And with that, Sarge pushed off the sofa, shaking his head, leaving Nash sitting there like an idiot—mad at a bar, mad at Cassie, and mad at himself for both.
Another wave of bodies pushed through the doors—louder, already half-lit from wherever they’d come from.
Nash barely glanced up, half catching Luanne Hayes looking his way, flashing him a small smile as she headed for the bar.He paused, staring after her.
Luanne had spent the better part of a decade pretending he didn’t exist—even inside his own clubhouse.If she’d had to speak to him, it’d been clipped and civil at best.
But a smile?That was brand fucking new.And hell, he was getting real sick of being the only person in the dark here.Tipping his glass back, he joined her at the bar.
“Hey Walker,” she greeted him, barely a trace of warmth.“I can’t seem to grab the bartender with all these—vaginas—in the way.”She gestured toward the girls dancing on the bar.“Help a girl out, will ya?”
Kara, who’d watched Nash approach, was already leaning across the counter between the legs of the women on top.“Refill?”she asked, grabbing his glass.
“And for her,” Nash said, nodding beside him.
“Gimme whatever,” Luanne called out.“I know you’re busy.”
While Kara disappeared down the bar, Nash leaned against the counter.
“You seen Cassie, Lu?”
“Not as much as you been seein’ Cassie,” she drawled, smirk tugging at her mouth.
“Ha,” he replied evenly, grabbing the drinks as Kara brought them and handing one off to her.“But, for real, I’m askin’ if you’ve seen her today.”
Luanne took a sip of whiskey, grimacing slightly.“Seen her yesterday.Not today.Why, what’s up?”
“Nothin’.Just lookin’ for her is all.”
She huffed a quiet laugh.“After that trainwreck with Addy yesterday, you might wanna give her some space.”
Nash’s jaw flexed.“That so?”
“Mm-hm.”She took another sip.“And don’t even ask me what she said—I ain’t tellin’ you shit.”
“I didn’t ask you to, did I?”he bit back.“Hell, I’m glad she’s still got you.”
“Right?”she drawled.“Imagine if she didn’t—we might have a kid together too.”
And with that, she turned away to join her friends, leaving Nash standing there, his bourbon forgotten in his hand and her words burning a hole straight through him.
“Hey, Kara,” he muttered, reaching out to tap her arm as she passed.
The young bartender turned, brow raised.
“Start cuttin’ Luanne’s drinks.”
Kara snorted.“You got it, boss.”
Nash headed back to the couch, dropping into his spot and letting the party roll around him while the night stretched on.Songs changed, glasses clinked, laughter drifted through the commons tangled up with music and shouting, everything getting hotter, louder, sloppier with every round coming off the bar.The dancing girls rotated out for new ones, the boys hollering at each fresh set of ass, and still Nash only sat there with his drink, hardly seeing any of it.
Because all he could see was Cassie.
Cassie taking his hand at Connor’s funeral.
Cassie on the back of his bike.
Cassie in his bed.
