Page 14 of Second Sets Omnibus

I swallow hard, my fingers shaking when he wraps my fingers around the grip.

"I'll teach you how to protect yourself. One day, you'll need it." He nods, sure of himself, and proceeds to teach me how to use it safely.

My trusty pocketknife has had its fair share of uses over the years, protecting me from unwanted touches and my go-to security when walking alone. Despite its origins, I've kept itfirmly in my pocket from the moment he handed it over. It holds more than security in my eyes; it’s sentimental.

I huff a breath, wiping a hand down my face. Was the boning worth the pain and satisfaction? No. Maybe? Shit!

All the calmness I felt before evaporates into thin air, and all I want to do is drink, take a bubble bath, and go to bed. I need a goddamn shot before I go home and face the loneliness of my empty apartment. My ma left for work hours ago and always worked through the night. So, it'll be just me, my loneliness, and the ache between my legs—a consolation prize for my consequences.

After cleaning up the office and shutting off the light, I make my way back into the bar area with my head held high.

"All good?" Leon raises a dark brow, and my cheeks heat when his mahogany brown eyes take in my messy appearance. Despite fixing my hair and straightening my clothes, he sees right through me.

Fuck.

I grunt, ripping my hair tie out of my hair and throwing it back into a messy bun, sending him a scathing look and daring him to say something. He snorts, shakes his head, and goes back to minding his own damn business. Good boy.

"You were kinda loud,” Ode snickers behind her hand, looking at her brother Leon, and they burst out laughing together. Their laughs bounce around the empty bar, filling the room with roaring amusement.

“Ha, ha, ha, laugh it up. But I got laid,” I say, pointing proudly to myself through a smirk.

“About damn time, woman!” Leon says, walking around the bar with his hands shoved into his pocket. “I’ve been saying that you needed it for what?”

“Every day,” Ode adds. “He tells me every damn day that you need a little dick to knock the stick out of your ass.”

My jaw falls open at the same time Leon curses back at his sister.

“Ode! What the hell? Throw your brother under the bus like that? I never said nothing like that,” he says, shaking his head with a grin. Letting me know he has, in fact, said it multiple times.

Some friends I have.

I snort. “It’s cool. I needed to get laid after all this promotion business. Plus, I start my first set of classes tomorrow, and I have to work at the record store Monday, too.” I blow out a breath, my chest constricting with all the shit I have planned for the next few years.

I have to work two jobs and attend school if I ever want to make it out of this hell-hole city and move on to bigger and better things, like California. I want to see the ocean, smell the saltwater, and push my toes into the cool sand. Most importantly, I want to attend CaliState to complete my Music Business degree. I’ve had my eyes on the prize since the moment I decided what I wanted to do with my life.

Through CaliState, I can live a full life without worry. After I walk across the stage with my degree, I can go to any record company and live my dream. Managing bands and music has always been my destiny, running through my blood since birth. Even though my father ripped the easy path from my grasp by the time I was two and forced me away. He may be some big musical influencer with more money than God, but give me five years, and I'll prove to him and everyone else who overlooked me that I'm the fucking greatest.

I want what I want, and I can’t do that in Central City, where every corner I turn is a constant reminder of who I am here—no one. To everyone walking these streets, I’m the Central City trash living in the slums of income-based apartments with a mom who strips to make ends meet. I want to thrive on my ownwithout assistance backing me up. I can't achieve that here in the middle of Nowhere, Illinois. So, the first opportunity I get, I’m gone. No matter what. By whatever means necessary, even if my mom has to come with me.

“I’m out! See you tomorrow night, college girl!” Leon says with a mock salute, heading out the back door with his keys in hand.

“Everyone else gone?” I ask Ode, and she nods, grabbing her keys too.

“Ya did good, bestie,” she says, wrapping her arm around my shoulders and kissing my cheek. “You’re the best damn manager I’ve ever had.”

I sigh with a smile, leaning my head on hers. “You think so?” I ask with uncertainty, furrowing my brows.

“Girl, I can only imagine how much your little band brought in. But let's just say I’ve never served so many damn drinks. So, yeah. Book will see it and give you a bonus for your hard work.” She grins, wiggling her brows. “So, how was Richie Rich? Good dick?” I snort, pushing off her, and laugh when she stumbles, righting herself along the tall, wooden bar.

"You’re such a bitch,” I laugh, leaning over the bar to grab my backpack purse, and set it on the top. “But I don't kiss and tell.” I mimic locking my lips and throwing away the key.

Ode gapes, staring at me like I grew another head.

“You won't even tell your bestie?” she asks with a pout and pushes my shoulder. I snort, shaking my head. "Well… those noises you were making gave you away. OH, RICHIE RICH!!" Her hand slams down on the bar, fake moaning with her head thrown back in false passion.

I groan in embarrassment, feeling the heat travel up my neck and burn my ears. Shit. I forgot how thin the walls of this place were. Just last week, Ode took her on again, off again, hook up, into the bathroom to rock his world. Let's just say, we clappedwhen they walked out of the bathroom, zipping their flies and straightening their shirts.

So, they heard every dirty little word Kieran whispered in my ear as he pounded me hard. My nipples pebble under my shirt, begging for his lips to encase them. Damn it. I need to get the hell out of here and stop thinking about him. Throwing my strap over my shoulders, we head toward the back door and momentarily stop to shut off all the lights.