me, “Ass outside, Angel. Get in your fucking truck.”
I do exactly what he says, leaving without checking to see if he’s following me, but when I start the Chevy and wait a minute for the engine to warm up, he stalks out and charges right up to my window.
I wince but I roll it down.
“Make sure you’re at the club party. Everyone goes and if your ass isn’t there I’m coming to find you.”
What the hell does that even mean?
I don’t get the chance to ask, he just turns on his heel and stalks over to his motorcycle, swinging onto it and letting the engine roar to life under him. When I just sit there staring at him, he waves his arm at me to go ahead, waiting until I’m on the road before he leaves himself.
Diamond calls me to tell me about the party.
There’s no fucking way I want to go but Tomi’s words are still ringing in my head so I know I have no choice.
I spend the day before at the library doing my classwork and I have a headache by the time I have to leave and head over there. I stay in my car for a good five minutes convincing myself I’ll get the hell through this. If Poe isn’t here I’ll just find Speck. Hell, if he’s bartending like he’s told me he usually has to, I'll offer to help him just to get a slab of wood between me and the drunken bikers.
There’s a lot of them.
Every last one of them is loud and drunk and fucking huge. If any of them try to touch me there’s no way I can stop them. I wouldn’t stand a fucking chance.
I finally get out when Mel parks up next to me, Lana and Farrah piling out with her as they all giggle and laugh together.
I’m almost jealous.
The bonfire is bright and the other girls disappear into the crowd the second they get there, mingling with the crowd of bikers as easy as breathing.
I wonder how long I have to be here for?
I’m hesitant as I tiptoe through the crowds, trying to be small and inconspicuous.
“Angel! Hey! Get your ass over here,” Poe calls out.
Thank God.
I dart over to where she’s standing in the parking lot by the bonfire, a beer in her hand and a friend standing there with her. She leans down to snag a beer for me from the barrel. I try to ignore the looks her friend is giving me, the loathing not even a little subtle.
I’m guessing this is Trink.
“Can you quit it? We’re trying to have a good night,” Poe snarks at her and then turns to me with a grin.
“I wasn’t expecting you to come! You haven’t been to any of the other parties… they’re kind of boring, except for the free beer.”
I shrug and force a smile on my face. “I was, uh, invited… I guess. I didn’t even know these parties were happening.”
I down the entire beer in two gulps. I need the courage and something to lessen the nerves a little. Poe giggles and hands me another.
"Is there a guy you're sweet on or something? Reece seems pretty freaking interested. I've never seen him tail a girl like he does with you."
Trink scoffs. "He tails you like that too, Posey, you just never notice him."
I shift on my feet, too uncomfortable with this conversation. The only man to ever catch my eye is standing on the other side of the parking lot, glaring over at us like he wants to murder me for daring to speak to his sister.
If he enjoys fucking strippers so much then why does he loathe me so fiercely?
It’s not a question I want to linger on.
Fuck, I know exactly how easy it is to hate me.
"Uh, no. No boyfriend. I'm not really interested in getting caught up into anything at the moment. I just... I want to finish up my college classes."
Trink's eyebrows raise. "You're going to college? How do you find time for that? I thought the pole work was full time.”
Poe elbows her hard. "Can you quit it? Angel is my friend, stop acting like an asshole."
I raise the beer back to my lips, pausing before I take a sip to say, "It's fine, Poe. This is Trink's home. If I'm not welcome I'll head out."
Then I finish the bottle and drop it into the trash can, giving her a quick hug and walking off to find Speck. Poe