“Christ, Star. Think you’re gonna scare the poor girl.”
Star gives me a wicked smile before bumping my shoulder. “She survived the night with Blade—she can take it.”
A memory tugs inside my head. One I struggle to place.
“Star?” I ask.
She smiles. “That’s me.”
It takes me another few seconds—then my eyes widen, and my back goes rigid.
She watches me curiously, her smile slowly falling. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I just… Um. Have you ever been to the club downtown? The?—”
“Sex one?” she fills in. “Yeah, I mean the club owns it. We all go all the time. Why do you ask?—”
Her words stall as she studies me. Then, without warning, she reaches over and runs her fingers through my hair, startling me. Then she smacks the table and shouts, “Holy shit! Brick! This is our mystery girl!”
“What?” he asks, leaning forward to look at his girl before turning to me.
“Instantly, I thought your voice was familiar, but I couldn’t place it. Oh my God. The one time I wished we weren’t in the dark room. How have you been, baby?” she says, her smile turning a touch seductive she continues playing with my hair.
I swallow awkwardly as Kolter and his friend come over to the table.
“What’s going on?” Kolter asks, looking at me as if checking I’m okay.
“We just made a little discovery. Seems we got there before you, Blade,” Star says, curling her arm round my shoulder. “Brick and I had a little playtime with this one in the dark room several weeks back. Might just have to fight you for her. That mouth…” she says, biting her lower lip and shaking her head.
“He touched you?” Kolter asks stiffly.
I look to him nervously, not sure what to say. “Um, a little, kinda.”
There’s no hesitation, not a single moment of delay before Kolter drives his fist into Brick’s face. Brick’s hand flies to his mouth to staunch the blood that starts flowing immediately.
“Why did you do that?” I ask, shocked.
“So I could help wash the taste of you out of his mouth,” Kolter growls, keeping his eyes on Brick.
“In my defense, she was way more into Star than me,” Brick tosses back.
Kolter’s eyes cut to Star, who rolls her eyes.
“What? You gonna hit me too? Calm down—it was forever ago.”
Kolter’s chest is heaving as he attempts to control his anger. He reaches for me, wrapping his hand around my arm and yanking me to my feet. I stumble towards him, but he catches me easily, cupping my face then smashing his mouth against my own in a punishing kiss.
It’s filled with rage, but slowly gives way to passion. Before I can fully sink into him, though, he tears his mouth away, tucks me into his side then glowers down at them both.
“Either one of you touches my woman again, I’ll fucking bury you.”
Brick nods like he understands, while Star just rolls her eyes again and mutters, “You’re no fucking fun.”
Brick knocks his boot against hers, silently telling her to shut it. She gives Kolter a fake salute, but he just turns and starts leading me towards the door.
Then he stops.
An older man steps through the doorway. He’s tall, with dirty blonde hair that’s giving way to white and a long scraggly beard. The scars and wrinkles on his face suggest he’s in his sixties at least—or maybe he’s younger and has just lived a rough life.Either way, his dark eyes are heavy, and they move from me to Kolter with precision.