The Scars That Define Us (The Devil's Dust #2)(35)

I follow Cherry onto the dance floor—actually, I’m dragged. I look for Mr. Ross because something about him scares me. He doesn’t seem like some normal guy trying to get lucky, his dark eyes, and solemn tone make me uneasy.

“No Hands” by Waka Flocka Flame starts to sing and Cherry starts to jump up and down with excitement. I look around me, unsure; I feel like he’s watching me.

“You’re fine,” she says, slapping my shoulder. I suddenly feel silly; this happens all the time at clubs and men are a little too eager hitting on women. I need to let loose and have fun. I throw my hands up and start singing the lyrics as Cherry yells them back at me.

Cherry starts shimmying her shoulders as another blonde girl walks up and starts dancing with her. I forget all about the creepy guy and start dancing and singing with them. I suddenly smell alcohol and weed strongly again; I smell Mr. Ross. I stop dancing and look around me, but all I see is a mass of sweaty people dancing. My body coats with a slick, cold sweat as my heart pounds with fear.

“Looking for me?” a voice behind me whispers in my ear. My blood runs cold as my body stills. He digs his fingers into my arms so hard I feel like they’ll penetrate.

“What do you want from me?” I ask, unsure if he even heard me from the loud music. My instinct to fight rises from my fear; I’m strong and will not allow myself to falter. I start looking for a weapon, my high heel the only thing coming to mind.

The guy chuckles. “Just have a drink with me. Just one and—” He stops talking and the music instantly screeches to a halt.

Cherry turns toward me and her face goes pale as if she’s seen a ghost. I hear a girl scream off in the distance as the crowd begins to shuffle. I slowly turn and see what Cherry is staring at, why the music has stopped, and why everyone has the look of fear written on their faces. A group of rugged bikers push their way through the crowd—The Devil’s Dust, to be exact—and Shadow’s leading them. His jaw is clenched, his face red with anger.

Shadow points at Mr. Ross as he strides forward. The * puts his hands up in surrender and opens his mouth to speak, but before he can get a word out, Shadow grabs him by the shirt and throws him on his back. Mr. Ross lands on the dirty dance floor with a loud thud, and everyone gasps and even more people start rushing out of the club.

“I hear you put your hands where they don’t belong!” Shadow growls.

He straddles Mr. Ross and drives his fist right into his mouth, making blood spurt when his hands makes contact. Shadow leans up and slams his boot into the guy’s ribs, making Mr. Ross yell in pain.

Bobby walks forward and pulls on Shadow’s shoulder, grabbing him from the dark place he’s fallen to and back to reality. I can’t help but notice Bobby has a split lip as he’s pulling Shadow off the guy. What the hell happened to Bobby?

Shadow huffs and rubs the back of his neck, trying to regain his composure before looking at me. His eyebrows furrow, giving that little line he always gets when I’m angering him.

He steps over Mr. Ross who’s laying on the ground in pain, grabbing me by the arm with one hand and the waist with the other, throwing me over his shoulders. As I’m jostled upward, I feel a heel slide off my foot.

“Have you lost your mind?” I yell at Shadow. This is the most humiliating thing I have ever been through.

Shadow finally sets me down as soon as we are outside the club, his bike parked right next to the door along with everyone else’s.

“Get your ass on the bike, Dani,” he demands, handing me a helmet.

“I am not getting on that with you,” I hiss, pissed at him.

“Dani!” Cherry yells, coming out of the club doors, my black heel in hand.

“Thanks,” I say, grabbing the heel from her, my face turning red with humiliation.

“Why aren’t you wearing your f*cking property patch?” Shadow asks me as he looks at Cherry, her property patch hard to miss.

“Are you f*cking kidding me right now?” I snap. He can’t be serious. I haven’t worn that property patch since I caught him with another girl.

Shadow huffs at my response. “Get on the bike, or I’ll put you on the f*cking bike.”

I know he will, and I’ve had enough embarrassment for the night. I place my heel on my foot and snatch the helmet from him.

“How am I supposed to ride in this damn dress?” I throw my hands out, gesturing toward my outfit.

“Get. The. Fuck. On,” Shadow grits as he starts his bike.

I growl in anger, slam the helmet on my head and get on the damn bike.

The ride back to the house is quick and angry.

As soon as we are in the apartment, I lean down, pull my left high heel off my foot, and throw it at Shadow. Missing him entirely, the shoe slams against the wall right behind him as he looks at me surprised. “Are you seriously throwing f*cking shoes at me?”

I reach down, pull off my right heel, and throw it at him, too. It bounces off his leg before falling to the floor. “I have never been so humiliated in my life!” I scream, walking toward the bedroom.

“But getting groped by a douchbag isn’t?” he yells, following me down the hall.

I scowl at him. “I can handle myself.”

I admit I was freaking out when the Ross guy grabbed me. My only thought was to stab him in the eye with my high heel, but I could have handled him if things escalated.