Chapter 10

Max

“You look like a runway model.” It was Friday night, and Addie’s best friend, McKenna, was over, side-eyeing me from the couch like I was a piece of meat.

I winked at her. “Thanks, hot stuff.”

Long legs, chin-length blond hair, and the body of a ballerina with a decent rack… McKenna was hot but did nothing for me. Guess that tended to happen when you only had eyes for one woman.

I grabbed my wallet off the counter and tucked it into the back pocket of my jeans.

“You gonna take me out soon?” she asked.

“Kenna!” Addie elbowed her.

I laughed and shook my head.

“What?” McKenna blinked innocently and shoveled ice cream into her mouth. “He’s hot.”

“Appreciate the sentiment, but a pretty lady like you is far too good for a guy like me.” I kissed the top of Chloe’s head and then pointed at Addie. “Don’t wait up. Colly—”

“Needs this, I know.” She smiled so brightly that I could swear she was glowing. She and Collin were sick in love with each other. And damn if it didn’t make me jealous.

I waved goodbye from over my shoulder and stepped outside, only to swing right toward Gavin’s place. Not bothering to knock, I pushed open his door. He was at his desk, hunched over his computer like always. Sometimes I wondered if he ever left his house.

“What’s up, buttercup? You lookin’ at porn?”

“Ever heard of knocking?” he mumbled.

I grinned, ignoring him as I plopped onto the chair. “You ready?”

“You in a hurry?” He stood and shut his laptop, stretching his arms over his head.

“Maybe.” More so fuck yeah, just not for the reasons I’m sure he was thinking.

Since our trip to Macomb on Monday, Lee-Lee and I had been getting along really well. Talking, laughing, hanging out like we’d done in the past. Only this time, the feelings I’d been keeping at bay were damn near impossible not to act upon. Add in the fact that I was obsessed with seeing her every waking minute I could, and it pretty much sealed the deal that I was suffering from insanity: the love kind.

Take Thursday night at Jimney’s, for example. I’d nearly lost my shit when I saw what she was wearing. I’m not talking pissed-off lost my shit, more like lost my load in the middle of the bar with one look at her. Black strapless dress, with the three very important s’s that made me crazy: slinky, sexy, and sinful. It was exactly what I’d imagined seeing on the floor of my room. Then last night she’d worn a blue dress that was similar, only this time it was even shorter and had a zipper that ran down the front. A zipper I could all too easily see myself undoing with my teeth.

But it wasn’t just how she looked that was making me crazy. There were her sweet smiles and her laughs, and the way she’d tell a story to a customer with so much expression and enthusiasm that I half wondered why she’d never taken up acting. Her heart was big, her soul was warm, and she made everyone around her, including me, feel like they’d won the lottery by being with her.

Gavin took off his T-shirt and threw it on the couch, only to dive into his laundry to grab another identical gray shirt. He smelled it, then tossed it on. “Where’re we going anyway? O’Paddy’s?”

I cleared my throat, hoping my voice stayed even. If either of the guys knew what I was really up to tonight, they’d call me out in a heartbeat, especially Collin.

“New club in downtown Macomb.”

He scowled and ran his hand through his longish hair. “Why the hell do you wanna travel an hour away to a college town when we’ve got O’Paddy’s right here in Carinthia?”

“New people.” I shrugged. “New music.”

O’Paddy’s was our bar, the one we visited nearly every weekend during rugby season—which was less than two weeks away, now that I thought about it. But last night, I’d overheard Lia’s boss tell her that she and a couple of friends were going to drive to Macomb to check this new place out. Something about Patricia’s latest man toy agreeing to watch the bar for her so a couple of the ladies could have the night off. At first I thought she’d say no, because Lia didn’t normally do the hang-with-girlfriends thing or the dance club scene. But to my surprise, she’d agreed, which had stirred my guys’ night out plan into play.

Gav grabbed his keys off the table, a frown on his face. “I don’t do people. And I sure as hell don’t do music.”

“Yeah, well, you do beer and near-naked women, right?”

He smirked at that. “Is Colly still going?”

“We’re picking him up along the way.”

Gavin put on his shoes, not bothering to lace them. “Then let’s go.”

We pulled up in front of the business where Collin worked security a little while later. The building was tall, with red bricks dominating the front. It looked like a place for suits and hooker heels.

Colly never talked much about his job, probably because he hated it. But now that he was in the academy training to be a cop, he’d grown less broody about going to work. Or it could’ve been the fact that he had a warm body to come home to every night.

The building wasn’t holding my undivided attention though. What was next door had caught my eye. A small shop with ground-to-ceiling windows and a black overhang. It looked out of place in the downtown area, which I liked. Oddness was my weakness.

“What are you looking at?” Gavin asked, propping his feet on my dash.

“You ever think about what you’d be doing right now if you hadn’t enlisted?”

He laughed once. “No doubt I’d be rotting away at some desk job.”

I frowned but didn’t tear my eyes away from the For Rent sign hanging on the front door of the abandoned storefront. “You really think so?”

“What’s up with the heavy?” Gavin leaned forward to turn down the music.

I drummed my fingers along the steering wheel. “Just thinking is all.” ’Bout life and love, finding something to make me happy that wasn’t necessarily sex and beer. Making something of myself along the way too. Kinda like Lia was doing.

Ever since she’d called me out on my lack of motivation and job, I’d been trying to figure out how to get my shit together and face the world like a grown man, especially since I didn’t want to live off my dad’s estate any longer than I had to. If only I knew where to start and what made me happiest.

Chloe made me happy. So did my friends. And Lia? Yeah, she made me happier than anything else. I loved to sing but would never pursue that. I also loved to cook—was decent at making pancakes and Mexican food, according to my family and the guys.

That sign, that building called to me for some weird-ass reason.

“If I hadn’t enlisted, I wouldn’t have met my only family.” Gavin’s face was pointed toward the window, so I almost didn’t hear his words. Normally he didn’t get deep like that, but for some reason lately, he’d been more emotionally fucked up than usual. I’d never call him out on his sensitive thoughts. It wasn’t something we did as brothers.

“Yeah. Same here, man.”

A minute later, we turned to each other, both of us shuddering. “I feel like a chick,” Gavin said.

“That’s because you are.” I grinned and lifted my arms to protect my face, only for him to whale me in the chest instead.

“That all you got?” I choked on my laughter, knowing it’d only piss him off more. Gav and Collin could easily kick my ass if they really tried. I was a good three inches shorter than they were, with the body of a swimmer—an Olympic swimmer, I’d say—but skinny. With good abs, I’d been told. And then there was my dick. I’d been told that was magic. One girl had called it a wand with “special powers.” I grinned at the thought, even as Gavin smacked the top of my head.

“Hey.” The back door opened, and Collin slipped inside. With eyes like his sister, he glared back and forth between Gavin and me. “This is the first time in two months we’ve been able to do something just us guys. I’m not gonna deal with your punk asses fighting, so knock it off.”

Gavin slumped in his seat, arms folded over his chest like a kid.

Smiling to myself, I started the engine and shook my head. This was gonna be a long night.

* * *

An hour later, the three of us were in line at a club called The Club. Collin was on his cell talking to someone, while Gavin glared at everyone who came within a foot of us.

The closer we’d gotten to Macomb, the jumpier he’d become. We kept asking him if he was all right, whether he wanted to turn around and head home, but he’d refused, snapping at us. Maybe he was having a dry spell? Then again, I hadn’t seen him with a woman for a while—if ever, now that I thought about it.

“What kind of place is this that we have to wait in line?” Gavin grumbled. His fingers trembled as he ran a hand over his mouth.

“Have you seen the legs surrounding us?” I pointed out a few pairs, trying to ease the tension falling off him. “It’s gonna be worth it. I’m telling ya. Maybe you’ll even find someone to take the edge off.” I squeezed his shoulder, grinning as he glared at me.

Collin pocketed his cell and blew out a breath. “Can’t stay long anyway. I’ve gotta cover for someone at work in the morning. Not sure what I’m gonna do with Beaner, since Addie’s got plans with Kenna first thing in the morning.” He slapped Gavin along the back of the shoulder. “You think you could watch her for an hour ’til Addie’s done?”

“Yeah, whatever.” Gavin shrugged out of Collin’s hold, pulling at the neck of his T-shirt.

“You sure you’re up for that?” I asked him, not meaning anything by it.

Gavin glared at me. “Why the hell wouldn’t I be?”

I held my hands up. “Whoa, there. Didn’t mean nothing by it, other than the fact that the last time you watched Chloe, you kinda lost your shit.”

“I’m gonna be fine,” he growled, a vein popping in his neck. “That was one damn night.”

He moved a foot ahead of us, stepping out of line. Collin looked at me, brows raised. I shrugged in turn, wishing I could read minds.

Twenty minutes later, tension thick between us, we were handed back our IDs and ushered inside. A black velvet rope was unhooked—posh shit that made my skin crawl. As we stepped inside, I frowned, taking in the main room. The black-painted glass doors did a mighty fine job of hiding the bones of the place from outside, because the second we stepped through, a blast of techno music burst through the air, followed by flashing, blinding lights and a room filled with three dance floors and leather on every wall.

“What the hell?” Gavin pressed his hands to his ears, his eyes racing around the room. Two steps back and he was against the wall, crouched over and pressing his face to his knees.

“Breathe, man.” Collin crouched next to him, his eyebrows pushed together.

“Fuck, I didn’t know.” I gazed around the room, over the tops of heads, hunting for Lia. I should’ve been down there with Gavin too, making sure he was okay, but I couldn’t stop looking around. This wasn’t some run-of-the-mill club. This was half dance club, half wannabe sex club.

Half-dressed women and guys who looked barely legal surrounded us. The guys in leather carried whips and cuffs, all looking for their next victim. Same with the girls—total kinky shit. A tall staircase led to a second floor. People hung over the edge of a railing.

“Jesus, what is this place?” I asked, more to myself than to the guys. No doubt in my mind, I needed to find Lia and get her out of there now more than ever.

“Not heaven, obviously, so quit calling to the Big Guy and help me get Gavin outta here. This was a bad fucking idea.” Collin was at my side, glaring around too. If he knew his sister was out there in the crowd, he’d flip. Then he’d kick her ass and lock her away, twenty-five years old or not.

“I-I can’t, man. I’m sorry.” I swallowed hard, with no idea how to tell him the truth.

“This isn’t the time to get your fix, Max. Gav needs us.” Collin jabbed his thumb back toward our best friend. He sat on the floor, arms latched around his knees with his head in his lap.

“I’m not getting my fix.” I ran my fingers through my hair, torn. Help my buddy, or stay and make sure Lia was okay. I knew what Colly would want me to do, but right now he didn’t need the added worry over his sister when Gav looked ready to lose it completely.

“Gavin can’t be here,” Collin reiterated. “You hear me?”

I nodded, not thinking twice as I shoved my car keys into his hand. “Go,” I pleaded. “I got shit I gotta take care of here first. Serious stuff I can’t talk about.” My throat burned at the lie, my hands itching to grab a certain pink-haired, tattooed girl and throw her over my shoulder. “I’ll catch a cab ride home later or something.”

Collin hissed, “You’re fucking serious?”

My jaw ached from grinding my molars, but I nodded. The words were on the tip of my tongue. Lia. Lia’s here. It’s not that she couldn’t handle herself, but damn it all to hell, I couldn’t stop myself from worrying about her.

“He’s this close to cracking, Max.” Collin pinched his finger and thumb together, leaving only centimeters between.

Chest tight, I nodded, worry for Gavin heavy on me. Worry for Lia beating me up at the same time. “Get him out of here. I’ll find a ride. Don’t worry ’bout me.”

Collin opened his mouth, probably to rip me a new one. I was ready for it too. But then a voice sounded in my ear, and nails dug into my arm.

“Max?”

I shut my eyes, barely containing a shudder. I knew that voice.

“There you are.” I swallowed the knot in my throat, ready to take one for the team as I twisted around to face Sadie, the last girl I’d slept with pre-celibacy. My arms went around her waist, and her hands went into the back pockets of my jeans. I cringed as she squeezed my ass, yet my cock didn’t twitch a bit as she rubbed her barely covered chest against mine.

Still, she was the excuse I needed.

The scent of her cheap perfume and hard liquor drifted through my nose. “Ready to dance, sweetness?” I’m lucky I got the words out.

Her eyes widened at the nickname, probably because she was remembering my no-seconds rule. Either way, she leaned up onto her tiptoes and pulled my ear between her teeth before whispering, “I’m ready for anything with you.” Her eyes drifted up the stairs to my right. I put on a grin, playing the role as I turned to Collin. Someday I fucking prayed he’d understand.

“Get him out of here.” I nudged Sadie behind me. “Now.”

Guilt racked my gut, churning my dinner as I held Collin’s glare. It wasn’t anger I saw in his eyes but disappointment. An emotion I hated more than any other. I’d seen it too many times in my life, which is probably the only thing that had me turning and grabbing Sadie around the waist.

“What’s wrong with your friend?” She giggled, snuggling up to my side.

“Nothing. Let’s go.” I ushered her toward the dance floor, determined to do what I came here to do.

Find Lia.

Watch Lia.

And get her ass out of here as soon as I could.