Page 14 of Touch in the Dark

I’m not sure what it is I see there, a plea to say nothing about what I’ve seen of him and his mood lately? Or that he thinks I can talk Adam and Jordan down about getting in his shit? Do I even want to do either of those things, given I’m as concerned as Jordan and Adam are?

“Arch and I talked on the way over, we both agree we’re happy with holding off till the new year. Am I included in these holiday plans?” I ask Jordan.

“Course,” he grins. “We all are,” he holds out his arms. “It’s gonna be epic.”

He goes off on a tangent about how he ought to have been a party planner and Adam tries to find out what the hell he’s planning. Arch looks over at me, he gives me a slight nod. I tilt my head and narrow my eyes. My meaning is clear. I’ve saved his ass tonight, but he has some explaining to do. He owes me.

When we get to Jordan and Adam’s building, Jenna, Alessa and Brooke all get into the car. Alessa doesn’t hesitate to plop herself on Jordan’s lap, not that he would have let her sit anywhere else. She’s in her usual black, but the dress is sparkly and short, and she’s wearing heels, which is unusual for her. Jenna squeezes between me and Adam, kissing him on the cheek then waving at everyone. Her cheeks are all rosy and she’s grinning like mad.

“Who got you drunk?” Adam asks, glaring at Brooke as she settles herself beside Archer, reaching over him for the mini bar.

“Why are you looking at me?” she huffs.

“Because you’re a bad influence,” Adam tells his fiancée’s best friend.

“Archer, move up,” she nudges him, and he grumbles but moves over.

Megan, the other woman in their friend group gets in the limo and apologises to everyone. No one really knows what she is apologising for, but it’s something she does often. We’ve kind of all learned to go with it. She has a long history of domestic abuse and Jenna explained it’s a natural reaction for her to apologise, in a weird kind of way of pre-empting anything bad that might happen. She assured us Meg knows no one here would ever hurt her in any way, it’s just a habit she formed, and it’s difficult for her to break.

“Hey, Megster, how’s my favourite fighter’s woman?” Jordan breaks any weird atmosphere that came into the car with her. “Does Slayer have a fight this weekend?”

“He does,” Megan smiles. “In Chicago on Saturday night. I’m flying out there in the morning.”

“Well, tell him I’ve got money riding on him, so he better make sure he wins.”

“He always wins,” Megan says shyly.

Her situation couldn’t have been any weirder, to go from an abusive relationship to one with a professional fighter. Joey ‘Slayer’ Ferguson is a legendary MMA fighter, with a fierce reputation. Jenna has known him for years and swears up and down he’s a big teddy bear. Given how we’ve all seen the way he treats Megan like she’s a fucking queen, I can well believe it. It’s funny how things work out.

“Do you know about the holiday plans Jordan and your mom are making, without letting any of us in on it?” Adam asks Jenna.

“Huh?” she tilts her chin up at him, her hand outstretched for the champagne Brooke has poured out for the women. “What holiday plan?”

And so ensues another round of questions and trying to get Jordan to talk, but the guy is a vault.

“Jordan,” Brooke is sitting forward in her seat, her legs crossed and one wrist resting over her bare knee, the champagne glass dangling from her fingers. “You realise people will make their own holiday plans if they’re not aware they’re meant to be somewhere else, right?”

He just grins at her.

“You’re better off not even trying,” I tell her.

She doesn’t look appeased by that but before any more arguments can ensue, we pull up at a brownstone that has a couple of men standing outside, trying but failing to be inconspicuous. We were told to enter the property as quickly as possible when we were originally invited, no one wants to let it out of the bag there are tons of celebrities here tonight. I hand out the invites to everyone.

“Archer, you’re my plus one,” Brooke tells him, linking his arm.

“Think you’ll find the invite was for me and my plus one.”

“Well, either way, this is your lucky night,” she clinks her champagne glass off his empty shot glass.

He mutters something no one hears but as he is closest to the door, he gets out and, despite his dour mood, does the gentlemanly thing and helps her out of the car. I do not miss how he checks out her ass as she steps ahead of him though, and he lifts a brow when he sees I caught him. He gives me a rare, as of late, Archer grin, before walking towards the stairs of the house. I turn to Meg, figuring she’s with me.

“Joey won’t kick my ass, will he?” I ask her as we follow the others.

“Not unless you give him reason to,” she smiles.

“I don’t have a death wish,” I hold out my arm and Megan links it but keeps a respectable distance between us.

We’re ushered up the steps to get us off the street quickly and our car pulls away before it draws attention too.

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