Alex couldn’t turn me into a full-fledged bitch.
At nine-thirty, I pulled into Baxter’s parking lot already feeling good. Harleys and trucks filled the lot, which meant a rowdy, shit-faced crowd playing pool and darts awaited me inside.
I strolled through the door, scanning the room for Remy. The Monday night football game flashed on the flat screens around the room, making it jammed for a weeknight.
Girls scoped me out from every corner. Their none-too-subtle gaping and lip-licking told me one thing. I had my pick. Sorority girl or bored housewife, I didn’t discriminate.
Alex was shocked by the waitress at Jake’s. That was nothing. She would’ve been stunned by the methods girls used to get my attention.
I hated to sound conceited because I wasn’t. I was a piece of trash with an attractive face and body. The face was all genetics. My mom had been gorgeous. But the body, I worked for. Lifting at the gym kept my pent-up aggression in check. And no, I didn’t grunt and groan at myself in the mirror.
Before I even spotted Remy, two bottle blondes in tight shirts, painted-on jeans, and hooker heels made their way over to me, latching on to both my arms.
“Hey, Hayden,” one purred.
“Hey.” I glanced between the two, only seeing the orange lines around their necks where they didn’t blend in their makeup all the way. They must’ve had some hefty imperfections to cake on so much shit. Alex barely wore any. Her perfect face didn’t need it.
Fuuuuck.
I shook off the thought. Alex was not going to screw this up for me. By the time I got one or both of the girls home, makeup would be the last thing on my mind.
“We were hoping you’d be here tonight,” one of them admitted, running her finger down my chest.
I hated being touched. Not just because of my own fucked up reaction to it, but also the reminder of the cause of the reaction.
But if the touching meant the girl would go home with me, I let it slide—gritting my teeth and bearing it. Besides, I was well on my way to utter oblivion. When that happened, the touching didn’t bother me as much.
I flashed a lazy smile, the one that made my dimples dig in. “Oh, yeah?”
Both girls nodded, using their come-hither gazes. I’d give them a C for effort.
I spotted Remy by the bar, chatting up some of our boys. I headed over to him with the blondes on my tail.
“What’s up?” I greeted them.
Remy swiveled on his stool, eying the blondes then me. “No puppy tonight?”
My brows pinched together. What the hell was he talking about?
“The brunette. She was different. Not your usual type.”
I didn’t lie to Remy. We both knew it. “No clue what you’re talking about.”
Remy’s crooked smirk told me he didn’t buy it. “Then I guess you won’t care if I have a go at her.” Remy watched me for a reaction. I kept my face composed, giving nothing away. He finally nodded, telling me he’d drop it. At least for the time being.
But the fact that he had Alex on his radar made me anxious. I needed him to forget she existed. I needed to forget she existed.
We spent the night playing pool and getting wasted while the blondes looked on, getting us drinks when our bottles ran dry. This was my life. Partying and getting hammered with no questions asked. Taking girls home and doing whatever the hell I wanted. No stressing over some chick I’d never be with.
Remy left with one of the blondes just before one. I walked the other to my truck. I hated bringing girls home in my truck. Since I had no intention of carting their asses home at three in the morning, I got stuck footing the bill for a taxi. I knew I didn’t need to. But I wasn’t a complete asshole.
My engine roared to life and music blared from the speakers. Maggie, or maybe it was Maddie, lifted herself up into the passenger seat, instantly reaching for the radio.
Oh, no way in hell.
I grabbed her hand and held on to it. Her heavy-lidded eyes told me she totally misread my intentions. But I went with it. Whatever worked.
“It’s really loud,” she whined, pulling the passenger door closed.
I smiled over at her, nodding my head to the beat, pretending to be into the song. I couldn’t help thinking Alex would’ve never touched my radio.
I pushed the senseless thought aside.
The chick pointed her long red fingernail to her