Page 83 of Kill Feed

“Isn’t that right?” he tilts his head, locking his gaze onto me, “…baby?”

Motherfucker. He’s doing it again.

Naomi’s mouth falls open as Sofie’s eyes dart between us so quickly I’m surprised she doesn’t pull a muscle.

Amani looks like someone just unplugged her fucking brain. Lucas nearly inhales his own drink. Across the table, Leo finally looks up, making eye contact for the first time.

His eyes move to Dante.

Then to me.

Then back again.

His eyebrows climb so high they’re practically in his hairline, and the expression says exactly one thing.

What. The. Fuck.

I don’t blame him. Considering the last conversation we had involved me calmly explaining my intention to kill Dante.

This development is, admittedly, confusing.

Leo's gaze shifts again.

Past Dante this time and locks onto Marcos before immediately looking away. “Nope,” is all he has to say as he straight up walks the fuck away. Marcos watches him leave for half a second, then quietly follows, neither of them saying a word.

What the hell is even going on right now? Within seconds, they’ve disappeared into the crowd without even as a glance back.

The girls stand there, thoroughly bewildered, until Lucas finally breaks the silence. “I'm gonna need somebody to explain literally everything that just happened.”

“Wait! You’re dating someone?” Amani interrupts, jaw almost on the floor as she gawks at me. Ah, shit. Now I’m going to have to explain this mess to her. She’s not going to be happy that I kept her in the dark… wait—what am I even saying? Dante and I aren’t actually dating.

What the fuck.

“Ah, yes,” Dante muses, his smile widening into pure trouble. “Ever since that day we bumped into each other at the Cafe…”

“W-when was that?” Lucas now adds to the confusion, scratching at the back of his head. Dante barely spares him a glance as he now fully turns to me.

“You just couldn’t stay away, could you, baby?” he adds, and I’m mere moments away from hitting that fucking infuriating smile off his face. “Love at first sight,” he adds to my misery.

“Hardly,” I mutter under my breath, careful not to let any annoyance slip out.

What I actually want to say is hate at first sight, but I keep the response controlled. Amani is standing right there, and despite the disappointment simmering behind her eyes, there’s also a flicker of something else—relief, maybe even happiness—that I apparently have a boyfriend.

Which is… inconvenient.

Dante notices it immediately. I can practically feel the moment he registers the shift in my tone. I’m more careful around her. And I hate that he picked up on that so quickly.

Lucas suddenly steps forward, trying to salvage whatever social situation this has turned into. “Uh—Lucas,” he says, offering his hand. “I haven’t really properly introduced myself—”

“I know.” Dante doesn’t even look at him when he says it.

Naomi and Sofie have gone completely silent, simmering in their loss for words and opportunity.

“Well!” Ryan now declares, blinking after being absent for this whole fucking trainwreck. “I need a drink.” Sofie turns her focus back onto the one guy that’s been into her the whole night, grabbing Naomi by the wrist and pulling her toward the opposite end of the bar.

“It’s really nice to meet you, Dante,” Amani chimes with a gentle smile before throwing a look my way that screams ‘we’ll discuss this later’ before joining her cousin, pulling Lucas with her.

Thank fuck she can read the room. I’m ready to tear him apart, scold him for declaring we’re dating so publicly, but the wrong set of words leave my mouth, “Why have you been ignoring me?”