me.
“Come on, pretty girl. Let’s get a drink,” Finley says softly, stealing my attention from the two of them. I smile up at him, swallowing down the rising jealousy. I have no reason to be jealous.
I know who he really is. I know he loves me.
He already told me he wouldn’t touch her, I just have to remember that.
Finn takes my hand and leads me to the bar, where Indi and Maverick are bickering over cocktails.
“Appletinis are not a girl’s drink,” Maverick growls. “They taste fucking delightful.”
“If you say so.” Indi laughs before turning to face me.
I know the instant she sees Georgia and Lincoln over my shoulder, because traces of amusement leave her face and her eyes shine with anger. “Imma claw that bitch’s eyes out.”
“Calm down, Kujo. Lincoln knows how to play the game. Too well. He’s about as willing to be with her as any of us would be,” Maverick murmurs to her, placing his hand on her shoulder to make sure she stays in place.
“It’s fine,” I say, waving it off.
Fake it till we make it, right?
I don’t even turn around to look at them, even though I feel eyes on my back. It’d be a lot easier to swallow if Lincoln hadn’t been a giant asshole lately. But this is obviously what had him so stressed.
Indi sucks in a breath, her eyes widening as she looks behind me. I already know what’s happening before I look.
I step closer to Finn, who puts his arm around my waist and pulls me even closer. “You’ve got this. Just rise above.”
“Octavia, it’s so lovely to see you again!” Georgia’s lilting voice makes me want to wince, but instead I paint a smile on my face and look over to the redhead hanging off of Lincoln’s arm, catching a glimpse of Maverick moving Indi closer to him. I’m not sure if it’s to protect him or to make sure he can stop her lunging at the bitch beside me.
“Georgia, you too. How have you been?”
She laughs, and it’s so twinkly and ladylike, I want to punch her in the throat just to stop it.
“Oh, I’m great. I hear you had a bit of a rough time lately. Poor Lincoln told me about your rehab in Mexico. I hope everything is okay now.” Her smile is wicked, her eyes glinting like she knows something I don’t. I know rehab from the kidnapping was what Lincoln explained to Harrison, but I get the feeling Georgia knows more than she’s letting on.
I glance at Lincoln who just looks indifferent. He barely even acknowledges me. It stings, but I just keep reminding myself this is the game.
“I need to go powder my nose, sweetheart,” she says, leaning over and kissing Lincoln’s cheek. “I’ll be back. Octavia, join me?”
“Of course,” I say, softly shaking my head at Indi before extracting myself from Finley. Lincoln’s eyes go wide, a hint of panic filling them before he controls his reaction.
Weird.
I follow Georgia across the room and back up the stairs she just came down. “There’s a private bathroom up on the mezzanine, though I imagine you already know that.”
I just nod, not saying a word as I follow. I only agreed to this little jaunt to find out what it is that she wants. Maybe she’s not as bad or as conniving as I think. Maybe she doesn’t want this engagement any more than Lincoln does. Maybe I should’ve asked him, but he won’t speak about her to me.
We head into the bathroom, and she moves straight to the mirror, opening the clutch that hangs from her wrist. “I’m surprised you let him go so easily, you know.”
