I’m not here to hook up with anyone. Pretty sure no one here is my type anyway.
The bartender comes back over to us. “Here you go, Jasmine.” He calls her by name, and it just confirms that she comes here too often. He places our shot glasses in front of us.
She hands him her card. “Start a tab for me, please?”
“Got it, babe.” And he’s off again.
“I have cash …”
“Nonsense.” She waves me off before I can even finish what I was saying.
I sigh but don’t argue with her. Jasmine is the type of woman who gets whatever she wants. And going to war with her over a few drinks just isn’t worth it. I’ve known her for about a year now, and she’s one of my closest friends other than April. I’ve been friends with April since we were kids, but ever since she got pregnant, she no longer goes out. Her baby daddy is Grave—a Dark King. And he takes up all of her time. As it should be. She’s really happy, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted for her.
Jasmine has introduced me to a couple of other girls, one who happens to be married to another King. But again, I don’t get to hang out with them much. I like to keep my circle small. Plus, when you’re always working, it doesn’t leave much time for a social life.
“Cheer up.” Jasmine turns to face me with a smile on her face. She’s gorgeous in that “I don’t have to try hard” way. She dyes her short hair red, and it really complements her bright blue eyes. “I promise nothing will happen to you here. I know the Mason brothers.”
“How well?” I challenge.
The Mason brothers’ reputation is about the same as the Dark Kings—you fuck with them, you’re dead.
Her red-painted lips pull back, showing off her white pearly teeth. “One of them I know extremely well.”
I laugh and clarify, “So, you slept with him?”
“Of course, I did. And if you saw him, you’d spread your legs too.” She winks at me.
“What are you girls doing here?” a man demands from behind us, cutting off my laughter.
We spin around to see two faces I recognize. They stand out in any crowd they walk through. Grave and Cross, two of the Dark Kings. You can’t miss them. All four Kings are over six feet tall and covered in ink. Not to mention their presence just screams get the fuck out of my way. If you caught yourself alone with them in a dark alley, you’d clutch your purse tighter while your pussy would do the same for its own reason. They’re dark, deadly, and extremely fucking attractive in a way that begs drag me to hell and show me what it’s like to burn.
If you knew my track record with men, you’d know that I can pick them. And a King would be at the top of the list.
My best friend April’s baby daddy is Grave. I know him pretty well since he and April got together. Cross, not so much. I met him at Emilee and Titan’s wedding but didn’t really get the chance to speak with him. But they’re all the same—men fear them, and women worship them. And that makes them even more interesting to me. I think every woman wants a bad boy in their life at least once. Some of us crave that toxicity. Without it, life would be boring.
“I could ask you that same question,” Jasmine speaks before throwing back her shot.
“I’m fighting tonight,” Grave answers, crossing his inked arms over his bare chest and looking down his nose at us. Like he’s angry he caught us here. My eyes run over the picture of my best friend tattooed on his arm. It’s insane how much detail was put into it. It literally looks like she’s right in front of me staring at me. It’s kinda creepy. From her dark purple hair to her ice-blue eyes and her diamond septum piercing—she looks absolutely gorgeous. She drew it, and Cross tattooed it onto Grave’s arm. April has always been an amazing artist.
“Where’s April?” I ask, looking around. I hadn’t told her I was coming out tonight. The last time I spoke to her, she was closing up her flower shop and heading home to shower and go to bed. Being pregnant is really taking it out of her.
Cross snorts at my question. “The Airport is the last place for a pregnant woman.”
I look at him, and he’s also glaring down at me. His pretty green eyes narrowed, dark brows creased, and his lips thin. It’s like these men were born pissed off at the world. Hating everyone. I wonder if he’s always been this way? And if so, why?
“You ladies shouldn’t be here either,” he states.
Ladies? I almost laugh at that. “You’re going to make us leave?” I ask, arching a dark brow. These Kings are used to getting their way, or so I’ve heard. I’m sure they do whatever is necessary to achieve that. And that thought just made this night so much more interesting.
He steps toward me, and I tilt my head back to look at his glare. “If I say yes?”
Grave reaches out, slapping his hand on Cross’s chest, and pulls him back a step. “We don’t have time to drag them out right now kicking and screaming.”
I smirk as Jasmine hands me my shot. Throwing it back, I turn to the bar, signaling to the guy with the nose piercing that we want another round. I’m not leaving now. My earlier reservations about the Airport are long gone, so I might as well make it worth it. My cell vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out to see it’s a text.
CUNT: Why haven’t you been answering my calls?
I ignore it just like the rest. You would think he’d get the hint eventually.
