Page 8 of The Denver Alpha

I slide her a grateful smile as we step into the foyer to find Tobias and three of his friends waiting for us. They all look vaguely familiar- I’ve seen them before around the packhouse- so I assume they’re also pack warriors that reside here. And if I didn’t feel like a million bucks before, the way all four guys gawk at Shay and I as we approach definitely has me feeling that way now. I don’t even care that they’re painfully obvious in checking me out, because it’s nice to be looked at for once without restraint or their eyes immediately darting away. I roll my shoulders back confidently, walking a little taller as we approach them.

“Hope you’ve got room for one more,” I say to Tobias, tipping my head sideways to indicate Shay.

From the grins she and Tobias exchange, the two of them are clearly on friendly terms. “I should’ve known you’d be the one trying to corrupt Juliet,” Shay teases, nudging Tobias’ arm playfully with an elbow.

“Hey now,” he retorts with a smirk. “Who says she’s not the one trying to corrupt me?”

I prop a hand on my hip, arching a brow at Tobias. “Thought you weren’t going to blow my cover on the whole sweet and innocent act? I’ve got a certain image to uphold here.”

He barks out a laugh. “My bad, babe. I’ll buy you a drink at Jokers to make up for it, eh?”

My cheeks flush at the term of endearment and my heart rate kicks up a notch. Tobias is hot, and it’s still new to me to be on the receiving end of a guy’s flirtation.

Shay’s eyes widen in interest at the mention of the club. “Ooh, we’re going to Jokers? I’ve been dying to check that place out!”

“Let’s go, then,” one of Tobias’ friends huffs impatiently, shifting his weight back and forth on the balls of his feet. “I need at least three drinks in me before Kylie shows up.”

All of the guys groan in unison, telling me exactly how they feel about this Kylie girl.

“I thought you were gonna break things off with her?” another one of them grumbles, raking a hand through his jet-black hair. All three of Tobias’ friends look to be in their early twenties, impressively built and easy on the eyes.

“I tried, man,” the first guy sighs, looking truly conflicted about whatever predicament he’s in. “She’s relentless.”

Shay nudges my side. “Jules, this is Eddie, Bryce, and Mike,” she helpfully provides, pointing out each guy as she names them off. Eddie is the one griping about his situationship, Bryce is the cutie with black hair, and Mike has some of the biggest biceps I’ve ever seen; the sleeves of his button-up shirt are straining against them like the fabric is about to bust at the seams.

“Hey,” I smile, sliding my gaze between each of the guys and giving them a flirty little wave. Tobias is the best looking of the bunch, but they’re all ridiculously attractive.

All three of Tobias’ friends eye me with interest, mumbling greetings, and he’s quick to step in and slip an arm around my shoulders as a way to not-so-subtly stake his claim. Not that I mind.

“C’mon, let’s get going,” he murmurs, steering me toward the door to the underground parking garage as the others fall into step behind us.

The six of us pile into Tobias’ SUV, Mike claiming shotgun while Shay and I squeeze in the back with Eddie and Bryce. Tobias cranks the music and Mike whips out a flask that we all pass around, taking pulls of cinnamon whiskey while we sing along to the tunes blaring through the speakers and get pumped up for the club. Before I know it, we’re parked and making our way to the entrance of Jokers, bypassing the long line out front as Tobias walks right up to the bouncer. He nods to Tobias and the others in clear recognition and starts to step aside, but stops when he spots me, his brow furrowing.

My breath catches, my adrenaline kicking up a notch.

Shit, what if I can’t get in?It would be mortifying to be turned away right now, in front of my new friends, in front of all these people…

“She’s with me,” Tobias provides, slipping an arm around my shoulders.

My heart pounds as I stare at the bouncer like a deer caught in the headlights, but apparently Tobias vouching for me is good enough for him. He nods, stepping aside and pulling open the door, and I breathe a sigh of relief when I make it past the bouncer without him even asking for ID.

Note to self- get ahold of a decent fake ID if I want to keep going out to clubs in the city where human laws apply.

Stepping through the door to the club is like stepping into another world. The music is loud, the bass beat vibrating the floor beneath my feet, and the lighting is so low that it takes my eyes a moment to adjust. There’s a large U-shaped bar set off to one side, crowded with patrons angling for service. The DJ spins from a huge elevated platform at the rear of the building, the dance floor completely packed with sweaty, writhing bodies as people lose themselves in the music. The whole place has me on sensory overload- colored lights and strobes bounce off the walls, bottles clatter and glasses clink, and there’s no such thing as personal space as we weave our way through the throngs of people, bound for the bar.

Eddie and Mike elbow their way in, and they’re big and intimidating enough that anyone who looks like they’re about to protest their intrusion thinks better of it once they lay eyes on them. I follow closely, clinging to Shay’s arm and trying my best to exude confidence like I actually belong here- because I’m internally freaking out right now. I’ve always imagined coming to a place like this and dancing the night away, and I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I’m really here, about to live out that fantasy.

“Six Fireball shots,” Eddie barks to the bartender, and I watch with rapt attention as he lines the small glasses up along the bar, tipping a bottle and spilling amber liquor into each of them. While Mike slides some cash to the bartender, Eddie starts to pass the glasses back, one of them landing in my eager hand.

“What should we toast to?” Tobias asks, raising his shot and sliding me a flirty glance.

“To a good fucking night!” Bryce shouts.

We all thrust our glasses toward the center, liquor spilling from the rims as we clink them together.

I grin at my new friends, licking my lips in anticipation. “I’ll drink to that.”

5

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