Page 10 of Royal
“I’d argue with that, but I really am a brat,” he responded before I heard munching in my ear. Sounded like he was eating popcorn or chips. “What’s up?”
“Wanna go out tonight?” I drove out of the parking lot and headed home.
“I’d love to, but I’m working. You can come to the bar, though, if you want. I can hook you up with some free drinks, and we can talk when I get a break.”
“Nah, it’s okay,” I said. “I’ll probably crack open my bottle of Jack and call it a night.”
“If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
“Talk to you later, B.”
“Samesies.”
After hanging up, I set my phone in the cup holder and turned down my street.
I lived in a nice neighborhood. Quiet, too. The little old lady who lived across from me liked to spy on everyone else on the block, and when I ran into her while checking the mail, she liked to spill the gossip.
According to Janice, the woman who lived next door to me had been cheating on her husband, who was in the military. And the man who lived on the other side of me was dating three women at once.
It made me wonder what she said about me to other people. I tended to have a lot of guys over.
When I got home, I pulled into the garage and went inside. Silence greeted me. Declan and Kyler had left to go back to LA. Brysen was working. Just that morning my house had been alive with friends and laughter, and now it was…empty.
I pulled at my tie as I walked to my room, preparing myself for a night of staying at home and wallowing in self-pity. I threw on a baggy shirt and sweats and went into the kitchen. The episode with Beth had put me in a mood. Nothing some Jack Daniels couldn’t fix.
Halfway into my Jack and Coke, though, I realized the last thing I wanted was to be alone. So, I replaced my sweats with some jeans, put on my shoes, and left again. I didn’t want to bother Brysen at work, so I chose Raw, Addersfield’s gay nightclub.
It was a guaranteed night of drinking and getting laid.
I frequented the place so much that the workers knew me by name. Lee, one of my favorite bartenders, waved me over. He was my favorite because he was generous with the rum. He was a college kid, more around Brysen and Kyler’s age, and he loved to flirt with me. I hadn’t accepted any of his numerous offers to fuck. He was cute but not my type.
No. My type seemed to be of the asshole class and usually had dark hair and muscles. Just like Grayson.
Fuck. Don’t think about him.
It was bad enough that we lived in the same town and I saw him from a distance on occasion. I didn’t need him occupying my mind while I was at the club and trying to have fun, too. The no-good bastard.
“Hey, Royal,” Lee greeted once I approached the bar. “Want your usual?”
“That’d be great.” I returned his flirty smile in an attempt to get a stronger drink. It worked. “Just open a tab.”
“Yes, sir.” He winked and reached for my card, brushing his finger across mine as he took it.
One drink turned into five, and with each drink, I sank further into that sweet nothingness. Men groped me on the dancefloor. I let them. Enjoyed it. All I cared about was escaping for a while. To drink, dance, flirt, and hopefully get fucked like it was my last night on earth.
Strong hands gripped my hips, and I looked up into some random guy’s face. He was hot. Squared jaw, military-cut dark hair, and light-colored eyes. In the dark, they looked maybe blue, but I wasn’t sure. Not that it mattered.
I pressed closer to him and grazed my teeth along his neck. His hold on me tightened, and I felt his erection through his jeans. We kissed, hot and heavy, but there was nothing behind it other than a desire to be fucked.
He smirked, and that one look was enough to convince me we were on the same page. Hot sex with no attachments.
After closing my tab at the bar, I left and went to the guy’s hotel room. I didn’t ask for his name. He didn’t ask for mine. Since he was staying at a hotel, I suspected he was visiting Addersfield for business or something. I didn’t care either way.
I only cared about what he could give me that night.
