I’d love to see him and feel absolutely nothing, to be numb. For my heart not to race, for my chest not to get tight. For me to be able to breathe freely, not feel like tears are about to drip down my cheeks.
Maybe one day.
I glance at my reflection in my full-length mirror, looking from side to side. My dark hair is down and curled at the ends, and I’d done a red lip and winged eyeliner. My brown eyes are nothing special, but I’m lucky to be blessed with thick, long lashes. Lashes that Cara inherited from me. With a final inspection, I grab my black clutch and slip my feet into my black strappy high heels.
Then, I call a taxi.
* * *
“Do they only hire sexy men here?” I ask with wide eyes, as I take in the hunks around me. “And twins. Seriously?”
How are they real?
Was being sexy a requirement for working here?
Anna looks toward the bar and laughs. “I used to work here. Reid, Ryan, and Tag, they’re all good guys. Reid can be a pain in the ass though.”
She says that fondly.
“He can be a pain in my ass any time he likes,” I say, leaning my cheek on my palm and studying him from the safety of our booth. When Lana and Anna break out in laughter, I realize how what I just said could be interpreted. If you have a dirty mind, which these girls clearly do.
“That isn’t what I meant,” I say, giggling. I then blurt out, “I’m still an anal virgin.”
They laugh harder.
I roll my eyes and suck on my straw, letting the chilled drink fill my mouth and slide down my throat. When I notice a rough-looking man standing by the door watching us, I ask, “Who is that guy?”
Anna looks at the man and purses her lips. “That would be my compromise. Bringing him along was the only way the men would let us out without them.”
“I see,” I reply, checking the man out. “He’s hot though.”
Lana leans back in the booth and grins. “His name is Ronan; he was just patched in. The men have started calling him Shark, although no one will tell us why.”
“So do you call him Ronan or Shark? It sounds confusing.”
“We call him Ronan because we’re used to it,” Anna replies. “I don’t get the whole road-name thing either. There obviously aren’t any rules to it, because we still call Vinnie, Vinnie.”
Lana’s brows furrow in though. “Vinnie’s road name is Wolf, didn’t you know that?”
Anna looks confused, wrinkling her nose adorably. “How the hell do you know that?”
Lana shrugs her shoulders, pushing her glasses up on her nose. “I pay attention when people talk.”
“So do I,” Anna says easily. “I don’t know how I missed that. That’s interesting information.”
“Yeah and his first name isn’t even Vinnie. Vincent is his middle name.”
“What’s his first name then?” Anna asks, absorbing all the new information.
“Tyler.”
“Hmmm. I can’t picture him as anything except Vinnie,” Anna says.
“I like your hair, Bailey,” Lana says, pointing to the curls at the ends.
“Thanks,” I reply, lifting a curl between my fingers. “I thought I’d try something different.”
“It looks good,” Anna agrees.
The sex god with the scar on his face walks up to our table, and I try not to hyperventilate. His biceps are so sculpted, and I can almost see his six-pack through his white T-shirt. Or is that just my pervy imagination? His face is chiseled perfection too. The scar only adds to his appeal.
I squirm on my seat.
“Anna,” he says, lifting his chin, his firm lips twitching. “Back at the old stomping grounds, I see. What trouble will you be causing me tonight?”
“None at all, Reid,” Anna replies with a grin, trying to look innocent and failing.
“Right,” he murmurs, turning his attention to Lana. “You keep her in line for me, will you, Lana?”
Lana nods her head. “Always.”
“It’s good to see you too, Reid,” Anna says, rolling her eyes. “I see you’re your usual charming self.”
Reid smirks in response. “You know me, I never change.”
His gaze turns to me then. “And which one are you?”
“Bailey,” I tell him, waving my fingers at him.
His eyes narrow as he studies me. “You going to be a pain in my ass too?”
The other girls giggle, obviously remembering our previous words. “Only if you want me to. Knowing these two though, probably.”
Yeah, this is my awkward way of flirting.
Reid actually grins then. It’s fucking devastating. He turns to Anna. “Why did you have to come here tonight of all nights? Next time call up and let me know you’ll be here so I can keep my ass at home.”
“Why?” she replies, perking up and looking around the bar. “What’s happening tonight? Male dancers on the bar? A pole-dance show? Morning Alliance playing here? Oooh, that would be awesome.”
Reid cringes and tells Anna to slide over so he can sit down.
“None of the above. Summer decided she wants to have a weekly karaoke night.”
“And it’s tonight?” Anna asks, doing a crazy little happy dance. “Fuck yeah! We’re all over that!”
She glances at me. “Bailey?”
“I’m in,” I look to Lana. “Lana?”