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“When did you get it done?”
“Yesterday.” His fingers twitch as they carry on gently tracing the lines.
“Ezra?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
Seemingly done with the questions, we lapse back into silence. I feel the gentlest press of warmth to the back of my neck before, voice cracking, he says, “I don’t know how to be around you anymore.”
If the emotion in his voice wasn’t already enough to break me, the silence as he walks away does. I hear his bedroom door close before I unfreeze and slump forward against the counter. This is all my fault. The distance between us; the turmoil inside Sawyer. All my fault, because I couldn’t keep my stupid crush under wraps, I just had to tell him. At the same time, I know I had to get it out. It was eating me up inside. It’s so much more than a crush.
I don’t know if it’s a feeling that’s gradually grown into something more, or if it’s only obvious now there’s a gaping wound where Sawyer used to be, but I think I might be in love with my best friend... and he doesn’t feel the same way. He’s spent years making it clear he doesn’t feel that way for me, but I still had to ruin everything by telling him.What have I done?
Ezra is my first thought of comfort, which doesn’t scare me as much as it would’ve last week. Unfortunately, he’s got another late-night session with one of his tattoo clients. Thankfully, Fleur is up for a last-minute night out, as she’s trying to act a bit harder-to-get with Lee to see if that changes the way he acts.
We’re only one drink in before a bachelorette party adopts us, and I’m actually having fun. Not having to think about finding someone to take home to stop myself from lusting over Sawyer is really freeing up some brain space for enjoyment, and what better than a rowdy hens party to immerse yourself in? Our small but raucous crowd is making more noise than the rest of the bar combined. Fleur and I are heading to the bar when one of the girls runs over and grabs Fleur’s hand, saying, “Hey, let’s go!”
We spin to face the bride-to-be, currently trying to pull us after her. “Come on, you two! Time to move on!”
“Where are we going?” Fleur asks, laughing at the bachelorette’s excitement.
“The next bar. This is number four of five!” The others are making their way to the door now, and Fleur and I look at each other, trying to gauge whether we’re feeling up for it or not. At the same time, hands snake around my waist from behind.
“If it’s not my cute little neighbor.”
I shudder at the voice and the warm breath on my ear, and without even turning around, I already know it’s Eli. I pull away and face him with a gaze hopefully withering enough to get him to back off. This was definitely not instigated by me, and it was definitely not an accident.
“Oh, come on,” he says, leaning in to pull me close again. “I’ll keep quiet, and you can pretend I’m Ezra.” My mouth drops open at his words, and I choose to believe he’s drunk, not that that’s an excuse. I have so many obscenities I want to shout at him, including but not limited tokeep your filthy hands off me, but I settle for pushing him away again instead. Fleur looks apoplectic. Finally someone else has heard him and can attest to what a creep he is. The girl from before tugs our hands again.
“Come on, car’s here!” That makes our decision easy, and we take the opportunity to leave with them. Decking Eli would only cause problems with Ezra and might get us banned from our favorite bar, so as satisfying as it would be, he’s not worth it.
As soon as we pull up outside the next bar, it feels like it’s got a different vibe to it, but I assume it’s Eli that’s thrown my mood off.
“Where are we?” Fleur asks as we walk in and are instantly surrounded by men. The bride-to-be whispers excitedly back at us with a giggle.
“It’s where my fiancé and his friends hang out! Try and bag one of these guys. The Guards make good money, and they’re so powerful. The danger is pretty hot too.” Her voice is full of wonder, but my blood runs cold, sobering me instantly as I realize exactly where we are. Keeping my head down, I pull Fleur behind me until we reach a bathroom. It’s ridiculously fancy in here. Huge, with black gloss tiles and oversized lighted mirrors, and an actual seating area.
“Do you think we’re right in their place?” she asks as soon as we’re inside.
“I know where we are, and it’s not good,” I say.We have to find a way out of here, now.“This just got very un-fun. Shall we go?”
“I’m done if you are,” Fleur says. I bring up the app on my phone to call for a car, but there aren’t any available. Whether that’s because it’s a busy night or because they don’t want to pick up drunks from around here, I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t blame them for not wanting to come to this area, and this bar in particular.
“Nothing available. Let me call Sawyer.” However weird things were left, he’s always been there in an emergency. His phone rings out, which is odd because it’s never on silent. I call again, just to be sure he didn’t miss it, but nothing. I call Ezra next, and he answers quickly, but I can tell he’s on speaker as soon as he picks up.
“Hey, are you still tattooing?” I ask.
“Yep. Another hour or so, at least. He’s sitting like a champ. Everything okay?” I know he’d drop it and come to get us, but it’s not his problem to solve. I can get us out of this. I’m not just some helpless maiden.
“Yeah, we’re about to leave. Just checking.”
“Oh, sorry. Are you okay getting back?” he asks.
“Yeah, of course! I’ll speak to you tomorrow.” He says bye and I hang up, looking at Fleur with a grimace. “I know you don’t want to call Lee, but—”
My sentence is interrupted by my phone ringing, and I sigh in relief, assuming it’s Sawyer, but my eyes widen when I see Nico’s name on my screen. “Hello?”
“Hey,” he says easily in the sexy drawl he has, and I get the urge to curl up and listen to him speak.Put a pin in it, libido. Now is not the time!
