Smile At Him Like A Good Girl

Elena’s Point Of View “This… can’t be happening.” I swallowed hard, lowering my head slightly so that Graham wouldn’t see my lips move. My hand trembled just enough that I had to steady the glass before it slipped from my fingers. I whispered, low enough that only the man in my ear could hear. “What the heck are you doing here?” Jaxx chuckled, dark and lazy, like he owned the very oxygen I was breathing. His voice slid through the airpod like smoke curling into my chest. “What else? I came to celebrate you, Bambina.” Celebrate me. My stomach knotted. The word tasted like mockery. My hand tightened around the stem of my champagne glass, and I forced myself to pretend to sip, angling my lips to mask the whisper. I could feel the burn of heat rising into my cheeks, but I willed my face into a calm mask. “How did you even get in here?” I hissed, barely audible, forcing my lips to move just enough so no one nearby would notice. Another chuckle, smug and deliberate, curling every syllable. “