Mallory
Four Years Ago
“Damn. This place is packed,” Kristen says from the front seat while I continue to scroll through my phone. The tires crunch over the gravel and I look up, gazing around us as we pull into a spot at the back of the lot. “Mal, it’s going to be hell walking that far to the door in those shoes,” Kris chuckles, and my eyes lower to my red fuck-me heels.
Being five-foot-two with friends around half a foot taller than me requires some serious help in height. Glaring at her through the rearview mirror, I catch her attention, and stick my tongue out. She just smiles, and I retort on a laugh, “We can't all be tall like you and Camryn, ya freaking Amazons.”
Throwing open the door, I yell, “All right, bitches, let's party. We head toward the bar, and a couple guys eyeing me up and down catch my attention. I offer them a mischievous smile as one elbows his friend so hard, he nearly knocks him over. Flipping my hair over my shoulders, I wink before turning my focus back to my friends.
Opening one of the double doors, the heavy bass from the music playing moves through me and my hips sway. Bodies gyrate around us, sex thick in the air from the entrancing guitar riffs. Closing my eyes, I soak in the energy, feeling the thrumming of each beat as it worms its way inside me. A tap on my shoulder pulls my attention back to Kristen as she points off to the right before breaking away from us and snaking through the throngs of people. Leaning down toward me, Camryn yells, “She’s going to get us a table. Let’s get some drinks, girl. It’s time to celebrate!” She pulls back, shimmying, and I nod before offering a hip pop of my own.
We weave toward the bar, brushing against people as we make our way, earning smiles from the guys and glares from the girls. Finally finding an opening, I lean against the top, bobbing my head to the drum beat. It doesn’t take us long to snag the attention of the bartender. Flashing us a cute grin, he moves toward us.
“What are you ladies drinking tonight?”
“Can I get a Sea Breeze?” I look at Camryn, and she nods. “Two, please. And a bottle of water.”
With a smirk, he starts making the fruity drinks, pouring the bright blue concoction into glasses before topping them off with a cherry and orange. Grabbing a water from the cooler, he extends it out toward me, and asks, “This for a DD?” I nod, taking the bottle from him.
“It’s on the house,” he says with a wink, and I smile, sliding the money for the drinks into his hand. The brush of his fingertips against mine is warm, and my smile turns flirtier. He spins toward the register as the music stops, the bar almost seeming silent even through the echo of conversations.
Glancing over my shoulder, I’m captivated as the singer belts out the lyrics into the microphone, making his way across the stage, playing to the audience. Girls screaming out as he leans closer to the fans, almost close enough for them to touch before pulling away with a cocky grin on his face. A tap on my shoulder has my attention swinging back toward the bartender.
“Your change,” he announces, and I place my palm out. His fingers wrap around mine as he hands it to me, and he doesn’t let go. My eyes snap to his as he leans in closer, and I smirk.
“You think I can get your number?”
My smirk turns wry as I eye him up and down. “Maybe,” I sass. “I’m going to be around for the night. I’m sure I’ll see you later,” I add with a wink before moving to turn around. His light grip on my arm pulls me back, and I look at him over my shoulder.
“I’m Todd.”
“Mallory.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mallory. I’ll get with you later tonight. You have fun.” With the flash of another quick smile over my shoulder, I grab Camryn’s hand and we head to find Kristen. As we leave the bar area, the lyrics seem to cut of mid song. My attention moves to the stage as the singer leaps off, a harsh look on his face. Furrowing my brows, I nudge Camryn, and she just shrugs before moving us forward again. The rest of the band looks into the crowd, seeming hesitant as they continue to play, and I follow their line of sight, attempting to find the singer in the crowd, curious as to what is going on. Pushing forward, I continue to look around while making our way to Kristen. The music cuts off on a shrill clatter from the guitar amp, and I flinch as shouts permeate through the air.
As we make our way into a particularly crowded area, a sudden movement causes the crowd to crush in around us. Glancing between two bodies, a huge mountain of a man wearing a black security shirt wrestles another man into submission. Security is unable to get a handle on the guy as he weaves and swings his fist wildly, his momentum causing him to lose his footing and fall onto one of the tables, his head hitting with a sickening thud. Upon impact, the table flips over and squeals shoot off as the women jump off their stools to avoid the half-filled glasses and plates crashing to the floor.
When everyone settles, the man lays out cold on the floor, remnants of the food and drink decorating his back. The security guard and another man haul him to his feet and drag him off the floor, and just as quickly, a small, wiry man moves in with a mop and bucket to start cleaning up the mess. Finally, the crowd parts, and I spy Kristen sitting at a table, her eyes glued to the stage. Completely star struck, Kris doesn’t even notice when we pull our chairs out next to her. Hoisting myself up on the stool that’s nearly as tall as I am takes some finesse, but I manage to do so without flashing half of the place.
Camryn waves the water bottle in front of Kris’s face, snagging her attention. “What the hell just happened?” she asks, one eyebrow raised in question.
“Well that guy decided he needed to molest me and the singer saved me,” Kristen replies, reverence in her voice.
“Holy shit, Kris! Are you okay?” I ask, worry for my friend shining through in my tone.
“Yeah, I’m fine. He just had grabby hands. Didn’t know how to take no for an answer. Then he came to my rescue,” she adds, nodding in the direction of the singer, her voice taking on an almost whimsical hue. My eyes follow hers, locking onto his gorgeous face, and I immediately see why the knight in shining armor act has her bewitched.
We all sip our drinks as the music starts back up, my eyes casting around at the options. I’m here to have a good time. We are here to celebrate finishing one of the most grueling college programs—nursing school. Once I pass my board exam, my dream will finally be within reach. And tonight is all about fun and flirting, since nursing school is not conducive to dating. It’s a lot of schoolwork, studying, and clinicals. As the band starts to play a rendition of Hinder’s “Without You,” a ruggedly handsome man in a tight blue t-shirt and jeans makes his way to my side of the table.
“Would you like to dance?” He extends his hand toward me, and I look down at it for a moment, a small, teasing smile on my lips.
“Hmmm, I don’t know,” I muse, playing coy.
“And what can I do to sway your decision?” he asks, picking up on my flirting and moving in closer. My smile widens as I tap my bottom lip.
“How about you buy me a drink afterward?”
“Done,” he says, determination gleaming in his eyes. I shiver at the headiness of his response, then place my hand in his.
“After you, then.” Leaning back toward the girls as he pulls me into the crowd, I shift one shoulder in a flirty shrug, and say, “See you ladies in a few.”
Making our way out on the jam-packed floor, our bodies move together to the beat of the song along with the other couples on the floor. Placing my hands on his shoulders and our hips sway together, and as the cadence and beat get heavier, I lose myself to the rhythm, ready to forget all the worries of the outside world. As the song ends, he lightly kisses my cheek.
“I promised you a drink.”
“That you did. How about a bottle of water? I think I need something to cool me off after that.” I say with a smile.
“Got you a little hot and bothered?”
“Maybe a little.”
Making our way back to the table, I grab my seat. Looking around for the waitress so I can order another drink, I see Todd heading our way. He sets another round down in front of us and winks at me as he moves around to my side of the table. Upon seeing Todd move in closer, my dance partner mumbles something under his breath and moves away. I wonder that what that was all about?
“You having a good night, sweetheart?” has me turning in Todd’s direction
“I sure am.”
“Looked like you were having a good time out there dancing. You have some good moves. Makes me wish I wasn’t working tonight.
“Don’t you get a break? Maybe we can squeeze in a dance then?” Batting my eyes at him.
“Boss frowns upon that if we’re working. Or I’d be out here in a heartbeat.”
“Don’t want to tick off the boss.”
“Not if I want to be able to pay my rent, I don’t. I still plan on getting your number later. As a matter of fact,” he says, reaching into his back pocket for his phone and sliding it over to me, “put your number in”.
“How many other ladies’ numbers are in this phone? Am I just another conquest for you? Hot bartender seeing how many numbers he can get?”
“There are a couple but I don’t go rounding up numbers for the hell of it.”
“I don’t know. I’m sure the ladies are constantly throwing themselves at you. Tall, blond hair and built? Yeah I don’t see you hurting for attention.”
Laughingly, “I didn’t say they weren’t giving me their numbers, they just don’t make it into my phone. Most of the time it goes straight in the trash.”
“So, I’m special?”
“I think you’re very special.”
When he throws me that megawatt smile and then the dimple shows up, that’s it. I’m done for. Debating just a second, I add my name and number to his contacts. Handing his phone back, he runs his finger down my arm, before closing his hand around the phone and placing it back in his pocket. With a wink, he moves off back toward the bar. “Ladies, you enjoy those drinks.” I can’t help but watch his retreat before the crowd swallows him.
Kris,” Camryn says, grabbing Kristen’s attention, “that guy has only had eyes for you tonight. You might be getting lucky! And it's about damn time, girl!” Glancing at Kristen, I see her face is flaming.
“Wait. What did I miss?” I glance between the two at the table.
“The lead singer. He’s been eyeballing her all night.”
Looking back toward the stage, I look over the singer. He is hot. But my gaze is drawn to the man behind the drums. Watching the way the muscles in his arms and chest contract and relax as he plays, I can only imagine how good they would feel wrapped around me. The black tank top he’s wearing on emphasizes how built he is. A black cap shadows most of his face, only leaving his full lips visible and every once in a while, he’ll bite that bottom lip during a particularly intricate piece. Damn I want to bite that lip. Becoming entranced, I can’t take my eyes off him.
“These are from the band.” My head jerks to the side, my eyes shooting from the drummer to our waitress as she sets another round of drinks in front of us. Reaching for the glass placed in front of me, I quickly down half to cool myself off.
Moving toward Kristen, she leans in close, saying something in her ear, and Kris blushes before ducking her head and glancing to her right. I follow her gaze, and a smirk lifts one corner of my mouth as my eyes land on the singer, who’s looking right at Kris again. He shoots her a wink, and my head bobs back to Kristen, her focus now on her drink though her face is still flaming, and I can’t help but feel giddy for my friend. This guy so has her attention and her reactions are adorable.
“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for coming out tonight,” flows through the mic, and I turn toward the stage once more. “I hope y’all have had a fucking blast. I know we sure have. For all of you who don't know us, let me make some introductions. Over here on my right is Isaac, our guitarist.” A riff rings out through the room, the gritty sound made somewhat sexual in the way Isaac’s fingers run over the strings with ease. I remain fixated on the motions of the chords and the tones accompanying them before he holds his palm over the neck, silencing the solo before leaning to turn off the amp by his side.
“Jason is on the drums.” My heart beats faster watching Jason clutch those sticks, moving them across the drums so fast that they blur. With the last crash of the cymbal, Jason’s full lips curl up into a smile that takes my breath away. Realizing I’m staring, I force myself to look away, but as soon as I glance back, he’s looking straight at me. When he throws a wink in my direction, I nearly fall off my seat.
“On my left is the bassist, Derek.” Derek waves then plays a heavier beat. “I am Brett, and we are the Silver Tongued Devils. Thanks for being an amazing audience tonight.”
Jason. The name rushes over me, eliciting goosebumps on my arms. With the alcohol thrumming through my veins and the drummer’s name on my lips, something unfurls deep within me. I’m not sure what to make of it, but I have a feeling something big is coming.