Page 62 of No Promises, No Lies

A deep voice clears its throat behind me and I spin around, expecting Cam. The smile fades from my lips when I lift my chin, coming face to face with myfavoriteBreakers’ player. His towering height makes him look distinctly out of place on the dance floor. That, and the fact he’s standing completely still in a sea of dancing bodies.

“What do you want?” I narrow my eyes at him, trying to look past him for any sign of Cam. hoping to get away from Aidan as quickly as possible.

“Are you having fun?” I don’t miss the subtle look of judgement in Aidan’s cool green eyes.

“Iwas,” I shoot back, looking him up and down pointedly.

Cam chooses the perfect moment to reappear, two glasses in his hands. I raise a confused brow at the sight of the hard liquor, but brush it off, reaching to take the glass he’s handing me.

Aidan shoulders his way between us, knocking my hand and sending my glass careening to the floor where it shatters.

I squeak out in surprise when the cool liquid and bits of ice splash up against my leg.

“Dude, what the fuck?” I catch a flash of pure rage in Cam’s eyes before it’s gone again, giving me pause. He’s laser focused on Aidan beside me.

Aidan turns to face Cam, wedging himself further between Cam and me in the process, and inadvertently pushing me behind him. He towers over Cam by at least four inches and sends a look promising death toward my dance partner.

“Get the fuck out of my club, Reeves.” Aidan signals to the nearest bouncer, pointing at Cam.

Cam’s light eyes darken, becoming almost unrecognizable before he sneers at Aidan. “You know what… fuck you, O’Rourke.” I watch their exchange with wide-eyed surprise. Clearly, they know each other.

Cam shakes his head in frustration, but stalks his way through the crowd, pushing a couple of girls out of his way as he passes by.

Okay, maybe there were some red flags…

“What the hell, Aidan?” I practically shout, shoving him hard from behind and forcing his gaze back to me. A quick glance around me turns up no sign of Elle or Sadie; the thick crowd must have separated me from them at some point.

He looks down at me with an infuriatingly bored expression, as if he can barely stand totalkto me after going out of his way to cock-block me. “Your father wouldn’t approve.” He gives me a casual shrug before he looks away, scanning the crowd of dancers around us.

“Put-lease,” I scoff, folding my arms across my chest, “like you give a shit.” His excuse for ruining my night is lame, and we both know it. But I don’t have the time or the bandwidth right now to work out Aidan’s true motivation. It’s at that moment his previous words sink in. “Wait, a minute...” I wobble slightly on my heels, the result of both alcohol and the raucous crowd moving around us. “Youownthis club?”

He gives me a hard look, like it should be obvious.

“Of course you do,” I mumble, nearly under my breath. I pull out my cell and check the time. It’s nearly one. A quick glance over to the VIP area shows the Breakers and Belles in full party mode.

I spy Liv, half deep into a mojito, still wrapped around none other than Mr. Colt King himself. I heave out a small sigh. She’s not leaving anytime soon…

I look up to find Aidan still watching me. “Well, as much fun as this has been... I’m out. Have the night you deserve, Aidan.” I give him a little salute because... of course I do... and spin on my heel. For good measure, I shout back over my shoulder, “Don’t follow me.”

I leave him with my best withering stare, and make a beeline out of the bar.

38

GIVE. ME. BACK. MY. PHONE.

RORY

Storming out into the cool night air, my cheeks heat with both rage and embarrassment. The line waiting outside the club is still long despite the late hour, so I take off in the opposite direction down the sidewalk. I need to get away from the crowd.

The heels on my boots click against the concrete while I unlock my phone to pull up the ride-share app.

There’s no way in hell I’m waiting around here for a ride home with Liv. The way she was curled around the Breakers’ center… I’m not sure she’s planning on taking us home at all.

The sound of heavy footsteps behind me has me instantly on edge. I feel fine—a little buzzed—but, I’ve still got my wits about me.

I pretend to bury my nose in my phone as I walk, subtly fingering the hemline of my skirt, just below where I’ve strapped the small knife I started wearing after everything went down with the O’Rourkes. I still need to convince Niko to get me my own gun.

The footsteps grow closer, moving fast as if they are trying to catch up to me. When a hand lands on my arm, I’m ready. Isnatch the knife from its sheath and spin around, pressing the knife right up against my attacker’s—Aidan’s—throat.

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