But what if he wanted me to share him?
No! Stupid insecurity. Cole wasn’t like that.
“Kitten,” Frosty called, sounding more than a little surprised. “How’d you find me?”
Kat lifted her chin, the picture of female pique. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m not here for you. But just so you know, I used my phenomenal detective skills, coupled with Ali’s mediocre directions. No offense,” she said to me.
“None taken.” Mediocre was actually better than I deserved.
“Don’t be that way, baby,” he replied, unwinding the tape from his fists. “You know I would have given you a ride on the Frosty Express. You just had to ask.”
Bronx rolled his eyes. Several of the other guys groaned.
Cole’s attention arrowed in my direction. Our gazes locked, and guilt filled those violet irises.
Guilt? Why guilt? Whatever the answer, it couldn’t be good.
I will not stomp into that ring.
I will not pull the pair apart.
I will not beat them both into pulp.
He set the girl away from him. Once again I found myself waiting and hoping for a vision. I was back on my feet. Things should go back to normal. But a moment passed, then another.
Normal remained at bay.
A dash of dread joined a pinch of jealousy, a recipe for trouble.
The new guy whistled under his breath, and my attention shifted to him. Our gazes collided. A second later, the world washed away, just as I’d wanted it to do with Cole—
—we were in my bedroom, standing beside my bed. No, we were lying on my bed. I’d just pushed him down. I tilted his head with one hand and pulled at his clothes with the other. Then I licked my way down his throat. I was making strange little growling noises, as if I’d never enjoyed a taste so much and had to have more—
“—Ali!” Cole shouted.
I blinked, and the vision evaporated.
Cole appeared, his features tense. “What just happened?”
“Dude,” Frosty said to the new guy. “Your brain just checked out for a bit. I haven’t seen anything like that since Cole first met Al—and uh, yeah, never mind.”
New Guy stared at me, looking suspicious and angry.
I stumbled back a few steps. I couldn’t believe I’d just mind-cheated on Cole. Like, big-time.
“Cole asked a good question,” New Guy croaked. “What just happened?”
So he’d had the vision, too. No. No, no, no. What did that mean? That strong of a connection had never happened with anyone but Cole. Why here? Why now? Why this guy?
“I have a better question,” the new girl said with a sweet Southern drawl. “Will someone please introduce me to the newcomers?”
I had to make sure the vision never came true. It couldn’t come true. It would mean Cole and I were over. It would mean the new life I’d carved for myself had crashed and burned.
A muscle ticked in Cole’s jaw. “Veronica, meet Ali. Ali, Veronica. She’s one of the slayers from Atlanta. Ali’s friend is Kat.”
“My girl,” Frosty added, proudly thumping his chest.
“In your dreams,” Kat replied.
They launched into a heated argument.
“Veronica is another of Cole’s exes,” Mackenzie piped up.
Oh, good glory, no!
“Not just any ex,” Veronica added, offering me a grin as sweet as her voice. “I’m his favorite.”
I stiffened, waiting for Cole to say the words Actually, Ali is my favorite—and she’s not an ex. He didn’t.
“Nice to meet you,” I whispered, fighting panic.
Once I hadn’t thought there was a girl more beautiful than Mackenzie. Now I knew how wrong I’d been. Veronica was. By far. She had perfectly tanned skin, dark glossy hair that was iron-board straight and fell to her shoulders and light green eyes.