But worse yet, I had Joey with me. Ron Gamble’s daughter. Getting into a street fight would probably not get me on his good side.
“There’s a tunnel up ahead,” she said. “Shut all the lights off and pull to the shoulder. He’s so pissed and going so fast, they’ll bypass us before they realize.”
“Good call,” I said.
The second my car was swallowed by the pitch-black tunnel (Hey, we were on the back roads of some small Maryland town. There weren’t street lamps in here.), I shut off the lights and hit the brakes. I prayed the entire time I was pulling to the side that I didn’t overextend and hit the damn wall.
Not even seconds after I came to a complete stop, the road was illuminated and two cars barreled past. I held my breath, waiting for the headlights to reflect off the side, but we stayed just out of reach.
“I like your brain,” I told Joey when they were gone and I was able to start up the car again. Just for good measure, I left the lights off until we were out of the tunnel. Even then, I only turned on the fog lights. I needed something to see by, but these were dimmer and wouldn’t be as noticeable from far away, say if they started looking in their rearview.
About a mile up the road, Joey said, “Turn here.”
I did and pulled onto a new stretch of road. I flipped the headlights back on and sped up. About a quarter of a mile down, she pointed to what looked like a bar on the side of the road. “Here. Pull around back.”
Soon as the car was off, I grinned. “Good idea. I could sure use a drink right about now.”
She rolled her eyes, and I saw the white of her teeth flash in the dark. “I was thinking we could hang out a while. That way there’s less chance of running into them.”
“That, too.” I agreed.
“Is that guy dangerous?” she asked, worry in her tone.
“Lorhaven?” I mused, then thought about her question. “Honestly, I would say no. He has a lot of money and is used to being the one on top. He’s had a stick up his ass since I showed up on the scene because I drive better and he doesn’t like it.”
“He tried to run you off the road,”
“I never said he wasn’t an asshole, just that I don’t think he’s dangerous. He definitely isn’t someone to trust.”
She nodded once.
“Drinks are on me.” I smiled and reached for the pile of money beside me. “Here, half of this belongs to you.”
She made a sound of refusal. “No way. You freaking earned that tonight! My only reward is getting a front row seat.”
I chuckled and counted out the four grand she used to pay my way into the race. “Well, at least take this back.”
She took it and threw it into her bag.
In the parking lot, she hesitated at the front door, and I gave her a curious glance. “What?”
Her teeth sank into her lower lip, and she looked sheepish. “It’s only fair I tell you this.”
“What?”
“This was the only bar for miles. Since it was closest, I figured it would be a good place to stop.”
“Joey,” I grumbled, wishing she’d get to the point.
“It’s a gay bar,” she blurted out.
I blinked. Something in my stomach dipped. I didn’t know what to say, so I went the easy route. “Well, at least I won’t get into a fight trying to keep the men off you tonight.”
Joey beamed. “I like your brain.” She repeated my earlier words.
Inside, we found a table by the door. I figured it was a good spot because it was on the edge of the crowd and gave me a view out the front window so I’d see if any familiar cars happened by.
We sat down and ordered some beers (yep, she drank beer), and as we waited, I started looking around curiously. I’d never been in a gay bar before. I always thought these places would have more… flare.
But really, it was just like every other bar I’d been to before.
When the waiter came back with our drinks, he gave me the once-over, and I shifted uncomfortably. “All kinds of new faces in here tonight,” he mused. “And all of them a pleasure to look at.”
When he moved away, Joey laughed. I gave her an un-amused look. Then I got to thinking about what the waiter had said. There were other new faces in here?
I scanned the crowd and faces, looking for something, as an odd feeling prickled the back of my neck.
And then I saw him.
I’d know him even if I were blind.
It was like a kick right in the nads. My hand gripped the longneck of the beer and squeezed until it hurt.
What in God’s name was he doing here?
In a gay bar? Flirting. With. A. Man.
A floodgate of emotion burst open inside me, and I felt like I was sinking, drowning…
Joey snapped her fingers in front of my face, and I blinked.
I didn’t look at her, though. I looked back at Trent.
My best friend.
Who was sitting in a gay bar, looking like he was on a date.
Trent
I could feel his presence.
I was sitting in a gay bar, losing my shit.
Like going bat shit crazy.
Was this hopeless, then? Was I so far gone on Drew it didn’t matter who I tried to see if I was interested in?
Did not only all women, but all men not stand a chance against the blond-haired, blue-eyed French fry snatcher?
Fuuuck.
I’d tried. I really fucking did. Hell, even as I sat here mentally kicking myself, I was trying. Maybe this was just the wrong place. Maybe this guy was the wrong one.
And the one on the other side of me, who’d been giving me interested looks for a while.
Even the bartender slipped me his number when he brought me a second draft (which I hadn’t even touched yet).
Not even alcohol could help me right now.
Maybe I wasn’t gay after all. Maybe I should just leave here right now, find a woman, and bury myself inside her.
My body rebelled at the thought.
It didn’t matter. I knew it, and the realization slayed me. It didn’t matter who I tried to hook up with.
The only one I wanted was Drew.
As if my raging thoughts conjured up the perfect imitation of his voice, I heard him clear as a bell in my mind. “What the fuck is going on here?”
And damn, he was mad.
Max was a blur in the edge of my vision as he turned around to see where the voice was coming from.
Wait. He heard Drew’s voice, too?
I glanced around and nearly slid right off my barstool.
He was here. He was glowering. He was totally pissed.
“Drew?” I said, turning all the way around on the stool.
“You know him?” Max asked.
If looks could kill, poor Max would be buried in his flannel.
“Yeah,” I said, trying not to laugh. “He’s a friend of mine.”
Drew crossed his arms over his chest. I could smell him from here. A combination of exhaust and leather. I even caught a hint of the interior of the Fastback.
It smelled like home.
I had a sudden urge to fling myself at him. To ask him to wrap his arms around me and tell me everything was going to be okay.
“Soo,” Max said, looking between the two of us. “You aren’t together?”
I felt my face pale and avoided looking at Drew’s reaction. “No,” I replied quickly.
“You trying to pick him up?” Drew challenged Max.
I jerked upright and stared at him. His eyes were full of hostility and his arms were at his sides.
“Well, he did come here alone,” Max replied, his voice dropping a few degrees.
What the hell was happening right now?
“He’s not alone anymore,” Drew growled. He literally growled.
A few others nearby turned to stare. I actually started blushing.
The bartender’s voice spoke behind me. “Already got ‘em fighting over you, do you?”
I rolled my eyes. This guy was not good at picking up people.
“Well, if all that testosterone is too much for you, you have my number,” he whispered loudly, and I heard him walk off.
“He gave you his number!” Drew roared.
Max pushed off his stool and faced Drew. He was about the same height, maybe a little thicker, but it wasn’t muscle. “I think you better leave. We were all just fine until you got here.”
Drew laughed. It wasn’t a humorous sound. In fact, it kinda made me nervous.
“Drew,” I said.
“Yeah?” Drew ignored me and spoke to Max. “Who’s gonna make me?”
Max reared back. I saw his fist clench.
“Oh, hell no!” I bit out and lurched to my feet. I moved fast, shoving myself between the men and planting myself in front of Drew.
I pushed my face close to Max’s and spoke low. Deadly. “You don’t touch him. Ever.”
His eyes widened, clearly surprised. The vibe I exuded was far different than the one I had all night.
He threatened Drew. That was all I needed to go from laidback to lethal in seconds.
“Clearly, I read this situation wrong.” He backed down.
I stepped back just a fraction, wanting him to know I wasn’t going to deck him if he didn’t give me a reason to. My back came into contact with Drew’s chest. He didn’t step back; he stood there so close I could feel the heat off his body.
I felt like I stepped into the twilight zone.
Max grabbed his wallet and turned toward the bar, not fully putting his back to me. “How much?”
He was going to leave.
“No, man, you don’t have to go. I will.” I reached for my wallet. Drew was so close I had to lean forward to grab it.
As I was sliding it out of my back pocket, his fingers closed around my wrist. “No.”
I glanced at him. Our eyes collided for a fraction of a second. I felt that contact all the way to the soles of my feet.
“I got it,” he murmured and produced some cash and tossed it on the bar. “That’s for his and ours.” He pointed across the room where Joey was standing, watching the scene with wide eyes.
Of course she was here.
Suddenly, I was totally embarrassed.
For a minute there, I thought Drew was jealous. But he wasn’t. Of course he wasn’t. He was here with her.
“What are you even doing here?” I swung around on him.
He stepped back. “Long story.” His eyes searched my face. I started to forget I was embarrassed.
I will not cave. I will not cave.
“Well, I’m good. You can go,” I said.
His eyes narrowed. “You’re coming with us.”
“No. I’m not.”
Drew leaned forward and spoke low. “I will cause a fucking scene right now, frat boy. Let’s. Go.” His hand grabbed my wrist and tugged.
Joey appeared at my side. “C’mon, Trent. We should go. It’s been a long night. He’s already started one fight. Let’s not push it.”
I glanced down at her. She nodded.
“What fight?” My voice was grim.
“Outside,” she said.
I relented. “Fine.”
Drew was still holding my wrist, and I yanked it free and stalked outside ahead of them. Out in the parking lot, I stared up at the moon.
I was back to feeling like I was losing my mind.
What just happened in there?
Drew
We didn’t talk about what happened in the bar at all.
But, oh, was it there.
It burned beneath my skin like a fever. It gnawed at my stomach in a way only severe hunger could. Confusion tried to battle against the other emotion within me, but confusion was a far weaker opponent for anger.
Shit, was I angry.
I felt betrayed on so many levels. Like our unspoken yet sacred best friend bond had been stomped on tonight. By Trent’s size-twelve shoe.
Literally right in front of me lay our relationship with the tread marks from his boots. How the fuck could he sneak off to a gay bar without me? How could he not tell me something so basic about himself?
Because it isn’t basic.
It was earth shattering. Life altering. Friendship defining.
Trent wasn’t gay.
Is he?
He dated women.
Barely.
He hooked up with women.
Not often.
I would know if he were gay.
You do.
How could he do this to me? To our friendship? Even though I was driving and staring out the windshield, it wasn’t the road I saw.
Trent was at the bar. Trent’s wide, familiar build faced away from me. How the gray shirt clung to his broad back and stretched out over his shoulders like a second skin. How the brim of that fucking black backward baseball hat created a shadow against his neck, creating a sort of veil over the smooth, warm skin there.
The scene replayed in my mind over and over.
The way his shoulders shook with his laugh. How strong his hard, wide jaw looked when he turned his head in the direction of the man he was with.
I watched the side of his lip curve up, and I knew the exact smile stretching his face. He’d smiled at me like that a thousand times before. His crooked tooth was on full display. Judging by the way the man beside him leaned in, he thought it was just as charming as I did.
Wait. I thought his crooked tooth was charming?
“What the fuck is going on?” Trent asked, cutting into the movie playing in my mind.
“I could ask you the same thing,” I growled over my shoulder.
He was sitting in the backseat, Joey in the front with me. I felt her stare between us, and I wondered what she was thinking.
I had enough shit to think about right now.
“I thought you were driving tonight.” Trent went on after a brief pause. “On the other side of town.”
“Thought I’d be occupied, did you?” I snapped, the fuse inside me growing a little bit hotter.
“What?” I heard the bewilderment in his tone, and it made me even madder. I punched down on the gas pedal, and the car shot forward with a loud growl.
“We were driving,” Joey explained, turning sideways in the seat so she could glance in the back. “Things got a little… heated, and we ended up in a car chase.”
“Jesus,” Trent muttered, his voice close. The back of my neck prickled with his nearness. He was leaning up between the seats so he could hear Joey better. “Why didn’t you call me?”
I barked out a harsh laugh. “Would you have answered?”
“Are you fucking serious right now, Drew?” Trent bit out.
He was getting mad. Good.
Asshole.
“We were a little too busy to call,” Joey answered as if there were no electric undercurrents practically vibrating the car.
I felt Trent’s hand grip the side of my seat and tug, like he was using it as leverage to lean around and stare out the back window. “Are you still being followed? Maybe we should get off the road.”
“I lost them. They’re gone,” I said.
The seat jostled a bit again when he turned back around to face the front. “They could still be out looking.”
I shrugged one shoulder. “Probably. But we were in the bar for a few before we met up with you and left. They’re likely on the other side of town by now.”
“You were at the bar for a while?” he asked low.
Ah.
The first hint of guilt finally broke into his tone.
What is it you didn’t want me to see… friend?
Another flashback of Trent at the bar with the man stole over my vision.
Trent’s arms were on the bar. He was leaning sideways, tilting close to the man beside him so he could hear whatever was being said.
The man he was with, a total tool, was totally buying whatever T was selling. He was dressed in a freaking flannel
shirt, a pair of jeans, and boots a lumberjack would own.
And his hair…
Dear God, his hair.
It was in a man bun.
I know I didn’t bother to style mine much, but any guy who took the time to comb it up into a freaking bun on top of their head…
Might as well pack their shit and go live in the forest off granola for the rest of their life.
A freaking man bun.
Ivy would call this dude a lumbersexual.
I called him lame.
I relived the moment lame ass turned sideways on the stool, bringing his body around to face Trent. I felt like it was happening for the first time all over again when I recalled the way he leaned in, acting like the place was so loud he had to do it to be heard.
It wasn’t that goddamn loud.
He was totally just looking for an excuse to get into Trent’s space.
And then it happened. He leaned in so far his chest brushed up against T’s shoulder.
Trent didn’t pull away. He dropped his hands down onto the flat surface of the bar and leaned in, bringing himself even closer to the man bun-wearing, granola-eating lame-o.
He was so close his ear almost touched the man’s lips.
“Watch out!” Joey’s high-pitched screech and the feel of the Mustang jerking shook me from the memory.
Bright headlights blinded me, and I squinted as the Mustang swerved around an oncoming truck. My reflexes were top notch, and I recovered in mere seconds and had the Fastback straight on the road in no time.
My heart was thundering so loud it was all I could hear, despite the fact I knew Trent and Joey were exclaiming about my distracted driving.
I slowed the car a little and looked down. Trent’s large hand was wrapped around the right side of the steering wheel.
That explained the jerking motion of the car just as Joey started screaming. He’d totally just stopped the Mustang from crashing head on into an oncoming car.
A breath shuddered from my chest, and my back hit the seat completely. “Fuck,” I muttered quietly.
I’d been so wrapped up in what happened back there I almost got us all killed.
Good going, Forrester. Good going.
“You straight?” Trent said, his voice right beside my ear.
#Junkie (GearShark #1) Page 15
