Once out in the parking lot Jen turned back towards the door, arms folded across her chest, ready for battle.
Decebel came storming out of the bar with Sorin, Jacque, Sally, and Fane trailing behind him. He walked right up to her, their bodies only a breath apart.
"What the hell were you thinking? Dancing on a bar, drinking with a bunch of men?" As if he suddenly remembered his part in it, Decebel turned on Sorin, who took an automatic step back. "And what were you thinking bringing them here?"
"They wanted a night out. Nothing happened, Decebel. Everyone knows who they are and to whom they belong," Sorin tried to pacify the fuming wolf.
"Would you get a freaking grip, man?" Jen ground out. "It's not like I was stripping or letting any of those fur balls touch me, so I don't know what your problem is."
"My problem? " Decebel glared daggers at Jen. "My problem is you are seventeen."
"Eighteen," Jen, Sally, and Jacque all said at the same time.
Decebel looked at the other two girls, who both suddenly became very interested in the gravel on the ground.
"Whatever," Decebel continued. "You're too damn young to be in a bar drinking, throwing yourself around like -"
Jen slammed her hand into his chest, cutting his words off. "You had better think really hard about what's about to come out of your mouth, flea bag, because you can't un-say it and I won't forget it," she warned him.
Decebel's lips pressed together, his eyes narrowing. "Let's just go. We can finish this conversation later." Decebel proceeded to take Jen's arm to lead her towards the vehicle he and Fane had arrived in. She jerked her arm away and followed Sally and Jacque to Sorin's Hummer.
She turned towards Decebel, continuing to walk backwards. "You have to earn the privilege of my company. And just a tip – yelling at a girl and then grabbing her arm isn't exactly the way to get her in your ride. That bit of advice is free, any more is going to cost you dearly." With that she turned back and continued on to the vehicle, climbing in without another backward glance.
When Decebel took a step in her direction, Fane grabbed his arm to stop him. "Just let it go, Dec. You both need to calm down. You can talk to her once you get to the house."
Decebel didn't comment but continued to glare at the car Jen had just climbed into, which was now driving away.
"The NERVE!" Jen yelled in frustration as she climbed out of the Hummer with Sally and Jacque right behind her. "He completely ruined my buzz."
Sally rolled her eyes. "Well, by all means, skin the pelt off the wolf for daring to mess with your buzz."
Jen flipped Sally off. "That's not the point. The point is that he thinks, for some reason, that he has the right to tell me what to do."
The girls headed up the stairs towards Jen's room.
Once behind her door, she threw herself on her bed and stared up at the ceiling.
"Are you okay?" Jacque asked with true concern in her voice.
"I'm just confused and all this vodka sloshing around in my brain is not helping matters."
"The vodka will do it every time," Sally put in. "Messes with the brain waves and whatnot."
Jacque looked at Sally."What the crap are you talking about?"
Sally shrugged. "I'm just saying."
Jen laughed. "That's my line, Thelma."
"My bad, Louise. I was just going with the moment," Sally joked.
Jacque sat down on the bed next to Jen. "I really think you need to talk to him. Be blunt. I mean, we both know you struggle with being blunt but you could give it a go."
Sally and Jen laughed at Jacque's sarcasm.
"I just don't know where it's going to get us," Jen said in exasperation.
"By the way..." Sally looked at Jen, crossing her arms across her chest. "When and where did you learn to speak Romanian exactly?"