Looking For PG
Hercules Valentine
Ibob my head to Junga’s “Uprise,” a rousing electronic mix. I’m casually scanning the room, pretending I’m not looking forher. I haven’t spotted Paisley Grove yet. Maybe she’s on the rooftop, catching some air. This isn’t her scene. I’m aware of this not because I know her but because I’ve been watching her. In my family, you hear a lot about the Groves. The grandfather, Charles Gregory Grove, was conniving. My father thinks he deserves to be dead. I’ve been waiting for Paisley to live up to the bad press, but she hasn’t. As a matter of fact, I can’t figure her out. She’s quiet and resides in her own world, which I think is on a different plane than ours. And if you give people the chance to treat someone like shit, they’ll jump on it. Either she doesn’t know she’s been treated like shit, or she doesn’t care. I suspect she’s too smart and mature to care. The software she made for the teachers was a whole new level of brilliant. And then there’s the fact that she’s attractive in a sensual way.
“Who are you looking for?” Greenly’s voice rises above the music.
All eyes are on me. Donovan, Kirk, and a brunette whose name I can’t remember have been holding Greenly’s attention. I thought Paisley would find her way to our group since Greenly was the one who invited her to this lame-ass party and I made sure she got in. I want to talk to her, get to know her for myself.
I shrug. “Just checking out the scene.”
I look away from the group. Paisley’s the only reason I’m with them. I glare at the staircase leading to the rooftop and then focus on Greenly. I heard she’s been spreading rumors that we used to go out. We never did. She’s never appealed to me. There’s no mystery to her. She was my first kiss of the year, though. We were at my buddy Scott’s New Year’s Eve party. The countdown ended, and Greenly jumped on me, wrapped her legs around my torso, and shoved her tongue in my mouth. I didn’t like it. Her overeager lips were too tense, and I pulled away from her, set her back down on her feet, and got the hell away from her.
Donovan lifts his chin, pointing it at something behind me. “If you’re looking for Paisley Grove, she’s leaving with O’Brien.”
What?I jerk my head around, following his gaze. I would have continued feigning indifference if she was with anyone but O’Brien. The guy’s bad news, especially at parties like this.
“Let’s go dance, Hercules,” Greenly says, her fingers wrapping around my wrist.
Something’s wrong. O’Brien’s arm is around Paisley’s waist, and her head is against the side of his chest. Her arms are flailing like she drank too much. She just got here. Paisley Grove can’t be that drunk already. The hairs are standing up on my arms because I know O’Brien’s deep dark secrets. I walk fast, and my strides are long as I keep my eyes on them.
“Hercules, where are you going?” Greenly whines. She says something else, but her words get gobbled up by ambient noise.
I’m close. “O’Brien!” I try to stop him from closing the door to the elevator. “Shit,” I mutter, weaving past people. I don’t want to create a scene.
When I make it to the roped-off hallway where there are two private elevators facing each other, they’re gone. I can't stop here. I have to go after them. I step over the red rope.
“Hey, hey, hey,” a security guard says, grabbing me by the shoulder.
My anger erupts like a blast from a stick of dynamite. All I see is red. He has his fucking hands on me, but he didn’t feel the need to stop the slimeball from taking advantage of an obviously drugged girl. My movement is too swift to stop myself. The guard is against the wall, my forearm against his neck, and I want to hurt him badly for what he let happen.
“Why the fuck didn’t you stop him?” I say, my lips clenched.
“Hercules!”
I face whoever called my name.
“What the fuck?” Darby bellows like I’m the one who’s in the wrong.
I toss the guard away from me like he’s yesterday trash. Since Darby is near enough, I reach out to grab him by the collar. “Where did he take her?” I growl.
Darby’s eyes expand. “Who are you talking about?”
“O’Brien. Where’s he taking girls he’s raping tonight?” I’m loud, and I know it. I want everyone within earshot to hear me. I know for certain that those fuckers have done it before, but no one can prove it. It’s why I never go to their fucking parties. And I want to rip his fucking head off for allowing his buddy to do it to Paisley Grove.
“Do we need backup?” The guard asks. I take a glance. He has his radio to his mouth.
Darby and I glare at each other like two lions before battle.
“No,” he spits, lips clenched.
He shoves me hard in the chest, but I don’t budge. My stalwartness sends him a message. I have two older brothers who are hard as hell. I can absorb punches, and Darby sure as hell doesn’t want to take one from me.
I draw him close. We’re nearly nose to nose. “Where did O’Brien take Paisley Grove?”
“Let go of me.”
“You’re taking me, then?”
