Page 27 of Diem

Behind me the crowd goes wild, but I clench my jaw and stare at the back of Bone’s head until the urge to peek has passed.

If Diem’s here. I shouldn’t be. How quickly can I get information on this Kenny guy and leave?

Eventually I lose Bone in the crowd. Any sense of urgency I felt at seeing Diem has faded under the pleasant haze trailing in my system. Absently I wonder why I waited so long to get high, beyond whatever Bone gave me the other night, as I approach a guy staring at me from across the room.

He’s massive with muscles that could give Diem a run for his money and a cute flop of blonde hair. When I’m standing before him, I discover he has pretty brown eyes and after staring dumbly, I shake off my perusal and say with a smile, “Hi.”

“Hey baby, looking good,” he says with an appreciative glint in his eyes.

My cheeks burn as I lean against the wall beside him. Unfortunately, this gives me a nice view of Diem pounding on the dude in the ring.

Suddenly my mouth is dry, and I have to swallow to drum up some spit. He may be an asshole, but he is beautiful. Damn.

When he swings around, I turn away, hoping he doesn’t spot me.Focus. I need to find Kenny.

“So, you seen Kenny around?” I ask as casually as possible.

A ruckus breaks out in the ring, and I look that way to find Diem has knocked out his opponent. Shit.

“Kenny?” the guy drawls. “Baby, he ain’t your type.”

My type? What the hell does that mean?

Hiding my irritation behind a smile, I say, “Maybe not, but I have a message for him.”

His pretty eyes narrow before he shrugs. “He left a while ago with some chick.”

Shoot. Now what? I was hoping for at least a glimpse although I don’t know why I thought that would solve the mystery.

“Right. Thanks,” I say, and he nods as I step away with a wave only to stop up short when I come face to face with the meanest fucker I’ve ever seen.

He’s hot but truly frightening and I shrink away when he barks, “What are you doing here?”

His hard blue eyes surrounded by thick lashes bore into my skull and dropping my gaze I stare at his huge chest. “Me?”

“Yes, you. Didn’t Alex tell you to wait in the car? Never mind.” He grabs my arm and pulls me toward the dark hallway.

I’m too fucking petrified to do much more than follow when he leads me out the back to where another man stands, his head buried in his phone.

Behind me, the bruiser pushes me forward and says, “Tryouts begin now.”

Smoothing my hand down the dress I stole from my mom’s closet, I say shakily, “T-tryouts?”

The bruiser rolls his eyes and points at the ground, and I follow his finger but shake my head.

His long-suffering sigh curdles my tummy before he barks, “Do you want the job or not? On your knees.”

“Hate, you’re gonna scare her away,” the other guy murmurs, still buried in his phone.

Hate? Good lord. What have I stumbled into now? And what the hell does he want me to do on my knees?

“Not my problem. She’ll have to toughen up if she plans to suck dick for a living.”

Uh what? Stepping back, I summon a hesitant smile. “I think—“

“What the fuck is going on out here?” Diem barks and I turn to him with wide eyes.

“Not now, McCafferty,” Hate says as Diem stalks toward me.

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