Page 4 of Trial By Fire (Hope Runs Deep #11)

CHAPTER

FOUR

J ackson, Brad, and two other men from their team arrived at Bernard’s to see it already hopping with the crowd and music.

He walked in and looked around to see if he recognized anyone there.

So far so good. Maybe it would be a decent night.

Psycho nurse wasn’t there, and neither were any of the other conquests he’d had in the last two years.

Following Brad, Jim, and Connor over to the bar, he found a seat that allowed him and the guys to survey the bar without putting their backs to the open floor.

Bernard’s was a popular bar that was owned by a former Green Beret.

Lots of military boys and girls came to the club to unwind.

The club was also the hot spot for chicks who wanted to bang a military guy.

“Holy fucking bat balls! That chick is fucking hot!” Jim Peters murmured beside him.

Jackson looked in the direction that Jim was looking in and nearly fell out of his seat. On the dance floor was Trish and her best friend Lola. They were dancing and laughing. Trish had her head back laughing at something Lola had said. Not a care in the world.

“I’m going to go out on a limb and say she’s off limits, Peters. If I’m not mistaken, that’s Detective Trish Malone. She and the big man here dated for a bit a couple of years ago before he decided to go ghost on her,” Brad outed Jackson, patting him on the back.

“Do we need to leave?” Connor Smith asked, standing up, knowing the whole story.

“No,” Jackson said abruptly, looking away, trying to get his dick to stand down. Now the fucker would show attention without needing assistance.

“Mmm, was that soldier standing at attention for me, tiger?”

Fuck! The last person in the world he wanted to see.

“No, Valarie. What the fuck are you doing here?” Jackson asked through gritted teeth as he stood up to leave.

“To see you, of course. If I remember correctly, we had a thing going until you ghosted me. Silly boy!” Valarie Jenkins commented as she sidled up to Jackson, running her finger from his chest to the top of his jeans.

“There’s a reason I haven’t contacted you, Valarie.

I fucked you once. Forgot about you the minute I walked out of the alleyway that night.

I am not, nor have I been, interested in anything more with you than a quick meaningless fuck.

Now, since I know you’re here, I’m leaving so I don’t have a bad night. ”

Jackson pushed past Valarie, ignoring the gasp from the woman who screeched and stomped her foot. He halted when Brad put his hand on his arm.

“Dude let’s just take that table over there. I’ll let Gomez know what is going on. Maybe he can have the bouncer keep an eye on her to keep her away from us.”

Jackson stared at Brad for a few moments before nodding. He headed to the table that Brad had pointed out, followed by Jim and Connor. Sitting down at the table, he put his back to the wall, looking out at the dance floor, ignoring the daggers that Valarie was sending his way.

Brad returned shortly after he’d walked away with a pitcher of beer and four glasses for the men. Sitting down, Brad disconnected the line of sight that Valarie had of Jackson.

“The bouncers are going to keep an eye on her. Apparently, she’s a problem child they are well aware of. She just hasn’t done anything to warrant them banning her from the bar just yet.”

“What’s the deal with her? She’s hot!” Jim cracked, looking over towards her, winking.

“Eh, if you like sloppy seconds! Have a go,” Jackson fired back, shaking his head at the new kid.

“Sloppy seconds?” Jim laughed, looking over at Jackson.

“Yeah, seems when the big man here was going through his broken heart phase, he fucked everything that looked his way, trying to fuck the memory of the one he let get away out of his head. Valarie was one of them. She seems to think that there’s something there and keeps chasing our esteem team leader thinking she’ll change his mind, and he’ll cave.

” Connor laughed, throwing a peanut at Jackson when the man flipped him off.

“Never going to happen. If I hadn’t been so fucking sloshed that night, it wouldn’t have happened that night either,” Jackson grumbled, shaking his head.

“Actually, sir, you were more than sloshed. You were pissed because you saw your ex here with another man. Kept drinking the heavy shit!” Brad ratted out Jackson, laughing.

“Aw! If it isn’t the asshole who broke my best friend’s heart!”