Then Kode came into my room while he was on the phone with her. She called him first. And not just him—she called all of them and never me. I waited until the next day, and still hadn't heard anything, so I sent a text asking how New York was.
I received fine. Fucking fine.
So I text again, and she kept every answer just as clipped as that. It was obvious then, especially when I called her and our conversations were nothing more than awkward silence. Painful as it was, it was crystal clear what had happened.
I was the one she trusted with her body, but not her heart. I was the one she gave herself to because I was the one she could let go. It didn't make sense, but I got over it... sort of. I'm getting over it. I think.
If I had known our friendship would be destroyed, I would have never slept with her—if that's even what brought on this fucked-up shift. She went from ultra hot to Arctic cold.
Now... it's been six years, and I still can't see the girl. I dread the first time we run into each other.
Sleek golden hair that brushes the middle of a sexy, slender back draws my attention. A girl standing at the bar is wearing a dress that is illegal in certain parts of the world. That ass... hell yes. I just found something to distract me.
It's been too long, and maybe something like this will keep my mind off Rain.
Just as I near my prey, a large arm slides over her shoulders, making her turn to face the familiar jerk who has joined the mutiny and abandoned me. Maverick. Horror washes over me when I see the face of the girl I almost approached. Rain Noles. Of all the damn luck.
Fuck!
I break out into a cold sweat and veer a hard right to head to the back. Why in the hell did they bring her here? Have they lost their damn minds? I'll beat the shit out of them for this.
I realize they have no clue what happened between us, and apparently Rain doesn't want to fill them in either, but they knew better. Can't say I blame her for not wanting to divulge all the dark secrets, since it makes her look like a cold bitch.
My teeth grind together as I lean against the side of the wall. This is my club. My club, damn it. I shouldn't be hiding. She shouldn't have the fucking nerve to walk into my club with my fucking family. She wouldn't have even known them if it hadn't been for me.
How can she do this? Why torture me?
No. I refuse to cower in my own club. If this is the game she wants to play, then fine. I'm not a lovesick eighteen-year-old anymore. I'm a full-grown, successful, damn good looking son of a bitch with a list a mile long of women who would love an ounce of the attention I used to pay Rain. I can do this. It's time to man up.
I walk out just as Maverick pulls her onto the dance floor. That jerk never could keep his hands to himself when it came to her. Obviously she enjoys it. It wasn't him who got booted.
Kode walks in, spotting me immediately, and mouths, "Sorry," on his way to the large, curved booth in the far back that I never let anyone else sit in. I need to take that booth off reserve. They don't deserve it after this.
Dale seems amused as he gives me a playful wink, and Corbin shoots me a you-can't-hide-all-night grin. Bastards. This was intentional. They set me up. That's fine. They'll regret it.
She broke me once. I won't let her do it again. I'll let her see how perfectly fine I've been without her, even if that's not completely true. But I won't spend time hiding because of her.
Traveling through wormholes is impossible; digging to China is impossible; curing world hunger is impossible; but facing Rain Noles is not impossible. I can do this. All I need first is the nerve to speak to her and the ability to stand within a hundred feet of her without feeling like a fucking kid again. What is she doing to me?
I decide I need a strong shot of liquid courage, because I sure as hell can't do this alone. After raiding the bar, I settle on my old and faithful friend.
Tequila.
***
RAIN
These heels are torturing my feet right now. Kode is doing well to hold me up. I've danced with all the boys now, so I feel as though I've been fair, and now I deserve a break.
"Let's go to the booth," I yell over the music, gripping Kode's arms and pulling him toward my lips so he can hear the words.
"You sure?" he asks, seeming hesitant to free me from the terrible ache in my feet.
"I've been dancing for over thirty minutes. I'm positive."
He gives me a sideways grin before kissing my forehead, and then he wraps an arm around me to lead me to the large, leather booth. There are several of these, but somehow the boys managed to get the best one. Not that I'm complaining.
The high back of the rounded booth offers an excellent sense of privacy, and the corner it's in gives you a view of the dance floor, the bar, the band, and the women in lingerie on the stage. Not sure I'm crazy about that portion of the club, but the rest is incredible. I can't believe this gem is in Sterling Shore.