Beautiful Sacrifice (Maddox Brothers #3)(47)

I sucked in a breath, nerves swirling in my stomach. Something bigger than just a night at Cowboys was about to happen.





Tejon Street was busier than usual with both cars and people. Topless Jeeps full of families and young men and women were cruising up and down at negligible speeds, allowing the pedestrians to intermittently jaywalk to get to one destination or another.

Taylor was standing alone in front of the club, looking around with his hands shoved in his pockets.

“Hey,” I said.

His eyes lit up. “Hey.”

“Are you ready to go in? Or are you waiting on anyone else?” I asked.

He shook his head once, his eyes pouring over me. “Just you.”

I arched an eyebrow and then gave the bouncer a nod. “Hey, Darren.”

“Falyn,” Darren said.

Taylor and I sailed through, not even expected to pay a cover. I wondered what Taylor had done or who he knew that he could bypass the line. He followed me to the same table we’d occupied before.

He looked at me differently, like we were meeting for the first time.

“Stop acting so surprised,” I said.

“I’m not surprised at all.” He glanced around the room, and then his eyes were back on me. “I’m just trying to figure you out. Want a drink?”

I shook my head.

He simply nodded, staying put.

“You’re not going to get one?” I asked.

“Nope.”

The air between us felt weird. He was a million miles away but acutely aware of me at the same time. Something was off.

“You know what? This was a bad idea. I’m going to go,” I said, standing.

“What was a bad idea?” he asked.

“Coming here.”

“Why? Are you bored already?”

“No. I don’t know. I guess I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.” I sat, feeling drained.

“Yes, it has.” He looked out on the dance floor and then to me. “I guess you’re too tired to dance?”

Dancing with Taylor had been fun. Being in his arms again was tempting. But it had been too long since I hiked Barr Trail. My legs ached from my hip sockets to my toenails. I had done well with walking across the street and halfway down the block to Cowboys.

“I’m pretty tired. Aren’t you?”

He thought about it. “I guess.”

The guy who had been huffing and puffing at the summit of Pikes Peak this afternoon guessed he was tired? Why is he acting so strange?

“I’ve seen a lot of good-looking women in this town,” he said.

“Congratulations,” I deadpanned.

“But you’re f*cking gorgeous. Has anyone ever told you that?”

“Just you,” I said, staring at him like he was nuts. “I forgot to mention I’m the pariah around here.” The irony amused me. When we’d first met, I’d sought to stay away from him and his kind when, in reality, he would be more likely to get a bad reputation from hanging out with me.

“Huh?”

“Nothing. Contrary to popular belief, men don’t flock to the town whore.”

His face twisted to anger. “Who’s called you a whore?”

“To my face? Just my parents.”

He seemed taken aback by my answer. “That’s crazy.”

“I agree.”

My reaction amused him.

“Any guy in this town not chasing you is an idiot.”

“Why?” I asked. I wasn’t sure what his angle was, but he was annoying me with his bizarre antics. “There is nothing about me that would justify that statement.”

“Well, for one … look at you.”

“You just said there are a lot of attractive women here, so I’m throwing a bullshit flag, a big bright yellow one.”

“That, right there. Most women don’t call bullshit. Most women are willing to forgive ninety-eight percent of it just to see if a guy who might be paying attention to them will turn out to be anything more.”

“I’d love to see where you got that statistic. GQ?”

“Personal experience. You, however, don’t let shit slide. I knew that the second you opened your mouth. You’re more than just attractive. You aren’t looking for someone, and you need no one. That’s hot.”

“You’re ridiculous