Breaker laughs. “How though, brother? How will we ever make her pay?” His voice becomes more sinister and excited from the prospect.
“Could be money, but we all have enough of that,” Dixon adds.
“Maybe with her body.” Byron chuckles, enjoying this far too much.
“No, that’s not the kind of payment we’re looking for, Palmer.” Marek releases my hip, forcing me to admit how much I miss his touch. His hand doesn’t wait too long to press against my chest, pushing me onto the couch next to Breaker.
They inch closer, except for Marek. He backs away, leaning against one of the columns dividing us from the rest of the club. His arms cross over his chest, and he relaxes into his position. No one utters a single word, allowing me time to take each of them in.
“Aren’t you sick of playing these games?” I try to stand, but Breaker’s tattooed fingers press into my shoulder, keeping me in place. “You’ve got to be kidding with me, right? You can’t keep me here against my will.”
“No one’s keeping you anywhere you don’t want to be, Palmer.” Marek gestures to the crowded club. “You’re free to go.”
I stand, more than happy to escape these guys. Being in their presence is enough to shake my every nerve. Their body language makes me feel small and unworthy. Four boys who are larger than life, that’s what they are.
Marek’s hand wraps around my bicep, halting my escape to freedom. I turn my head, locking onto him, and I realize it’s a big ruse. I don’t have my freedom anymore. I belong to him. He knows it, and now I do, too.
“Don’t forget this.” He offers me my phone, and I tuck it into my pocket. “When you need me, which you will”— his tongue pokes out of his mouth, accentuating the perfect curve of his lips— “text me. Call me. Send a fucking carrier pigeon for all I care, but I will be there.”
“Why? What am I to you?” I swallow, lifting my chin to feign confidence. His arm muscles twitch under his skin, and his grip on my bicep loosens as his smile tightens.
“Something to play with.” He pushes off the wood column, putting his body between me and the boys. As one, they stand, making them appear to be a united front.
“But why?” I shake my head, yanking away from him. “Why me?”
“When you need to know, you will.”
“Cryptic messages aren’t really my thing.” I challenge, stepping forward and pressing my chest into his. My hand lands in the small space between us. Hidden from everyone, my fingers inch towards the one thing they shouldn’t.
“Don’t start something you can’t finish, Palmer Weston. A boy like me will shatter every part of your heart.”
“Who said anything about hearts, Marek?” Standing in front of him makes me a little crazy. I know I shouldn’t, but I place my flat palm against the front of his jeans, feeling the heat of his erection against my hand. “What this is has nothing to do with our hearts. For all I know you have a hollow chest.”
He grabs my hand, forcing me to stop touching him. “Like I said, Palmer, you’ll call when you need us.”
Like hell I will. Attempting to play their own game against them, I’ve ended up on the losing end once again. The idea that being aggressive would play in my hand was deceiving. These boys don’t care what kind of tricks and tools I use because, at the end of the day, they know they’ll always be stronger, faster, and bigger.
At that, I push forward, knowing damn well the four of them are watching me disappear into the crowd. If it’s possible, the club is more packed than when Delaney and I got here earlier. At the thought, I search the dance floor, expecting to find her grinding up on the guy.
She’s nowhere to be found.
The blood rushes into my ears, making the music muffled and distorted. I dive right into the middle of the dance floor, scanning every face to find my best friend. Twenty minutes later, and she’s still missing.
“Where in the hell are you?” I ask as I scan the nameless faces.
A grown man steps in front of me, attempting to wrap me in his arms. “You okay, sweetheart?”
“Back off!” I shout, but it’s pointless with the volume of the music. No one could hear me screaming. I shove through the sweaty bodies, gasping for air