Page 18 of Puck Princess

Johnny, the bouncer, lets two blonde women in ahead of everyone else. Then he looks at me. We share a nod, and I squeeze past the line of people and through the door.

The place is an absolute madhouse. If the owner doesn’t shut things down soon, the fire department will. I search the crowd for Summer or Callie, but even from my high vantage point, there’s not a chance of finding anyone in this mayhem.

“O!” Dax claps me on the shoulder. “Where the fuck you been, bro?”

“Where’s Callie?”

“She was here. There. Somewhere.Idonfugginknow.” He’s blasted. Great.

“She was looking for Summer.” Lance appears out of the woodwork of drunkards. He’s slurring too, but not as much.

“Where’s Summer?”

“She was talking to Miles,” Lance says. “Everything okay? You still look like shit.”

“And where’s Miles?” I press on, ignoring him.

“He left with Summer.” Lance frowns. “But for real, O. You look?—”

“And where is Callie?” I interrupt.

Dax squints his eyes before a lightbulb flickers above his head. “She went after Miles and Summer! Fucking fuck, this is a hard game, but I think we got all the answers right.”

“I gotta go.” I shove my way back to the entrance. I faintly hear Lance call my name, but there isn’t time.

It’s easier to scan the crowd out front, but I still don’t see any of the faces I’m looking for.

“Fuck!” The outburst earns me a few worried looks, but my reputation has handled worse today than a few public curse words.

“Hey, Sharpe.” Johnny’s deep voice gets my attention. “You need somethin’?”

“I’m looking for Miles.”

“Went around the corner a bit ago with a redhead. A blonde went looking for him, too.”

“Thanks, man.” I dart down the alley, inspecting every person I pass. When I get to the back of the building I don’t know where to go next. I’ve hit the end of the line.

Then I hear them.

“Leave me alone!” The terror in Callie’s voice is a bucket of ice water in my veins. I run across the street and see them halfway down a dark alley. Miles has her pinned against the wall.

His hands are all over her.

“I swear to God I will tear your fucking clothes off if you don’t give me your—” he says to her.

“Get your fucking hands off of her!” They both stop and turn. My feet are moving faster than my thoughts as I rip down the alley towards them. My sights are locked on Miles, fully prepared to destroy him.

“Well, if it isn’t the white knight.” Miles is grinning. Always grinning. I used to trust that grin. To think he was a chill guy. A solid guy.A friend.

I was wrong.

Now, I see the darkness lurking just under the surface. And he’s going to pay for it.

I throw all my weight into his chest, slamming him against the wall. “If youevertouch either of them again?—”

“You’ll what?”

I meet his gaze, my blood running hot in my veins. “I’ll fucking kill you.”

---