Page 22

I yawn, more tired than I thought.

“Oh no. There will be none of that.” Lana flags down the bartender. “Joel. Me and Sora would like a beer please, and two shots off your special list today.”

“Coming right up, doll.” Joel winks and Lana pays no attention.

“He’s hot, and he winked at you.”

“Who? Joel?” She shakes her head, plopping down in the stool. “He’s in an open relationship. No, thank you. I don’t share.”

Thinking back to Jason, I was honestly na?ve in believing I was the only one.

We never discussed it, but I knew deep down inside there were other women.

It was an unsaid agreement, almost. Such men lack fidelity.

Luckily, he never fought me when I insisted he wear protection.

I am on birth control, but who knew what diseases he picked up?

Our sex was… torture. We were intimate on his terms and when he wanted.

They were infrequent. Jason never aroused me.

Not even years later. And come to think of it, the bastard never made me orgasm.

“Fair enough.” I grin, accepting the shot glass from her.

Lana holds hers up. “Here’s to one kick ass friendship.”

I agree before gulping down the liquid. The lingering burn in my throat prompts Lana to offer me another drink to chase it with. Beer. Shots. Not something I’m used to. I’m used to champagne. Expensive wine. Fancy martinis and cocktails.

“Hey. You okay? Lost you there for a minute.” Lana’s eyes soften as she catches me deep in thought.

“Right now, with you… I’m great.” My smile is genuine, a first in ages. I am great. And I enjoy being here with Lana in her adorable little town. Hanging out at the local pub.

My new job also brings me excitement, and I am truly happy for the first time in a while.

“Good, because we’re dancing.” Lana grabs my hand, practically dragging me off my stool toward the middle front where the dance space is located.

The Lana back in high school was shy and reserved. The grown-up Lana I know now is a bit more carefree. And nothing will diminish her joy while dancing. I wish I knew how that felt. Is it as free as riding a Ferris wheel or swimming naked in a lake?

I’m about to find out.

There’s no more reasoning, I Just move. And as I twirl and sway my hips to the song, I grow less mindful of what people thought or who’s watching. Because this isn’t the same dancing I used to do, this is for me and for me alone.

Lana swings her hips, and I burst into laughter as she throws her ass into my side. This is what being carefree is like, and I never want to let go of this feeling. If only I could capture it and never lose the memory.

I’m not sure how long we danced. Minutes. Hours. It felt like hours.

Lana twirls and a random man comes up behind her, positioning his hands on her hips. He smirks and Lana only flashes a friendly, but dismissive, smile, patting his arm and moving toward me. “Let’s go get our beers!” she shouts over the music.

Good idea. This is girl’s time, an unspoken, no boys allowed night. But when we return to the bar, two familiar men are scowling at us. And just like that, girl’s night is over.

Logan stands tall beside the bar like a Viking getting ready for battle and Crew alongside him, arms crossed, glaring over Lana’s shoulder. Not sure what or who he’s shooting daggers at, but they’re both annoyed and look angry. Why? I have no idea. Especially since Logan hasn’t been around.

“You two always leave your drinks unattended?” Crew drips venom, gesturing to our bottles sitting on the counter.

He makes a good point.

Lana huffs. “They’re fine. Now please take yourselves elsewhere. We’re having fun and you’re ruining it.” She goes to take a sip of her beer, but Crew intercepts, grabbing it off her.

“You’re not drinking this.”

“Excuse me? What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Crew tosses Lana’s unfinished beer in the trash. “I’m being smart. Unlike you.”

I finally take a glance at Logan during Lana and Crew’s war, and I wish I hadn’t.

His eyes are piercing me like a knife. The fire he’s igniting warms my body, even though I’m already in mid sweat from dancing.

I can’t tear my gaze away and neither can he.

It’s like a gravitational pull, and the more I try to move, the more it seems to hold me captive.

I can’t lie. The way Logan looks at me is unfamiliar, but a craving that is starting to need fulfilled.

“Sora.”

“Logan,” I say back harshly.

His eyes travel down my body, and he doesn’t even try to hide the fact he’s admiring me.

So, I return the favor. Because Logan in a white T-shirt that hugs his muscular arms and dark wash jeans is something to behold.

He’s rugged and the way his hair sticks out from his backward baseball cap with his full lips has me in a possessive hold.

“Guess our night is over. My buzz has deflated like a damn blow-up pool. Let’s go, Sora.” Lana grabs my hand, and we head for the entrance, making our way through the crowd.

The suffocation from being inside with Logan was almost unbearable, so when the fresh night air hits me, I breathe it in.

Lana stops and leans against the brick of the pub, me joining her.

“At least they were looking out for us.”

Her head whips in my direction, looking as if I betrayed her just now. “Crew is nothing but an arrogant asshole.”

My brows furrow. “That’s a little harsh.”

Lana sighs. “Never mind. You wouldn’t understand,” she mumbles pushing off the wall.

Is there a piece of the puzzle I am missing? Something must have transpired between them, right? Crew doesn’t scream the asshole she keeps insisting he is. But I don’t exactly know him either. In fact, I don’t really know Logan.

Speaking of both brooding men. They strut outside. Logan first, joined by Crew, who has a tall, beautiful blonde woman clinging onto his arm for dear life. He certainly doesn’t waste any time. Does he snap his fingers, and they suddenly appear?

When I spare a glance at Lana, her face is already sour. “Ready to go home?” She’s talking to me but glaring at Crew from the corner of her eye.

I’m ready to say yes, but I’m frozen in place. Mark exits the alley with a woman trailing behind. He zips up his pants while planting a huge sloppy kiss on her mouth.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Lana curses.

My heart thumps heavily in my chest. Just seeing him brings back what happened. Not that I’ve forgotten the feeling of him on top of me, punching the ground inches from my face.

Logan moves to stand beside me and my posture relaxes a fraction with the heat from his arm brushing against mine.

It pours over me like a weighted blanket, and I welcome it.

I turn, looking up at Logan, but he pays me no mind as he throws invisible knives at Mark with a cold, dead stare.

Even Crew pauses with the woman he brought outside to see what is going on.

I wonder if Logan told Crew that Mark attacked me.

“That son of a bitch!” Lana stalks toward her ex-boyfriend and my previous attacker, but she turns, focusing on the woman next to Mark. “He attacked my friend and sent her down a flight of stairs. If I were you, I wouldn’t come near this fuckhead with a ten-foot pole.”

A flight of stairs may be a stretch, but regardless, he did attack me.

Mark turns white as a ghost, and the woman gasps. Her eyes dart between Lana and Mark in fear, but she doesn’t wait around for more explanation. She scurries away, Mark running a frustrated hand down his face.

“Fuck,” he curses.

Lana advances, her small body standing in front of Mark’s.

There is no predicting my friend’s next move because when her hand lands a solid slap across his cheek, the noise alone is enough for a loud gasp to escape me.

“That’s for hurting my friend. How fucking dare you.

You’re the biggest piece of shit I’ve ever met, and I hate the fact I let you touch me. ”

The red fury sparking in Mark’s eyes sends chills down my spine as he snarls down at my friend. With his chest heaving in and out, he looks like a rabid animal ready to pounce.

Mark takes a step toward Lana, who straightens her spine and juts her chin upward, showing zero signs of backing down. But this man is unpredictable. No telling what he’d do, even with bodies around.

I have to get her out of there, but everything is happening so fast.

Logan twitches next to me, but before either of us can get a foot off the ground, Crew’s there.

His imposing body, well over six feet, barricades Mark from Lana.

His wide stance offers no way of Mark being able to reach her and my shoulders relax at the sight of it.

The placidness radiating off Crew is more than terrifying.

It’s like waiting on a ticking time bomb.

His chest slowly rises then falls, the veins in his forearms protrude as he squeezes his hands into fists. “Walk the fuck away before you’re not able to,” he threatens.

Lana appears miniature behind Crew. But she makes no attempt at moving, only studies his broad shoulders with a look of confusion, not believing he would step in to help.

Mark’s features soften and he takes a strained swallow before turning his glance at me. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

The forgiving person in me would love to believe him, but he’s nothing but a manipulative liar. Not two minutes before, he silently threatened my friend.

Logan steps up, blocking me with his body. “Get the hell out of here.” The deep voice beside me pierces through the night, and Mark’s attention falls to Logan before nodding and running off like a dog with his tail between his legs.

Crew spins, shooting Lana a glare.

“What? I had that handled.”

Crew shakes his head with a curse. “Jesus Christ.” Then looks for the woman he previously had clinging to his arm.

“Sorry, but I think your booty call is leaving with that hot guy over there.” Lana points to the two flirting with each other as he escorts her to his Ferrari. Guy must not be from around here to be driving around in his shiny expensive sports car in our little town.

I just said our town.

“Dammit,” Crew grumbles.

“All right. Tonight’s over. Everyone get in the damn truck.” Logan doesn’t wait for answers as he stalks over to his Tacoma, unlocking the doors and slamming his side shut with force. We don’t question; we just move. Besides, Lana and I walking home isn’t too smart.

Crew’s got shotgun while Lana and I squeeze into the back seats.

It’s silent except for the faint sound of the truck’s engine. We’re all too tired to speak, Mark exhausting any energy left.

Logan is still scowling as he turns into our drive. Why is he so angry? Is he still holding a grudge from the lake incident? Was it our talk at the garage? Because I still wonder. The list is forever growing.

Lana and Crew part ways without even a glance at each other and he takes off on his motorcycle.

Logan heads for his door, me stopping with my hand on the splintered wooden frame to Lana’s.

When I take in Logan, his gaze is already on me.

That flutter in my chest happens again. God.

I hate the way he looks at me, only because with every gaze, it becomes more lethal.

“Goodnight, Sora.” He walks in, shutting the door behind him.

“Goodnight, Logan,” I whisper doing the same.