Painful Reminders

Chapter Three: Sabotage

She wasted no time zeroing in on a blonde man at the bar. I watched in distaste as she sipped her third drink of the night and leaned into him, smiling flirtatiously as his gaze dropped every few seconds down toward her chest. "So," she whispered, fluttering her lashes. "Do you wanna get out of here?"

I watched him stumble out a yes, staring at her with pure, unadulterated lust, and she straightened up with a smile. "I'm just going to run to the restroom, and then I'm all yours."

I waited until she'd disappeared in the crowd before taking her place beside him. "Look at me."

The man looked up from his drink in surprise. "Hey, do I know you?"

"Go home," I told him. "Now." He blinked once, stood from his barstool, and was gone.

What in the actual hell was going on? I'm not conceited, but I was looking damn good tonight. My hair was curled and had a sexy tousled look, my makeup was perfect, and the jade dress I'd borrowed from Becca's had just the right amount of cleavage. At least five men had ditched me as if I were the black plague. I just didn't understand. I'd seen the hunger in their eyes; the interest. "Another Long Island, please," I offered a half-hearted smile to the bartender, eyeing him consideringly.

"Still nothing?" Becca asked, falling against the bar to my right and winking at a pair of guys on the opposite side, wiggling her fingers in a flirtatious hello. "But you look amazing! Are they blind?"

"Plan B," I told her, picking up the drink I'd just ordered and smiling my thanks at the bartender. "Drink until I pass out."

She feigned a wince and gave my arm a sympathetic squeeze before stealing a swig of my Long Island. "You look amazing. These guys don't know what they're missing. We could ditch this place and head down the block to The Gold Standard? There's always plenty to choose from there."

My gaze swept the crowd, searching for Shane as I shook my head with a half-smile. "Your brother has had his pick of ladies since we walked in; let's not ruin his fun." Before she could respond, I pulled out my straw and tossed back the rest of my drink. Setting the now empty glass onto the bar and sliding it forward, I held out my hands to Becca. "Come dance with me."

Laughing, she grabbed my hand and allowed me to pull her back out into the throng. "I really hate that the only time I get Party Mya is when something bad has happened."

It was said jokingly, but it was like she'd tossed a bucket of ice water over me. My entire body stiffened for a millisecond before I regained control and struggled to maintain my smile. "Well she's here now, so you'd better enjoy it."

The pulsating rhythm of the music enveloped us as we found ourselves in the center of the crowd. They were all alive with energy. Forcing myself into the present, I let my body respond to the beat, arms lifting above my head as my hips swayed in time to the music. Becca was already entangled in the arms of a man, his head dipped down as he whispered something into her ear. I imagined I could hear her giggles as she nodded and allowed herself to be tucked in closer to his body.

I felt a hand on my waist, so I spun with the music and found myself staring up into Shane's grinning face. I smiled back as I wrapped my arms around his neck and let myself be pulled in closer. "Ditched all of your lady friends?" I teased as we danced.

"Come on Mya, you know none of them hold a candle to you." He looked down at me with eyes that were a carbon copy of his sister's, and I laughed as I diverted my gaze.

"You've always known how to flatter a girl."

"And you've always known how to break a guy's heart."

Rolling my eyes, I loosened my grip from around his neck to reach up and flick his ear. "Don't start on that again, Shane. It's been five years."