‘Linc,’ I butted in, unsuccessfully.
‘Allow me to rectify,’ Lincoln continued, stepping a little closer to Jase. ‘If you look at her again, that way you do – I’m going to be very upset. If you touch her in any way that you haven’t first been invited to and, well,’ he glanced at me, still frozen, before turning his full attention back to Jase, ‘even then, I won’t be responsible for my actions. Violet and I may not be together, but make no mistake; she is mine just as much as I am hers.’
Huh.
I don’t know how long all three of us stood there in silence.
It was Jase who spoke first, turning to me. ‘Violet?’
But I was lost – somewhere between anger at Lincoln for deciding now was declaration time and love towards him for just saying he was mine.
As if best-friend intuition had magically kicked in, Steph appeared. ‘Sorry to interrupt. I can see things are going swimmingly over here, but Griffin just arrived – and not for a dance. Party’s over.’
Lincoln was already looking towards the door. He turned to me, ‘I’ll see you outside.’
I nodded and watched as he headed towards Griffin without so much as another glance in Jase’s direction.
So much for salsa.
‘This is to do with that stuff you can’t tell me about that everyone else, including my sister, seems to know about, right?’
I sighed. ‘I’m sorry, Jase. My life … My life has changed a lot this year. What Lincoln said was really rude, but …’
‘Not untrue?’
I swallowed, hating myself. ‘Right.’
‘Then explain to me why you two aren’t together.’
Sensational question.
‘It’s complicated.’
He shifted a little closer to me and put a hand on my shoulder. ‘Vi, if you’re frightened of him, I can help.’
My eyes widened. ‘No, no, it’s not that. Lincoln would never hurt me.’ That was half the problem.
Jase shook his head. ‘Whatever you’re caught up in, we can get you out of it.’
I smiled, sad for him, sad for me. ‘No, you can’t, Jase. And that time has passed. This is who I am now and our lives – yours and mine – don’t cross over. I’m sorry.’
With that, I kissed him on the cheek and walked away, hoping I’d done enough to keep him from coming after me again. I didn’t want to put him in harm’s way – it was bad enough I’d already involved Steph.
Lincoln was waiting in his car outside. I opened the door. ‘Where are the others?’
‘En route. Jump in.’
Once we started moving Lincoln mumbled, ‘Really not the way I saw things panning out.’
I raised an eyebrow. I’d half expected he’d pretend the earlier conversation never took place. ‘And where exactly did you see tonight finishing?’
‘With you on your back …’ He paused to see my eyes bug out at the painful pun before he chuckled and finished the sentence, ‘after collapsing from too much salsa.’ He didn’t stop grinning.
‘Ha, ha,’ I said, but then burst out laughing. He laughed beside me and took my hand and I realised he was giving me my one night of fun.
‘I think you’ve got that the wrong way round, Linc. I’d dance circles around you. Dancing is my thing.’
‘You said you couldn’t salsa,’ he said.
‘What – and you do?’
He looked entirely too smug and his laugh became lower and secretive. The sound was glorious, pulsing out warmth. My fingernails dug into the seat but the pain of my soul stirring was worth it.
‘You realise you haven’t ever seen me dance.’
True. Usually, he ran a mile from me when I asked him. Suddenly, I wanted to see him dance more than anything, see him relax for once.
I licked my lips nervously. ‘Well, I guess you owe me one now – a dance, that is.’
He settled back into the seat, still smiling but focused on the road. ‘I guess I do.’
‘Do I get to collect at a time of my choosing?’
He swallowed, his expression now more guarded. ‘Within reason.’
I looked out the window. If there was a god – I hated him. Apart from all the angelic reasons I’d been provided with, I mean, who could do this to someone – inflict this much torment? It was not right. Not natural.
Lincoln pulled into the kerb outside my apartment building. I saw everyone else at the front doors, waiting.
‘Ah … Why are we here?’ I asked.
‘Griffin just told me to come here,’ Lincoln said, turning off the engine and jumping out.
I followed and we joined Steph, Zoe, Spence and Salvatore at the doors.
Zoe raised her eyebrows at me.
‘Sorry,’ I said with a wince, knowing tonight – and Jase – had not gone her way.
She gnawed on the inside of her cheek for a moment but then shrugged, flicking a hand in the air. ‘To be honest, it was all a little complicated anyway,’ she said. ‘Not my kinda gig.’
We smiled at each other, but I saw a hint of sadness cross her face. Or was it loneliness?
Steph took a long look at Lincoln. ‘Are you wearing Onyx’s Ralph Lauren suit?’