Siren's Mark

Chapter 41

𝔸𝕧𝕒

Zane's eyes search frantically around us and he looks particularly on edge.

Part of me feels anxious about seeing him but I can't stop thinking about how attractive he looks. He's wearing a jean jacket and a grey T-shirt with black jeans and his go-to black boots. His hair is tousled and a bit messier than usual, his eyes are sunken with dark bags beneath them, and his skin is pale and lifeless. He still looks amazing, but not quite his usual self.

I wonder if he's been crying.

"Who are you with?" he asks in a low, serious tone as his eyes scan the room.

"Hey Ava," Jen's voice says from behind me. "So Dave is totally game for body shots..."

She turns toward Zane with a slight glare. "Oh hi, Zach," she says. "I didn't see you there."

Subtle, Jen.

"Hi Jen," Zane says with a grumble, his jaw tight. "Which one is Dave?"

"Why would you need to know that?" Jen asks. "You don't have any right to butt into Ava's personal business as her EX-boyfriend."

Zane visibly shudders at the word and his eyes pinch shut.

"Jen," he says with a sigh. His voice is tight and strained. "You're right. I just need to talk to Ava alone for a second."

"Oh, so you can talk in person? I thought you were more of an over-the-phone kind of guy," she says with a spiteful tone, stepping in between me and Zane. "I'm sorry, but as you can see, Ava has company for the evening."

Jen gestures to the men we've been talking to: Dave, a 6-and-a-half-foot tall, muscular construction foreman with tan skin and medium-long brown hair, and Alex, a model-type, shorter than Dave but still relatively tall, with sharp features and spiky short hair.

If you were ever going to run into an ex, these are the men you'd want to be with.

Jen thought I needed a night of frivolity and—her words, not mine—stranger-boning. I didn't really intend on the stranger-boning bit, although I'm starting to rethink that plan. Dave is really cute and definitely interested. But having Zane here is bringing up all these feelings that I wasn't counting on dealing with.

"Ava," Zane says through gritted teeth. "I need to talk to you. Now."

As his eyes meet mine I see that they're beginning to turn green.

A little late to be jealous, buddy.

"She doesn't owe you a conversation, Benedict Arnold," Jen spits.

Zane lets out a little growl while his jaw remains tightly clenched. I let my eyes fall to the floor. I can't help but find him captivating even though he broke my heart a few days ago.

What is wrong with me?

"Get over yourself," Jen says to Zane. "You gave up the right to have an opinion here."

"Jen," he says with a low grumble. "I know you're trying to protect her and I appreciate that, but this is not the time."

"You're right," she replies. "It's not the time—you should leave. You're not welcome here."

He lets out another low growl as she puts her arm around me.

"Come on, Ava," she says. "It turns out there's one kind of pussy even I don't like."

Kieran lets out a burst of laughter at her comment.

"Oh you are so not off the hook," she says to Kieran with a glare. "You were supposed to keep the riffraff out."