Chapter Eight
It was a bad idea, and I knew that from the moment I decided to do it.
To find a way into that fucking club again, and believe me, it wasn’t going to be by begging that fucker Grimm’s forgiveness.
Hell no. In a way, circumventing his wishes was making this even more thrilling and worth the risk.
Since Micro and the Bennetts had decided that risking my life was just par for the course, I figured why not take things a step further, and take a risk that actually brings me closer to what I want, what I fucking need. Her.
I had no idea if she’d be there, but you know what?
I was in that line when she was bumped ahead by the bouncer, and I watched her hurrying shyly forward, thankfully unaware of the cuntish comments being made at both of them.
Her sister deserved it, but she didn’t. The guy in front of me who called them a pair of sluts was now sleeping it off in the bathroom, after I tried to put his face through the mirror, and after that, I’d found her.
Having her dancing up against me like that was like a dream coming true. I half expected her to spin around, slap me, and move away, but she didn’t. She leaned into my touch, she sank into my hold, and she moved against my body like she wanted me.
I know, I know. Making assumptions. Reading too much into things.
Hell, those are my best traits, so when she spun and started kissing me, I really thought luck was finally on my side.
She was into me for sure, she was rocking her hips against mine, her tongue in my mouth as she made every day of the last few weeks worth the harrowing existence, because this was my reward.
Her. Her trust. Her lips. Her tongue. The way she rubbed up against me, giving me one hell of a semi.
“OH MY GOD!” Someone yelled beside us, just before she was pulled away from me, and the bitch sister got in my face.
“Who the fuck do you think you are, manhandling her like that? It’s assault! You assaulted her!”
Jesus fuck, would this bitch just get off my case? I backed up a step, shaking my head, and saying all the things I knew I shouldn’t say in my head instead of out loud. That’s personal growth, and really fucking difficult when faced with a nightmare like her.
The bitch shoved me, even as her beautiful sister tugged at her arm, shaking her head and…
was she speaking to her? Could she speak or was I just seeing things?
I’d downloaded that music recognition app thing so I could know what songs were playing if she asked, but showing her in that moment felt right, and the message I’d pre-typed?
That was a fucking smart move, because she lost a little of her rhythm as she eyed the phone, and I didn’t want her feeling like she wasn’t getting it perfectly right.
She was. If I hadn’t known she couldn’t hear the music, I’d never have assumed she wasn’t hearing exactly what the rest of us were.
“I’ll break your face, you fucking asshole!”
“Jesus, what’s your beef? You gotta get the hell out of my face, bitch!”
Speaking was a mistake on my part, because she went from being a bitch to turning completely psycho on me.
“YOU! It’s you, you fucking prick!”
I couldn’t argue, could I? I am me, after all.
“Yeah, what’s your point? You wanna fuck off back over there to that prick you were whoring yourself all over?”
Why did that get me slapped? I was so fucking fed up with this bitch.
“Okay, okay, break this up,” one of the big bouncer guys yelled at me, dragging me away. Me. I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I was dancing and kissing a beautiful woman who, hello, made the first move. I was just the recipient of those velvety lips.
I kept my eyes on her as they dragged me away, my phone falling from my hand in the craziness. Fuck me. Not my phone, I need that!
We were met by the door by Grimm, the fucking vampire asshole, who took one look at me and turned to yell at the bouncer guy.
After that, he dragged me outside, and shoved me up against the wall.
There were still people queuing, so it wasn’t the best advertisement for the club, but I was kinda out of options here.
“What the fuck are you doing in here? I told you, you have to fucking make amends. You go tarting yourself up and think that makes it okay?”
I knew if I got caught that this could turn to shit pretty fast, so for once, I dropped the dickhead mentality and stopped fighting his hold.
“Look, I’m sorry, okay? I get it. I’m an asshole and you don’t want me here, but she’s here. I just want to get to know her, and she was just kissing my face off, man. She’s not the one picking fights with me, that’s her sister.”
Grimm released me and straightened that dumbass cape he wears.
“Who? Who is she?”
Jeez, if he’s trying to catch me out in a lie, he’s going to think he’s winning here.
“I don’t know. It’s driving me insane. I met her that one night, never got to talk to her, because, well, you know. And I just wanted a chance to let her meet me, but not the prick from that night. The guy I am underneath.”
Grimm suddenly smirked at me, flashing those stupid fangs that the girls probably got all moist over.
“You think I’m that stupid? Pulling the heartfelt crap with me? I’ve met you, Stag. I know what you’re like. This? Nice try. Really nice fucking try. You’re barred, and if you try this again, I’m going straight to your Pres about it.”
Motherfucking pretentious twat. For once I was being sincere, for once I showed a brother, or a potential brother the real me, and that’s what I get? I slipped back into my fucking shell, the skin everyone saw when they talked to me, because a great idea just hit me.
“You do know it gets put to a vote, right? You want in at Phoenix, there’s a vote. I could be voting for you, or do you want a no vote fucking up your chances?”
He reached for me, and I batted his hands away, standing tall and glaring back at him. He wanted to try and beat on me, he’d have to try harder than that. I just took on a fucking mob enforcer the other day. I mean, I didn’t win, but I tried.
“You’re that guy? You’re gonna pull that bullshit on me? Give in to what you want, or you’ll vote against me? If that’s what your club’s like, I don’t even fucking want in.”
He called out to the bouncer who’d let me in, and he came over to us.
“This fucker here. He shows up again, call the cops. He’s not getting in.”
Fuck.
Claudia
Ican’t believe she did that! How dare she step in like that and ruin my fucking night? I was into that guy, I liked him, and I really really liked kissing him! How dare she take away the first guy I’ve liked in years?
*Claudia, he’s bad news.*
I ignored her, grabbing the phone he’d dropped as they dragged him out.
It was intact, and kind of old school, probably why it didn’t break.
It was a touchscreen, but when I pressed the button to wake it up, there was no passcode to get in.
Clearly he had no idea about security, or maybe this was a throwaway phone.
Marissa grabbed my arm, and I lifted my eyes to glare at her.
“Just throw it away. He doesn’t deserve your help.”
I pretended I couldn’t read her lips, and while she was trying to sign, I disappeared into the crowd, tapping at the screen as I headed for the bouncers.
I held up the phone and let the bouncer read what I’d typed.
This phone belongs to the guy who was just dragged out.
He nodded and took it from me, and I hoped to god that it would actually reach him, even though I still didn’t know his name, or where he was from.
I hoped this would at least get back to him safely, and all I could do is keep my eyes open in future.
I’d be watching for him in here, and if he showed up again, maybe it really was fated.
I had another drink while I waited for a taxi to come for me, having booked via the app as soon as I reached the bar.
Marissa stood beside me, a grumpy look on her face, and when the phone pinged to tell me my ride had arrived, I got up and walked away without a word.
I knew she was following, but I didn’t want her to.
When I reached the door, I stopped and turned, holding up a hand.
“No.”
Her face dropped and she reached for me, but I backed up.
“No.”
She pouted at me as I turned and left, and even though I knew she’d be booking a car immediately herself, I still wanted to take my own taxi, and do this for myself.
She was trying so hard to make me dependent on her, and I had to keep fighting for control of my own damn life.
Maybe it was time to move back home, or at least get a room somewhere away from her.
She arrived home about fifteen minutes after me, and I was already curled up on the sofa in my pyjamas, with a hot chocolate, and some crisps, watching a movie with the subtitles on.
She dropped on the sofa beside me, and despite my anger with her, I let her have my attention for a moment.
“I’m so sorry,” she said carefully, tugging her beautifully wavy hair into a ponytail and sitting back, “I just worry about you, and that man was all over you!”
She flinched at my glare, and at least that meant she could see how I felt about her words, and her damn intervention during the best kiss of my life.
“I kissed him,” I said simply, watching her eyes widen.
“He’s that biker guy. In disguise, and creeping on you.”
I shook my head. “He’s a man who danced with me in the club, and made me feel beautiful and wanted. He was kind, and sweet, and he kisses like a god. Why did you take that from me? What did I do to you to make you want to ruin everything good in my life?”
Marissa gasped, and I swear I saw her blinking against tears, but why was this how things worked between us?
She’d hurt me, upset me, ruined my night, and now I was supposed to feel guilty for calling her out for it?
Was this narcissism or something? Gaslighting?
I couldn’t remember the term for it, but this is how it always happened.
If I dared to speak up about this stuff, she’d be upset, and I’d feel like a bitch for it. Why couldn’t we just have this conversation like grown ups?
“Marissa, don’t do that.”
She squeezed her eyes closed, her chest moving as she probably held back a sob. She always did this to me. Why did I always weaken? Because I fucking love my twin.
“It’s okay. It… it probably wasn’t good for me, but it felt good and I liked it. It’s not like I’ll see him again anyway.”
She swiped at her eyes, a big smile appearing at my words.
“I’ll join you for the rest of the movie.” Great. Let’s sit and pretend this shit isn’t happening day in and day out, a movie will fix that.