Beauty from Pain (Beauty, #1)(69)

We’re packed on the dance floor and everyone is in his or her own little world. No one is paying attention to us, so I slide my hand from her hip to between her legs. She leans her head against my chest. “You are so bad.”

“I can’t help myself when you’re rubbing on me like that.”

“Sorry. Want to get a drink?”

“Yeah, I need one. A big one.”

We get a couple of glasses of wine from the bar and migrate to the corner so we can hear each other over the pounding bass. “Have you been here before?”

“No. I saw this place today and thought it might be fun. Do you want to leave?”

She shakes her head. “No. I’m having fun.”

I feel someone bump into me from behind and I spill my wine down the front of my shirt. “Shit.”

I turn to look at the jerk behind me and he sees the damage he’s caused. “Man, I’m sorry. Please, let me buy you another drink and pay for your dry cleaning.”

I’m afraid dry cleaning isn’t going to save this. “That won’t be necessary.”

He offers his hand. “I’m Chris and this is my wife, Trisha.”

I’m not really interested in introductions, but I choose to be friendly instead of telling these people to get lost so I can be alone with my girl. “I’m Lachlan and this is Laurelyn.”

I’m shaking his hand but he’s looking at Laurelyn. And for longer than I like. “Is the missus your wife or girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend.” Laurelyn gazes at me and we both grin.

The music is loud, so the wife leans closer. “Have you been together long?”

“Six weeks,” I answer. That means we’re half-over. I wonder if she’s thinking the same thing.

Trish is screaming over the music. “Wow. Things are still in that new, fun, exciting stage for you.” Exciting is an understatement. I should tell them what kind of relationship we have just to freak their married asses out so they’ll go away.

We laugh at our shared secret. I put my arm around her and pull her close. “There’s very little about us or our relationship that’s boring.”

Laurelyn holds her glass of wine out for me. “Will you hold this for a moment while I step to the restroom?”

Trisha takes the last gulp and then slides her empty glass toward the bartender. “I need to go too.”

Perfect. I’m left with my new best friend, Chris. “Your girlfriend is a Yank?”

I take a drink from Laurelyn’s glass since I’m wearing my wine. “Yes.”

“She’s very beautiful. I couldn’t help but notice her when you were dancing. I’d really like to f*ck her.”

What? The music is loud and I decide I misunderstood what he said, so I tilt my head toward him. “What was that?”

He steps closer and puts his hand on my shoulder. “My wife is really turned on by you. She wants to give you head while you watch me f*ck your girlfriend. I mean, if you’re into watching. Our only rule is no kissing. We save that for each other.”

Swingers.

I know I do some weird shit when it comes to women, but this tops the f*cking cake. I look like an altar boy next to this joker. I’m so stunned I don’t answer. I don’t know how to.

Laurelyn and Swinger Trisha come back from the bathroom and rejoin the circle. Laurelyn takes her drink from my hand and I watch her face, wondering if the wifey propositioned her while in the bathroom. Her demeanor seems unchanged, so I assume Trisha left her husband in charge of closing this deal.

She loops her arm through her husband’s. “So, did you ask him, honey?”

“We’re in the middle of discussing it.” He grins at me. “So, what do you think? Are you guys up for it?”

I think Laurelyn is trying to read my face, but can’t. “Are we up for what?”

I pass my empty wine glass to Laurelyn. “Will you hold this for me, baby?”

I guess it can be called a sucker punch since he has no idea it’s coming, but I make a fist and slam Swinger Chris in the jaw, sending him face down onto the dance floor. I want him to get up so I can beat the shit out of him, but he’s smarter than that and stays down. “Get up.”

Laurelyn stands there in shock staring at me because she has no idea what this freak wants to do to her. “Lachlan! What are you doing?”

I point to Chris on the floor. “You want to know what I think? Is that a clear-enough answer for you?”

Security is stalking in my direction to throw me out, so I put both hands up. “No need. We’re out of here.”

I take Laurelyn by the arm and pull her toward the door. “What’s going on?”

“Not now,” I growl at her.

She follows me outside and comes to a halt. “Why did you hit him?”

I keep walking toward the car. I’m afraid I’ll go back inside and kill him if I don’t get out of there.

We get into the car and I grip the steering wheel. That’s when I realize how damn bad my hand hurts.

“Lachlan, you’re scaring me.”

“No more than I’m scaring myself.” I just lost my shit over some guy telling me he wanted to f*ck her. He made me see red. I wanted to choke the life out of him for what he said.