“Dude, I won’t let anything happen to her,” Travis assures, but Penn’s eyes dart to Tanner.
“Hey!” Travis whines. “You don’t trust me?”
“I trust you. Just not when you’re on the prowl. A hot girl could walk by and distract you,” Penn replies flatly.
Travis scoffs. “I am not that easy. I won’t even look at another girl. I only have eyes for Pacey tonight.”
“Nope. Don’t fucking like that either.”
I glance at Liv, and her shoulders shake with a laugh, just like mine, as we listen to them bicker back and forth. Eventually, Penn relents, and he and Liv go back to the room while the rest of us head out on the town. I wasn’t going to go. I was considering kicking Travis in his perfect dick, but then I’d have major FOMO. Plus, that’s one part of him that doesn’t piss me off.
15
TRAVIS
The others file out aheadof me, and I slip some cash into Calvin’s waiting hand. The pills have been a lifesaver. I still don’t sleep, but I don’t need to now. If I get tired, I just pop one or two, and then I’m fucking wired and ready to go. As soon as the tour is over, I’ll stop. I just need something to keep me going for now.
We pile out of the cab once we reach downtown. It’s late, after midnight, but we still have a few hours before all the bars and clubs close up. We work our way through the line of some nightclub we randomly chose. We hit up the bar first, ordering a round of shots. Standing in a circle, we clink our glasses together and toss back the vodka in unison.
“This is why I don’t drink.” Pacey winces.
“Time to man up, baby Hayze,” I tease, nudging her with my elbow. “You’re hanging with the big boys now.”
She rolls her eyes and slides the shot glass across the bar, ordering a beer instead.
I know Penn worries about her sobriety. Fuck, I do too. Pacey’s always been like a sister to me. But seems like she’sdoing better now, and she deserves to have some fun. It looked like she was having a damn good time in the crowd tonight. Ellie and Olivia, not as much. They were getting smashed, and for a split second I felt like jumping in the crowd to knock some fuckers out for pressing Ellie into the bar like that. I don’t know what came over me when I called her out like that, but the scowl on her face told me she was not pleased.
“Let’s dance!” Ellie shouts to Pacey. They scurry off and Tanner and I take a seat on the stools, turning our bodies away from the bar so we can keep an eye on them.
As they make their way to the center of the dance floor, I already clock several heads turning their way. I’m not one who’s ever been possessive—then again, that’s one of the reasons my ex cheated. She said it didn’t seem like I cared either way, but with Ellie, I feel my jaw tightening as I watch dude after dude approach her. Huh. Wonder when that started happening.
Tanner hasn’t pulled his head out of his phone since we sat down. “Who are you texting?” I jab my finger into his phone, and he jerks it away.
“No one,” he snaps.
I scoff. I have a million dollars on that crazy girlfriend of his. Where the hell is she anyway? Pretty sure she checked into the same hotel as the girls yesterday. Instead of letting him shut me out like he normally does, I press, “Where’s Katie?”
He lifts his chin, finally, and I notice how worn down he looks. Pissed off is Tanner’s normal face. I think he was born with it, but either I haven’t been paying attention, which is possible, or he’s aged in the last few days. Dark circles line his eyes, which even his glasses can’t hide. Scruff that is normally non-existent lines his jaw.
I don’t expect him to answer me, but then his shoulders rise with a deep breath, and he says, “She ditched the show three songs in to bar hop with random people. Can you believe that?”
I can, actually, but I don’t say that. “That’s shitty, man.”
He shrugs, staring at the dance floor. I follow his eyes, zeroing in on Pacey and Ellie. They’re no longer dancing together, but side by side, two dudes behind them while they back their asses into their groins.
“Christ,” I mutter, wondering when the appropriate time would be to toss the dudes out on their asses. Tanner glances at me and then back at the girls. “Fuck it.” I shrug. “Let’s go.”
Tanner appears wary but he follows me anyway.
We sidle up to the girls. I cock my head at Ellie when she lifts her chin, green eyes bright, practically glowing when they meet mine. She gives me a sassy grin. She hates me a little right now for what I did during the show, but there was no way I could continue to perform knowing she was in distress. And shewasin distress, whether she wanted to admit it or not. That dude was practically lying on her back.
The girls share a look. Ellie rolls her eyes and though I’m not looking at Pacey, I’m willing to bet she’s doing the same.
“What?” Ellie asks, picking up her rhythm again. Her chest glistens, hips swaying to the pounding rap song that’s making my ears bleed. Jesus Christ, this place has zero taste.
I peek behind her at the guy with his hands all over her hips. He glances at me, an arrogant smirk on his face, like he’s got something that I can’t have. Little does he know, my hands and mouth have covered every inch of her perfect body. I know what she tastes like, but he never will.
I stand there, staring him down. His hands inch lower, knowing I’m watching, trying to slip under the gap in her overall dress. She reaches down, pulling them out and placing them high on her waist. I straighten, waiting for him to try it again so I can punch his teeth out. Fortunately for him, he doesn’t.
