Page 19 of Worth Every Game
Kate doesn’t even bother replying before her whole face lights up, and I know she’s had one of her ideas. “Elly can sing,” she announces.
Elly’s eyes widen and latch onto mine for a fraction of a second. “No, really, I don’t think I should. I’ve had a lot to drink.”
“It’s only karaoke. And Jack never heard you sing the other night,” Kate continues, vibrating with excitement. “This is the perfect opportunity.”
Elly stares right at me, her body utterly still, and I know she’s remembering that moment in her flat when she sang for me, and the secret of it binds us together. The sensation is so intense that we might as well be back there, because everything else has ceased to exist. Kate’s still tugging on her arm, but Elly’s looking at me, and I can’t look away from her.Shit. Someone’s going to notice in a moment.
“She’s got a killer voice,” Kate says, oblivious to whatever is passing between me and Elly. “Come on, show them. Jack wants to hear, don’t you Jack?”
I clear my throat, finally breaking eye contact. “Yes. Yes, I do.”
Elly gives me a lingering look I can’t read before Kate whisks her away. I feel shaky, as though I’ve bench-pressed twice my weight for longer than I should have.
“Karaoke,” Lydia says, appearing as if from nowhere. “It’s so undignified. After this, we should take the car to the West End and go somewhere else.”
What the hell? She thinks she can join us? And what car is she talking about? My fucking car?
Mum latches onto this idea fiercely, already linking arms with Lydia. “Oh, yes,” she says, turning to me. “This place is very glamorous, darling, but I’d love to find a quiet, exclusive venue. We could have some champers and celebrate your win properly, without all these other people.”
“I’m fine here,” I state. I want to tell Mum that Lydia is one of thoseother peopleI don’t want to hang out with, but I can’t be that rude, and Mum has clearly adopted her as a new favourite.
Mum and Lydia continue gossiping as Kate ushers Elly up to the bar to choose her song. The place is so full now, and everyone so drunk, that I can’t get a decent view, even though I’m taller than most people in the room. I don’t know why Kate is bothering making Elly sing, because no one is going to be able to hear her properly anyway.
A few minutes later, Kate is back at my side. “Just you wait,” she hisses in my ear. “You are going to be amazed at how good she is.”
Elly must have joined a queue to sing, because the next guy up isn’t her, and he’s crap. He drones on for what feels like forever, and I’ve almost forgotten Elly’s about to sing when a clear and sensual note pierces the room. The volume of rowdy chatter cuts in half as people stop talking to turn to the sound.
She’s singing Alicia Keys’Fallin’,and the power of her voice hits me smack in the chest. I haven’t heard this song for years, but the way Elly sings it, it might as well be brand new. Kate lets out a squeal, and everyone in our group turns to the bar where the karaoke is set up.
“Fuck me, is that Kate’s friend? She’s got a pair of lungs on her.” Seb’s lips part, and his eyes sparkle with delight. “Wow.” He blows out a forceful breath. “She just got about a million degrees hotter.”
Seb’s dimple deepens, and I get a flash of insight into how women must perceive him. Handsome, yet boyish. Unguarded, but still charming. And it irritates the fuck out of me. The urge to grab him by the scruff of the neck and tell him to shut the fuck up hits me so hard, I have to fist my hands and clench my teeth to keep from doing it.
The crowd begins to cheer, realising Elly is the real deal. This isn’t another karaoke performance.
“That is fucking sex appeal. Holy shit.” Seb brings his glass to his mouth and downs the rest of his champagne, then licks his lips, still mesmerised by Elly. “Is she seeing anyone?”
“Cool it, Hawkston,” I warn, and he raises a brow at me, a knowing smile tugging at his mouth.
He doesn’t push it any further, but a sensation akin to panic has already taken hold in my gut. I don’t know if Elly’s seeing anyone, and before now I’d never thought to ask, but the need to claim her as mine consumes me. I want to tell everyone that this incredible woman belongs to me, but it’s not true. Up there with the microphone in her hand, she belongs to everyone. And it fucking kills me.
My body heats as I watch her perform. She’s a total natural. The entire room is eating out of her hand, and the look on her face…shit, Seb is right. Sex appeal is coming out of her pores. The way she moves, the bright glint in her eyes… she’s absolutely loving the attention.
A shrieking electronic noise interrupts the song.What the fuck?My heart lurches and adrenaline spikes in my system.Fire alarm.Screams erupt and rumours of a fire on the ground floor rush across the room.
People begin to panic, but we’re near the exit, and Nico is quick to lead the others towards it.
Kate grabs my arm as we’re swept up in the crowd. Everyone is yelling and clambering over the furniture to get out. It’s a fucking stampede.
In the distance, I can hear the far-off wail of fire engines.Is it a real fire?
“Elly,” Kate cries, gripping my arm, her eyes wide and desperate.
I glance back towards the bar. I can’t see Elly, but she must be over there. “I’ll get her.”
I force my way against the crowd, and it’s a good thing I’m big, because otherwise, I’d never make it. Champagne and beer glasses are falling to the floor, smashing and splintering underfoot, alcohol slopping everywhere.
Elly’s half the size of the men in this room, and when I reach her, she’s made no progress to the exit whatsoever, and is surrounded by panicking, inebriated people.