We make our way to the bar, pushing through the crowd. I spot the bartender instantly.
She’s hard to miss with dark hair, tattoos, and rings on nearly every finger. She’s got the kind of confidence that demands attention, and the second her eyes land on me, she narrows her eyes.
Jace throws a charming grin her way. “Three shots, three beers.”
She nods, expression unreadable. Moves fast and sharp as she sets up our drinks.
Theo digs out his wallet, already pulling his card, but before he can hand it over, she slides her hand over his.
“Nope,” she says, her voice honey-smooth with just enough bite. Her gaze flicks to me as she adds, “I think your boy here has an extra two thousand lying around. Let him pay.”
Theo’s hand freezes.
Jace lets out a low whistle.
And I?
I grin.
Because that? That was all, Nova.
I reach into my pocket, pull out a wad of cash, and toss a few bills on the bar without missing a beat.
“Happy to.”
She smirks like she just won something.
Jace looks between all of us. “Okay, what the hell did we miss?”
I tip back my shot and smile to myself.
Game on, Nova.
CHAPTER 5
NOVA
Istep off stage and immediately grab my robe, wrapping it tight around myself like armor. The second the music cuts, the real world crashes back in, and with it, the image of him.
What the hell is he doing here again?
I really thought after I shoved that envelope into his chest, that would be it. The grand finale. Curtain call. Goodbye forever. He’d crawl back into whatever luxury suite he’s been living in and leave me the hell alone.
Apparently not.
We’ve lived in the same city for years without so much as a bump in the grocery store. But now he’s been to Heaven’s Edge twice? In one week? That’s not a coincidence. That’s a damn invasion.
“Great set, Lux,” Jules says, dabbing at her lipstick in the mirror.
“Thanks,” I mumble, dropping into my seat and unbuckling my six-inch heels like I’ve just run a marathon in stilettos.
“You sticking around for The Backstage or calling it a night?”
The Backstage. Heaven’s VIP fantasy land. Lap dances, private shows, ego boosts with a side of bourbon. Max is alwayspushing me to stay longer, dance more, sell the fantasy. But I don’t need it, not when I already make bank on stage. I keep the VIP scenes to once a month or when a client specifically requests me.
“Nope. Heading home after Roxy finishes. We’ve got a girls' night with Delaney.”
Delaney, my other ride-or-die. Sweet as a sugar cookie but twice as sharp. A nursing student and waitress who can dissect your symptoms and your soul in one breath. She’s the calm to Roxy’s storm, my voice of reason when I’m spiraling.
