CHAPTER SEVEN
Ryan
I tried to call Jacqueline once on Friday afternoon. She didn’t answer, so I gave up. I wanted her to show me around Richmond, but I refused to be annoying about it. If she wanted to see me again, she would. I left my number on her voicemail and tried to put her out of my mind. It was harder than it should have been.
She was Jacqueline, after all. Bradley’s dorky little sister with glasses that magnified her green eyes. As kids, Bradley and I made fun of her for it, but now I couldn’t even think about her without picturing those same eyes locked on mine.
She was beautiful in a way she hadn’t been before. Not only did she grow up well, but she grew into herself gracefully. She moved with a confidence not possessed by many. Part of me was proud of the woman she’d become, but a bigger part wished she was still the same, awkward teenager I once knew. It would have made my life so much easier.
If I was honest with myself, I never truly thought of Jacqueline as my sister. Bradley was my brother, and for a time, I thought of his parents as mine. They took me in, they tried to turn me into a better person, but they gave up quickly. Sometimes, I wished they hadn’t bothered. Still, my time with the Keeton family brought me closer to Bradley.
He was my brother, my best friend, and my confidant. I didn’t know what I would do without him. Jacqueline was different. We never formed any kind of bond. She was always just … around. It was almost like she existed in the background of my life with Bradley, never quite important enough to pay much attention to.
We were polite to each other back then. When I wasn’t helping Bradley tease her, I tried to be nice. Now I didn’t know how to feel about her. I tried to think of her as a sister, but it didn’t work. Her sexy figure kept creeping into my mind, making it impossible to think of her as family. When she snapped at me at the diner, I was annoyed and slightly angry, but there was something about her that lit a fire inside my gut. She refused to take my shit, and that, more than anything, was a huge turn on.
As night fell, I tried to push my thoughts of Jacqueline to the back of my mind. I read about a club in downtown Richmond that I was eager to check out. Knowing myself, I knew driving wasn’t an option, so I ordered an Uber. When the driver arrived, I hurried outside and climbed in the backseat. We didn’t speak the entire way to the club, but I didn’t mind. I was never much for small talk. When we pulled up to the club, he nodded at me in the rearview mirror as I opened my door and jumped out.
The club looked normal. There were two bouncers standing at the doorway, checking IDs. As I approached, they both nodded me through without a word. I always looked older than I was and had almost never been carded. My scruffy face only made me look older, so I wasn’t surprised when I could walk right inside.
Glancing around me, I saw that this club wasn’t anything special. The music blasted so loud, I could barely hear myself think. Groups of people crowded together on the dance floor, moving along with the beat. I moved immediately to the bar.
“Shot of whiskey,” I ordered, yelling over the music. “Whatever kind you got.”
The bartender nodded and poured me a glass. I slapped my credit card down and picked up the glass, taking it down in one gulp.
“Another,” I said, placing the glass on the bar.
After five shots, I ordered a beer and moved to the dance floor. Dancing was always easy. Moving my body to the beat allowed my mind to wander. It wasn’t long before a few women came over, rubbing their bodies against mine. I danced with each of them, placing my hands on their hips and letting my eyes travel over their curves. They were all gorgeous, sexy women, but they couldn’t hold my attention. I quickly excused myself and hurried back to the bar.
“Another beer,” I called out. The bartender nodded and poured me a draft. I took the beer and walked a few feet away, scanning the club slowly.
“Not much for dancing?” someone asked from beside me. I glanced over to see a petite redhead smiling up at me. She was adorable, with freckles on her nose and a cute figure.
I shrugged. “Not really. Not tonight anyway.”
“I saw those girls surround you,” she said, laughing. “It looked like they wanted to eat you up.”
“Most do,” I said without emotion. She stepped closer to me.
“Can I buy you a drink?” she asked.
“Already have one, but thanks,” I said, holding up my beer for her to see.
“The next one then,” she offered. “We can just talk until then.”
I looked at her again, trailing my eyes down her body. Her breasts her tiny, but her ass was amazing. I could have stared at it all night, but I didn’t. I looked back at her face, preparing to reject her easily. She was a cute girl, but not at all my type.
“Listen,” I began, but I didn’t get a chance to finish. Someone shoved me from behind, sending me flying forward. I caught myself before I could knock the redhead down. Spinning around to see who pushed me, I felt my face flush with rage.
“What the fuck are you doing?” some guy screamed, inches from my face. “That’s my girlfriend, you piece of shit!”
“Dustin!” the girl yelled. “Get out of here. We aren’t together anymore!”
“Look, man,” I said, holding up my hands in a placating gesture. “I’m not interested in a fight.”
Without warning, his fist swung at me. My head jerked to the side instinctively, avoiding his ham-fisted jab. I threw my beer to the ground and tackled him. My training took over, and I immediately pummeled his face. It took the strength of both bouncers and the bartender to pull me off him. They didn’t let me go until we were outside.
“All right!” I yelled, yanking away from their grasp. “I’m out! Enough.”
“You’re drunk,” the bartender said. “Your night’s over.”
“Is there someone we can call?” one of the bouncer’s asked. “If we don’t call someone, we have to call the police. That’s the club’s policy.”
Without a word, I pulled Jacqueline’s business card out of my pocket. I handed it to the bartender and pointed to her cell phone number on the back.
“Okay,” the bouncer said with a nod. “I’ll be right back.”
He disappeared inside to call Jacqueline. The other bouncer stood close to me, making sure I didn’t leave. It wasn’t long before Jacqueline pulled up in front of the club. She rolled down her window so I would know it was her.
“Get in,” she ordered.
“Well, gentlemen,” I said to the bouncers. “It’s been fun.”
I stumbled to Jacqueline’s car and fell into the passenger seat. Jacqueline looked at me with disdain before she drove away. We made it to my apartment quickly, and she helped me inside without a word.
“Are you still mad at me?” I asked as we stepped into the living room.
“You’re drunk,” she said.
“That’s not an answer,” I argued.
She sighed. “Get some sleep, Ryan. I have to go.”
I don’t know what came over me, but before I knew it, I kissed her. Her lips felt amazing against mine. I pulled her close and sighed deeply, my lips still pressed firmly against hers.
She yanked away from me and stared at me in disbelief. Her face was flushed, but she didn’t seem angry. If anything, she just looked confused. I smiled shyly and tried to kiss her again, but she moved away before I could.
“Lay down with me,” I said softly.
“What?” she asked. “What the hell, Ryan?”
“We won’t do anything,” I promised. “Just come to bed with me. Please.”
At first I was sure she would say no. Her eyes flashed dangerously, and she glanced at the front door. I expected her to storm out, just like she did at the diner. Instead, she sighed and turned back to face me. There was something behind her eyes that I didn’t recognize. It might have been desire or just pity. Whatever it was, she nodded and followed me into my bedroom without a word.