“I’m guessing you’re the dudes the seats were for,” Tyler says flatly.
Chad glances between me and Penn, his eyes narrowing as the wheels in his head start to spin.
I pull at my shirt, fanning myself. It’s insanely hot in here.
Penn doesn’t say a word. He continues to stare at me. The tension thickens, making it hard to breathe.
“Yeah, those are our seats. Get the fuck up,” Travis spits.
Ellie whips her head around so fast I think she’s going to snap her neck.
Tyler’s eyes widen, but it’s clear he wants no part in arguing. He stands up, waiting expectantly for Chad to follow, but he and Penn are having a silent stare-off. I know I should say something, but I can’t form words.
“Hey, wait a minute!” Tyler snaps his fingers. “You guys are from that band. You were just on stage, weren’t you?”
I’m surprised they even paid attention, honestly. Their kind of music isn’t something I’d ever heard Chad listen to before. If it’s not on the radio, he doesn’t like it.
Travis slides around and takes the seat Tyler was in, next to Ellie, but she scoots away. “Yep. That’s us,” he replies dryly.
“That’s my seat, man,” Penn says, his voice eerily calm, using his beer to point at the spot beside me.
Chad laughs and turns to me. “Really?”
“Yes,” I say, finally finding my voice.
His eyes widen. “Thisis why you quit taking my calls?Him?”
“Dude, take the fucking hint,” Travis says.
Penn shoots him a scowl that has him lifting his hands.
“Chad,” I plead, not wanting him to cause a scene. “You should go.”
“Damn, Liv, you’re serious?” Chad says.
I nod, and Chad finally starts to move. He climbs from the booth and stands in front of Penn, sizing him up. Chad’s wider than Penn, but Penn has a couple inches on him, and I have no doubt he could easily take him. I don’t think Chad’s been in a single fight his whole life. He doesn’t like to get dirty.
Penn moves around him and slides into the seat next to me, placing his hand on my thigh, and I instantly relax.
Chad’s eyes follow Penn, and a snarl takes over his face. “Didn’t peg you for a groupie, Liv, but I guess it was only a matter of time after hanging out with her.” He nods to Ellie.
As soon as the words leave his mouth, everything happens so fast.
Travis practically jumps over the table, and Penn rushes out of the booth, getting in Chad’s face. He grabs his shirt, forcing Chad to stumble into him and drop his beer bottle. Shards of glass shatter at their feet.
“Apologize.Now,” Penn bites out.
Travis stands behind him, eyes flaring, fists clenching at his sides.
Chad laughs in his face before turning to me. “Is it just this one? Or you screwing all of them?”
“You motherfucker,” Penn growls before casting me a quick glance. My wide eyes stare back in shock, and his soften, sending me an apology that I don’t have time to question. His arm rears back, and his fist flies into Chad’s nose with a sickening pop.
My gasp cuts through the air and I slap my hand over my mouth, bolting from my seat. Ellie jumps up too, latching onto my arm as we watch everything unfold.
Chad staggers backward into Tyler, holding his nose. “Fuck!”
Everyone in the bar turns their attention to the chaos.Chad’s hand comes away from his nose, covered in blood. It’s streaming down his face at a rapid pace.
