Scarred Hearts (Blackrock) (8 page)
I pull out of the parking lot and drive back out to the main road. "Are you ok?" I ask Paige. She nods but says nothing. I can see that look in her eye, it was the same look Summer used to get when Ben did something to upset her but she was trying to hide it from me. I drive back into downtown and drive right past her apartment, "Hey you missed the turn," she says to me.
"No I didn't," I say back. She looks at me questioningly "You told me that we were going to celebrate my birthday tonight because I had no friends here" I say.
She looks over and smiles, "yeah I guess I did, that shit back there wasn't a very good celebration". "I know so that's why we are going to do it now, just you and me. So you're the townie, where to" I ask her. She begins to laugh at my use of her domicile and she says "Georges is usually good on Friday night, they have a live band each week but I haven't been there for months" she tells me. Ok I think Georges it is, I find a parking spot around the side by the side entrance. We get out of the car and walk around to the front doors, as we step inside the body heat from everyone is stifling, I am glad I did not bring a jacket I would be sweating in a minute.
Paige walks over to the bar and finds one stool at the end; she plunks her butt down and turns to me. "So birthday girl what will it be?" I decide to do shots with her to help loosen her up and forget about her fight with Duke. "We can do some shots and then I will have a Jack & Coke". I look around the bar taking in everything, I see the band setting up on stage behind me, they have no lights on them and are trying to plug in instruments using the lights from their cell phones.
I hear Paige order our drinks and turn back to the bar and stop dead in my tracks, "Well look who is here" says the bartender "It's the run away hottie" he says smiling at me.
I just stand there and stare at him like I did on the street the last two times I saw him. He shakes his head and goes about making our drinks. Holy shit, of all the bars in this whole place we would have come in here. TDH is the barman and I am getting all flustered again.
Paige looks at me with curiosity "I saw him on the street last week" I tell her "but his hair is different again". TDH returns with our drinks and winks at me, "So what are you ladies doing here tonight?" he asks. "Oh celebrating a birthday," Paige answers up. God I could kill her why did she say that "A birthday huh, and which one of you is the lucky birthday girl" he asks.
Paige is clearly enjoying the attention and she points over to me," its Bailey's" she says back to him. "Well Bailey I am Max, happy birthday" he says with a wink "the shots are on me" he says walking away to tend other customers.
"Someone has been holding out on me" Paige says as she turns to look at me, I lift up a shot and hold one out to her "No I haven't I only saw him on the street twice" I say. "Twice" She exaggerates the word while putting her hand over her heart. I roll my eyes and lift up my glass; we both tip them into our mouths at the same time. Ugh tequila, I can't stand the stuff. I slam the glass down on the bar and cough. Paige looks over at me "are you ok?". "Yeah but next time I'll order the shots," I say laughing.
We pick up our drinks and turn to see the band. They have been warming up for the last few minutes. We wait while the lead guitarist slash singer gets his shit together. I take a drink of my Jack when he turns around; I swallow it down the wrong way and start coughing. Turning to Paige I see she is wide eyed and open mouthed, she looks at the band and then looks behind her at the barman serving customers at the other end of the bar.
She begins tapping me wildly on the arm "Shit Bailey are you seeing what I am seeing". I nod at her and continue coughing. "Fuck Paige there is two of them," I say.
The band starts playing and I turn around again to watch, the singer or TDH #2, is in semi darkness and begins to strum his guitar, he starts to do a cover of "The cave" by Mumford and Sons. I am in complete shock I watch his biceps flex as his strums away. He has a sensual throaty voice and his slicked back hair is slightly messy. I can't take my eyes off of him.
"So which one are you taking Bailey" Paige asks. I don't turn around to her, I continue listening and watching the one on stage. He is the one from the other day outside this bar Damn he is fucking hot.
I turn back to Paige who is smiling at me like she knows a secret. "Do you know these guys?" I ask. "Are they from around here?" she shakes her head no "I've never seen them before, but I sure wish I had". Paige turns back to the bar and waves Max over, "So what to do recommend for shock," she says to him laughing. He gives her a funny look; I cut her off and shout to Max "four shots of gold strike". Max smirks and turns to get our drinks.
I turn back to the stage to watch TDH sing his heart out; He is now singing a John Mayer classic "Waiting for the world to change". I can't help but smile; his voice is smooth like a good whiskey. I feel like I am the only girl in the room. I am staring at him caressing the microphone with his words and see a brunette standing right in front of the stage swaying back and forth. He looks down at her and smiles, I don't know why but I feel myself getting pissed off at him and her. Whoa what the heck is wrong with me? I turn away from the "eye fucking" scene that is the front of the stage and see my shots on the bar.
I picked up a glass and handed one to Paige, we clink them together and knock them back, I can feel the familiar burning in my mouth, and I swallow and feel the warmth spread through out my belly. Paige looks at me, her eyes watering "What the heck was that?" she asks "did I see gold floating in my drink". "Yes" I yell over the music. We start to laugh and I down my Jack the band has kicked it up a notch and are playing some rock songs, I grab Paige and pull her off the stool and onto the dance floor.
We start dancing in front of the stage, I close my eyes and let the alcohol and music overtake me. I sway to beat with my hands above my head. I hear the singer stutter on his words and then they go acoustic, I frown and open my eyes looking at the stage. I see Tall dark and handsome standing there looking at me while strumming his guitar. His green eyes are holding me in place, boring into my soul. I feel instant heat spread from my neck up to my face. He smirks at me from the stage and begins to sing again.
Paige snaps her fingers in front of my face and pulls me back to the bar, Shit this guy is freaking me out. Paige sits back down on the stool and sips her drink, I wave Max over and order another Jack and Coke. "So having fun birthday girl?" asks Max. I smile and nod my head, he winks at me throws his towel over his shoulder and leans on the bar. I look at him, "So are you in college here?" he asks me. I nod and sip my drink Just then I hear the band say they are taking a break. Max smiles and gets up off the bar.
I am standing there like a little schoolgirl, not knowing which way is up, I have a good buzz going and I am actually enjoying myself. "That's my seat" I hear a deep voice say. I turn around and see TDH singer standing beside me staring at Paige, she looks like a deer in headlights and is getting up off the stool. I put my hand on her shoulder to stop her, "Was your seat?" I say to him. "Are you that much of an ass that you would make a lady stand so you can sit?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.
He tries to hide a smirk by rubbing his hand across his mouth and looking at the floor. I can feel his body heat pushing against me, he looks up at me "I wasn't talking to you Darlin" he says. I see the brunette who was dancing in front of him earlier stroll over, "Hey sexy, there is a seat at my table for you" she says while rubbing her hand across his chest. I roll my eyes and turn to Paige she is texting on her phone not paying much attention. "No thank you" I hear from behind me and smile to myself.
I see Max make his way over towards us with a bottle of beer and a whisky chaser, he puts them on the bar "Hey bro" he says and fist bumps his equally hot twin. The twin nods and says thanks. Max looks at me and says "Bailey have you met my brother Knox" I swing my body around and nearly fall over; Knox grabs me by the elbow to steady me. He takes a swig of his beer and nods at me "Blondie". The feel of his hand on my arm sends an electric current straight to the pit of my belly, causing the area between my legs to wake up and pay attention.
Oh Fuck this guy is killing me, "Hey" I manage, he shakes his head and gives a snort. Paige finally looks up from her phone and her eyes light up when she sees Max and Knox standing there. "What do we have here Bailey? Two hot sexy guys fighting over the birthday girl" she giggles, "No Paige" I answer. "Huh, Blondie talks" I hear over my shoulder, I see Max laugh and slap his brother on the shoulder. "We never fight over a woman" says Max and goes back to work.
Ok then, I turn my Back to Knox and see Paige texting again, I slap my hand over her phone and look at her. "Oh sorry Bailey, Duke wants to know where I am," she says to me. I look at her with raised eyebrows "So, he is not your dad, tell him we are having fun". She pulls her phone out from under my hand and sends a text back; the mood between us has changed. I decide to stop drinking I don't feel like it anymore. I frown at her and step up onto the foot rail along the floor at the bottom of the bar, I lean over the bar trying to Max's attention but he is too busy flirting with some chick, I try to reach over further so now my hips are resting on the bar with my ass in the air. I look up and see in the mirror behind the bottles, that Knox is checking out my ass. I decide to give him a dose of his own medicine I hop down off the bar and turn to him "See something you like?" I ask with raised eyebrows. Knox chokes on his beer, I turn away and smile to myself.
Max finally drags himself away from the chick at the other end of the bar and comes over to us, I ask for some water and Paige decides she wants to do more tequila shots, "No way, you are on your own there" I say to her. She downs the four shots one after another, we didn't notice Knox return to the stage until the music picks up again, Paige has got her groove back and pulls me onto the dance floor, we rock out to the band for another hour before they say goodnight.
When we arrive back at the bar I check my watch, it is already one in the morning. Paige stumbles as she tries to sit on the stool, I help her up and she sighs "You know Bailey I have not had this much fun for a while" she says to me "Me neither". The band starts to pack up their equipment and the house music comes on.
I can finally sit down, the guy beside Paige had left so I snag his stool, Paige is back on her phone so I pick up my water and drink it. Max comes over to our end of the bar collecting the dirty glasses, "So what are you guys doing tonight?" he asks us "This is it" I answer him. "What no way, there is a hot dog stand down the strip, do you want to grab one," he asks me.
Paige puts her phone down and looks up at Max, "I'll grab your hot dog" she giggles, Max laughs loudly and hands her a bottle of water. I shake my head at her I can't believe she said that.
Just then her phone rings, she rolls her eyes and pushes it away. I look at it and see Duke calling, it stops and starts ringing again, this goes on for about five minutes. "Are you going to answer that?" I ask her. "Nope" she slurs "I don care wha he wanz" I giggle at her, man she is so wasted. Her phone rings for the millionth time so I snatch it up and answer, "Where the fuck are you? You stupid bitch, answer your fucking phone the first time I call not the twentieth" He shouts into my ear. I hold the phone away from me and look at it, he is shouting hello over and over, and this guy just pissed me off no end. Paige tries to grab the phone back but I turn away "Duke I don't think Paige wants to talk to you" I say. "I don't give a fuck what she wants" I can't believe what a dick this guy is "Listen douchebag Paige is busy she is having a fucking good time with me" he cuts me off "You're the fucking chick she picked up at the book store, if you put your filthy hands on her I'll beat the fuck out of you" he screams. I hang up on him and throw the phone down on the bar, Paige looks over at me "He is only like that when he is drunk" she says.
"Are you kidding me?" I shout, "Why the fuck would you want to be with a control freak dick like that?" I can't believe this girl she seems so put together and strong I am really pissed now, I get up off my stool, "I am going home" I say to her. "What, Why no don't let him ruin tonight".
"Look Paige you seem like a nice girl, I don't know what your story is weather your gay, bi or straight but I don't appreciate your so called boyfriend threatening to beat the fuck out of me" I say to her. I see Max has been listening to our conversation and he throws his towel onto the bar, "Did you say some guy threatened you?"
"Its cool, don't worry about it" I say to him. "I don't think so, no dude hits a woman, where is he? I'll teach him a lesson," he says. I smile "I am going now anyway" I say. Max shouts across the bar "Knox, lets go". Knox looks over at us and starts heading our way. Shit this is getting out of hand.
When Knox reaches us he nods to his brother, in that way guys do, to ask what's up. "Some douchebag just threatened these beautiful ladies" Max tells Knox. Knox looks at us his face shows no emotion "Is that so" he asks us. Paige is getting worried now and stands up "Its ok, he is my boyfriend he just says stupid things when he is drunk that's all" she tells us.
I can't believe she is defending him, but I say nothing I don't know this girl well enough and although it is wrong for him to treat her that way I don't want to piss her off, for now. Just then the door bursts open and hits off the wall behind it, we all turn around to see a tall sandy brown haired guy tumble in. "Oh shit" says Paige. He walks over to us and points in her face "I knew I would find you, there's an app for that" he sneers at her. "Oh look you found some friends to bring home and fuck," he says getting in her face.
I have never seen two guys move as fast, Max was up over the bar grabbing Dukes arms behind him and Knox had him by the throat getting in his face, I have never seen someone look so deadly, "Get the fuck out of this bar now and leave these girls alone" he says, about half an inch away from Dukes face, he pushes Dukes face away and Max pulls him outside. Paige and I follow them out, Max pushes Duke away from him and the bar. Duke stumbles and falls to one knee, Max walks over and leans down to him "If you touch one hair on her head I will find you and fuck you up so bad you'll be eating out of a straw". Max turns and walks back over to us, his happy smiley face back in place. "You ladies ok?" Paige nods, "I will take her home now" I say and steer her around Duke who is still on the ground with his eyes wide open.