Better When He's Bold

“I think you’re just jealous.”

I blinked because I didn’t even have a clue what to say to that. “What?”

“You started working at that crappy restaurant and met Dovie. All of a sudden you have an in with people in the Point, you get in places like fight night and meet guys like Race Hartman. I don’t think you want anyone else intruding, like it’s your own private club or something.”

I was so flabbergasted, all I could do was roll my eyes at her.

“That’s nonsense and you know it. I go to work and I go home. I don’t run around the Point after dark leading some double life.”

“I don’t know, Brysen. You’ve been acting weirder and weirder lately.”

Of course Drew picked that moment to chime in, “You have been more tense and high-strung over the last few months.”

Of course I had. My home life was in a shambles, I was failing a class, I more than likely had a homicidal stalker following me around, I was trying to protect my sister, and I was in major lust with a guy who was absolutely the worst person in the world for me to be obsessing over. I didn’t need either of them manufacturing reasons for my behavior however I happened to be acting.

I took a step away from both of them and pulled the layer of frost I had perfected over the years around my shoulders like a superhero cape.

“Fight night is terrible, but go if you really feel like it’s something you have to witness. I don’t have to justify my behavior to either of you, and frankly it pisses me off that you think you can speculate about what my life is like. You don’t know; no one does.”

I turned on my heel and flounced away with both of them calling after me. I had a good flounce. I chalked it up to the blond hair and long-legged gait, plus all the recent practice I got at home pretending like things that really bothered me were ignorable. I was getting pretty good at brushing off things that really pricked at me. Pretty soon I was going to be numb to all emotion and that equally thrilled me and terrified me. While I would love to shut down the sting of my mom’s addiction and instability, would embrace with open arms my heart not hurting every time Karsen looked at me with tears in her eyes, I knew instinctively that missing out on the burn, the tingling anticipation I felt whenever I was around Race, would suck. He made me feel alive, made me feel like I wasn’t tied down to the grind of my reality by familial chains and my own weighty sense of responsibility. That would be hard to freeze out, even if I knew it was for the best. We weren’t good for each other, had different troubles and problems hounding us, and it made no sense to try and add each other into that mix.

I went to the rest of my classes. Fell in love with my new computer and went to work at the restaurant. Friday nights were always pretty steady, so I was running at a good clip all the way until close. I made some pretty decent tips and was counting out the cash while waiting on Ramon to walk me to my car, when my phone started ringing. Karsen was at another sleepover, so I doubted it was her, and when I saw Adria’s name on the display, I promptly ignored it. Ramon waved me to the front door and I scowled as my phone went off once more. Adria again.

I hooked an arm through Ramon’s and waited while he scanned the parking lot. I still felt like someone was watching me, and the little hairs on my arms stood straight up. I peered into the darkened lot and looked up at Ramon as my phone went off a third time. I sighed and swiped a finger across the screen.

“What?” I barked the word out and Ramon snorted at me as we cautiously navigated the parking lot.

“Brysen, I need you to come get me.” She was crying and sounded hysterical.

“What? Why?”

She made a little hiccuping noise and I could hear all the screaming and cheering from the bloodthirsty crowd in the background. I shivered in response.

“You were right. It’s awful. The people here are scary and there is no security or anything. I was drinking with these guys and now I feel weird and I’m scared. Please come and get me. No one else will come down to this part of town this late.”

That was because most people were smart enough to know the Point was no place for amateurs after dark. I looked up at Ramon and he shook his head in the negative.

I sighed heavily and pulled open the door to the BMW.

“Fine. I’ll come and get you, but maybe next time you might want to listen to me.”

She hiccuped again and the line went dead. Ramon clicked his tongue at me and shook his dark head. “You are looking for trouble, pretty girl.”

“Someone has to go get her, and I know exactly where the club is.”