Security pushes Mads’ hands behind his back, and I see one of them taking zip ties out to secure him.
“Wouldn’t be a Young Decay party without you getting arrested, would it?” I say jokingly to him.
I swear there’s a smile in his eyes, yet before he has a chance to reply, I hear Avie’s voice shouting over the crowd.
“—on, Tourning! Who did you—Oh, this guy.” Avie rolls his eyes as he sees Rad sprawled out on the ground. “Security, get this guy out of here, too. You think I pay you to let people like him in this party? Get him the fuck out of here. Wait, where are you taking my bassist?” he says to the bouncer who has Mads detained.
“Assault. Police are on their way,” the bouncer answers.
“Shit—Careful with his fucking hands! Jesus hell. He’s a musician. Stop breaking my guy—Hey, you and you—” Avie presses his phone to his ear and points at Reed and me. “Bus. Party’s over. Ten minutes—Hey, Lou,” he answers his phone. “No. Yeah. No, I need the fucking lawyer—” His fingers snap in Reed’s and I’s faces again, and I blink out of the daze I’ve suddenly slipped into at the sight of the blood on the ground.
“Ten minutes! Find Zeb,” Avie calls back.
I run my hand over my face. “Well, fuck.”
“I’ll find Zeb,” Reed says. “Tell your girl to come to the next city since it looks like we’re done for the night,” he says with a look down the bar.
Oh, shit.
I’d nearly forgotten about her.
With the fixation of the commotion and Reed’s hands on my arms, I realize how wobbly my legs are.
Why am I so fucking dizzy?
I blink as the music seems to grow louder, and people resume their chatting all around me. I throw my hand out to secure my bearings, catching her gaze when I look up, though everything around me seems to be blurring together.
Get it together.
Just go tell her to drive a few hours so you can see her tomorrow.
I don’t remember walking through the crowd or know how long it takes me. The next thing I realize is that I’m sitting on the stool in front of her again, and that damn piece of glitter in her hair catches my attention.
“That was entertaining,” she says, sliding a drink my way. “Even from over here.”
I gladly take the drink and remove the straw so I can gulp it back. My taste buds are so numb that I barely recognize the flavor more than vodka, but there’s a twinge of pain behind my eyes that I’d really like this alcohol to get rid of.
Her brows are lifted when I set the drink back down, and I notice there’s glitter on her eyes, too.
It’ssosparkly.
She’s saying something that sounds like mumbling. I don’t know why she’s mumbling unless it’s just the thud of the music around us that’s hindering my comprehension.
The glitter on her eyes is so pretty, though.
“You have really pretty eyes,” I say, cutting her off. “Like really pretty. And this glitter just makes them… Dammit, you’re really fucking pretty.”
She smiles softly, her cheeks reddening with that blush again.
“I have to leave,” I say, twirling her hair around my finger again.
It’s so soft.
“Are you coming to the next city?” I ask though I can’t feel my tongue. For all I know, my words could be a jumbled mess. At least she seems to understand me.
“I can,” she says. “Do you want me to?”
“I’d like that. I think you would like that, too.” I lean in, lips brushing hers.
