“You look lost in thought?”
My head tilted up. “Lost in booze.” I banished the bottle and Young Blood laughed. Sliding easily on to the seat next to me. He didn’t bother to ask. Maybe because I would have told him no.
I liked Young Blood as much as I liked any of the members of the Black Aces. But right now I didn’t want to talk to anyone.
I wanted to be alone with my new best friend vodka.
“Aren’t you going to offer me a glass, Chelsea?”
Cocking my head to the side I tried to smile. “Aren’t you old enough to get your own Young Blood?” I was only half teasing. I really did want to be alone but I wasn’t holding my breath that he would get the hint.
“Maybe I want to share yours.” The meaning in his voice was clear and I studied him as I pressed the bottle to my lips.
He was hitting on me. My dad was barely cold in the ground and Young Blood was already hitting on me.
“Is that right?” I passed the bottle over to him. Our fingertips touching.
“Yeah, it’s right. You look like you need a friend Chelsea. And everyone here is your brother’s age or older. We are the ….”
“Ruin isn’t old.” I wasn’t actually thinking about Ruin though. I was thinking about Wicked. He wasn’t old. Older but not old.
“Not saying that Chelsea.” He drank deeply from the bottle. His Adam’s apple bobbing. “All I’m saying is that they are high up in the club. Hell, they will be running things before long.”
That sobered me up almost instantly. “My brother has been nominated for president?”
“He turned it down and said Wicked should get it.”
Reaching for the bottle in his hands I was about to take a drink when I thought better of it. “Wicked is too young to be president.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure Chelsea. He’s clever, cunning and smart as fuck under all that muscle. Not to mention utterly fucking ruthless. The men respect him. He has a real possibility of getting the votes. Especially now he’s building alliances.”
“Building alliances?” I repeated dumbly. Just how much had I missed in my weeks of grief. What alliances was Wicked securing and how?
“Yeah.” Young Blood’s eyes searched my face. “I mean there’s only one reason he would come back with a woman right? It’s not exactly like him.”
A woman? Wicked had come back with a woman? I was on my feet instantly. Heading over to the bar where I could see my brothers dark head.
“Hey, sis.” A line appeared between his eyebrows. “Have you been drinking?” His words were already slurred.
“Sure have.” I waved the bottle in front of his face. Ignoring his frown. “So have you. I see.” I searched the group. Finally coming to rest on Wicked. He was sat at the very end. His elbows on the bar. Resting either side of the woman who was sat there. Her legs swinging. They were deep in talk and it took him several long seconds of me staring at him before he turned his head.
“Hey, Chelsea. You doing ok?”
My mouth fell open.
“Mel this is Chelsea. She’s pretty much my kid sister.” His voice was steady, there wasn’t even a wobble to it. He sounded like nothing had happened between us. Like I was nothing. And it felt like my heart was breaking.
“It’s lovely to meet you, I am sorry about your dad.” The woman’s voice was soft. And that made it worse. She seemed and looked genuinely nice.
“Chelsea this is Melody. My girlfriend.”
And just like that my heart didn’t just break, it burst into flames. Leaving nothing but ash.
***
The last drop from my bottle hit my tongue. And it still wasn’t enough. I doubted anything would ever be enough to numb the pain of today. What was Wicked thinking? Flaunting his girlfriend in front of me today of all days? It was like he just hadn’t thought at all. Or worst still that he just didn’t care. Maybe it had all just been lust on his part? Maybe he did really just think of me like a baby sister?
There were so many maybes.