“Is it really such a bad thing?”
“Not at all. I think it’s admirable.”
“Admirable,” I murmured. “Yeah, right.”
“So you and Wilder…”
“We are not having this conversation, Nate.” Not now, not ever.
“He really hurt you, huh?”
I gave him a withering look and he blew out a thin breath. “Fine, Wilder is off-limits.” His eyes went past me, over the car, as he said, “So I guess you won’t want to know he’s heading right this way.”
“What?” I bolted upright and glanced behind me, my stomach plummeting into my toes. “Did he set you up to this?”
“No. No way. I had no idea he would wander over here. It’s got to be almost a mile.”
Tipping my head to the sky, I inhaled a deep breath.
“You,” Nix said.
A chill ran through me at the sound of his voice, the anger there, sending shivers skittering down my spine.
“I come in peace, Wilder.” Nate sipped on his beer.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Zane said.
It occurred to me they hadn’t realized I was here. Crap.
“Just enjoying the view, man.”
Nix and Zane emerged from the side of the car, closing in on Nate. He looked up at them, still drinking his beer. “Where are your friends?” Nix drawled.
I knew that drawl. He was drunk. Maybe a little high. But there was something else too, an undertone of anger that laced his words.
“I’m not looking for trouble. I’m here—”
“With me.” I slid my legs off the hood and stood.
“Birdie,” Nix whipped around. “What the actual fuck?”
“Hello, Phoenix.”
I could have sworn he flinched, but a cool mask slid over his expression. “You’re here with him? Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Celeste and Miles are here too.”
“I don’t see them anywhere, do you?” Zane said, glaring at me like I was the devil incarnate. But it was nothing compared to the way Nix looked at me.
Cold. Ruthless. Unforgiving.
“You two fucking?” he spat, his words lashing my insides.
“Come on, Wilder.” Nate stood. “That’s not—”
“Nobody asked you, asshole.” Zane leveled him with an icy look.
“Okay, okay, enough with the territorial alpha guy bullshit. Nate is right, we didn’t come here to cause trouble.” My head swam and I lifted a hand to rub my temples. “It’s not like we’re anywhere near the party.”