Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

KATE

" W hy the fuck are we here? I thought we were headed to your place!" Jon bites at Jensen.

We all roll out of the limo, and immediately the doormen usher us inside before security escorts our group to the VIP area on the second floor of Club Heat. Felicity shoots a wary glance at me as we walk down the lowly lit hallway. In front of us, Luna tightens her grip on Zach's arm. She hates these kinds of places.

I can't say I'm enamored. They're crawling with women and men looking to hook up with each other. If that's their bag, then fine. But it's not my scene.

I could answer Jon's question—he brought us here so he can hook up.

"I didn't want to spend my hangover day cleaning up my apartment," Jensen shouts over the beating music.

"You have a cleaner!" Jon shouts back. "You know I hate this place."

"Too many skeletons live here." Felicity leans into me as we walk hand in hand into the seating area complete with a private bar and plush black couches.

"Mmmm-hmmm," I respond. Jon's playboy days were largely spent here post-games; I doubt he wanted to be here tonight. "He's being a selfish wanker."

Felicity barks out a laugh as we take a tentative seat on one of the couches. "There's that British influence, again," she responds in her broad English accent.

"What was that?" Jensen comes to stand in front of me. Dressed in a crisp white shirt rolled up to his elbows, black dress pants that sit above his ankles, and loafers, I can't deny he looks delicious. His dress sense has always been impeccable. He never takes his eyes off me as he runs a hand through his glossy, almost black hair. He's every bit my type.

Every. Single. Bit.

Apart from the asshole factor.

I clear my throat and hold his gaze with determination. "I said, you're a selfish wanker." I cast a hand around the room at Jessie, Felicity, Jon, and Zach, who's got Luna protectively pinned to his side on the opposite couch. "No one wants to be here. Apart from you."

He shifts uncomfortably and looks across at his best friend, Jessie, for support. In response, he shoves his hands in his pockets and twists his lips to the side. "I mean, I don't mind. I'm up for a party."

Jensen steels his shoulders. "And I'm up for getting wrecked." He looks between his former and new captain. "For old times' sake."

"Fine," Jon replies. "But no girls."

Surprise, fucking surprise, there are girls.

And they're all over Jensen. Not that he's protesting; he invited the brunette onto his lap, and that's where she's been for the past ten minutes.

Which feels like ten hours.

She's young, pretty, and they've been talking nonstop. I think that's the worst part of having to witness this—the way they bounce off one another. But mainly, the way he hasn't looked at me once. If I wasn't sitting in public, I'd slap myself across the face to break me from my trance. I never get this way over a guy. I didn't get this way over a nice guy like Tom. But oh no, I go and get all antsy over a dickhead like Jensen Jones.

"Come down to the main bar with me." I've been so phased out that I don't notice Luna standing next to me while I sit, twisting the straps of my purse around in my hands.

"Huh?"

"Come down with me. Get away from him," she clarifies softly, holding out her hand.

"Away from who? I'm fine," I reply.

She cocks her head to the side and eyes me softly. "I don't believe you."

I scoff. "Babe, I love you, but you've got this all wrong. He..." I glance over at Jensen. "Does not affect me."

"So coming down for a drink with me shouldn't be an issue. Should it?"

I look across for my other best friend, but she's busy sitting on Jon's lap at the bar.

More laughter from the brunette has me looking their way once more, and I hate the way my stomach drops at the sight. Curling his hand around the nape of her neck, he pulls her head closer to whisper in her ear. My body betrays me again as goosebumps break out over my arms. The way she must feel right now.

Luna whips my bag from my grasp. "Come. Now."

Simply because I don't want to see anymore, I follow her lead as she takes my hand and guides us out of the VIP area.

"Be careful, Rocket. I'm right here if you need anything," Zach shouts up as we exit.

Smiling sweetly at him, she wastes no time pulling me down the stairs to the main club.

We take the only two stools left at the bar when Luna turns to me, a determined look on her face. "He's drunk."

"Is he?"

She rolls her eyes in frustration. "You know he is. You've been watching him sink tequila like it's going out of fashion."

I have. "Seems pretty with it to me. His new friend seems to be enjoying his company just fine." My response is laced with sarcasm, but I can't help it. I can't fight it back anymore, and I get the feeling Luna isn't going to drop this. She's been asking questions about us since last year.

"What happened, Kate?"

The VIP area can be seen from where we're sitting since it's a mezzanine, but I can't make out anyone sitting down, only Zach, who's standing up and keeping watch, although he's trying and failing to look like he's not.

I inwardly smirk at his obsession. Simp.

Sighing, I pull the mojito I ordered toward me. "There's not much more to tell than what I told you before. We were getting close one night at Riley's. He wanted a one-night thing, and I didn't. So when I said no, he got it elsewhere."

"With the redhead?"

I nod and take a sip.

"Felicity might've mentioned you were with another guy, too."

I nod again. I don't lie to people, let alone my best friends. "He approached me at the bar, and when I saw Jensen with another girl, I took advantage."

She smirks. "You two are like teenagers."

"He infuriates the shit out of me."

"Because you want him. He affects you. And I'm sorry to break it to you, but you aren't over that night."

I crash my straw down into the ice cubes, exhausted with the denial. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Well, that makes it even worse then. You've both been stewing over this for over a year but refuse to back down. You acknowledge each other only to make jibes."

I cast my eyes over the VIP area and immediately wish I hadn't. Hand in hand, Jensen and the brunette are walking over to the bar. I'm not surprised she's leading him since he looks even more unsteady than when we left. "He's over it. Take a look upstairs." I point Luna to where I'm looking.

Even from her side profile, I see the way her brows shoot to her hairline. "Yeah, he's drunk and being a dick." She turns back to me, clearing her throat. "I don't think wearing Jessie's jersey helped."

I shrug. "I wore his that night, and it meant nothing, so why would it mean anything to Jessie? He knows we're just friends."

"Jessie does, yeah."

Laughter erupts from across the club, and even over the loud music, we don't miss it.

Like history repeating itself, I watch as, with drinks in hand, Jensen stumbles behind the brunette as she leads him out of the VIP area and into the dark hallway.

I can't be here anymore. I don't need to watch this shit. If he is trying to make me jealous, then he's gone too far. But honestly, I don't think he could give two shits about me, my feelings, or anyone else's for that matter.

He's a selfish prick.

"I'm going home," I announce, pushing my stool back.

"Kate."

I shake my head, my hair falling around my face, hopefully shielding the shine to my eyes. "Whatever his game is, it's not about me. It's all about him because that's all he cares about."

"Kate, just talk to him."

I drop my head and then look back at Luna. "For what purpose? So he can tell me how good the redhead was? Because that's all he does—sleep around and have parties."

And get under my skin.

And live rent-free in my head.

And make me feel vulnerable.

"Let me and Zach take you home."

I shake my head and grab my purse from the side. "No. I just need to be alone. I've already said too much."

"But you can always talk to me. You know I would never say a thing to anyone."

I take a step back toward her and lean down, kissing her on the cheek. "I know, and I love you for that. But some people just can't be in the same room."

"It's not great for our group."

I draw in a deep breath. She's right. "I know. I need to work on that. With the wedding coming up and us being together for several days, we need to at least be civilized. Right now, though, I just need space to get my shit together."

She nods and throws me a soft Felicity-like smile. "It's okay to admit you have feelings for him."

Oh, I have feelings, alright. That I'd like to kick ass into next week.

I tuck my hair behind my ears and smile back at her. "I'm just disappointed in the way he behaved that night and then again tonight. He hauled us down here for his own needs and didn't consider anyone else's." My voice shakes as I fight to keep my tone even.

"Let us take you home."

"Stay. Zach is here to celebrate with the boys, and I'm a spare part anyway," I Iaugh.

Luna opens her mouth, no doubt to protest, but I get there first. "Stay. I'll grab an Uber."

Turning on my high heels, I blow her a kiss, a well-practiced faux grin, and high tail it out of there.

That's the final time Jensen fucking Jones humiliates me.