Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
Danika
The Fallen Star is slammed. Busier than last time. But to be fair it is a Friday night and people are looking for a good time. Jules is glowing in the same black dress I helped carry for her yesterday. It flatters her baby bump so well as she sports a banner across her body reading: Bride-to-Be.
All the girls are here. Angel in her satin deep purple dress and Tequila in lavender.
Both hugging their bodies like a second skin.
Even Lucy’s dressed up behind the bar. For me, I decided on something a bit more subtle.
My black skinny jeans are paired well with an off-the-shoulder sweater.
Tequila did insist I borrow her wedged heels which I must admit look hot with this outfit.
My long-added curls flow over my shoulders and down my back.
Right now, I’m all right. Any unwelcome nerves or fear are barely noticeable, and I hope it stays that way.
Large crowds are never a great idea for me.
But this is me working on my shit. Getting back to who I was.
The outgoing me. The social me. And dammit I crave to have that confidence back so badly I can taste it.
When I scan the room, the guys are playing pool, joking around with beers in hand.
Charger laughs at something funny next to Jules.
I scan the room again and my gaze lands on Hush who is already staring at me from across the room.
My heart threatens to beat out of my chest. It’s a burning look of curiosity.
As if he’s trying to understand me, trying to figure me out.
Only, there’s nothing to figure out. I’m a broken mess who, at this point, is terrified of her own fucking shadow.
With him leaning against the back wall, and his arms crossed over his chest, it’s the same intensity as lightning powering through us.
With so much pull, it becomes alarming. I’m unable to look away until he finally does and the sparks flicker out.
There’s a tight feeling inside my chest, but I suppress any irate feelings that swirl around before I do something I might regret. Like go over and talk to him.
Music thumps, bouncing off the walls around us. Jules dances with Charger but has to sit just after a brief time.
“What’s your poison, Danika?” Angel asks as Lucy comes to take our orders.
Shit. What do I prefer? If I was asked back in college, I’d have said whatever the strongest drink was. Now? Now I want to keep a clear mind to prepare for the worst-case scenario. I can’t protect myself if I’m wasted.
Jesus. I really am a broke ass mess.
“A beer is fine. Thanks.”
“You got it.” Angel leans in, talking to Lucy while Tequila breaks away from Throttle at the pool tables.
“Regret coming here yet?”
I shoot her a look. “Only if you make me play pool.”
“Not me. Throttle keeps wanting to teach me and I keep telling him it’s useless.”
Angel hands us our beers. “Trust me, guys love it when a woman has no idea what she’s doing at the table. Gives them an excuse to slide on up showing you where that stick should go.”
Tequila shakes her head. “Venom knows you’re good at pool.”
Angel shrugs. “Yeah, but sometimes I like to play the forgetful card. A small wiggle of the ass and his arms around me, really gets the mood going.”
That earns a deep laugh erupting from the pit of my stomach, and they both whip their heads toward me, smiling. “Sounds like you’re a professional when it comes to men.”
Angel lifts her bare shoulders. “I just know how they operate.”
“Sounds like me.” Way back when I was confident and sure. “Well, I used to be. Not anymore.” I realize after saying that the mood dies but I don’t want to be the mood killer tonight. “I am good at darts, though.” I take a sip of my beer, grinning over top of it.
“Hell yeah! Let’s go.” Angel grabs my hand, yanking me out of my stool and Tequila giggles as she follows behind.
“Where are we going?” I yell over the music.
“To play darts!”
Oh. Okay then. Another grin forms on my face. And for the first time in a while I can say with confidence, I will dominate at this.
Angel sends a flirty innocent smile to the two younger guys who are playing, and they gladly hand over their darts, leaving the area with blush coloring their cheeks. She has that effect on people.
“Looking for an opponent?” Tank asks me, stepping into view. His largeness makes the area feel smaller.
“Sure. But I won’t go easy on you.”
Angel plops three darts into my hand. “Get it, girl. Kick his ass.”
“Ladies first.” Tank gestures with his hand for me to start.
I make a quick survey of the people around us. Most aren’t paying attention except for the club guys.
Good.
The less attention, the better.
When I find the strip of tape on the floor, I let the dart rest in between my thumb, index, and middle finger.
With a deep breath, I slowly release letting the ease of the tungsten object to fly straight for the target.
A high-pitched whistle sounds when my dart lands directly on the center bullseye mark.
Since we get three darts for each turn, I throw my next two, one landing on the same mark, the other close outside of it.
“And that’s one hundred and twenty-five points. That’s my girl.” Angel compliments me as Tank sighs.
“Shit. Your hidden talent?”
“That and many others,” I say, blush rising on my cheeks not meaning for it to come out that way. But something overtakes me, and I begin to laugh. A deep laugh that feels too good not to let out. The voices around me chuckle and Tequila high fives me from the sideline.
With a smile still wide, I lock eyes with Hush who hasn’t moved from his place against the wall, but his expression brightens as he watches me.
I’m going to pretend that his staring doesn’t make me nervous.
Tank holds my shoulders, gently walking me out of the way to where he needs to stand and tosses the dart through the air.
The fast soar of it landing just outside the center where mine is.
Two more of his darts go flying. One striking the bullseye and the other, on the twenty-five mark just like mine.
Claps and whistles sound.
“You’re not the only one with a hidden talent, sweetheart.”
I throw him a grin. “Let’s see what you got.” The sudden playfulness is a tiny piece of the old me. It now being an unfamiliar piece to the puzzle that was once whole. It’s like an old friend visiting. One I haven’t seen in a while. And I really missed her.
After the first round, the crowd around us grows.
More people wanting to see just who the two people causing a scene were.
It’s odd because it’s something so simple.
I picked up darts at the many college parties my sorority hosted.
I was lucky enough to get into collage on scholarships considering my parents didn’t have a lot of money.
But I wasted my degree chances on flunking out.
Not my finest moment. Guess some things about me I don’t miss.
Anyway, how beer pong was for others is how darts was for me. No big deal, but with nothing else to do in a house full of women and rules hanging over our heads, I taught myself how to play. Darts and yoga were the two things I was good at. Really good at.
With confidence flooding back, my mind stops on yoga.
It makes me wonder if I do want to revisit it one day.
Get that passion back I’ve missed so much.
It’s nothing diabolical. I wasn’t making history having a love for yoga, but it was my thing.
Always has been my thing and that alone gives me great joy.
Or should I say, once upon a time it had.
Angel hands me my beer, like fueling me up for a fight and after a quick chug, I take my turn.
We continue until I have him beat and Tank shamefully surrenders heading back to playing pool.
“On that note. Let’s go dance.” Angel snags Tequila’s wrist who then grabs mine, dragging me behind them and I find myself giggling at the gesture.
The music thumps and all three of us let go. Let out our worries. Our anxieties. Our past. My past. Even if it’s just for this one moment. To forget.
The dance floor gets busier, and arms start to graze mine, as we dance to the beat of a hip-hop song. A couple of men bump into me causing me to falter. But the tension leaves my body when they look away, stalking off the dance floor and to the bar.
Tequila throws her arms up in the air and I study the ease she releases. I’m not jealous. Or at least, I don’t want to be. I’m happy she’s able to be present. Be happy. I know she said she still has nightmares, but she looks happier.
Someone pushes into me from behind and Angel grabs my arm to steady me. “You okay?”
I nod, casting an uneasy look at Tequila. She slides in next to me as I survey the people around me. There’s a lot more. But the space begins to decrease by seconds, and my lungs are feeling tighter, making it harder to breathe.
Gracie.
As people dance around me, I take Tequila’s hand. “I need air,” I whisper but she’s able to understand my plead for space and she nods sympathetically.
“I’ll come with you.”
Just as I’m about to pry myself out of the crowd, I spot Hush in the same spot. His arms now at his sides and his eyes quickly dart over me then back to the crowd. I tell Tequila I’ll be all right and head straight for the only man who unwillingly gives me a sense of security.
He doesn’t look away as I slowly stalk straight for him.
“Is this spot taken?” I prop my heavy body against the wall beside him, and he peers down at me, confusion hinting in his brows.
“You all right?”
I shrug. “Yeah. Things just got a little heated in there.” Keeping my focus on the dance floor full of people, Hush backs up, holding up the wall with me. I hadn’t noticed he was standing so close.
I lose track of how long we stay like this for. Many songs finish as we stand in comfortable silence.