Now out in the fresh air, her mind has cleared and she’s fired up again, but I’m not having it.
“I don’t care what you’re about to say.” She looks between the three of us. “I can and will come and go as I please. If that’s a problem—”
“Stop talking.” All eyes swing to me. “It is a problem and you know it. You’re also okay with it, and you do care. It’s why you left in the first place. You thought we were making plans that wouldn’t include you, so you bailed before we could.”
“Please,” she snaps but there’s no power behind it.
“It’s why you were glad when we arrived.” I get in her face and she doesn’t cower but cuts her eyes left. “It’s why, when Collins grabbed you for the second time, your eyes wanted mine.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She licks her lips and damn, if I don’t wanna do the same.
I step even closer. “You know, if I were with you, I never would have allowed him close enough to touch you.”
She stands tall, ready to sass me when I run my fingertips up her side and her thought dies on her tongue.
“Tell me I’m wrong.”
She drops her face into her palms, and I glance at my brothers.
Then she starts laughing.
“Ugh.” She pretends to be annoyed, hitting my chest but leaving her palms to rest there. “You guys are impossible!” She laughs, glancing from my brothers to me. “Fine, you’re right. There, I said it. Happy?”
“No,” I tell her and her eyes slice to mine. “I’m not happy because all this was unavoidable. We should have come out together, but you’re stubborn as shit and keep fighting yourself when you should have done what you really wanted back at the school.”
She fights a grin, want rising in those stormy eyes. “And what’d I really want to do, big man?”
“To put West Wood’s cheer captain in check.” When she drops her frown to the ground, I force it back up with a knuckle under her chin. “You really think I was up for that?
She shrugs, unapologetic. “Wouldn’t blame you if you were.”
“You should.”
Her features tighten, her eyes shifting to where my brothers stand, staring before coming back.
Leo and Mac step up before anything else can be said.
“Hey.” Mac nods. “What do you guys wanna do now?”
Royce shrugs, looks to the club, then back with a grin. “Wouldn’t mind some dancing.”
Raven scoffs. “Yeah, well, go on ahead then. I’m not going back in tonight after that.”
“Thought you didn’t care what people thought of you?” Leo asks and my head jerks his way. I don’t like the way his eyes narrow on her.
She steps out of my shadow. “I don’t. But I also don’t feel like spending half the night answering questions and telling girls to fuck off when they beg for introductions.”
“Why not introduce them?”
My brows snap together, and I look to Captain, who frowns at the two the same.
“Do you even know your friends, Leo? You think they’d ever entertain the idea of a girl who doesn’t have the balls to approach them on her own if she wanted to get friendly? I’ll help you out.” Her gaze flicks over his form. “The answer is no.”
He looks ready to say something, but she doesn’t give him the chance.
“We’re going home,” she lays down the law, then slips into the back seat without even sparing anyone another damn glance.
Royce laughs, salutes Mac and Leo and climbs in.
“You guys want a ride back?” Captain asks them.
“That’s what Uber’s for, man.” Mac steps forward to give props.
“Later.” Leo nods and they head back for the club.
Captain turns to me before we get in the truck. “She said home.”
I nod, I caught it too.
With a small grin, he pats my shoulder and makes his way to the driver’s seat.
Once all four of us are in, we head home.
I nearly spit all over myself when Royce stands up and starts gyrating.
Captain laughs, leaning forward to smack him and he falls back into his seat, pouring another.
“I told you, I dated a stripper once. She taught me some shit.” He winks at me, then gets punched in the arm by Maddoc.
“Okay, I’m done.” I lift my feet into my lap and yank off the black, closed toe wedges Mello leant me tonight. “I’m going to bed. You fuckers do you.” I wave at Captain and Royce then plant my feet in