Page 48 of The Devil Can Be Kind

When that didn’t dispel my unease, I ordered another round and drank until the buzz of alcohol overtook everything else. Until all that I cared about was enjoying the music.

“Hey, Girl. What’s your name?”

I looked over my shoulder to see a muscular blond guy leaning against the counter beside me. He was clearly the athletic type with heavy-set shoulders and the most dazzling blue eyes.

I flashed him my flirtiest smile and stuck out my hand.

“Adalyn. And you are?”

“Brandon.” He smiled handsomely at me and shook my hand. “Can I get you a drink?”

“No, no it’s on me.”Well Marco…

I gestured to the bartender, and he quickly got me my signature lime spritzer (don’t ask me how he knew what I drank) and a beer for my companion.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before, are you from Milwaukee?”

Ha! If only you knew.

“No, I’m Chicago!” I lied, yelling over the music. “And you?”

“I’m Milwaukee born and raised. I thought you weren’t local… I’d remember a girl like you.” He winked.

“Oh, really?” I leaned in closer, resting my hand on the back of his neck. “Now tell me…does that pickup line ever work?”

“Like seventy percent of the time,” he admitted sheepishly, and I threw my head back with laughter.

“I admire your honesty,” I said, shooting him a flirty smile.

His hand gently came to rest on my thigh, and my smile faltered for just a second as I fought the inevitable flinch. The physical touch making my mind flash away from the club and to a distant point in my past. The unpleasant memory rattled in the back of my mind, and I shoved against it, blocking it out. Unable and unwilling to think back tothen. Tohim.

I regained my composure and leaned in closer to the handsome jock before me.

“You really are beautiful you know…” He trailed off as I stared squarely at his lips, effectively giving him the green light.

I wasn’t usually so forward, but with everything going on lately I was craving some kind of escapism. No matter what it looked like.

He took the bait, planting a hand on the side of my face and pressing his lips to mine. I opened my mouth to deepen the kiss and then…

Then he was gone.

A second later something wet splattered across my face and I tore open my eyes in shock. Brandon was on the floor bleeding profusely from his nose.

I whipped my head around and found a murderous looking Marco standing over him, fist still clenched and smeared in blood.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I screeched at him, bending over to help Brandon up from the floor.

The man was already on his feet and squaring up to his attacker challengingly, pushing me out of the way in the process.

“What the hell is your problem, dude?” Brandon demanded.

But before the question was fully out of his mouth, Marco had a Glock pressed harshly beneath his jaw.

“Youare my fucking problem,” he spat through clenched teeth, the veins protruding from his forehead as searing rage contorted his features.

Jesse and Layton quickly emerged, descending on us and looking to diffuse the situation. But Marco was already too far gone for that, his finger dangerously close to pulling the trigger.

“Stop it!” I yelled, but he either ignored me or didn’t hear.

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