Tension crackled in the air like static electricity as Liam, Noah, and Damian faced off with Levi's group. I sat caught between them, feeling like the rope in their tug-of-war.
"Well, isn't this cozy?" Liam's voice dripped with false pleasantry. His hand remained possessively on the back of my chair.
Levi didn't back down. "We were having a perfectly good time before you showed up."
"I bet you were," Liam muttered, his eyes never leaving mine.
The dealer shuffled uncomfortably, cards paused mid-deal. Other patrons glanced our way, sensing the brewing confrontation.
Chloe shot me a quick wink across the table. This was exactly what she'd wanted – drama, tension, attention.
"How about we all play nice?" Angel, one of Levi's friends I hadn't met before, suddenly broke the silence. Tall, with dark curly hair and an easy smile, he extended his hand toward Damian. "I'm Angel Rodriguez."
Damian hesitated, then accepted the handshake. "Damian Knight."