Page 20 of Ever Dark

She nods. “Well, if you want a break from all that, my brother Bones is throwing a party tonight at his garage. You should come.”

The thought of meeting new people makes me queasy, but I like this girl’s vibe a lot. I’m guessing she wouldn’t hang out with jerks. She seems to have a good sense about her.

“Yeah, sure. Why not? Text me the address later.” She hands me her phone, and I add my number to her contacts.

“Great! And if you need anything, just let me know. I have a little bit of pull in this town.” She winks.

I contemplate asking her about Draven Blackwell but think better of it. He sounds like a fucking asshole. I don’t want to scare off my potential new friend with the fact that I’ve been here a little over a week, and I’m already in a soap-opera-style feud with him.

“Thanks, Lettie. Um, who all is going to be there? I’m not great in big crowds.”

She twirls her hair again while she counts the guest list in her head. “Not too many people. Some of my brother’s friends and a few people we went to high school with. Don’t worry. It’ll be chill.”

I breathe a little easier, but small talk is not one of my strengths. “Sounds good. See you tonight. Thanks for stopping by to welcome me. It means a lot.”

“You got it, girl.” She waves again, warm and sweet and with her whole body, before hopping back into her luxury car.

My phone pings with a text from her before she even drives away. I save her contact info and rush back inside so I can stress out for the next six hours over what I’m going to wear tonight.

The only parties I’ve ever been to were with my ex-fiancé. And those were all stuffy gallery parties in the art district of Raven’s Gate. He loved parading me around to his colleagues, hoping that if he gave me enough champagne and compliments, I’d forget about Nox. That, for once, I could act like a normal girlfriend. After we broke up, I retreated even further into the recesses of my own self-loathing.

I wring my hands in front of the mirror. I’m nervous as fuck. But I know it will be good for me. That’s what my therapist used to tell me, anyway.

I let out a deep, dramatic sigh and turn on the shower. As the hot steam fills the bathroom, a little smile plays on my lips. Maybe that hot guy from Duff’s Bar will be there. I wouldn’t be mad if he wanted to fuck me again.

My mood lightens at the idea of him bending me over a stranger’s bathroom counter. I lean back against the shower wall and shudder. The water rushes down my back, heating my skin. I slide my finger down the center of my pussy while I picture my mystery man. I remember his golden eyes staring back at me in the mirror as I thrust my finger inside.

Fuck. I arch my back and close my eyes as I imagine his hands on me again. “Uhhh.” It doesn’t take long for my nub to spasm. I add another finger as I pump faster, fucking myself hard at the thought of him.

I’m so close, so sensitive. I shudder and moan as a sharporgasm rips through me. My legs shake as I cum all over my fingers. I smear it in circles around my swollen clit, drawing out a second wave of spasms in seconds. “Fuck…”

My chest heaves, and my heart beats out of control. I huff against the shower wall, my pussy raw and tingling. Fuck. I’m so horny right now I’d probably let that masked intruder fuck me. I’m a hot, sticky mess, and I need more than just my own hand.

Suddenly I’m looking forward to this party tonight.

MIA

The building literally saysBones’s Garageon the side. I stand out front, feeling awkward and overdressed in my tight black dress and heels. In the middle of nowhere, the garage lights up the woods like a beacon. Loud music pours out, adding to the eeriness. There’s something off about this town. I can feel it.

I almost chicken out until I see Villette. She waves at me from the doorway, beckoning me forward.

“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath as I plaster on a fake smile and amble forward.

I almost break my ankle when my pointy heel gets stuck in the mud for a second. I recover quickly, though, and I don’t think anyone notices.

“You made it!” Villette grabs my hand and pulls me inside.

She looks gorgeous in tight black jeans, black boots, and a purple cropped sweater that shows off her diamond belly button piercing.

I try to pull back. “I should go change.”

Her eyes widen. “No fucking way. You look hot.”

“Um, are you sure? I feel like people are staring at me.” I look around the garage and find more casually dressed people sandwiched in between the muscle cars, motorcycles, and mechanical equipment.

She giggles. “Only because you’re gorgeous. Relax, Mia. Let’s get you a drink, then I’ll show you around.”

I nod even though I want to run deep into the woods and offer myself up as a sacrifice to the fashion gods. I couldn’t be any less cool if I tried.

---