His gaze narrows on me. “Watch it. I don't have to bring you tonight.”
If I had a death wish, I'd mess his hair up right now, but I don't. “Whatever you say, brudder. Now, can we go?”
The whole car ride to the club, Easton's knee is bouncing like a fiend going through withdrawal. I have no idea what has him all nervous for tonight. If anyone should be freaking out, it's me. After four long years of being away, I'm finally going to see him again.
The first boy who put butterflies in my stomach.
The only boy to ever steal my heart.
My brother's best friend.
Easton parks the car and gives me a look before getting out. “Stay behind me.”
It takes everything in me not to mock him right now. Easton has always been protective, but you'd think that would fade a little bit as I got older. Nope. He still treats me like his ten-year-old sister who needs help keeping the bullies away.
The bouncer checks our IDs and we walk through the club, straight into the VIP section. I do as I'm told and stay behind Easton, until a familiar voice has my heart ready to beat out of my chest.
“Took you long enough.”
My brother sighs. “Sorry. I forgot how long it takes chicks to get ready.”
“Oh, like you were much better,” I quip.
I step up beside Easton, and that's when I see him. The pure definition of tall, dark, and handsome. His jet-black hair is styled up in a quiff, and the light reflects off his sky-blue eyes. Zayn Bronsyn looks every bit like the boy I remember, only different. His face has a light coat of scruff on it, making him look more like a man than a boy, and his arms are sporting gorgeous ink. If I thought he was hot before, he's practically a god now.
He's taking a sip of his beer when his gaze meets mine. In a split second, his eyes widen, and he breaks out into a coughing fit. Easton and all his friends watch with amusement as he tries to get himself under control, but I can't look away for another reason entirely.
“Uh, you good?” my brother asks.
Zayn nods with a fist to his ribs. “Wrong pipe.”
Just as he finally starts to calm down, Tessa, my brother's ex, pushes her way through Zayn and Knox. At the sight of her, it immediately all makes sense. This is why Easton was so picky about his appearance tonight. I should've known.
“Can I just say how much I missed you?”
My heart warms at the fact that she doesn't hate me now that she and Easton aren't together anymore. After spending so many family gatherings together, we got pretty close. I haven't seen her in a little over a year, since they broke up and all her drama went down, but it's nice to know I'm still on her good side.
“Oh my God, hey.”
She wraps her arms around me in a tight hug and I return the sentiment. Then, she moves onto my brother. Even a blind man could see the way he melts into her, but from what I've heard, she has a boyfriend. And not just any boyfriend, a famous, football-playing, sculpted from stone boyfriend, Asher Hawthorne. Their relationship was all over the news last winter. It honestly would have been hard to miss, but I never brought it up to Easton, so it's not something we've talked about.
As E reluctantly lets Tessa go, she smiles at me. “Come on. Let's go dance.”
And with that she grabs my hand and pulls me away with her. Then again, it's probably for the best. If I stayed with the guys, I probably would have made a fool out of myself by drooling over Zayn.
Tessa introduces me to her friends, Savannah and Lennon, and her sister, Delaney. It's honestly shocking to learn Delaney is dating Knox. I never thought that guy would settle down with anyone. He's always been a free spirit, and while he's hot, Delaney looks like she's way out of his league. At the same time, however, I can see them making a cute couple.
“And what about you, Miss I'm-Dating-A-Quarterback?”
Tessa blushes. “I know. I'm sorry.”
I chuckle and continue dancing. “It sucks that you're not going to be my sister-in-law one day, but I'm glad you're happy.”
“That's why you're my favorite Donovan.” She winks, then glances behind me. “And I might not be the only one. Looks like Zayn has a little bit of a staring problem.”
Turning around, I'm just in time to see him look away and back over at Knox. My heart flutters, but I refuse to get my hopes
up. We're in the middle of a crowded dance floor. Chances are he was looking at someone else, wanting to take someone home and pound them into the mattress.