I turn around, giving him a second to study me, and his eyes widen in horror as his drink sputters from his choking mouth.
"Probably because you've hated me for eleven years," I say evenly, letting not one droplet of emotion taint my deadpan delivery.
My right eyebrow cocks up in mild amusement as he stumbles backwards, making a fool of himself. I'm definitely going to pay for this. He's a ruthless son of a bitch. I should enjoy it while it lasts, because the upper hand I have will soon turn into the foundation of a stronger sense hatred.
"Tria?" he coughs, sounding as though he's disgusted and shocked in the same breath.
I can't help it. I stifle the laugh, but the mocking smile breaks across my face.
"No," he says, shaking his head as if he's seeing things, hating himself in this moment.
A humiliated and dumbfounded Kode Sterling. Love it.
"Yes," I say, relishing my ounce of power before he jerks it away.
"Fuck," he hisses, staring at his bottle of beer as though it's the enemy. Then those murderous eyes cut back toward me, and I almost shrivel up. "What the hell are you doing here?"
No. I won't cower to him. You stand up to bullies, right? I won't cry in the corner tonight. I'll fight back, damn it.
"Probably the same thing you're doing. Having fun in a place where no one was supposed to know me."
"Mr. Sterling, sir, your beer," a waitress says, interrupting us.
He waves it off, acting as though he's terrified of what might be in it. "I changed my mind," he mumbles, setting his almost-finished bottle on the bar.
I have to get away while I still can.
"Tria?" a familiar voice says, but unlike the last familiar voice, this one is welcome.
"Raya," I say, smiling, so damn grateful she's here. Kode won't dare do anything to me in front of her, because he'd be terrified it'd get back to his precious obsession. Rain.
She looks from me to Kode as if she's confused. No doubt she's become painfully aware of our horrible history by now.
"You two together?" she asks incredulously.
I laugh, but Kode still seems to be in utter shock.
"No. You here alone?" I ask, not elaborating on the screwed-up situation.
"Yeah... but Kade is on his way. He had a meeting with a restaurant that wants to start distributing some of his wines. I told him I'd meet him here."
I loop my arm through hers, savoring the saving grace she doesn't know she's offering, and start walking away. "I'll keep you company."
***
KODE
Un-fucking-believable. Why am I still watching her? What is wrong with me? Why is my damn dick still hard?
Ah, hell. Are they really going to play pool?
Raya seems to be instructing Tria, and I watch with guilty pleasure as Tria leans over the table, offering me a peek closer to her perfectly sculpted ass.
No. No. Hell no. I cannot be attracted to Tria Noles. Nope. Not happening.
I glance down at my betraying appendage and curse it for refusing to lose its arousal. Several muffled swears and threats spill through my lips, but the damn thing is still at full attention.
"Pep talk?" Maverick mocks as he steps up, looking at me as though I've lost my mind.