The Sweetest Sting

7

Despite the evening being unusually warm, Rora shivered in her skimpy outfit as she followed the girls to the terrace.

She was angry and sad and tired, and that was far too many things to feel all at once. So she shut the whole damn thing down and placed all of it behind the icy wall inside of her.

"Look!" Ivy pointed at the wires still dangling from the eaves.

Apparently the producers had been unable to replace the cameras yet. Everyone examined them and raised their eyebrows. No doubt thinking about the mischief they could get up to out there. Rora pretended to be just as shocked as everyone else. No one needed to know that she and Bella had already discovered the missing cameras the night before.

Life with Amelia had trained her to playact just as skillfully as her twin.

The girls burbled with excitement and nervousness as one by one, they were called down to the firepit to show off their skills.

Some were much better than others. Grace was amazing. She knew how to make every curve a path a man would want to travel. She also made a strategic choice to avoid Ozzy entirely, forcing him to watch as she gave everyone attention except for him. Smart girl. He spent the whole time staring at her with hunger and longing.

Rora didn't feel the pinch of jealousy she'd have felt only a few days before. She simply felt... nothing.

Bella danced her tight ass off on her turn, focusing on fun rather than trying to be seductive. She made Marshall chuckle as she shimmied her magnificent breasts, gave exaggerated body rolls, and blew kisses at him. Next was Flo. She wasn't a very good dancer, but she had an excellent sense of humour about it. She gave an upbeat sort of burlesque type performance. Bella watched her with a dreamy look on her face.

"Oh, you're down bad," Rora said.

"I am. Isn't she just so..." Bella sighed happily. "I'm going to tell her I fancy her tonight. Can you believe it? I fancy someone!" As Flo's song ended, Bella glanced at Rora. "Soooo, I've turned into a right tuna melt. And you feel some type of way about someone. And I'm talking to my person tonight about coupling up, so you are doing...what?"

Rora shrugged. "Dancing."

"Who does Aurora feel some type of way about?" Amelia asked. "Has my dear sister been holding out on me?"

Rora's spine stiffened. This was not a conversation she wanted to have with anyone, but she particularly didn't want to have it with Amelia.

"Obviously it's Lewie," Ivy said. "He's been all over her since we came back."

"Of course he is. He has to pair up with someone if he wants to stay," Amelia said. "Rora's the only choice since she's single."

"Lewie's not like that." Bella scowled. "If he's grafting, it's because he's feeling sparks."

Amelia's eyes widened. "Oh, I'm not saying he's just grafting because she's his only option! Rora is gorgeous. She's my sister after all." She flipped her long ombre hair over her shoulder, but her expression settled into one of contemplation. "Though, it is odd how he wasn't feeling sparks until he ended up single."

Rora would not be playing Amelia's games tonight, so she kept her own face neutral, as if she were studying growing grass.

Bella glanced at Rora and then back at Amelia. There was a glint of spite in her eyes. "Anyway, it's not like Rora doesn't have options. Marshall can't take his eyes off of her."

Amelia's eyes narrowed at that, but she didn't respond. Thank god Flo returned just as Ivy's phone chimed and the conversation moved along. Rora released a long, slow exhale, calming herself.