Chapter 11 Beatrice
BEATRICE
“Are you sure about this?” Sienna asks me as we stand in line to get into the club that the bunny sites confirm the team currently is.
“No. But do you have any other options that don’t involve a lawyer who’ll charge me an eyewatering hourly rate to do my dirty work?”
Sienna lifts a brow, her silent suggestion loud and clear.
“No, absolutely not. I am not doing that,” I state before shuffling a little closer to the front of the line.
“I’m sorry. I just…they’d help you out, you know they would.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not asking. I walked away and started my own life, and that’s how I’d like it to stay.”
“Okay. So…what’s the plan once we get in there? Whack all the bunnies out of the way with our purses and pounce on him when he’s least expecting it?”
“No pouncing. That’s how I ended up in this situation in the first place,” I deadpan, making Sienna giggle. “I don’t have a plan. For all we know, they’ve already moved on.”
“Nope,” Sienna says, showing me her cell.
“Fucking hell,” I groan when an image of Everett appears in front of me with a girl on his lap, her lips attached to his neck.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Sienna asks hesitantly.
“No, this is a terrible idea, but I don’t have anything better, so suck it up, buttercup.”
Sienna laughs. “You got it, sunflower.”
I roll my eyes at her ridiculousness, but I can’t help but smile.
This whole thing might be insane, but Sienna is standing here right beside me. I could not be more grateful for her and her unwavering support.
It feels like forever before we get to the front of the line. My feet are already hurting, and I’m hungry and tired. It’s not a great way to enter a club.
But I figure we don’t have to stay long. If we’re lucky, we’ll find him and…
Shit.
Fear rocks through me.
If we find him, then I’m going to have to talk to him and…what the hell am I going to say?
The messages I’ve sent are cringy enough. Saying anything similar out loud…fuck, I already want the ground to swallow me up.
“Are you okay?” Sienna asks once we’ve been ushered inside, the beat of the music getting louder.
“I…I don’t know,” I confess honestly.
“Shall we just go?” she asks.
I glance back at the exit, at the eager people trying to get in.
Walking away now would be a waste of time. We’ve spent almost an hour trying to get inside, and now we are—
“No. We’re at least getting a drink,” I state, hooking my arm through Sienna’s and dragging her deeper into the club.
The heavy beat of the music vibrates through my body as we navigate our way to the bar, but while I might have a destination in mind, my eyes are everywhere.
However, I don’t see the crowd that would undoubtedly surround the team and their entourage.
As we come to a stop at the bar, Sienna wriggles her way to the front to order, leaving me to continue scoping out the place.
Failing to find anyone I even vaguely recognize down here, I let my eyes lift to the mezzanine.
My heart slams against my chest. If he’s going to be anywhere, it’s up there.
I blow out a slow stream of air through my lips as I try to search for him. But other than the people looking over the railings, the space has been designed so that the normal people below can’t see how the other half live.
Luck got us up there last time. I highly doubt we’ll be seen and selected by team members a second time.
I run my gaze down the stairs and to the two massive security guards who stand at the bottom, stopping anyone from entering.
“Anything?” Sienna asks, handing me a soda before taking a sip of hers.
I jerk my chin in the direction of the VIP area.
“Okay,” she says, rolling her shoulders back and cracking her neck as if she’s about to go into battle.
Before I can say anything, she takes off toward those burly security guards, oozing nothing but sex appeal and confidence.
Oh yeah, that’s my best friend right there.
Pride races through me as I watch her approach the guys as if she owns the entire club.
In seconds, she has them laughing, both of them checking her out in her itty-bitty body-con dress.
But as enthralled as she might have them, when she gestures for them to open the rope separating the VIP area from the rest of the club, they don’t move.
Shit.
I wrack my brain for something to say that’s going to get us up there, but I come up short.
Sienna isn’t so fast to give up, though, and she continues chatting.
I stand beside her, hearing every other word due to the music, assuming that she has some kind of plan.
It takes a while, but eventually, a couple of guys descend the stairs.
“Oh my god, at last,” Sienna breathes as she locks eyes with one of them.
Calvin Keller. Or Killer, as he’s more commonly known.
He stares at her, as does the guy beside him. Hayden Monroe. And I wait for recognition to flicker to life.
Come on, please.
I swear, I almost do a happy dance right there when Calvin finally cracks a smile.
“Hey, babe, how’s it going?” he asks.
I study him, trying to figure out if he’s being genuine or not.
Considering he’s Everett’s wingman, I’d put money on him not having a fucking clue who either of us is.
“I’ve been to your games. Just couldn’t make it out after.”
“Ah, well. We appreciate the support.”
“You were amazing tonight.”
Calvin scratches his chin before glancing at me.
“Yeah, thanks. Did you…want to come up?”
Oh my god.
OhmygodOhmygodOhmygodOhmygod.
My mouth waters, my stomach sloshing.
I’m going to vomit on the security guy’s shiny shoes.
“Thought you weren’t going to ask,” Sienna mocks, giving the security guards an “I told you so” look before happily stepping into Calvin’s side and allowing him to guide her up the stairs.
“Hey,” Hayden says, his cheeks stained pink as he looks at me.
“Hey,” I say nervously as I try to remember how to put one foot in front of the other and climb the stairs.
He doesn’t say anything else, and I don’t either. Words have vanished. The only thing I can think about is the man who could well be up here.
By the time I get to the top of the stairs, I’m trembling so violently it’s a miracle I don’t go tumbling back down.
Now that would be a way to get his attention.
Silently, we follow Calvin and Sienna to the bar.
“So, did you watch the game tonight?” Hayden asks, trying to steal my attention.
“Uh…yeah,” I mutter as I attempt to lean around his gigantic body to find the one I want. “You were great,” I say absently.
Don’t get me wrong, Hayden Monroe is hot. But he’s not my type. He’s too young, too cute. I prefer my men a little rougher around the edges. I want them to throw me around and take what they want and—
My thoughts dry up as I find the man who has been taking up way too much of my headspace since the night I first met him.
Everett Donnelly.
For the last few weeks, I’ve stared at his face on my screen more than I’ve looked at my own in the mirror.
My heart rate increases, and as I attempt to lift my glass to my lips to try to deal with my sudden dry mouth, the soda sloshes all over my hands.
“Are…are you okay?” Hayden asks, a deep frown between his brows as he takes the glass from my trembling hand.
“I-I-I need to use the restroom.”
“Uh…okay. I think it’s over there,” he says, turning and pointing.
I swallow thickly.
I’m going to have to walk right past him.
But it’s not just him.
He has a whole harem of bunnies surrounding him. They’re all gazing up at him like he’s a god, and…shit…I can understand why.
My eyelids flutter closed as I try to pull myself together.
Just walk past. He’s too busy even to notice you. And if he does…well, isn’t that what you want?
Opening my eyes, I lock them on the restroom door.
Just put one step in front of the other. Easy.
Take a moment, and then come back out here and demand his attention even for ten seconds. Just let him know that you need to talk to him. Give him your number. Anything.
With a nod to myself, I take off with my head held high, leaving Hayden alone and Sienna with Calvin. Although from the way my back tingles, I’d say she’s paying me more attention than him.
Poor boys; it must be a shock to the system, not having a woman’s sole attention.
My legs are still weak, and I clutch my purse like it’s my lifeline.
I’m achingly aware of the man I’m about to pass, and despite the fact I tell myself not to look, my head swivels without instruction, and I stare right at him.
He doesn’t do anything. He’s too enthralled by whatever bullshit the bunnies are telling him. Probably blowing smoke up his ass and inflating his already gigantic ego.
But just before I look away, his head lifts, quickly followed by his eyes.
I swear, the second his gaze locks with mine, it’s akin to being shot point-blank in the chest.
My heart stops. Everything fucking stops.
The club, the music, all the people fall away.
He frowns, as if he might recognize me but has no idea where from.
Silently, I beg him to remember. I pray that I was important enough for those few minutes that he’ll drop the bunnies and come to me. To make it easy on me.
But despite the moment feeling like it goes on forever, all too soon, he looks down again, severing all my wishes. And instead of dropping the bunnies, when one of them slides her hand around the back of his neck and pulls, he goes to her willingly, his lips connecting with hers.
I jolt forward, my legs carrying me away before I have a chance to think about leaving.
In seconds, I’m inside the restroom. The music fades as the door closes behind me, and I race into a stall and lock myself inside.
My back hits the door, and I slap a hand over my mouth as a sob erupts.
This was a mistake.
All of this was a mistake.
“Bea,” a familiar voice cries. “Bea, are you okay?”
I don’t say anything. I can’t.
“Oh, Bea,” Sienna says softly right on the other side of the door. “He’s an idiot.”
I close my eyes, trying to stop the tears, but it’s pointless. Nothing is going to hold them back.
“We’ll try another way. We’re going to find a way, I promise. Before your appointment, he’ll know.”
But despite her promises, I can’t find any hope inside me.
I’m going to have to do this alone.
Unable to hold it in anymore, a loud sob erupts.
“Let me in,” Sienna begs. “Please, Bea. Let me in.”
It takes me a few seconds, but eventually, I reach out and unlock the door, allowing her to rush inside. The second she’s in the enclosed space, she wraps her arms around me and holds me while I cry on her shoulder.
“We’re going to figure it out,” she whispers. “And he’ll be there. He’ll be there with you to see your baby.”