He groaned again, “You kill me when you behave like this.”

I snorted and continued to look out the window as he drove. “Behave like what?”

“Like you couldn’t care less that you’re next to me; it always gets me hard.”

I laughed and glanced at him. “You get turned on when I ignore you?”

“Only when you’re in me presence. It makes me want your undivided attention.”

I smirked and looked forward again. “We’ll see how tonight pans out. You might just get what you’re lookin’ for.”

“I better,” he growled making me smile to myself.

A few moments passed by in comfortable silence, but Skull broke it when he said, “How is Keela doin’?”

I crossed my left leg over my right and rested my hands on my lap. “She’s good, still workin’ hard on her book. She is a perfectionist, and it’s a strength of hers as well as a weakness. She goes over the manuscript with a fine-tooth comb daily but is worried about it not being ‘right.’ Nothin’ anyone tells her will relax her about it, it’s just somethin’ we have to let pan out by itself.”

Skull clicked his tongue. “I hope it all works out for her. She’s a good girl.”

I nodded in agreement. “That she is.”

“Is she still with that Slater lad?” he asked.

I snorted. “You know his name is Alec, and yes, they’re still together. They’re engaged.”

“I refer to them all as a Slater lad.” Skull chuckled then said, “And people who are engaged can still break up, you know.”

I smiled. “Not Keela and Alec, they’re solid. Nothin’ can break them.”

I was certain nothing could anyway.

“Well, that’s great; a solid relationship must be nice.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Is that a jab at me?”

“At us, not just you,” Skull clarified. “We’re both great together in the bedroom, it’s every other aspect of being in a relationship that we struggle with.”

Ain’t that the truth.

I sighed. “We aren’t goin’ to get back together, and we both know it. This ‘date’ tonight is for a good time and wild sex. You know it, and I know it.”

“I know,” Skull grumbled.

I looked at him and frowned. “Why do you seem sad about it?”

Please don’t say you want us to get back together again.

“I’m not sad about us. I’ve made peace with how we are... I’m just gettin’ too fuckin’ old for one-night stands. I’m thirty-three. Wakin’ up next to nameless women, and sometimes faceless women dependin’ on how hungover I am, is gettin’ old.”

I blinked in surprise. “Really? You don’t like the club bunnies?”

That was a bit of a shock.

Skull glanced at me and smirked. “I love the club bunnies; I’m just gettin’ bored of them. I don’t know, maybe I need to find a good woman and settle down. Me ma is naggin’ me about givin’ her some grandbabies.”

I smiled. “Then that is exactly what you should do, honey. Do what makes you happy.”

Skull sighed, nodded his head, but said nothing.

I grunted to myself and said, “I’m not havin’ sex with you ever again now, not now that I know where your head is at.”

Skull burst into laughter. “Should I repeat that to you when you’re feelin’ me up later in your drunken haze?”

I giggled. “Yeah, say it loud and clear. Pinch me if you have to.”

Skull continued to laugh. “I love you, babe.”

“I love you, too,” I replied, happily.

I loved Skull, and he loved me, we just weren’t in love with each other. That ship had sailed long ago.

“Any lads you have your eye on?” Skull asked as we neared Darkness.

I was shocked when the image of Kane Slater filled my mind. I quickly blinked the unwelcome image from my head and focused on Skull.

“Nope, no one. I’ll probably do what you’re doin’ and look for my other half, or I’ll just keep me own company and end up an old spinster.”

A belly laugh erupted out of Skull. “You’re twenty-eight, that’s not old.”

“Tell that to me students,” I muttered and thought of all the kids in my class who thought I was super old.

The little brats.

Skull continued to laugh to himself as he flipped his indicator on and headed into the private car park for the staff of Darkness. Brandon Daley had splashed out on upgrading Darkness over the last few months. He completely redecorated the club—inside and outside.

He added a private staff car park and a brand new level to the club. Hard-core partying happened on the new bottom floor, and the fighting and more hard-core partying happened on the first floor. The first floor still looked the same except it didn’t. The platform was in the same spot and had been completely upgraded. It was matte black now, but when blood or any fluids from the fighters touched the surface, it appeared as neon red blood splatters on the platform surface. It was brutal, but awesome looking. There was also an automatic black cage that folded down from the ceilings on Friday nights, which drew in crowds because there were no rules inside the cage. Anything went.

The booths were bigger and fancier. They were also matte black, but each table in a booth glowed different colours. A section of the club that had paint drums where people banged on them and paint splashed onto everyone within close range, and thanks to special lighting in the club, it glowed neon like the tables and platform. It looked awesome when everyone was drunk, but when you left the club, you were covered in different coloured paint splashes. It was clothing friendly though, so no one cared.

“How many people do you plan on refusin’ entry to the club tonight?” I asked as we parked and exited the car.

Skull got his suit jacket from the back of the car and folded it neatly over his arm as he locked the Mondeo up.

“A lot.” He grinned. “It’s Friday, which means fight night. Only regular faces get in to see that, or new faces that the regulars vouch for. You know the drill.”

I actually didn’t. I never had to worry about gaining entry to Darkness. Back when Skull and I first started going out I’d never heard of the club, which wasn’t a surprise. It was exclusive and for good reason. I only got in because I was Skull’s girlfriend.

I knew Brandon had some sort of licence for the fighting that went on, according to Skull, so a lot more people knew about its existence now. But it was still hard for people to get in unless you had a hook-up like I did.

“You win some, you lose some,” I smirked. “Let’s get our drink on.”

Skull slid his hand into mine and gave it a tug. “Come on, pussy cat, let’s get you hydrated. I want you nice and wet.”

I laughed as I followed Skull through the doors of the nightclub and down the stairs where darkness consumed us.

“Aideen? I can barely hear you, are you okay?” Keela’s voice blared through the receiver of my phone.

“I’m fine,” I shouted and leaned my head against the wall of the toilet stall I was in.

“The reception is bad; can you hear me?” Keela asked and continued to shout.

I nodded my head even though she couldn’t see me. “I’m in the toilets on the first floor in Darkness, that’s why the reception is shitty. If the phone cuts off, you know why.”

I heard Keela mumble something to someone before she returned her attention to me. “If you’re fine, then why’re you callin’ me? It’s half two in the mornin’!”

Was it that late?

Oops.

“Sorry, I thought it was earlier,” I said and smiled. “I love you.”

Keela laughed. “Are you drunk?”

I shook my head. “Nope. I mean, I was, but I’m soberin’ up now. I’m tired of dancin’ so I think I’m gonna go home. Me feet hurt.”

Keela laughed again. “Make sure Skull puts you in a taxi.”

I blinked. “I will, but first. Guess what?”

“What?”