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And again he cut me off.
“I know I fucked up, Lola, but please say something.”
“I'm glad you are getting help, Dion. I really am, but–”
“No.” He shook his head. “Don't you dare say ‘but’ like that. Just come home and I promise I'll do better. I won't let you down again.”
Taking a deep breath, I counted to ten and waited for my heart to slow down. “We need to talk, Dion. Properly talk. But not here. Somewhere private–”
My name was called out as Tate and my brother appeared in front of us. Tate swung me up in his arms, spinning me in a circle that caused a fresh wave of nausea to rush up my throat.
“Come and have a drink with us, Lola.”
Dion's hand slipped from my wrist as I was bodily carried away.
“I'll come find you soon, I promise. So we can have that talk.”
DION
From across the room, I watched Lola. And it reminded me of Elodie's housewarming party when I had danced with her and Jax had watched with a lost look on his face. He hadn't known how to approach her. That's how I was feeling.
Lost.
And with no clear idea of how to move forward. She had wanted to talk. She hadn't rejected me in any way, but getting her alone was going to be next to impossible. Lola had been right when she had said we needed to talk privately. The things we needed to discuss were private. And of course, there were other things I wanted to do to her in private as well.
Like kiss her.
But none of that could happen when everyone was keeping her away from me. I couldn't even be sure they were doing it on purpose. When it had been Jax in this situation, I hadn’t meant to keep Elodie away. The thought made me pause. Back then, I hadn't understood why he’d kept his distance. He loved her. It was plain for everyone to see, and yet he held everything back. I had told myself that day that I would never be like that. I wouldn’t be a coward, so unsure of himself that he let the girl of his dreams slip between his fingers. And yet here I was, doing the same thing.
Setting my shoulders, I made my way to the bar. It wasn’t one of those temporary things that was usually hired for this kind of occasion. Erik had a permanent one put in when he realised that his place would be the setting of more parties than he dared to imagine when all of this craziness started.
Tate and Louis were there, and of course Jax and Elodie. And hidden behind their laughing forms was the one person I wanted to actually see. Sidling up, I barely looked at Rake as I slipped past him. His eyes widened a little when he saw me, but there was no fear in them. I guess when you were trying to patch into one of the most feared motorcycle clubs in the world, you couldn't let your fear show. But I knew he knew I had wanted him gone from Lola's detail. When she was out in public, I wanted someone I could trust with her. Someone who would keep her safe, and Rake just wasn't it. He was too young and too green.
Not that Lola had been set up with any kind of security since she had left my house. Well, none that I knew of, anyway. I wouldn't have put it past Erik to have someone tail her to make sure everything was ok, though.
“Hey.” I grinned at Tate, who was mixing drinks like he had found his purpose in life. “Can I get a virgin–?”
“You can have a diet coke.” He pushed a can over the bar towards me with a chuckle. “I mean, I know water is your drink of choice, but it's a special occasion.”
Laughing, I snapped open the tab and brought it to my lips as I met Lola's eyes. She was nursing a tall glass of clear liquid. But she wasn't drinking from it. It just sat there, forgotten in her hands as she met my eyes.
“Are you ok?” She looked great as always, but there was a hollowness in her cheeks that not even her makeup could hide. “Are you still feeling rough?”
Something like panic swept across Lola’s face. She glanced at Elodie quickly and then back at me. Her smile was forced. “I'm ok, thanks, Dion.” As if to prove her point, she brought the twisty straw up to her lips. But she didn't drink any of it. Her throat didn't work as she swallowed.
Frowning, I watched as she placed it on the bar again, still untouched. What was going on there? Why was she pretending to drink when it was clear that she wasn't actually even taking a sip?
“What are you drinking tonight?” At home, she always relaxed with a glass of red wine. One glass and she always brushed her teeth afterwards, so I didn't smell it on her. The liquid in her glass was not red, it was clear, and if the smell radiating off of it was anything to go by, it was a very strong vodka.
“I made her my very special vodka and lemonade,” Tate chimed in proudly, and I raised my eyebrows at him. I knew what that meant. It meant it was about three quarter vodka with a dash of lemonade. No wonder Lola was trying not to drink it. She was just too polite to tell him it was too strong.
“Yeah, be careful of that. Tate's specials are lethal.” I laughed quietly. “Anyway, Lola, will you dance with me?”
No one was really dancing at all; it wasn't that kind of party. Not yet anyway. I was sure at some point, after everyone was wasted, more and more people would start gyrating, but the night was still young and most people still had their inhibitions about them.
“Dance?” Lola's eyes roved across the room, to all the people who were talking and chatting or lounging on the giant spacious sofas and smoking. “But no one else is dancing.”
Reaching for her hand, I brought it up to my lips. “We aren't like anyone else though, babe.” I grinned when her face softened. She was angry with me and she had every right to be, but she wasn't completely done with me. There was still hope. I could still make things right. “Or we could just talk?”
