Page 19 of Possession

“Yeah, let me just clean up this mess real quick.”

Feels better than being alone.

“One hour… take a shower, and tomorrow you’re helping me fix this damn door.”

Once he left my room, I pulled my phone from my pocket and opened the lock screen. The Jack made me bolder than I was really feeling, or maybe I was just giving into the fatigue of loving someone who couldn’t love me back.

Me:This is Declan, want to meet at Bellows tonight?

My stomach churned as I awaited a response. Something told me it would’ve been smarter to just stay home and pass out on whatever else Liam had in the kitchen, but I didn’t have a chance to back out.

Kate:I’m already here. See you soon.

Stress. It built like a boiling tea kettle in my chest as I walked through the doors of Bellows. The bass thumped and the room smelled of stale beer, perfume, and desperation. The tables were full, and I kept my eyes down as I followed behind Liam. My palms were sweating and, for a split second, I hoped that maybe Kate had decided not to wait here for me and had gone home. Liam stopped abruptly and I raised my gaze. She was sitting at the bar. Kate’s black hair was shiny and straight and the shots I’d taken while Liam showered fed my swarming buzz.

Liam’s knowing eyes fell across my face and he swallowed. “Maybe.” He paused and shook his head. “I don’t know, Dex, maybe—”

“I’m okay.” I attempted to lift the corners of my mouth.

Kate’s eyes slid across the room and her lips parted with a smile once she found me. She was wearing all black, her dress was short, exposing ghostly white legs. The dark fabric made the tone of her skin stand out, and I wished for her skinny jeans and old band t-shirts. My anxiety was about to trickle over the surface as Kate confidently pushed her hair over her shoulder and stepped off the bar stool.

“Hey.” Kieran’s hand clapped down on my shoulder.

“Declan’s meeting a chick tonight.” Liam sounded proud and it should have made me feel better, but I knew he was infusing the lie into his voice to help me. He knew me better than anyone, and he saw terror written all over my face the minute we stepped foot into the bar.

“Who?” Kieran’s smile spread across his face.

“Hey, Declan.” Kate’s voice was sultry under the silhouette of alcohol. It poured like silk between us. The dim light of the room set the mood, purposefully nursing the notions of anticipation, sex, and need. And maybe it was just the whiskey, but it put me at ease.

“Hi,” I said and gave her the best smile I had. Her face lit up and the glossy shimmer of her lips drew my attention. She was beautiful. The easy line of her nose, the rise of her cheekbones, her small stature, and full breasts, I should be pleased, but instead I suddenly felt nauseous.

“If you need us, we’ll be in the back playing pool.” Liam gave me a nod.

Kieran lingered, his eyes fixed on Kate, and they narrowed into a hard glare. She was facing me so she’d missed the look, but it bothered me and my sick stomach churned.

“Come on, little brother,” Liam spoke, and Kieran took a step backward; his brows furrowed as his eyes met mine with questions just before he turned and walked toward the back room with Liam.

Was he disappointed in me?

Of course he is.

She’s not her.

The air in the room was hot and thick, and maybe it was panic or maybe I was being a pussy, either way, I needed a moment to breathe. “Let’s go outside for a minute?”

I was without the shield of my sketch pad and even the hard bass wasn’t silencing the doubt or the voices tonight.

“Okay.” She smiled at me and, before I had a chance to walk toward the front, she grabbed my hand and laced her fingers through mine. Her skin was sweaty and foreign. She smiled up at me and a slight quiver of her bottom lip made me feel better. Maybe I wasn’t the only nervous one.

I exhaled as I led us through the crowd. She tightened her grip, and it felt good to have someone hold onto me again. The night air was dry and warm as I opened the door to Bellows. It washed over me and cleansed my worried thoughts, if only for the moment.

She followed next to me, hand in hand, her purse over her shoulder, the strap positioned between her breasts as we walked a few more steps into the night. The heat of the sidewalk burned beneath us, and I almost felt like a man again as my eyes fell to our clasped hands. I stopped mid-step and sucked in a ragged breath.

She giggled. “Are you nervous or something?”

My smile was genuine as I let the Jack Daniel’s encourage me to speak the truth. “Yes.”

She hiccupped and I laughed. “Sorry, I might’ve had a few drinks before you got here. A little liquid courage never hurt, right?” She quirked her perfectly sculpted black brow.

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