The Crystal Warrior

The Crystal Warrior (Chapter 16)

The Crystal Warrior 

By Maree Anderson

Chapter Sixteen

Chalcey chose a local watering hole. She ordered a couple of tequila shots and watched the minute hand on the clock behind the bar tick inexorably onward. Two choices. Go home and trust that Wulf would show up, none the worse for his little chat with Francesca. Or show up at Adagio and drag his ass home. Maybe drown her sorrows and then show up at Adagio. Yeah. That'd work. She'd be immune to embarrassment and humiliation and her mother's barbs after she'd downed a few more shots and got loosened up and ready for a fight.

Francesca's doing you a favor.

If he doesn't love you, better you find out now—before the Testing.

Put him out of your mind. Forget him.

He's not worth it. You can do better.

All lies.

She couldn't do better. And love had little to do with anything—not when their true feelings were complicated by Pieter's spell. Spells and curses be damned, she wanted Wulf in her life. She wanted him any way she could have him. Period. End of story. She tossed the first shot down her throat and waited for the false heat to warm her belly.

"Fancy meeting you here." His voice slimed down her spine.

Without bothering to turn around, she downed her second shot and clicked her fingers at the barman to hit her with another couple. "Not interested. Go away."

He leaned on the bar and ordered a beer. Sheesh. This guy couldn't take a hint.

"I see you haven't changed a bit," he said. "Still the same old Chalcey."

She shot him a sideways glance from beneath her lashes, and nearly fell off her stool. The long hair he used to slick with gel and tie back with a leather thong was currently a shaggy, unkempt mess, but it was definitely him. Terry—or Terrence, as he'd insisted on being called.

Her old dance partner. The one she'd dumped because he'd been incapable of comprehending that the intimacy necessary between dance partners on the contest circuit was fake. Just because she gazed into his eyes and did the sultry thing when they danced, didn't mean she'd sleep with him. Nor that he had any right to be jealous when she so much as glanced at another man.

Great. Just great. She'd rather deal with Ray than with Terrence right now. And considering how much she despised Ray, that was really saying something.

"Terry." She raised her shot glass to him and tossed it down her throat.

"So. Haven't seen you 'round the competition circuit."

"Nope."

"You're still dancing with Jai."

"Yep."

"Pity."

"You're entitled to your opinion." Jeez. How rude did she have to be before he got the message?

"Where's the brick shithouse?"

"Huh?"

"Your boyfriend," he said.

This time she swiveled on her stool to confront him directly. "How the hell do you know I've got a boyfriend?"

He swigged his beer, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Checked out your opening night party at your studio. Couldn't resist. Nice space. You might even make a go of it if you get yourself a decent partner to help out."