It is a couple of hours before Jonah comes upstairs looking for us. Surprise flits across his features, and I can feel his burning curiosity. But I am more pissed off that he would leave her alone after everything that happened last night. Her parents also wander over, and Eziah hugs his sister and says goodbye to Rose.
Mateo sneers at me as he says goodbye to his daughter, while Ezra looks as though he wants to say something but decides against it. Probably best he does. I have managed to drink half that bottle of whiskey by the time they come up here, and I’m not in the best headspace while I watch Marabella. She has done nothing but ignore me all damn night. It shouldn’t have bothered me, but it does.
Marabella gets up to walk her parents out, and I can feel her hesitation, like she is deciding to go with them when Jonah pulls her to his side. I watch from the bar as he wraps his arms around her waist. The way her face lights up as she leans back against him. Jealousy courses through me, clouding my judgment as I reach for a fresh bottle from behind the bar.
The bartender eyes me, and one glare has him looking away. I pour another glass watching them. I should leave, should go home now that Jonah is with her, yet I can’t tear my eyes away from her when he leads her over to Rose on the dance floor. Jonah practically drags her, and I can tell she doesn’t want to dance, but Jonah encourages her anyway.
The woman from earlier makes her way over to me, and I roll my eyes when she leans on the bar watching me. I’m about to move when she speaks.
“Well, your little friend moved on quickly,” the woman states. I don’t answer, about to move away from her when pain ripples through me, my nerves burn and the glass I am holding shatters in my hand under my grip.
“Shit,” I curse, reaching behind the bar for a tea towel.
The bartender chucks me one. I thank him, wipe the front of my jacket down, and the bartender waves a waitress over to clean up the shattered glass.
However, the sharp pain radiating through my chest doesn’t stop, and I glance at Jonah and Marabella to find him kissing her. Her hands are on his chest, and he pulls away, whispering something to her. And my blood boils.
“You okay?” the intoxicated woman asks, her hands roam over my wet suit as she tries to help clean up the mess. Suddenly, I hear a commotion. Everyone turns their attention to the dance floor. Casen and Rose are arguing, and I notice Jonah makes his way over to them.
Marabella, however, is watching me. Her eyes are on the woman beside me, fussing over me and leaning her body against mine. I don’t realize how close she is until I see Marabella’s anger over her proximity.
I pull her closer, my hand on the woman’s hip. I don’t know why I do it. Maybe it is petty; I am planning on rejecting her, anyway. But I instantly regret it.
I want her to know what it feels like, to know the pain she causes me every time she is with Jonah. The woman seems startled, and I don’t even know her name. I’m disgusted by my actions as I pull her closer, yet I do it anyway. I kiss her.
Marabella
I don’t want to dance, but Jonah pulls me over to the dancefloor, anyway. I can’t dance to save my life, but it’s not like he will ever listen to my excuses anyway.
“What’s wrong?” Jonah asks, and I shake my head, not wanting to draw attention to the fact Kyan is glaring at him.
I have managed to ignore him all night. But I can feel his gaze boring into us; the room feels suffocating with his presence despite its size. It is just making me uncomfortable, and I really don’t want any more issues. It baffles me that Jonah is totally okay with this when he knows Kyan could hurt him. I spot Rose, who is clearly enjoying herself.
And I nod toward Rose, who is suddenly being pulled away from Casen by some man. Crap, this will not go down well.
“Not going to intervene?” I ask, instead of answering my question. Jonah rolls his eyes at his sister while Casen looks as though he is about to tear the man to shreds.
“Casen will sort it. She’s in good hands. My focus is on you tonight,” Jonah says, tugging me closer. I can feel the buzz in the room, and I glance at Kyan over Jonah’s shoulder.
“Maybe we should go sit down; Kyan keeps glaring at us. I don’t want to upset him,” I suggest nervously.
“He will get over it. Besides, Kaif said he is planning on rejecting you anyway. Why care what he thinks?” Jonah says, his words coming out in a growl. I chew my lip worriedly; that doesn’t mean we should upset him. I can tell Jonah is getting upset with me, but I can’t help but worry Kyan might do something.
“Mara, stop. Just ignore him until he pulls his head out of his ass. He needs to man up, or just get it over with,” Jonah hisses.
“Get what over with, rejecting me?” I snap at him, regretting losing my cool. Shit, this is not Jonah’s fault. In all of this, he is the one who is treating me right.
“I have not once denied my feelings for you, and Kyan knows how I feel about you,” he replies quietly, a small frown on his face.
“Yes, but what if he doesn’t reject me, Jonah? We can’t just-”
“Can’t what? Be together?” he cuts me off and I nod. “I know you want Kyan, and I am fine sharing, but if you don’t want this, Marabella, let me know now because I am done with waiting on Kyan to make his mind up.” he adds curtly.
“I do want to be with you, I always have, but Kyan-” my words are cut off by his lips crashing against my own. I gasp, shocked at his display in front of Kyan, when he tugs me closer, deepening the kiss. Pleasure simmers through me as my body reacts to his touch before I remember Kyan is right here and I push on his chest.
“Jonah,” I mumble around his lips.
“He needs to either accept it or let you go, Mara. I am done waiting for his approval, and you should be too,” Jonah says against my lips.
His hand tangles in my hair, tugging my head up a little when suddenly yelling starts up behind us. We push apart and I glance over my shoulder to see Casen punch the man Rose was dancing with. We move apart and Jonah shakes his head, the expression on his face is one of irritation.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” he mutters. “Stay here, I will be back,” he warns me before leaving me on the dance floor, while he makes his way over to Casen and Rose to break up the fight.