The bass in the club was heavy enough to rattle the ice in the glasses, but Roman didn't seem to feel it. He was reclined in the corner of the VIP booth, his legs spread wide, taking up most of the leather seat. He looked bored. His eyes were half-lidded, watching the chaotic sway of the dance floor with detached disinterest.
Sienna didn't share his boredom. She was buzzing.
She sat between his legs, her back pressed against his chest, using him as a human chair. His left arm was draped over her shoulder, his fingers toying with the strap of her silk top, while his right hand had slipped brazenly underneath the fabric. His palm cupped her breast, his thumb tracing lazy, possessive circles against her skin.
"You're tense," Roman murmured against her ear. His voice was a low rumble that cut through the thumping music.
Sienna took a long drag of her cigarette, blowing the smoke up toward the purple lights. "My dad called three times while we were in the line. He's obsessing over the Senatorial dinner next week. apparently, if I wear the wrong shade of blue, the polls will drop."
"Tell him to fuck off," Roman said simply. His hand squeezed her breast, a sharp pressure that made her breath hitch. "Or I will."
"You can't tell a Senator to fuck off, Ro. Not until we graduate." Sienna leaned her head back, looking up at him upside down. He looked good from this angle—sharp jaw, dark eyes that looked black in the dim light."Besides, Mom is handling him. She said she'd distract him with the caterers so I could sneak out."
"Saint Evelyn," Roman muttered.
"She's trying," Sienna defended, though the edge in her voice betrayed her. She grabbed her drink from the table—vodka, neat. She needed the burn. "Where is Maya? She's been gone for twenty minutes."
"Getting your chaser," Roman said. He didn't look up.
Sienna frowned, shifting in his grip. His hand didn't move. "I didn't ask her to get a chaser. I asked her to get water."
"Same thing."
A moment later, the velvet rope to the section was unhooked, and Maya slipped in. She looked out of place. While Sienna and the other girls in the section were dripping in sequins and silk, Maya was wearing a simple black dress that Sienna recognized immediately—it was a Zara dress Sienna had bought freshman year of high school and discarded because the zipper stuck. Maya had fixed the zipper.
She was carrying a tray with three water bottles and a bowl of limes. She wasn't drinking. She never drank when they went out; she said it gave her a headache, but Sienna knew it was because Maya hated losing control.
"Finally," Sienna said, reaching out. She didn't take the tray; she just took a water bottle. "Did you get lost?"
Maya set the tray down on the table, her face neutral. " The bar was crowded. Some guy tried to buy us shots, and I had to explain that I wasn't interested in drinking tequila that smelled like gasoline."
"You should have taken the free booze," a voice called out.
Kai Alcott dropped onto the sofa across from them, flashing that blinding, camera-ready smile that made girls do stupid things. He looked perfectly disheveled, his tie undone, his top button popped. But his eyes weren't on the crowd. They landed on Maya, lingering for a second too long on the way the black dress hugged her waist.
Maya didn't look at him. She busied herself with cutting a lime, her movements precise.
"Where's the ball and chain?" Roman asked, lifting his chin.
"Elara is in the bathroom," Kai said, reaching for one of the water bottles Maya had just brought. His fingers brushed hers. Maya pulled her hand back as if she'd been burned. Kai's smile faltered, just for a fraction of a second, before he recovered. "She's re-applying her face. Apparently, the humidity in here is 'unacceptable.'"
Sienna laughed, settling back against Roman. "She hates this place. I don't know why you bring her."
"My mother insists we make public appearances," Kai said, his voice dropping the humor. "The merger talks are stalling. If Elara and I look unhappy, the stock price wobbles."
"God, rich people problems are exhausting," Sienna groaned. She didn't catch the irony. She didn't see Maya's jaw tighten as she sat on the edge of the ottoman, ensuring she wasn't taking up too much space. "At least your mom isn't making you wear a wire to dinner to record conversations."
"Is the Senator actually doing that?" Kai asked, eyebrows raised.
"He's paranoid," Sienna said, waving her hand. "He thinks his campaign manager is leaking info. It's a whole thing. Honestly, I might just crash at Roman's for the week. I can't deal with the shouting matches downstairs."
"You're always welcome," Roman said. His hand shifted, sliding out from her shirt to rest heavy on her thigh, his thumb rubbing against the bare skin. "My bed is bigger."
"And colder," Sienna teased.
"Only when you're not in it."
The curtain swept open again, and Elara Vance walked in. She was the definition of ice. Platinum blonde hair, a white dress that shouldn't survive a nightclub but somehow remained spotless, and a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Kai," she said, her voice clipped. She didn't look at the others. "We're leaving."
Kai blinked, his relaxed posture stiffening. "We just got here, El."
"And now we are leaving," Elara repeated. She finally looked around the table. Her gaze slid over Roman and Sienna with a polite nod, then landed on Maya. She smiled, sweet and poisonous. "Maya, be a doll and hand me my coat? I think I left it on the railing behind you."
The air in the booth shifted.
Maya paused. Sienna opened her mouth to say something—maybe to tell Elara to get it herself—but she didn't. She was too comfortable, too buzzed, and honestly, Elara was scary when she wanted to be.
Maya stood up. She picked up the white cashmere coat from the railing and held it out.
"Thanks," Elara said, not making eye contact. She turned to Kai. "Car is waiting."
Kai looked at Maya. He looked at the coat in her hands. For a second, he looked like he was going to argue. He looked like he wanted to tell Elara to go to hell.
But he didn't.
He stood up, buttoning his jacket. "Right. See you guys later."
He followed Elara out without looking back.
Maya sat back down. She was staring at her hands.
"He's such a pussy," Roman muttered, grabbing his drink.
"He's trapped," Sienna said, defending Kai out of habit. She turned to Maya. "Don't worry about it, May. Elara is just bitchy because she knows Kai would rather be literally anywhere else. It's not about you."
Maya looked up. Her dark eyes were unreadable. "I know it's not about me, Sienna. It never is."
Sienna missed the tone. She leaned forward, grabbing Maya's hand. "Hey, are you okay? You seem off tonight. Is it the money thing? Did your mom get the tuition check?"
"She got it," Maya said quietly. "Your mom dropped it off yesterday."
"Good. See? Everything is fine." Sienna squeezed her hand, then let go to reach for her purse. She dug around for her lipstick. "You're lucky, you know. You don't have to deal with the politics. You can just... go to class."
Roman scoffed, a dry sound.
Maya stared at Sienna. "Yeah. Lucky."
"I need to pee," Sienna announced, standing up. The room spun slightly, but she steadied herself on the table. "Maya, come with me? The lines are insane and I need you to block the door."
"Sit down," Roman said, his hand shooting out to grab Sienna's wrist. "You're stumbling."
"I am fine," Sienna insisted, pulling away. "I just need to fix my lipstick. Maya?"
Maya stood up. She didn't complain. She just smoothed down her Zara dress and nodded.
"Coming," Maya said.
Sienna grabbed her arm, linking them together as they stumbled toward the bathroom. As they walked away, Sienna leaned her head on Maya's shoulder.
"I love you, you know that?" Sienna slurred slightly, her guard dropping. "You're the only real person in this whole school."
Maya looked straight ahead, guiding Sienna through the sweaty crowd. Her face was blank.
"I know," Maya said.