All the joking was gone from Logan’s voice.
Like she’d been summoned from the storm, I glanced to my right at the girl who floated my way.
Eyes the color of a toiling sea. The darkest, deepest blue. Body pure temptation.
A motherfuckin’ knockout.
A fantasy.
A dream.
Black-fuckin’-magic.
My conscience screamed with guilt.
Because every second that passed? I only wanted her more.
Music blasted from the speakers from the band that thrashed on the stage while the crowd thrived and toiled.
Place chaos.
Disorder.
Mayhem of the best kind.
People were singing. Shouting. Dancing. Their drinks lifted in the air and their hearts freed in the crashing beat that promised release.
Release.
That was exactly what I needed as I weaved through the throbbing crowd, drawn, compelled, unable to do anything but head in the direction where Eden, Tessa, and Salem danced on the far side of the club.
The three of them had let loose. Their hair whipping around them and heat drenching their bodies as they laughed and danced together like they didn’t have a care in the world.
Celebrating life and all it had to give.
Wanted that for Salem. For her to let go. For the fears that haunted her to melt away and surrender to something better.
Something better.
My guts knotted, and my chest stretched tight. This fucked up feeling taking me over that I wanted it, too.
Trent had followed the group over to where they’d moved to carve out their own little bubble.
Dude looked like peril where he’d taken up post on a stool at the bar facing out, watching over his life, ready to strike if any fool became a threat.
My boots thudded on the hard ground, in time with the rhythm, marching straight into destruction.
But I didn’t really know how to go anywhere else when this felt like my destination. Where I was supposed to be.
Salem shook her hips, that black dress hugging those curves so right. Had to physically restrain myself from stalking up behind her, wrapping my hands around her waist, and pressing my nose into the hypnotic fall of her hair.
I forced myself to take the stool next to Trent. I dragged it so I could sit facing out, too. He slid a beer he’d ordered for me in my direction. “Looks like you’re gonna need that.”
A grunt rumbled out as I took a long pull. “Yup.”
“Funny what life does, yeah?” Trent mused on a low breath. “Way we think we know the way it’s supposed to go—the way we want it to go—then boom, it comes right in and shakes us up.”
He glanced my way with a knowing expression on his face. The baby owl tatted on his throat bobbed when he swallowed. “You know it firsthand, man. How terrifying it is, putting your heart on the line and knowing it can be gone in a flash. Logan’s right, though.”
I grunted. “About what?”
Deflecting with ignorance seemed the way to go.
“Stepping out and letting yourself love someone.”
Alarm whipped a storm through my spirit.
“Love? Getting ahead of yourself there, yeah?”
His brow curled. “Am I?”
“Just want to fuck her, man.” Let the smirk split my mouth.
Trent laughed an incredulous sound, and he reached out and gave a condescending pat on my cheek. “If you just wanted to fuck her, you already would have.”
Then he snagged his tumbler and pushed to his feet, slanting me a telling glance before he strutted his smug ass out to where Eden was dancing. Girl fluid and hot, ballet in her blood.
Beside her, Tessa was dancing like a total spazz.
Shocker.
And next to her…Salem.
Salem whose rhythm was half time. Driving me out of my mind. Her hips rocking and vibrating in this slow seduction.
She glanced my way.
Thunderbolt eyes struck.
Energy crackled.
I roughed a hand over my face.
Fuck.
Keep it together, man.
Trent edged up behind Eden the way I was dying to do to Salem. Nuzzled his face into the back of her neck. Pulled her flush against his chest.
Salem looked at me as she moved.
Eyes raking, whispering, like she was begging me to do the same.
That connection throbbed.
Booming and shivering.
I attempted to scan the crowd for a good target.
Easy. Quick. No strings.
My gaze traveled right back to the girl.
Her gaze raked me.
My insides shook.
Fuck it.
I drained my beer then pushed to my feet.
I was just going to take this one little thing. I mean, what could dancing with her hurt?
I started that way only to get jostled back by an asshole who suddenly went blazing by. He beelined right for the girls.
Karl, that fucker.
Dressed in a suit with his hair perfectly styled and that douchey-ass expression on his face.
Tessa threw her arms in the air to welcome him.
Poor girl.
“Karl, happy birthday, baby!”
Prick sauntered right in.
He slipped his left arm around Tessa’s waist to haul her close, only the creeper did the same to Salem with his right. He tugged them both to him, leaning over and bending them back like he could somehow get more.