Page 62 of All the Bright Lights

Cursing.

Drinking.

Picking fights.

All of it is not me.

Yet, I can’t seem to control myself. It’s like my body is doing whatever the hell it wants and my brain is just along for the ride.

“Wait here.” Bonnie situates me at the end of the bar as she leans over the counter to speak to a male bartender, who looks pretty freaking hot through my blurred, beer goggles.

Moments later, the bartender slides out from behind the bar and the next thing I know, Bonnie and I are following him through a door guarded by security into the private VIP section that I didn’t realize existed until just now.

He leads us a few feet inside then stops, pointing to the far side of the room.

“Bathrooms are back there. If anyone asks, I didn’t let you in here.” He winks at Bonnie, who giggles like a freaking little school girl when he slaps her ass and quickly walks away.

If I didn’t have to pee so bad I would not be letting that little interaction go so easily, as I get the feeling she knows him somehow, but as it is, if I don’t get to a bathroom soon, my bladder’s going to expel itself without a single care if there’s a toilet beneath me when it does.

Giving Bonnie a silent thank you, I take off toward the bathroom as quickly as my feet will carry me without falling.

When I finally slip into a stall and relieve my bladder, I swear it’s like the sun shines down on me and literal angels sing. I’ve never felt such ecstasy.

Okay, so that’s notentirelytrue.

Maybe before Treyton it would have been true.

But after him…

I shake off the thought, making my way out of the stall to wash my hands.

I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and cringe.

No wonder that woman thought I was bat shit crazy for insinuating that I knew Treyton. I look like a freaking mess. My hair is damp and matted. My makeup is smeared and melting away from sweat. And my dress is twisted about an inch too far to one side making me look lopsided.

Pulling a hair tie off my wrist, since I always carry one in case, I tie my hair back in a loose pony and work to salvage what’s left of my makeup. But to be honest, I’m so inebriated I’m not sure how good of a job I actually do.

When I exit the bathroom a few moments later, I feel like an entirely new woman, and much to my surprise, ready for another drink.

Not like I’m going to sober up anytime soon either way. Might as well enjoy it.

“Bon!” I look around the space that’s really just a long hallway with a bunch of curtained off private areas that overlook the main room of the club. The two sections I passed on my way to the restroom were empty, but when I look to my left I see the last one is overflowing with people and among them, my best friend.

“Bon!” I hiss, making my way closer.

She turns when she hears me approach.

“There she is.” She smiles, stepping to the side to reveal who she’s talking to.

“Beckett Everest?” I don’t realize I’ve even spoken until the man turns, giving me a warm, if not rehearsed, dimpled smile.

“And you are?” He reaches for my hand.

“This is my girl, the one I was telling you about,” Bonnie answers for me. “Clarke.”

“Nice to meet you, Clarke.” He brushes his lips across the back of my hand.

Beckett Everest is almost as famous as Treyton and almost as handsome…Almostbeing the key word here.

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