I gritted my teeth. Okay, I wasn’t really going to snort a line, I was actually going to throw it out the window, but whatever. I huffed and waited it out until the car finally came to a stop outside a club. There was a massive line out the front that ranged from young college people to middle-aged people, to even older moms who obviously needed the break. Just saying, they should always get let into clubs before anyone else. Putting up with little kids has to like, I don’t know, offer some sort of advantage. Free wine and first priority into clubs.
Bishop opened the door and climbed out. I followed, and then saw he was already making his way to the bouncers. He started talking to them and then pointed toward us before walking through the front doors. I walked toward them, thinking he had probably locked me out, but they unhooked the little gate and let me through. I pushed through the doors and loud music instantly blared. The familiar smell of sweat and alcohol staining the air. There were dancers up in cages above us and the bar was one huge circle in the middle. I headed straight to the circle, deciding he could look after himself, and right now, I just wanted to forget about tonight. I’d talk with him tomorrow—hopefully—or not—Jesus, I was so confused. I banged on the bar. “Hey!”
The bartender came to me. He was quirkily dressed with leather bangles, blue hair, and two hoops in his ear. “What can I get ya, sweetheart?”
He wasn’t going to ID me? Score.
“Something strong, please.”
He smirked. “I know just the poison.” I shot it back and ordered another as well as a vodka lime and soda and opened my phone. Tatum had texted me.
I’m here at this club. U here yet?
I got a little giddy.
I’m near the bar. Come alone.
“Boo!” Tatum grabbed my back and I turned to her, smiling. “Hey!” I pulled her into a hug and almost lost it right then and there.
“Are you okay?” she asked into my ear, and I shook my head.
“I don’t think so.” She leaned back and threw up her fingers after pointing to my drinks, gesturing how she wanted what I was having.
“I saw Bishop!” she yelled into my ear.
I just smiled.
She leaned into my ear again. “He was with a chick! Shall I kick her ass?”
I laughed. “It’s Khales! Don’t worry about her, and she’s mine…”
“I thought Khales was a brunette?” I thought over what she said, but then shrugged. Oh well. She leaned into me again. “Don’t look, but they’re all up in the VIP area above us, that you have access to as well.”
I shrugged again, sucking down my drink. This put a whole new meaning to fuck my life. I started to sway on my feet now, and I grabbed Tatum’s arm, dragging her onto the dance floor. “Closer” by Chainsmokers started playing and we started bumping and grinding on the dance floor. Whatever this night brought, I just hoped that something would come from Bishop and I. A few songs later, we headed back to the bar and got more drinks. My phone vibrated in my back pocket, so I pulled it out, and my heart fluttered when I saw Bishop’s name.
Come here.
I read it, ignoring the way my cheeks heated. God. How can I hate someone and love them, and want to kill them, and need to fuck them, all at the same time? It’s Bishop voodoo.
No
Ha! That showed him. Oh no, I was really drunk. I giggled. Suddenly, the severity of the entire situation meant nothing.
Laughing, I turned to face Tatum. “Dude! We nee—” I was upside down, swung over a set of thick shoulders as my hair fell down and I was face first with a glorious ass.
“Bishop!” I growled, but he continued to take me upstairs to the VIP area. He threw me onto the sofa and then sat next to me, a cigarette sticking out the side of his mouth and picked up his drink, blowing out the smoke. “What were you saying?” he casually asked the blonde, who was looking between the two of us nervously.
I brushed my hair out of my face and shoved him. “Fuck you!”
“Ignore her, she loves it.” He winked at the blonde and sat back, perching his foot on the table in the middle. I dragged my eyes around the boys and saw all the Kings, except Nate and Brantley.
“Where are Brantley and Nate?” I drilled Bishop, trying hard not to make eye contact with Hunter and Jase. In fact, everything was rather tense. Everyone was watching Bishop like he was Tony Montana and about to shoot up this club. Maybe I need to try a new tactic. He was obviously a lot more angry about this whole thing than I imagined. He hadn’t completely lost his cool with me, but he was off.
“Bishop,” I whispered, just as Tatum came to us. Her eyes found Khales and Justin, and her eyebrow went up.
“What the fuck are you doing here, bitch?”
My girl was feisty as fuck.
I laughed. “Sic ‘em, girl…” Then went back to more pressing issues, leaving Tatum and Khales to argue, but silently praying Khales threw a punch so I could smack her one. Just once. Maybe twice. I needed water.
Bishop ignored me, smiling at the blonde girl, but his jaw tensed and the vein on the side of his neck pulsed. He was mad as shit, so mad that he was masking it with all of this bullshit. I looked up at Jase who was already staring at me. He shook his head, gazing at Bishop worried.
I did this.
Closing my eyes, I opened them and then lowered my voice. “Bishop?” My hands went to his thigh and he stiffened. That was like swallowing a harsh pill. “Can we go for a walk?”
It was as though all the Kings were watching our exchange. This was my fault, so I had to somehow fix it. Bishop’s smile dropped. “Leave,” he said to the blonde, who was so quick out of her seat I barely saw it happen. He turned his head toward me. “Pretty sure we talked about this.”
“Pretty sure we fucking didn’t,” I snapped back, my eyes piercing his in a challenge. He stood up, grabbed my hand, and then started dragging me out of the club.
His grip was tight around my wrist as he dragged me out of the club, tight enough to leave a bruise. We hit the back exit, out onto an alleyway.
“Talk!” he said, too calmly. I looked around the dark alley, empty and cold. At least we were alone. For once.
“I’m sorry.”
He sneered. “You’re sorry?” Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. Shit.
“Yes!” I quipped, coming closer to him. “I—I lashed out. I didn’t, I don’t, God, Bishop! I make shitty decisions.”
He backed me up against the wall, the cool concrete freezing my back, then wrapped his hands around my thighs and hooked them around his waist. “I’m not done with your punishment.”
“Punishment?” I implored, tilting my head. His eyes started getting distracted by my clothes, his head moving all over the place.
“Yeah. And don’t get me started on Brantley and Nate, which you will watch, by the way.” His hand came to my nipple and I sucked in a breath as his thumb swiped over it. He pulled my breast out, the cold night air whisking around it boldly, and sucked it into his mouth. Biting on it harshly, he pulled back and lowered me back to my feet.
“We’re going to a bar.”
“What?” I tucked my tit back into my bra. Damn caveman. Then trailed after him.
“There’s a reason why I don’t drink, Kitty, and you’re about to witness why.”
“Witness? I think I’ve seen enough. Can we go home.”
His laughter echoed off the brick walls and set up shop in my bones. “No.”
I followed him down the main street as we passed clubs and late night restaurants. He tore his shirt off and tucked it into the back of his jeans pocket before stopping abruptly. I slammed into his bare back, trying to ignore the massive tattoo that stretched out wide against his flesh. The skull just below his wings on the back of his neck had a crown sitting on its head and the words “King” was tattooed over his nape. The man was sex on legs. I really needed to take him home. “Now what?” He was a man on a mission.
I watched as the bright red neon lights blazed over his smirking face.
I followed his line of sight. “Oh no…”
“Oh yes…” he mimicked, crossing the road—fuck the cars that are zipping past.
“Bishop!” I yelled, running into the road while dodging beeping cars and following him across. He pushed open the front doors that led into the tattoo studio and I quickly slipped in behind him. A tall man with a long beard and a motorcycle patch on walked out, stopping in his tracks when he caught both of us. His eyes ran over Bishop. “Is this a coincidence, B, or what?”