Page 60 of Off the Rails

She’d changed out of her sexy little red number and into a baggy sweat set, but the sight of her made my heart race all the same. Her sparkly makeup looked so pretty in the moonlight, and her hair was pulled back into an adorable little half-up knot at the back of her head.

I had to look like an idiot hopping up onto the hood of the car to cheer her on. But seeing the smile Tess tried to hide behind her hand made it all worth it.

“Oh my god, shut up!” She giggled, glancing over at the cars at the far end of the parking lot. “You’re making a scene.”

“Someone has to!” The car shook as I hopped down, closing the space between Tess and I with a few short strides. Hoisting her up in my arms, I gave her a little toss. “You were incredible in there!”

“Seriously,” Nash chimed in. “I don’t know how you move like that.”

“Years of practice,” Tess tightened her grip around my neck. “And you’re not supposed to touch the dancers, Blade.”

“Hardly counts. You’re off shift now.” I smirked, squeezing her a bit tighter. When I set her down, I was surprised to find she was nearly my height.

I can’t believe she’s still wearing those heels.

But I wasn’t complaining — even through her sweats, they made her legs look fucking incredible.

Catching my wandering eye, Tess rolled hers. “You guys are just trying to flatter me because you think I’m hot.”

“No!” Nash scoffed at the same moment that I said, “Yes!”

Shaking my head, I tried again. “I mean, yes, you’re hot. Duh. But you’re also incredibly talented. I would faceplant if I even tried to touch that pole.”

“I’m shocked you’re still competing for the $20k,” Nash murmured. “Clearly the crowd loves you. You must make a killing here.”

“I do pretty well for myself…”

The soft pink blush that painted her cheeks made my chest warm. But the frown that followed tightened it like a vise.

“Tips are hardly enough to meet my credit card minimums, though.” She shrugged. “And the landlords around here are picky about credit scores. Especially with all those Atwood kids and their rich parents eating up the off-campus housing.”

“How much debt are you in?” I frowned.

“Enough to make being hunted by a bunch of horny, killer clowns a good deal.”

I wanted to push back, to get a serious answer from her. If I had a number, maybe I could help her. We could make a plan, we could —

But before we got that far, some stupid asshole started screaming from across the parking lot. “Whore! Whore!”

Tess’ face immediately shifted from crestfallen to stony. Rage pulsed through my veins. I was ready to make a move on the guy.

But Tess was already turning before I could try. “What do you want, limpdick?”

“The time to repent is now. Judgment is nigh!”

“What the fuck is he—” Nash growled, but Tess wasn’t waiting for answers.

“It’s a fucking strip club, you idiot. Get the fuck out of here before I call security on your ass.”

The venom in her voice was lethal, but this bonehead didn’t have the sense his god gifted a rock. He strode closer, forcing Nash and I to step between him and Tess.

“The Messenger demands we cleanse ourselves. Retribution is coming. Sinners⁠—”

“That’s enough, asshole.” Nash shoved him back by the shoulders while I swept Tess into the back of the car.

“What are you doing?” She spat. “I can handle him myself.”

“That guy is fucking deranged.” I hissed. “Just do me a favor and stay put.”