Page 50 of Bitter Truths

“Aaron . . .”

“Just sayin.’ He wants to eat you up, baby.”

“Hm,” I say grimly. I follow him to the car, pulling the coat I’ve brought for the ride around me tighter as I contemplate Aaron dressed up as a girl—for the record, I think he would be prettier than me—before turning my thoughts to Griffin.

Where is he partying tonight? And is Miranda with him?

∞∞∞

The club is hopping when we arrive, and I’m glad I allowed Aaron to convince me to change when I spy the costumes all around me. The strobe lights dance macabrely off ghouls, vampires, slutty nurses, and more. With a smile, I join Aaron on the dance floor and lose myself to the music.

Aaron dances like a spaz, his arms and legs jerking everywhere, and I laugh when the people around us back away warily. This is what I love about him. He’s free, and I desperately want to be the same.

We dance for a while until we’re sweaty and breathless before heading to the bar and ordering a couple of sodas. Leaning against the railing, I turn and scan the room, but I don’t see Griffin or Miranda. Maybe it’s for the best, but I can’t ignore the sweet slide I feel at the thought of being near him, and with a frown, I realize I crave the pulse-pounding exhilaration he gives me.

But he’s not here, not that I can see anyway, and grudgingly I admit it’s for the best because I seriously need to get past this shit before I lose my fucking mind. I’m young, pretty enough. I don’t need Griffin to define me. I don’t need anyone.

With this in mind, I scope out the room, my eyes passing from group to group until I catch the look of a guy to my right with a sweet smile and lush dark hair. My lips curve up, but when he grins full out, my skin prickles and not in a good way.

With a silent sigh, I turn back to Aaron. More time. I just need more time. Shit.

A commotion breaks out near the dance floor and glancing around curiously, I spy Max’s friend, or should I say drug dealer, shouting in some dude’s face. The two push each other, and then fists fly, but the bouncer is there quickly enough to break it apart, leading Patch away with a ferocious scowl.

Last year, Patch threatened me while Max stood by, high and oblivious. This was one of the primary reasons I finally told my truth in therapy and begged Dr. Marks to help me convince my mom to let me move out.

Although it was a successful maneuver in that she finally agreed, it freaked her out so badly she drove to campus in the middle of the night.

Patch is not a nice dude, and even now, watching as he’s led away, I shiver in the hot club because he’s fucking dangerous.

At the last minute, just as he’s passing, he swings his head my way, his dark hair flopping over his forehead. His eyes widen before they narrow, and I turn away quickly. Fuck. Closing my eyes, I push back the panic pressing at my lungs.

Nothing good can come from being on this guy’s radar. I just hope Max has been true to his word and kept his distance because Patch has no reason to seek me out. He got the money he wanted, my parents dipping into their retirement to save Max.

So, everything is good, except Patch had a keen interest in me, and I don’t think money had anything to do with it. I chew my lip, watching from the corner of my eye, and release my breath on a pained sigh when he’s out of sight.

“C’mon chica, there’s more action in the back,” Aaron says, drawing me from my thoughts.

He leads me down a dark hallway, past the bathrooms and into another room I didn’t know existed. It’s smaller, with the same strobe lights but red walls that practically undulate under the illusion created.

Smaller groups are broken off, dancing and making out in the intimate space, and curiously, I glance at Aaron, who’s staring across the way at a guy and girl against the wall, practically fucking.

Aaron’s face contorts at the sight, and I grab his arm questioningly, but he just smiles and leads me to the wall.

“What’s going on?” I yell to be heard over the pumping music.

Sheepishly, he shrugs his shoulders. “I fucked them last weekend.”

“Both of them?” I raise my brows and glance back at the couple.

The guy is strong, tall, with a beautiful head of hair and stern features. The girl, well, all I can see is that she has a nice ass and trim waist.

“Yep,” he says, searching my expression with wide eyes.

“Okay,” I say slowly. “Do you want to go over there?”

“You don’t care?”

“Why would I?” He smiles so wide I blink before he pulls me into a crushing hug.

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