Chapter 12 #2
“Anyway, you don’t need to worry about Evan.” Logan held out my coat for me to shrug into. Where he’d found it, I had no idea. Hadn’t seen the thing in months. “He should be back by now, and he’s more than capable of taking care of himself.”
I wished that made a difference, but nothing was going to stop my swirling nausea over the thought of him going there.
It had nothing to do with how I felt about Evan. It was the guilt. The fear of someone else being hurt because of me.
That was all it was.
It had to be.
It was weird to be in the club without Bryce, Mac, and Cole. I kept looking over my shoulder expecting to see them.
But there was only Logan.
Don’t get me wrong, Logan was great company. For a little dude, he couldn’t half dance. Made me laugh a lot too.
It wasn’t the same though. It would have been more fun if my other friends were here as well.
You’re the one stopping that, my brain piped up spitefully. You can trust Logan to keep them safe. He’s more than capable.
I knew that, but I’d meant what I said earlier. I didn’t want anyone being put in danger because of me.
I wasn’t worth it.
I’d rather spend the rest of my life miserable and alone than let that happen. Let’s be honest, it wasn’t like I hadn’t experienced that already. It was only the past few years when I hadn’t been miserable and alone.
The music shifted into something darker. More sultry. I eyed a few men surrounding us hopefully. No one had approached me yet, but maybe they’d take a hint from this sexier tempo.
And maybe then I’ll be able to think about someone other than Evan.
“I’m going to grab a drink,” Logan shouted in my ear. “Want one?”
“Just water.” I replied at a normal volume, knowing Logan was perfectly capable of hearing me. “Thanks.”
As Logan vanished into the crowd, I caught the eye of a hunky bear a few feet away.
Fuck yes.
Smiling invitingly, I ran my hands down my stomach and over my hips.
Lust fired in his eyes. Oh, it is so on.
He took a few steps towards me, but then his eyes went unfocused. He blinked a few times before spinning on his heel and stalking away.
Huh. That was odd.
Shrugging it off, I continued to dance. Logan was taking forever with the drinks, but that was okay. It gave me time to scope out the possibilities.
There were plenty on offer. Leaning against a high-top table was a dashing blond. He wasn’t my usual type, running on the slender side, but maybe that was what I needed. Someone different.
Someone who wasn’t tall, dark, and handsome, with a cheeky grin that made my heart beat faster. He didn’t need tattoos up both his arms or dimples for days.
Stop thinking about Evan.
The blond saw me staring and smiled. The sight didn’t set off any fireworks, but it was nice. That was a start, right?
I gestured to the empty space in front of me, raising a brow. The guy said something to one of his friends, clapping them on the back as he made his way over to me.
Well, he started to.
Just like the first bloke, he got within a few feet of me and then stopped. He blinked rapidly before twisting and walking away.
The realisation of what was happening slammed into me.
Sonofabitch.
There was a compulsion net stopping men from approaching me, and I didn’t need three guesses as to who’d put it there.
Evan was here.
My nostrils flared as I counted backwards from ten. The first attempt did nothing, and nor did the second.
I was still pissed off.
I’d thought Evan and I had an understanding. That he wouldn’t interfere in my life and I’d leave him alone too.
So what the fuck was he playing at?
“Evan,” I snarled. “Where are you?”
The crowd continued to dance around me, the music thumping in my ears. My hands curled into fists and I ground my teeth together.
“Evan fucking McCarthy, if you don’t show yourself, I swear to fucking god…”
And then he was there, towering over everyone as the crowd parted for him like water. He was dressed to disappear into the shadows in a black T-shirt and jeans.
I didn’t notice how the denim clung to the thick muscles of his thighs. I didn’t pay attention to the deep vee of his shirt, like a suggestion that I should bury my face there.
I didn’t. Okay?
His dark eyes were murderous as he drew near. “Reid? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay.” I stepped right into his personal space, trembling with anger. That’s all it was. It wasn’t the spice of his scent or how he seemed to take up all the air around me just by standing there. “What the fuck are you playing at?”
Evan rubbed at the back of his neck. “Um, nothing?”
“Don’t lie,” I snapped. “I thought I made it perfectly clear last time how I feel about you interfering with my hookups.”
His eyes bugged wide. “Reid, I swear, I didn’t do anything.”
“Oh, so you’re a liar as well as a stalker?”
“I’m not lying to you.”
My eyes narrowed. “But you are stalking me.”
Was he blushing? Or was it just the club lighting? “Listen, I’m trying, okay? But my wolf is a dick and can’t stand the idea of you being in a place like this and us not being close by.”
As he talked, he dropped his mouth nearer to my ear. I knew it was just so I could hear him, but apparently my cock didn’t get the message. Having him this close…it was a mockery of everything my body wanted but my heart didn’t.
My breath was coming faster now, in time with my pulse, which was also racing. Because I’m angry.
Sure. That was why.
“That doesn’t give you the right to scare off men I want to dance with.”
“I’m not!” Evan pulled back so I could see his face. His far too fucking handsome face, that right now was pleading with me. “I swear, Reid. You can dance with whoever you like. I won’t stop it.”
A wave of recklessness washed over me. Blame the cocktails I’d drunk with Logan earlier. Or maybe the frustration and confusion that had been riding me ever since Evan strolled back into my life.
Whatever it was, it had me grabbing Evan by the front of his T-shirt and closing the few inches between us. “Prove it.”
Evan’s brow crinkled. “What?”
“Prove it,” I taunted him. “Dance with me.”