Rule (Marked Men #1)(35)

I cleared my throat and set the beer down on the table. “Yeah, well I told you guys I need to cut that shit out for a while.”

Jet looked over his shoulder at the blond than back at me with a smirk. “Good luck with that.”

Nash tossed back a shot and hissed out a breath through his teeth. “Cut him some slack dude, he’s got a good thing working.”

“I’m just saying he doesn’t have to even work at it.”

I pulled out my phone and checked the time for the hundredth time. “Something tells me that is about to be completely untrue.”

Jet and Nash both did another shot and Jet gave a howl. “The first band is getting ready to start so I gotta go make sure the guys are ready to kick some ass tonight. We’re getting ready to finish the album we’ve been working on so we need to kill it tonight.” A round of fists banging went back and forth and I sighed as the blond gave me another pointed look. I didn’t mean to keep looking in her direction but I guess old habits died hard.

“This blows.”

“Seriously, chill. Shaw is awesome, she’s a total babe, she’s got enough balls to give you your shit right back and she knows you and still is willing to give you a shot. She’ll be here so just calm down and tell your junk to freaking relax.”

My hair was still up in the crazy mohawk so I couldn’t run my hands through it; instead I rubbed the back of my neck and tapped my fingers on the edge of the table.

“Why do you think she wants to give this a shot, I mean logically she knows I’m a bad bet, she knows what my history is like and historically we don’t have anything in common. I know I can’t get her out of my head, but what do you think her reasons are for seeing what this is all about are?”

“I think she’s a super bright chick and whatever her motivation is she’s thought a lot about it. I don’t think she went to bed with you just because and I seriously doubt she agreed to kick it with you simply because you asked. I think if you can keep your head on straight and your dick in your pants you’ll eventually find out why she’s doing what she’s doing and I’m pretty sure the reasons will knock you on your ass.”

“I think I’m certifiable for even thinking I’m going to be able to do this.” I liked girls, liked no strings attached sex, liked going where I wanted when I wanted and I liked not having to answer to anyone but myself and hooking up with Shaw put all those things on ice. I sighed again and let my eyes wander back over to the blond. She was still looking at me only now her very pretty face was scrunched up into a scowl. Her mouth was pulled in like she had tasted something sour and I couldn’t figure out what had changed in the minute since I had last caught her eye until I heard Nash mutter “Damn,” and realized that every guy seated around us had turned to watch Shaw and Ayden as they made their way past the bar and towards where we were seated.

They made a striking pair. By far the classiest girls in the place, it was clear neither one had ventured down to Cerberus before. Shaw’s blond hair was loose and long, falling over shoulders bared in a black halter top. She had skinny jeans on that looked like they would need to be surgically removed they were so tight and a pair of bright blue heels that should look ridiculous at a show like this, but instead had even old school head bangers drooling in their pints. Ayden had her dark hair spiked up and sexy, she was in a tiny little skirt and a billowy purple top that completely fell off of one shoulder. She was rocking a pair of black cowboy boots that had clearly seen some better days but that didn’t stop the two of them from turning every single head, male and female as they slid up on our table.

I didn’t know what to do so I just stared at Shaw while she stared back. I was pretty sure all the blood in my brain had been diverted south so I just blinked at her like an idiot while Nash chuckled and told both of them hello.

“Hey. Sorry we’re late we had a bachelor party run over and it took us longer to get out of there than we thought it would.”

“I sent you a couple of texts to see what was going on.” I should be asking her if she wanted a drink, doing something to let her know I was happy she was here but instead I was being surly and weird.

She frowned. “My phone is off.”

Ayden propped her elbows on the table and took the shot Nash offered her up. She glared at Shaw and pointed a finger at her. “Tell him why it’s off.” There was accusation there and I saw, even in the dim light of the bar the way she flushed.

I put a hand on her lower back and bent down so that my lips were touching her ear. I felt her tense but she leaned her hip into mine. “Why is your phone off Casper?”

She shifted her weight from foot to foot. “Because Gabe is blowing it up. Mt mom invited his parents to Brookside Country Club for dinner next weekend and they expect us both to be there. He has it in his head that we should ride up there together and won’t leave me alone about it so I turned my phone off because he’s making me crazy and I don’t even want to go in the first place.”

A cocktail waitress chose that moment to walk by so the girls ordered drinks and I got another beer. I pressed Shaw closer to my side and turned so that we were facing each other.

“So what are you going to do about it?”

She flattened a palm on the center of my chest right over my heart and looked up at me with sad, green eyes. “I don’t know. I have to go or my mom will make my life hell, but I don’t want to be anywhere near Gabe. I’m trying to just ignore the entire thing.”