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“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said, taking in our gaping expressions. “Careful boys, you’ll start catching flies,” she said over her shoulder as she headed down the stairs and we scrambled to follow.
Once we’d made our way up the street, a car pulled up and Elle opened the door to get in.
“What are you doing?” I wrapped my hand around her bicep.
She looked at where we were touching and swallowed hard.Yeah, I felt it too. “You think I’m walking in these heels? I ordered a cab.” I looked down to see her silver shoes, sporting at least a four-inch heel. Peering around her, I saw that it was indeed a marked cab and not just a random car.
“I…uh…I could use the walk, I’ll meet you guys in town,” Hayden rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
“Don’t be silly, we go together,” Elle laced her fingers with his and dragged him into the cab with her. She was clueless. Lance got in the back while I rode up front with the driver. When we were in the heart of the town, I tapped my card on the machine and we all exited.
“How much do I owe you for the taxi?” Elle asked, rifling through her tiny handbag and Hayden brought his wallet out of his pocket too.
“I don’t want your money,” I told her, my voice taking a sharper edge than I’d intended. If she didn’t pay me, then neither would Hayden.
Her head jolted back slightly. “Okay.”
Hayden’s eyes flicked to me momentarily with a look of brief gratitude. I didn’t acknowledge it, not wanting him to feel like a charity case. I know what it’s like and if I can put someone at ease, I will.
“Okay, so there are several bars doing deals for fresher’s week,” Elle said, checking her phone. “Ooh, ooh, ooh! There’s a place just up the road that has karaoke!” Her eyes were wide with unbridled excitement.Kill. Me. Now.
“Karaoke?” Lance grimaced at the prospect.
“Oh, come on, you don’t have to sing, but judging everyone else is fun!” She linked her arms through his and Hayden’s, wisely giving me a wider berth, and dragged them up the pavement toward her choice of bar. Lance flipped a terrified look my way over his shoulder, which had me chuckling to myself. Serves you right, motherfucker, you made me come to fucking university. Hayden laughed, releasing Elle’s arm in favour of slinging his own over her shoulders and tucking her into his side. He ruffled Lance’s hair, which surprised my cousin, amusingly.
“Come on, it’ll be fun.”
Karaoke is not fun. The bloke hogging the mic was blind drunk and singing Justin-fucking-Bieber off key and very loudly. Surrounded by students, we stand at the bar waiting to be served. They had a half-price drinks offer for students for the week and the place was packed. I felt old. Twenty-two is hardly ancient but compared to eighteen, it is significant. Lance took a year persuading his dad to allow him to further his education, so he was nineteen but mature. He had to be, growing up in the life.
“What’s everyone having? I’m buying,” Elle waved a credit card at us.
“Corona,” Lance answered.
I nodded to indicate I’d have the same and Hayden just shook his head. “Nah, I’m good.”
“Unacceptable. Try again,” she responded.
Hayden sighed, “Baby, I’ll have to sit this out. I can’t afford to buy a round of drinks.”
She cocked her brow and gave him a stare that begged no argument when she said, “Did I say you had to?”
I smiled behind her back as Hayden agreed to a beer. We made our way to a table where Elle sat demurely on the high stool, one leg crossed over the other and pressed the bottle to her lips. Looking round the place I noted the attention she was drawing. Several men were watching her, and although I couldn’t blame them, it made me antsy. My lip curled as I glared each of those fuckers down.
I found myself staring at Elle as she easily conversed with Lance and Hayden, flirting slightly but not seriously. The three of them laughed and chatted, Lance and Hayden seemed to be clicking well. I, however, could not switch off. I scanned the room, taking in the surroundings looking for anything that was suspicious, anyone looking over at us, anywhere that adversaries could be lurking. Syd Preston left me responsible for his heir and fuck if I won’t take that seriously. Not to mention Lance is my cousin and, despite my initial misgivings about his family, he’s been good to me and I would be sad if he died.
“Would you just relax?” Lance said loud enough to be heard over the thumping music but quiet enough that Hayden and Elle couldn’t hear, not that they were paying attention, heads dipped together in private conversation. Hayden’s arm was snaked around her waist, keeping them close as they spoke, and they both had wide smiles. For a second, I had an inexplicable urge to tear them apart and sit between them.Weird.
“I’m perfectly relaxed.” Lies.
Lance snorted and slapped my shoulder. “It’s going to be a long three years if you’re this tense the whole time. You’ll be shitting diamonds before graduation. Drink, enjoy the company, find a pretty girl.” My eyes dart to Elle across the table. If Lance noticed, he didn’t let on. “Just chill the fuck out and enjoy your time here, Brent. We have three years of freedom and then you’ll never get a real day off ever again.” This time I turn to him, his face serious and pleading. This is what he needs. Time. Timebefore he is forced to embrace his responsibilities and become head of The Daos.
“Okay,” I concede with a tight smile, placing my hand on his back in a way I hoped told him that I understood, that I wanted him to have his three years of freedom.
An hour later, Hayden looked majorly uncomfortable with the second round of drinks Lance bought, but he accepted his beer with a thanks. The karaoke was horrendous, making me just about ready to snap and tell them that we had to move to a different bar, but the MC introduced Elle as the next singer. The three of us looked at her in surprise. I hadn’t even noticed her put her name on the list. She stood with a smile, throwing us a wink over her shoulder as she sauntered to the stage. Well, if anything can cure attraction, fucking karaoke can.
The music starts and I groan at the absolute cheese she’s selected. The thought that this is a person I have to practically live with for a year made me tired. But then, she sang.
The famous backing starts telling us to turn around.
