I think I better put him out of his misery. “Right, I owe you a drink now. What do you want?”
He shakes his head, but I stand up – I'm not taking no for an answer. This deserves a celebration.
“Nevermind, I’ll pick..” I bend down and lean over him. “You won't like what I pick – you should have told me what you want,” I say, laughing as I think of the strongest drink I can buy.
I turn to go to the bar when I see Onzo walking towards me. “Oh, bugger.”
Declan looks around. “What's up?”
“It’s Onzo. I don't want him bringing down my night after you've cheered me right up.” I wink at him, and he smiles at me warmly.
Onzo reaches us and looks at Declan with disdain, then looks at me. “So this is how it is? I take it we’re done?”
I shrug. “Yeah, we’re done.”
“You weren't going to tell me? You let me find out by seeing you put your tongue down this guy’s throat?”
Is he kidding? “You were all over one of the race bunnies. I'm surprised you noticed.”
His eyes flash with anger. “Do not disrespect me, Sophie. Come and talk to me.”
I don't like how his voice has changed - it has an edge that makes me nervous. Declan must sense it too because he stands up and towers over Onzo - he towers over everyone. Onzo has to tilt his head to look at him, and Onzo isn’t small.
“You heard her - she's done with you. Now leave her alone.”
Onzo sneers. “She will obviously open her legs for anyone.”
I roll my eyes - they say a woman scorned is bad - nothing like a man scorned. I don't let his comment bother me - I'm done with him now, especially now that I can see this nasty side.
“What the fuck?” Declan asks, his voice dropping an octave. “You better apologise to her right fucking now.”
His body is stiff - he looks ready to punch him. Oh crap, the last thing I want is Dec getting into trouble defending my honour when I couldn't care less what Onzo thinks.
I force myself in between them. I lightly push on Declan’s (ridiculously hard) chest. “Come over here - I need to talk to you.”
He looks down at me, then back over to Onzo, who looks like he doesn't want to back down but doesn't want Declan’s wrath either.
I grab Dec's fingers and pull. “Please come over here.”
He reluctantly turns away from Onzo and follows me until we are in the corner of the club.
“Thank you for defending my honour, but you don't have to - I don't care what he thinks about me. It was never anything serious. He wants to make a comment about me being a slut that’s his issue. I choose to do what I want, and I sleep with who I want. I don't buy into all that shit. I want to have sex, I’ll have sex, what's the big deal?
“You surprise me with everything that you say, Sophie. Most women would be upset by that.”
I shrug. “I don't see why I should let him get me down. He doesn't want me; that's his issue.”
He stares at me. “Not many people see things the way you do. You look on the bright side all the time. I wish I saw things the way that you do.”
He bends down and kisses me on the cheek, leaving the spot he kissed all warm and tingly and it takes sheer willpower to stop my hand going to my cheek.
We don't go back near Onzo. I don’t see if he is with anyone else. I don't care - it's not like anything could have come from us being together anyway.
Onward and upward, starting tomorrow with moving in my new place with a nice landlord who is also lovely to look at. My future is looking up.
