Page 15 of Run From Me

“Sure. Make two of those for her and one for me, and then cut her off,” Rylee said with a pointed look.

The guy nodded and got to work.

“You can’t cut me off, Rylee. What does it matter anyway? You have your new husband—who is apparently the boss?”

I’d stopped being surprised just about forever ago. Still the boss? I should have known that, right? Did I know that? Who cares? The only other outlets I had were drinking and clubs. Those I seemed to find money for or someone who was more than happy to get me shit faced. Flash the Viper brand, the one I never wanted, and I got to go home alone every time.

Hell, even if I didn’t want to go home alone, the brand would do the trick, regardless. I never wanted to be a part of the Viper world. I never wanted to be a part of the gangs.

My fingers tapped away on the bar as I tried to keep my body still. Energy pulsed through me with no place to go.

“Yeah. Him, Xander, and Zeiden. I forgot you wouldn’t know any of this. They all do this whole thing together.”

I glanced at Rylee and tried for a smile.

“Your life just took a turn for the interesting, didn’t it?” I asked, blowing out a breath and eyeing the bartender, who was taking his sweet time, before turning back to Rylee.

I think she actually blushed, but the lighting on this side of the building was more dance floor dark than over where we’d walked in.

“Right. So what happened with Xander? He’s a good guy, but I don’t get the impression he dates a lot. Maybe just give him a chance to figure himself out?”

One shot slid right in front of me. I waited for Rylee as she picked hers up before I lifted mine and did a little salute before we both downed them.

The bartender looked at me and then Rylee. I winked at him, and he slid a second shot my way. I slammed it before the first had finished, burning away the flesh in my throat.

Rylee glared at the bartender, who promptly slid down to a few other guys that were probably Spectors. Everyone fit here except me.

“Right. Of course. Xander is the head of this little operation, too. I mean, they showed up to that scene like they owned it. I just assumed they had orders to be there, but I should have known, and I should have checked my crush at that door.”

I leaned against the counter, and the stupid grin on Rylee’s face had me dropping my head to the bar like the pain of it all would go away if I couldn’t see it.

I shouldn’t have come tonight, if anything, to protect my heart. Even if my ability to pretend, I didn’t like Xander wasn’t pathetic, there was no pretending I didn’t want what Rylee had.

Safety.

Love.

A future.

FIVE

xander

The room seemed too full,and at the same time, far too empty. Having Cali near me made it nearly impossible to pay attention to anything that Cas was saying. Not that we had much to talk about tonight. It was a party. It was his party and his happiness for once.

Me? I didn’t want this. I didn’t want happiness. Actually, I didn’t want a happiness that could be ripped away from me.

Rylee being kidnapped had nearly driven Cas to a whole new level of demented. No fucking thanks.

I like the cold numbness in my chest right where my heart has once been. The scar that had been far too close reminding me of the battle I’d fought and won and the one reminding me of the only family I had was right here.

I chewed on my lower lip, pulling on the hair of my goatee, because fuck if there wasn’t a magnet in the room.

Holy mother of little black dresses. What the fuck was Cali wearing? I shifted my stance absentmindedly. I’d noticed the dress, but not until I’d already pissed her off and she’d shut the fuck down.

There was something in that woman buried deep, only maybe it wasn’t buried so well if my words alone had sent her into this strange, cold spark of anger.

I didn’t think telling her I couldn’t save her from whatever haunted her would have been enough for this silent treatment, but here we were.

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