“A beer is fine. Thanks.”
“You got it.” Angel leans in, talking to Lucy while Tequila breaks away from Throttle at the pool tables.
“Regret coming here yet?”
I shoot her a look. “Only if you make me play pool.”
“Not me. Throttle keeps wanting to teach me and I keep telling him it’s useless.”
Angel hands us our beers. “Trust me, guys love it when a woman has no idea what she’s doing at the table. Gives them an excuse to slide on up showing you where that stick should go.”
Tequila shakes her head. “Venom knows you’re good at pool.”
Angel shrugs. “Yeah, but sometimes I like to play the forgetful card. A small wiggle of the ass and his arms around me, really gets the mood going.”
That earns a deep laugh erupting from the pit of my stomach, and they both whip their heads toward me, smiling. “Sounds like you’re a professional when it comes to men.”
Angel lifts her bare shoulders. “I just know how they operate.”
“Sounds like me.” Way back when I was confident and sure. “Well, I used to be. Not anymore.” I realize after saying that the mood dies but I don’t want to be the mood killer tonight. “I am good at darts, though.” I take a sip of my beer, grinning over top of it.
“Hell yeah! Let’s go.” Angel grabs my hand, yanking me out of my stool and Tequila giggles as she follows behind.
“Where are we going?” I yell over the music.
“To play darts!”
Oh.Okay then. Another grin forms on my face. And for the first time in a while I can say with confidence, I will dominate at this.
Angel sends a flirty innocent smile to the two younger guys who are playing, and they gladly hand over their darts, leaving the area with blush coloring their cheeks. She has that effect on people.
“Looking for an opponent?” Tank asks me, stepping into view. His largeness makes the area feel smaller.
“Sure. But I won’t go easy on you.”
Angel plops three darts into my hand. “Get it, girl. Kick his ass.”
“Ladies first.” Tank gestures with his hand for me to start.
I make a quick survey of the people around us. Most aren’t paying attention except for the club guys.
Good.
The less attention, the better.
When I find the strip of tape on the floor, I let the dart rest in between my thumb, index, and middle finger. With a deepbreath, I slowly release letting the ease of the tungsten object to fly straight for the target. A high-pitched whistle sounds when my dart lands directly on the center bullseye mark. Since we get three darts for each turn, I throw my next two, one landing on the same mark, the other close outside of it.
“And that’s one hundred and twenty-five points. That’s my girl.” Angel compliments me as Tank sighs.
“Shit. Your hidden talent?”
“That and many others,” I say, blush rising on my cheeks not meaning for it to come out that way. But something overtakes me, and I begin to laugh. A deep laugh that feels too good not to let out. The voices around me chuckle and Tequila high fives me from the sideline.
With a smile still wide, I lock eyes with Hush who hasn’t moved from his place against the wall, but his expression brightens as he watches me.
I’m going to pretend that his staring doesn’t make me nervous.
Tank holds my shoulders, gently walking me out of the way to where he needs to stand and tosses the dart through the air. The fast soar of it landing just outside the center where mine is. Two more of his darts go flying. One striking the bullseye and the other, on the twenty-five mark just like mine.
