by Autumn Reed
“Ready, songbird?”
I grabbed my phone and shoved it, some money, and my (fake) ID in my back pocket before opening the door. I knew Theo would give me an honest assessment and I trusted his opinion.
His jaw snapped open before he spoke. “Holy shiitake, Haley. Maybe I should let you get ready on your own more often.”
I couldn’t help laughing at his reaction; I guessed he approved.
He stuck his head around the corner into the room. “Is Max hiding in there? Your hair looks amazing.”
* * *
Theo ushered me into the club, his hand on the small of my back. Fast-paced, upbeat music filled the space along with chatter. We walked past the bar toward a lower section closer to the stage and dance floor. There were a number of people in the club, but the smaller tables and alcoves created an intimate atmosphere. Before we could select one of the empty round tables, someone called Theo’s name.
“Alyssa!” Theo said, as he hugged a girl in a red-and-white polka dot dress.
Theo slung an arm around my shoulders. “Alyssa, this is Haley.”
She gave me a genuine smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Haley. We have a table over there,” she said, leading us to a larger alcove surrounded by Theo’s friends. Some looked familiar from his birthday party, and I was relieved when I realized Kenzi was absent. They each introduced themselves after Theo presented me to the group. We sat down to enjoy the show; there was a band on stage with a trumpet, saxophone, drums, and bass. The singer was amazing, belting out tunes like they poured from her soul.
When Devin—the friendly guy who brought me a vodka cranberry at Theo’s party—approached from the bar, he set a handful of drinks on the table before turning to me. “Haley. What a pleasant surprise.”
He grinned, and I sensed Theo’s attention on us. Devin, like the rest of Theo’s group, was dressed in a glamorous retro outfit. I glanced around at the other patrons, noticing that many wore jeans or dresses and my outfit seemed to fit right in, striking the right balance between dressy and fun.
As Theo talked with his friends, Devin held out a hand to me. “Care to dance?”
Hesitantly, I glanced over at Theo, wondering if he would give me an out. But he just shot me a reassuring smile before I placed my hand in Devin’s and let him lead me to the dance floor. What the heck am I doing?
With the gala less than a week away, I had to admit this was a good time to practice my non-existent dancing skills. But that thought didn’t calm my nerves as Devin placed one hand on the small of my back.
“Have you ever swing danced?”
I shook my head while I tried to ignore everyone else, hoping I wouldn’t look like an idiot or fall flat on my face. But as the music played, Devin led me around the floor like an expert.
“But you have.” I finally said, feeling confident enough to attempt talking while dancing.
He chuckled. “Yeah, at least once a week. Theo often comes . . . when he can get away from work and school.”
I wasn’t surprised. I had seen Theo dancing around the loft a number of times and he had moves. The first song ended, leading into another. Other than feeling awkward about the intimacy of dancing with Devin, I was actually enjoying myself. I wished Theo was out there too; it was probably killing him to have to sit on the sidelines.
When Devin spun me around, he released my hand for a second, and before I could turn back to him, I landed in someone else’s arms. The air whooshed out of me when I realized Liam had caught me; I shook my head and blinked a few times to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.
“Hello, gorgeous,” Liam said, practically licking his lips.
Devin appeared at our side, and his eyes darkened as he looked at Liam before glancing at me. “Haley?”
Before I could respond, Liam said, “Sorry, she’s taken.”
“Hey there, Casanova,” I said playfully while pointedly looking at Liam, hoping to defuse the situation. “What makes you think you can just sweep me off my feet?”
“It’s called cutting in. And I just did.” Before Devin could respond, Liam spun us around a few times, putting distance between us and Devin as other dancers filled the gap. I shot a worried glance back at Devin, but fortunately another girl had approached him and they were dancing.
Alone with Liam, he said, “So you think I’m a Casanova, huh?”
I glared back at him. “No, I think you’re kind of rude.”
“Oh come on, Haley.” He tilted his head down to look at me, his gray eyes sparkling. “You know better; cutting in is completely acceptable.”
He spun me around and then pulled me back firmly into his embrace. “Although, I can’t blame him for being mad. I wouldn’t give you up without a fight either.”
I gave him a dirty look, and he grinned in response. “Come on, sweet cheeks, you’re not mad at me. Stop scowling and dance.”
I danced a few more songs, several with Devin and a couple with Liam. Other girls watched Liam, and I couldn’t blame them; he looked fantastic in his dark slacks and button-down shirt. Perfect hair, chiseled face, lean body; he was magnetic.
Back in Liam’s arms, I noticed again how he was light on his feet, adept at leading, and he fit right in. I didn’t know why it surprised me that both he and Theo would fit in so well at a jazz club, but it did. Out of the group, they often seemed at opposite ends of the spectrum; apparently not.
“Haley?”
“Yeah . . .”
“How do you define dancing?” Liam paused. “Because based on what I see, you can dance just fine. Although I guess your excuse for not going to the gala was better than ‘I have to wash my hair.’”
My head snapped up. “No, I meant it. I’ve never danced like this . . . with a guy.” I finished more quietly.
“Have you danced like this with a girl?” Liam asked, his eyebrow raised.
“Um, no.” I laughed. Since he had opened up the gala can of worms, I so wanted to ask him why he invited me. And for some reason, I felt bold enough to.
“Liam. Why did you invite me to the gala?”
“Honestly?”
“Hmm . . . what do you think?”
“Mostly, I thought you should be there because it’s our best lead on your dad, and I thought you deserved to be included. Selfishly, I wanted you there with me, having fun.”
I still had my doubts that he wasn’t just stuck babysitting me, but his answer seemed genuine.
Our pace slowed to match the music as a new song began, the singer’s voice adopting a sultry, sensual tone. Liam held me closer; smelling his cologne as he held me in his arms was doing funny things to my head. It was like gravity pulled me closer until my cheek leaned against his chest. How did that happen?
When the song ended, I turned for the table. Liam’s charm was intoxicating me. He made me feel bold, confident, sexy, beautiful—like the only other person in the room. I needed to back away before I did something I would regret.
Liam clasped my wrist, pulling me back. “Where do you think you’re going?”
The idea of sitting down was more and more tempting thanks to a longer-than-normal run with Knox and now the dancing.
“I should check in with Theo; I don’t want him to worry about me. Plus, I need a break.” I fanned myself, feeling warm and thankful my hair was up.
“I could use a drink. Do you want anything?”
“Just a water, thanks.”
As I approached the table, I realized I shouldn’t have been worried about Theo. Surrounded by his friends, he was the life of the party, chatting merrily as he sipped on a cocktail. Was this what his life had been like before I came along? Was this what it would be like after I left?
“Haley!” Theo called out. “Having fun? Come grab a seat.” He patted the space on the banquette next to him. I nodded and realized as I sat next to him that he had a clear shot of the dance floor.
He leaned closer. “Where did Liam run off to?” He asked, letting me know he had been keepin
g an eye on me.
“The bar. He should be over soon.” I bit my lip.
“What’s bothering that pretty head of yours?” Theo asked, his tone light.
“I hope you aren’t mad that Liam came. He asked me what I was doing tonight and I told him, but I didn’t realize he was going to show up.”
Theo laughed. “I’m always glad to see any of the guys, especially Liam. Our schedules don’t overlap very often, and he loves jazz as much or more than I do.”
Although there was a lot of energy in the club, it still had a relaxed, carefree vibe to it. Shortly after Liam arrived with our drinks, Drew’s band was announced and came on stage. They were amazing and the crowd clearly loved them.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Kenzi had entered the club and was strutting toward us. Ugh, of course she looks perfect, I thought. She had on a retro-style dress with a sweetheart neckline and a full skirt. Her hair was pulled to one shoulder to show off her halter top that was tied in a bow. I glanced over at Theo to see if he had noticed her entrance, but he was focused on the stage.
I braced myself for the encounter with Kenzi but was distracted when Liam slipped an arm around the back of the banquette, drawing us even closer together. He gently fingered one of my tendrils and leaned into me. When he spoke, his voice was loud enough for me to hear him over the music, but soft enough that no one else could listen in.
“You are enchanting; this hairstyle is officially my new favorite.”
I continued staring at the stage, hoping everyone would attribute my flushed complexion to the warmth of the club and not Liam’s whisperings. Meanwhile, Kenzi hugged several people on the opposite side of the table and was edging closer to Theo.
“Hey, Kenzi.” I smiled politely as she approached.
“Hi, Haley,” she responded, as she hugged Theo and then placed a kiss on his cheek.
“I’m going to get a drink. Want to come with me, Theo?” Kenzi asked, oozing sexuality.
“Sure. Haley, you okay here?”
I nodded and they headed to the bar, Kenzi holding Theo’s forearm. I wanted to be nice to Kenzi, for Theo’s sake, but I just did not like her. I couldn’t put my finger on the reason why, but I didn’t trust her. Maybe it was the way she was so possessive of him when they weren’t even dating.
Liam’s voice startled me from my thoughts. “Come on, gorgeous, let’s dance.”
Apparently I was a glutton for punishment because I willingly allowed him to lead me to the dance floor. He held my hand, pulling me behind him into the crowd and giving me a nice view of his backside. Of course, he turned his head at that moment, and I flicked my eyes up from his butt to his face. His confident smirk told me that I was busted, but he didn’t say anything as he pulled me to face him in his arms.
Despite feeling a little tired, I was having fun. With Liam. I tried not to linger too long on that thought. After a while, in need of a break and a bathroom, I motioned to Liam and told him I’d be back.
Walking down the dim hallway to the restroom, I felt almost giddy. I had pushed past my comfort zone more than once tonight. Jessica would be proud, probably a little surprised even. Heck, I was even surprised by my boldness.
Amazingly there was no line for the restroom, and I washed my hands, checking my makeup in the somewhat distorted mirror. My skin had a rosy glow to it, and although my hair was a bit looser than when we left the house, it was holding up remarkably well.
I returned to the hall once more, the music blanketing the area with its sound. A large guy approached the men’s bathroom. “Hey there.”
I looked down to the ground, hoping he wasn’t referring to me. We were all alone in the hall, but I figured he was probably a little buzzed but harmless. I continued walking back to the club, but he advanced toward me, passing the entrance to the men’s bathroom. I could feel myself tensing up, mentally urging myself to ignore him and walk by quickly.
He stuck his arm out in front of me, blocking my path. “I said, ‘hey,’” he repeated.
“Um, hello.” I responded, attempting to duck under his arm.
He leaned forward, getting closer. “Where you going?”
In another time and place, I might have found him attractive, with his shaggy black hair and crooked smile. But, alone with him in the dark hallway, his proximity was unnerving. Crossing my fingers that he would be reasonable, I politely said, “My friends are waiting; please let me by.”
“I was just trying to get to know you, Miss Popular. Why don’t you stay? I’ll be your friend.” He slurred the last sentence.
“Maybe some other time.” I attempted to go around him, but he placed both of his arms beside my head and angled in. He reeked of alcohol, and I turned my face away to create a little more space between us. He ran a hand down the side of my face, tracing down my neck and collarbone before resting his large hands on my waist.
I shivered from the unwanted contact before ramming my knee into his groin.
He instinctively reached to cover it as he groaned. “What the hell, bitch?”
I lunged away, but he grabbed my forearm and roughly pulled me back to him. Trying not to panic, I shifted to make my next move.
Clutched against him, I stomped on his instep before jabbing my elbow into his solar plexus. This wasn’t practice with Ethan, and I wasn’t holding back. When he stumbled backwards, I darted away, eager to put distance between us.
“Bloody hell,” said a voice that could only be Liam’s.
When I looked up, Liam was approaching from the end of the hallway and reached out for me, eyes blazing as he glared at the crumpled figure behind me. He quickly folded me into his arms and ushered me back into the club.
“Haley, are you okay?” Liam said, his eyes full of concern.
I took a deep breath and nodded.
“It looked like you did a number on him, but if he touched you, I swear I will go and teach that rat-arsed bastard a lesson he won’t forget.” Liam’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, I seriously worried that he was headed back to the hallway. I just wanted him to stay with me and make me feel safe again.
Theo rushed over to us. “Haley, what’s going on? Are you okay?”
Still in shock, I realized I was shaking as Theo wrapped me into a big hug. He pulled away and brushed a lock of hair behind my ear, staring into my eyes. “It’s okay. It will be okay.” His tone was calm and soothing. “Let’s get you home.”
I caught sight of Kenzi scowling in the background, but I couldn’t really think about anything but getting out of there.
Liam opened the passenger door of his cobalt sports car and I slid in, wrapping my arms around myself. I was trying not to completely freak out, but I had never been in a situation like that before. I should have reacted more quickly, should never have let my guard down. After almost a lifetime of living on edge, I had become complacent in just a month.
By the time we made it back to the loft, I had calmed down some. Liam opened my door and wrapped his arm around me as we walked up to the door with Theo close behind. I was more than ready for bed, but I felt Liam’s arm tense around me, and I noticed Knox sitting in my favorite arm chair, sipping a drink and reading a book. If Knox found out about the incident, he was going to be pissed.
“Have fun?” Knox asked, as he set his book aside and took another sip of his drink.
Theo piped up. “Yeah. We went to hear Drew’s band at the jazz club. They were awesome.” He was putting on a good show, but I wasn’t sure Knox was buying it. We were all still tense after the way the night ended.
“Did something happen?” Knox looked from me, to Liam, to Theo expecting an answer.
Liam answered. “There was a slight incident, no big deal.”
Knox stood from his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. The shift in the room was making me nervous. He was going to flip out if he knew what happened—of all the guys, Knox was the most protective. “An incident?”
Theo stepped from toe to toe. “
Yeah. Just some guy, tried to get too friendly, Haley was a badass and showed him what happens when you don’t act like a gentleman. Now let’s go to bed,” he finished quickly as he started walking toward the stairs and then stopped.
Knox’s silence was deadly as he glared at Liam and Theo. I wanted to hide behind one of them.
Liam was finally brave enough to speak. “Look, Knox. Haley’s fine, perhaps a little shaken, but she did an excellent job of defending herself. And there was no way Theo or I would let anything happen to her.”
The silence stretched on before Knox growled, “It shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Why did you leave her alone?”
“I’ve never had an issue at that club. Besides, she had to use the restroom and there’s usually a line so I figured she’d be fine. Did you want me to hold her hand all the way to the stall?”
Knox glowered at Liam and the tension in the room was palpable. It was rare to see any of the guys argue, and I hated that I was the cause of it. And I was getting annoyed. It was bad enough that I often suspected that they talked about me behind my back, but now they were acting as if I wasn’t even in the room.
“I wish you’d stop talking about me like I’m not standing here,” I blurted out.
I saw Theo’s eyes bug out while Knox and Liam turned to look at me. “Although I guess I shouldn’t let it bother me. It’s not the first time you guys have decided something for me without consulting me.”
I drew in deep breath. “Haley, would you like to come to Santa Cruz? No? That’s okay, we’ll just drug and kidnap you. Haley, would you like to be protected twenty-four-seven since we don’t trust you to be alone? No? Too bad, it’s not your decision.”
All three stared at me in shock. Even I was a little surprised at myself, but I was tired of smothering these feelings.
“I am beyond grateful to you guys for all that you’ve done for me. But you can’t protect me forever. And someday, hopefully, I’ll find my dad. Then I’ll no longer be your obligation.”
“Haley . . .” Theo said, a pained look in his eyes. But I shook my head and ignored the looks from Liam and Knox as I stalked down the hall to my bedroom and shut the door with a soft click.
