Page 20 of Jaded Red

“I don’t know. I think I do, but then I remember what happened in my past and I’m afraid it’s all a joke. The universe is fucking with me and will take it away when I believe it to be true.” I swallow more of my beer.

A pair of long slender fingers ghost across my chest and I release a shudder. I look down and know I’m not imagining it. A new Club Bunny, Pearl, runs her hands down my chest, closer to the button on my jeans. In shock, I don’t say anything, which she takes as an invitation. She steps closer to me in a tight skirt, short enough to see her ass hanging out, a tight tube top, sky-high heels and tons of make-up on her face.

“Bitch you better move on.” This comes from another club bunny who’s been here long enough to know the score.

“Fuck off, Booty. You’re just jealous.” Pearl snarls. She obviously didn’t get the run down on the way things work around here. I’m about to tell her that when she pushes herself against me and her lips are on my neck.

Before I could remove her grasp from my crotch and neck, I heard a screech behind me and I turned my head to see Nadia standing in the doorway.

“What the fuck, Red?” Nadia spits my name out in disgust. “I tell you my biggest secret and the first thing you do is come out here to fuck around on me?”

“Shit. Nadia, wait. It’s not what you think.” I finally get Pearl to release my crotch and stumble after Nadia. “Nadia, wait!” I shout.

Kensi steps in my path, pure hatred rolling off her body in waves. “Leave her alone, Red. You’ve done enough.”

“Kensi, move,” I growl. I try to step around her but she steps with me.

“No. You’ve done enough. Leave her alone.” Kensi crosses her arms over her chest, glaring at me.

“I don’t want to physically move you, but I will.” My voice is low and deadly.

“Step the fuck back now, Red.” Capone snarls. He moves in front of Kensi, blocking my path.

“Prez, don’t do this.” I plead.

“You get your shit together and do it now.” Capone points down the hallway away from Nadia’s room. “Get the fuck out of here and cool off.”

“I need to explain.”

“You need to leave.” Capone’s word is law and there is no arguing with him.

“Fine. But if anything happens to Nadia, that’s on the both of you.” I point between the two traitors.

I stomp back to the bar and grab a full bottle of whiskey. I take a swig and then another and another. I watch as Nolan rises from his seat with Krimson behind him and they leave the Clubhouse. That’s weird, but fuck it, I don’t care. I keep drinking until a quarter of the bottle is left and then stumble outside. I sway on my feet, my head is spinning and I can’t see straight.

“Fuck!” I scream into the night air. I didn’t do anything wrong and Nadia thinks I did. What do I do now? How do I fix this?

“Red.” I hear someone call my name but I ignore them. “Red, get inside and sleep it off.”

“Fuck off.” I slur, stumbling more. Someone grabs my arm but I fling them off, falling on my ass in the dirt. “Fuck all of you.” I down the last of the whiskey and lay down, staring up at the stars littering the sky. “Fuck it all.” I slur and my world goes dark.

Fuck, my head is throbbing. I’m lying on my stomach and peel an eye open to look around. I’m in my room but everything is a blur since Nadia accused me of letting a club bunny touch me. If she only knew the truth, she wouldn’t have been quick to react like that. That fuck up is on me. I should have told her about my past but I didn’t want to burden her with more stress.

I try to move but my head is spinning and my stomach lurches. All the alcohol I drank last night is sloshing around and I’m going to vomit. A warm hand brushes across my back and I freeze. I’m partly dressed in my jeans, but my boots, cut, gun and t-shirt are off. I’m afraid to move my head and see who is here with me but I have to. I can’t play turtle for the foreseeable future. I slowly move only my head and I sag with relief. It’s Nadia next to me. Her IV is still hooked up but the color is slowly returning to her complexion and the bags under her eyes aren’t so thick.

I release a shuddering breath and give her a tentative smile. “What are you doing here?” I ask, my brain is still hazy.

Nadia rolls her eyes, “Don’t you remember?”

I sit up a little and wait for the room to stop spinning. “Remember what? The last thing I remember is you coming out of the rooms and freaking out, thinking I was fucking around.” I sit up further when I know the room isn’t going to turn into the Matrix and spin me into a black hole. “Which I didn’t and wouldn’t by the way.”

Nadia rolls her eyes again and huffs out a breath. “I know that now, Matt.” She sits next to me on the bed and hands me a bottle of water. “I fucked up and let my insecurities get the best of me.”

“What made you realize you were wrong?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. Did I confess my secrets in my drunk-induced haze?

“Kensi and Aftermath. You have an amazing family here. Then I went to find you and instead, I found Pearl literally in Trigger's lap, face down, ass up while Dagger had her from behind.” She shivers with a giggle. “But hey, it’s his life to do with what he wants. I can’t judge someone for wanting a blowjob from a club bunny when she’s willing to give it to them while getting it from behind. But if I ever catch her hands on you again, I won’t be responsible for my actions.” Nadia huffs out and I can’t help but release a low chuckle. “What’s so funny?” Nadia scowls.

“You’ve got a little green,” I brush my fingertip over her nose. “Right there.” Nadia swats me and I release an umph.

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