Chapter 5 #2
If even one of the people I’m about to meet knows me, then my cover will be blown right out of the gate.
Draven’s grunt does not answer the question, but I guess the subject is closed because she throws open her door.
Cautiously I follow, not sure what to expect when instead of heading toward the music, we go around the opposite side of the building and enter the trees.
There’s not much light and after a creepy as fuck walk through the darkness past the building we emerge in a clearing.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I have a healthy fear of the dark, so I’m relieved when Draven stalks toward the fire.
She approaches some guy, with dreadlocks down to his ass and rings through his nose. He picks her up and gives her a sloppy kiss before breaking away to say, “Who’s this?”
“Delaney,” she says, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
“Hey,” I say with a wave before gingerly sitting on a log by the fire.
I feel the weight of all the curious stares and suppress the urge to squirm.
The guy to my right hands me a beer and I wrap my fingers around the icy can as someone turns on the music.
The harsh beat pulses in my head and I sip my drink while a couple goes at it on the log to my left.
This isn’t exactly what I had in mind when she said party and now, I’m regretting coming.
Especially because with the cool November temperatures, it’s not exactly the right climate to be partying outside, despite the fire.
Hunching into my jacket, I trade the beer between my icy fingers and look up when someone emerges from the trees.
Whoa. What is Josh doing here?
Bewildered, I glance around but no one else looks surprised that a Bay River football player just crashed the MC party.
He slows when he spots me before his lips curve into a cute smile and he sits down.
Although I’m confused, I’m also relieved and raising my beer in a toast, I say, “Josh!”
“Hey,” he says, his eyes lighting up.
Oops. My relief at not being alone with these kids is bound to get me into trouble and attempting to turn the tide, I ask, “What are you doing here?”
Why is he at an MC party, even if it is just the teens banned to the proverbial backyard?
I mean, the track was one thing, but this is at their damn clubhouse.
Tipping his can toward Draven, he smirks and says, “Cousin.”
Oh. Huh. So, he’s related to Draven and Maddox. How the hell did he keep that secret for so long?
Eyeing him sideways, I finally raise a brow. Laughing, he shoves me in the shoulder and says, “I’m family but my dad doesn’t belong.”
“Oh.”
What else do I not know about Draven and Maddox?
My phone buzzes in my pocket, redirecting my thoughts and with a groan, I open the messages. Once again, Micah is texting me.
I wish he would let shit go and move on. I guess I have another painful conversation coming in my future. Ugh.
“Everything okay?” Josh asks.
Nodding, I shove my phone away. I’m not sure what Micah has told people and for whatever reason, I do want to respect that until he gets over it.
It’s not like we were going to be together forever anyway. He’s going out of state for college. I’m not…the likelihood of this relationship lasting long distance is basically none. He loses his mind when I’m in another fucking room.
“I heard you broke up with Micah,” Josh says with a sly smile, and I choke on my beer.
“Oh?” I ask through my aching throat. Maybe I don’t have to worry about Micah’s feelings after all.
“It true?” he asks, and I slowly nod.
When he doesn’t comment but his lips curl again, I glance away.
Inexplicably, I miss the old days when we would all go to parties, and it was just fun.
In the beginning, things with Micah were easy and carefree before he eventually started showing his jealous side.
I wish it could be like that again and this is why even though I’m not doing anything wrong, I’m uncomfortable with Josh’s flirting.
Micah was my best friend and the boy at one time, I thought I would spend my forever with. It’s almost cruel to be sitting here with his good friend after we’ve barely broken up.
Since there’s not much I can do, stuck as I am here amongst Draven’s friends, I try to keep some distance between us and drink more than I should while the hours creep on and I find myself a little woozy from the alcohol.
I’ve enjoyed the time with Josh because he’s funny but I’m also cold and tired, which is why I’m about to seek out Draven for a ride home when two figures emerge from the trees.
No one else looks all that concerned but my pulse jumps when I see that one of them is Maddox.
His dark eyes rove the clearing while I take him in. Blue jeans never looked so good, and I swallow back a weird tingle in my throat when he crosses his arms and the muscles in those glorious shoulders bunch.
He’s wearing his vest with a long sleeve white shirt beneath. As with the previous fabric, it doesn’t stand a chance against his bulging pecs.
I don’t know how old Maddox is, maybe early twenties but he puts the other guys…boys here to shame.
When Draven stiffens, I pop back to the present and mentally wipe my mouth as Maddox’s laser sharp gaze meets mine.
His eyes go wide before they narrow, and he barks, “Dray? What the fuck is she doing here?”
Wow. That was harsh. Is it me or is it because I’m an outsider?
Whatever. I don’t care or so I tell myself as humiliation paints my cheeks.
Draven’s words earlier about trying to look like I belong are more than ironic now. I don’t belong and this big, broody but sexy as all get out man is practically screaming it in my face.
Asshole.
“Fuck off,” Draven says. “She’s here because I brought her.”
Shaking his head, Maddox pinches the bridge of his nose. I feel a kernel of pity for his frustration because I know how hard it is to relate to his sister but that fades when he pins his stare on me and says, “You have to go.”
With a rigid smile, I nod.
Despite not knowing any of these people beyond Draven, Josh, and Maddox, I’m completely embarrassed when I follow his finger pointing back to the cars parked on the other side of the building.
“Whatever,” Draven says. “Let’s go.”
Josh holds out his hand and I precede him back to the trail, ignoring Maddox’s narrow gaze as we go.
He doesn’t comment, thank God because I’m not in the mood to respond to the sexy devil.
I’ve never been kicked out of a party before. I’ve also never crashed an MC thing either so there you go.
I shouldn't care about what Maddox thinks but this burgeoning relationship with Draven matters, and I hope her brother’s antipathy doesn’t come between us.
I’m also disappointed because despite knowing I have zero chance with him, I enjoyed his playful banter and the light behind his eyes.
My heart pounds painfully as I step through the trees using the light of the moon to guide me.
When we reach the cars, Josh says, “Don’t worry about it.”
“What?”
With a playful grin, he taps my chin and says, “They don’t like outsiders on their property, is all.”
Uneasy under the flirty movement, I step away but soften the rejection with a smile as I tuck my hair behind my ear to hide the emotions boiling beneath my skin.
“And you?” I ask and his grin fades before he looks at his shoes.
“They know my dad…”
“Right,” I whisper.
From the corner of my eye, I see Draven standing by the building.
She’s waving her arms in the air and snarling something to Maddox that I can’t make out. Judging by the forbidding scowl on his face, he doesn’t appreciate it, but she seems to win because he finally nods and turns away.
Thank fuck, he’s going in the opposite direction because I don’t think I can deal with any more of his growly demands.