Chapter Fourteen
D avies’ questions and thoughts haunted me for the rest of the day. Janice didn’t say anything when she found me waiting in the lobby. The ride home was quiet too. Both of us had a lot to think about.
“Now that you’re older and free, what do you do for fun?” Janice finally asked when I pulled into my driveway.
“Are you bored already?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I’m curious to know what you like doing.”
I thought it over and being at the police station, it felt like it was time to release stress and just have fun. I grinned at Janice.
Her eyes narrowed. “What are you thinking?”
“I know how you’ll have fun.” I headed into the house with her on my heels.
“How? Tell me. I don’t like surprises.”
“It’s not a surprise. If you can wait a few more hours, we can go to a club.”
“Oh.” Janice made a dramatic gasp. “My precious, innocent Cadence likes to go clubbing?”
I laughed and playfully pushed her. “Shut up. Don’t make it seem like I’m a troublemaker.”
“Well, it’s been nearly two years. You could have easily gone down the wrong path while I was gone.”
I snorted at that nonsense and left her in the living room while I went into the kitchen to grab us some drinks. I settled for a can of ice-cold green tea and grabbed Janice a soda. She was already stretched out on the couch, staring at the TV as she flipping through movies.
“Thanks.” She grabbed the drink I held out for her and opened it. She nearly guzzled half of it before lowering it. “So what exactly are we doing at this club, and how can someone who isn’t eighteen get in? Am I going to be surrounded by a bunch of teenagers because I’m over that.”
I rolled my eyes. “Sure there are teens there, but there are a bunch of college students too. I know the owner. He lets me perform there sometimes.”
“Oh? Do I get to watch you sing?”
“No. I DJ.”
“You what?”
“Deejay.” I dragged out the word a bit more slowly for her.
“Jesus, girl. What can’t you do when it comes to music? When did you learn to do that?”
Feeling a little shy, I blushed and shrugged. “It was after you left and I found it fun. Empowering, I guess.”
“I’m in. Let’s go. Right now.”
“It hasn’t even started yet, plus I only do that to fill in missing slots. The owner keeps to actual performers as much as he can since they’re the real draw there. He gets some really good bands. But we can dance all night. I haven’t done that in a while either.”
“Fine. But now I’m going to stare at the clock until it’s time to go.”
I pulled out my phone. “Let me see who else I can drag there with us.”
We ended up going with Micah, the twins, and Seth and Justin. The others had other commitments to deal with.
When we parked, we gathered together. Janice and Micah hadn’t been here yet, so they were busy looking toward the building. Micah looked a bit scared. At least Janice seemed excited.
“You’ll have fun,” I said to Micah.
He looked like he didn’t believe me. Hazel laughed and moved next to him, grabbing his arm and leaning in, saying something to him in a lower voice.
I had to hide my smile as I watched the two of them. They had started dating not too long ago and had officially become inseparable since. Lillian met my gaze and rolled her eyes in good humor.
I bit back a laugh and turned to Seth. “Are you good at beating guys with a stick if they get too close to her?”
“I’ll do it for both of you,” he said.
I grabbed on to Justin. “Don’t steal his opportunity to do it for me.”
Seth chuckled and raised his hands. “Fine. Fine. I’ll protect Janice with every fiber of my being. If anything happens, you can kick me in the balls.”
Horror at the idea hit me and everyone all around laughed—at my expense no doubt. “I’ll let Justin do it for me,” I said.
Seth grimaced. “I take it back. No ball kicking tonight from anyone.”
“Unless someone deserves it,” Lillian said. “Sometimes, it’s needed to drill in a point.”
“I’ll make sure you aren’t in a position to have to do that,” Micah said.
Lillian glanced at Hazel. “Sure. Sure you will.” She sighed. “I’m the odd woman out.”
“No you aren’t.” I swooped in and grabbed her arm. “You’re my date. Justin and Seth are only here as our bodyguards.”
“That isn’t what I signed up for.” Seth practically pouted.
“So you won’t be then?” I asked.
He looked between the four of us girls and sighed, knowing he’d lost. “Of course I will. I won’t let anyone approach you while you dance until you’re dehydrated.”
I went over to him and pressed a light kiss on his cheek. “You’re so sweet. But I also know you won’t let us get dehydrated.” Feeling a bit spicy tonight, I dropped my voice. “You know how to take care of a girl and all her needs.”
Seeing his reaction was worth the onslaught of heat filling my cheeks. I’d never said something like that to anyone, but I was learning from Seth. His reaction made me realize how fun it could be.
Seth’s eyes widened, and I was sure if in a different situation, he would have swept me off my feet and proved how right I was. It actually made me even more excited and brave and special. Not wanting to test him though, I went back to Lillian and Janice, the three of us leading the way inside.
Tim was at the entrance, his eyes lighting up when he spotted me with my group. “Cadence, it’s been a while. I was beginning to worry.”
I smiled warmly. Tim was the bouncer boss guy here. I had originally met him at a different event and he vouched for me and quickly became my big guard bear. No one dared to mess around once they saw him. He was protective and two little girls of his own had given him plenty of practice.
“Tim. Do you mind if we have fun tonight?” I asked.
He eyed our group, already recognizing Seth and Justin from the last time I was here. His eyebrow rose slightly as he saw the others.
“Your group is growing,” he said, sounding impressed.
“I’ve been learning.”
He chuckled as he lifted the chain to let us through.
The music had already been slipping outside, but the moment we entered, it hit us like a wall of sound. The guy at the door checked our IDs and then waved us through.
“Can we dance?” Janice asked, already practically hopping.
I laughed and shook my head. “To the bar first. I want you to meet Jose. He’s the owner and should be working. He’s a good person for you to meet.”
Janice managed to tear her attention away from the huge wall of bodies jumping and dancing around to look at me. “Okay.”
Jose was in his element behind the bar as he mixed drinks and attended to the customers. He glanced our way briefly, was about to do something, but then looked back at us. He literally dropped everything and came right over. Thankfully, he had plenty of other bartenders and one of them was able to take over for him.
“Cadence,” he said, already covering the table with glasses and filling them with water. “It’s good to see you.”
“I wanted you to meet my friend Janice.” I pulled her forward. “She’s visiting me.”
“Oh, a pleasure.” He flashed her a friendly smile, his dark brown eyes filled with only warmth and friendliness.
“She’s special to me, so I ask that you treat her well.”
His gaze lingered on me as he pushed forward the drinks, flickered to her briefly, and then he was smiling like always.
“Of course, anyone who’s a friend of Cadence will always be well taken care of here.”
I lowered my shoulders as relief ran through me. Tim and Jose. They got it. They always got it.
“Here.” Seth passed me one of the waters. “Drink this before I release you to the dance floor with the other two girls.”
I took a drink, letting it distract me from the nervous excitement that was fluttering around in my stomach.
Janice reached over and downed her water, nearly slamming the glass on the bar as she sighed. “Okay, let’s go dance now.”
Lillian had been quietly sipping her water. She placed her cup down and grinned. “I’m with Janice. I need a good distraction.”
Seth and Justin were leaning against the bar, already taking their body blocking guard duty seriously as they watched us.
With a bemused expression, Seth raised an eyebrow. “Go ahead. We won’t let anyone slip through us. Besides, Micah and Hazel already beat you guys to it.” He tilted his head to the side and I followed the motion, finding Micah and Hazel jumping around each other while laughing and doing silly dance moves.
Lillian sighed. “They have no sense of rhythm. I’m embarrassed for them.”
Janice laughed, grabbing my hand and Lillian’s. “We better go protect their dignity.” She tugged us onto the packed dance floor. The electric music reverberated through the floor and up our bodies, helping to get us moving.
I smiled as we moved further in. The pulsating crowd swallowed us until we were only three more bodies added to the massive mix of limbs.
Hazel and Micah moved so they were nearby but still in their own little world. And when Lillian forced me into a twirl, laughing her ass off, I was able to spot Seth and Justin nearby.
We were all close together, safe. And having fun.
After twirling me, Lillian spun herself, her long, dark brown hair fanning out around her. Janice attempted some elaborate move that looked too much like a windmill robot.
“Janice, what are you doing?” I shouted over the music, afraid she was going to hurt a poor unsuspecting dancer near her. At the same time, I couldn’t stop the bubbling laughter that came out of me.
“Expressing myself,” she yelled back, sticking her tongue out as she flailed her arms again to prove her point.
I shook my head and finally let myself get caught up in their infectious energy. The three of us moved together, spinning, jumping, and completely losing ourselves in the beat. The whole world around me faded away, and there was nothing but the music, our hazardous dancing, and our laughter.