Total pages in book: 203
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Joel.
I answer. “Yeah?”
“Where are you?”
“I’m in Bailey’s bed.”
“But Bailey’s not with you,” Joel says.
“Rub it in, why don’t ya?” I mutter but realize the bathroom door is open so she finally got out of the tub.
“What’s up?” I jackknife up, nose twitching.
“I’m lookin’ at your mate on the dance floor at Roxy’s. Was guessing you didn’t know.”
I’m on my feet now. “Fuck! Tell me she’s not eating dinner with that beta!”
“She’s… havin’ a dance party.”
“Who with?”
“Anyone she can get on the dance floor. Her mother, Mase’s mom, Erica and two of her sisters, my cousin, plus a few other females including your youngest sister.”
“The fuck?”
“She skipped her way in here announcing she was havin’ a dance party. She took control of the jukebox and the music? Sensing a theme. A… pissed off at Jase theme.”
“Fuck.”
“She’s tanked, brother. And it could’ve gotten rowdy in here if Cade hadn’t decided to wait.”
“For?”
“You. He’s holdin’ off opening up the patio. More than a few males here and with all these females dancing, there’s a vibe.”
Shit.
“Why are you callin’ me just now?”
He laughs. “Why is it I need to call you at all?”
Though I don’t see the humor, he’s right. I shouldn’t have let my guard down.
“Haven’t slept more than a couple hours a night since before Rome. Crashed by mistake while she was in the tub and clearly she gave me the slip. Be right there.”
“There’s more.”
“I’ll walk and talk. Give it to me.”
“Before you get here and blow your top… she was tryin’ to get some betas on the dance floor with all the females, Jase. Claiming she didn’t wanna slow dance and get them in shit, that she never meant to get Malachi Carswell on your shitlist, but that everyone could fast dance together and it’d be all right.”
“My female is gonna be the death of me, Joel.”
“Everyone knew better, knows you identified her even if you haven’t been allowed to close the deal yet.”
I grind my teeth and pick up my pace while Joel keeps on talking.
“Word about what happened today with that beta had already gotten around. Don’t come in here ready to crush bones, brother. Lots of males here but nobody got within five feet of her on purpose, nobody laid a hand on her. Your pack knows this is your girl and they’re keeping a distance. The Young sisters showed up and redirected her attention by keeping her occupied with them on the dance floor the last few songs, so she’s been leaving the males alone. Those girls are helping out.”
I scoff at the notion of the Young sisters lifting a finger to help me.
“But a slow song came on…” he says, leaving it hang.
“She didn’t slow dance with somebody?” I demand, anger heading toward a rolling boil in my veins.
I’m outside now, relieved to see three cars in the driveway, meaning she didn’t drive. Not that she’d ever do that anyway. Bailey is typically the most responsible person around. Though not tonight, obviously.
“No. But…”
“But?” I inquire.
He holds the phone a second.
I repeat, “But?”
“She asked Linc to slow dance.”
“She did?” I pick up my pace.
“He told her no, then he promptly left.”
“Fuck!”
“She’s just hammered and trying to make a point because she’s ticked at you.”
“Believe me, she’s been makin’ that point for days. But Linc? What the fuck is she playin’ at?”
“She told Erica, who pulled her away from Linc, that at least he’d stand a chance against you in a fight because she knows you two like to roughhouse, so she claimed she wasn’t being a troublemaker by tryin’ to get him to dance with her and…” He laughs. “Added that it’s fun to watch Jase and Linc wrestle, that Roxy should charge an admission fee to feed the poor. But then she was muttering about the only slow dance she’s ever had was with you and how you’re a…” He doesn’t finish that sentence.
“A what?”
I’m off the Blackwoods’ block now and on my street. Just past my house is the bridge to Roxy’s bar so I’m nearly there.
I pick up pace.
“She had a few choice words. Jackass. Man whore. Ass–”
“I get the picture. Her father there?”
“He was earlier, but he and Carrie got into it outside before he, Ace, and Andy went to Andy’s for drinks. That was before Bailey got here.”
“Thanks, bro. Be there in two minutes,” I say and end the call, breaking into a jog.
***
I’m pissed the rest of the way to Roxy’s, but it’s good Joel said what he did because I’m prepared for the fact that when I smell her, her scent is surrounded by the stench of other males.
When I walk in, there’s music playing, but the place goes silent otherwise, conversation halting and all eyes bouncing between me and the dance floor.
Nearly all the female Arcana Falls pack members here move off the dance floor. Only my mate, my sister Gwen, Erica Savage, plus Veronica and Vivica Young remain, dancing to that Whitney Houston song, I Wanna Dance with Somebody.