Gesturing with two fingers for a server to bring some water, I sit her in the booth and slide in next to her, trapping her in place. “Arabella, look at me.”
With a huff, she rolls her eyes in my direction. “What do you want, Ryker? I really need to get back to my date, if you don’t mind. He’s around here somewhere.”
“I do mind. You have no business being in that part of the building sober, let alone drunk. And don’t even try to lie and say you’re not. Who are you here with?” I ask, pushing the water toward her. “Drink this. It’ll help sober you up.”
“I’m more fun with a little alcohol in me, anyway. Why are you trying to ruin my fun?”
“Fun? If you knew anything about what goes on there, you’d know that it’s not safe if you’re impaired. Now, who did you come with?” I ask again while crossing my arms over my chest.
“If you must know, I came with Wrinley,” she pauses to giggle. “Also Thadd, with two d’s and Brad, with one.” I stare at her with a confused look on my face, because I have no clue how torespond to that. “You heard me. ThaddandBrad.” She slaps her thighs, laughing hysterically.
I’d laugh with her if I wasn’t so pissed off. “You’ll stay here and sober up,” I order with a firm tone. “Then we’ll talk.”
8
Arabella
We sit in uncomfortable silence until I’m on my third glass of water and I’m no longer feeling as loosey goosey as I was. Ryker has been glaring at me with his stupid hot face the entire time and now that I’ve sobered up a little, I’m much more aware of my surroundings.
“Tell me Arabella, what are you doing here?” Who does he think he is? He left six years ago. I didn’t need a father then and I don’t need one now.
“I’m on a date, if he’s still even here. He probably thinks I ditched him, thanks to you.” If I had my phone, I could text Wrinley, but I had to lock it up before I entered the club area.
“Who is he? And don’t tell me ‘Brad’ again. I got that much when you were who knows how many drinks deep.” He’s so stern with me. It shouldn’t turn me on, but it definitely does. I give my head a quick shake, trying to toss that thought out of my brain.Ew. I’m still drunk, because that’s the only logical reason I’d be thinking about my mom’s ex in any other way than parental.
“If I answer your questions, will you let me get back to my date?”
“I guess that depends on your answers,” he retorts.
I don’t want to be under his scrutinizing gaze any longer than necessary, so I’ll give him the answers he wants. “Brad is my date. I was set up with him, because his friend Thadd had a date with Wrinley. Thadd and Brad are both members ofyour cluband wanted to bring us as their guests. Et, voila. Is that sufficient for you?”
“Not in the slightest!” I look up to see a vein pulsing on his forehead. “Do you even know what goes on back there? Why would you come with someone you hardly know? And, why the fuck aren’t you wearingactualclothes?”
My body tenses at his rapid fire questioning. “Oh no. You arenotmy father. You have zero right to even contemplate those questions, let alone ask them. I’m going back to my date now. Thanks for the fucking water,” I argue, slamming the glass in front of him.
“Arabella, wait,” Ryker pleads. “I promise I’m not trying to parent you, but Iamworried about you. You’re with a guy you barely know, you were intoxicated until very recently and I have a feeling you don’t really understand most of what happens back there. BDSM and kink should be engaged in responsibly, where both parties can give their consentandremove it if they choose to. It requires trust and a clear head. I’m sorry, but I won’t let you back there. Not tonight.”
I consider him for a brief moment before pushing against him to get out of the booth he has me trapped in. “Ryker, I’m not the same naive, seventeen-year-old little girl I used to be. I am a grown ass woman. If I want to engage in a mutually beneficial activity with a consenting adult, I will and I don’t need your fucking club to do it. I’ll go, but only because I don’t want you looking over my shoulder all night like some unhingedchaperone with boundary issues.” He nods silently as I turn my back and walk away.
9
Ryker
It took at least twenty minutes for her to find her best friend and those two fuckwits. They better be taking her home. The Arabella I knew would never have done something so overtly careless. She was more responsible than most girls her age, back then. I remember wanting her to let loose a little, butthisis not what I had in mind. Going back to the club area of Gravity drunk, with aboyshe barely knows is just about the stupidest thing she could have done.
The girl I used to know had a fire in her eyes that I no longer see and I find myself curious where it went. I know she had a complicated relationship with Christine, but I assumed she’d be free of the burdens her mother placed on her after graduation. My stomach drops at the thought of things with her mom getting worse, instead of better.
Sliding out of the booth, I wander upstairs to the offices, hoping to find Hayes, but he’s not in his office. That means he’s wandering, because he rarely leaves before we close.
“Hey man,” he answers quickly. “I see you found someone to keep you company tonight. Are you going to see her again? She looked a little young, but she’s nice and curvy. Just how you like them.”
Groaning into the phone, I bite back, “She’s my ex-girlfriend's daughter, dickhead. She showed up here already well on her way to being drunk, then proceeded to meet her drink maximum and somehow made it into the club wing, clearlynotof sound mind. Have our camera guy check the recordings please. See if we can get to the bottom of how the fuck she got past security. I need to know who let her in, so I can fire his ass.”
“Hold on Ryker. Aside from the obvious issue of someone drunk making it into the club, why do you care so much? Didn’t you break up with her mom years ago? Not like she could do anything about it.”
WhydoI care? That’s a great question and one I’m not sure I can clearly answer.
“I broke up with her mom about six years ago. And I don’t know why I care so much, I just do. When I saw her downstairs, drunk, it was like a flip switched in my head. I lost my shit and acted like a parent dead set on ruining their kid’s prom night. You and I both know how dangerous that is. I couldn’t let her stay.”
