“Thank you are the words you’re looking for,” I say before releasing her.

“What does recognition mean?”

I lean in and whisper in her ear, “I’m not sure if I want to fuck you or let you kill me, either.”

I march out the door, letting her take that in, half regretful and half not. It’s the goddamned truth. Dogs aren’t the only ones who can sense a storm coming.

***

The beach rental house is full of people. It’s wall-to-wall ass. Memphis and Tally have already left.

I look over to see River with a group of guys. I immediately sense Chilz is on the shelf for tonight, and shit’s about to go down.

I look for Billy. I can normally deal with the dregs of society, but not today. I know for a fact that, if I walk over there, I’m gonna end up partaking in some shit that’s not good.

I look up when Stevie Daniels and crew walk in. Kellie isn’t with ’em, which is too bad. I could go for an encore about now.

They part like the Red Sea, and when they do, I see her.

Son-of-a-bitch.

As she walks over and lays her black overcoat on the back of one of the couches then sees the bar, I watch, hoping she won’t see me. When she stiffens and looks around, I make damn sure she doesn’t see me looking. Then my eyes meet River’s, and he waves me over, so I go.

“Kipp and Ken here have some good weed.” River winks. “We aren’t going anywhere. How about you and I hit the blunt a few times?”

I look at Kipp and Ken. They are dressed preppy, but I know the type. You see, to me, the dregs aren’t the two-bit hustlers out pushing dime bags for rent to feed their kids or their habit. The dregs are these two—young guys who come from money and make a living off the pushers. They don’t get their hands dirty; they pad their pockets.

“Nah, man,” I say as he passes it to me.

Then I see her and change my mind.

I need an escape from her or an excuse for going after her.

I take a hit, holding it in my mouth, then suck in a deep breath. Its effects are immediate, and I know this isn’t just straight up pot.

I exhale, looking at Ken and Kip. “What the fuck is this laced with?”

“Just some hash oil, man, nothing harsh,” one of them says.

“No big thing, brother.” The other sets his hand on my shoulder, and I snap, pissed that they tricked me.

Pot is one thing, a stepping stone some say, but if I’m gonna step, it sure as fuck better be my choice.

I grab his hand then jack his arm up behind his back, pushing him against the wall, and he cries out. Fucking pussy.

The fog doesn’t just creep in; it rushes, getting thicker, denser. The other preppy little fuck hits me hard from behind in the side of my face. I swing his boy around and push him into the douche, making them both fall to the ground.

“That’s for me to decide, not you.”

Before I can kick the bitch who sucker punched me, I get yanked back.

“Enough, man!” Billy demands.

River dives on top of them, letting out a deep, malicious laugh, swinging like a fool. Some other guy pulls him off.

“Get the fuck out of here!” I yell as they scramble to their feet.

When I see her again, a look of shock turns to exasperation as she starts grabbing people’s phones.

“Give it back!” I hear a blonde screech.

She hits a few buttons and hands it back. “Now leave!”

“Who the fuck are you?” Blondie steps into her like she’s ready to throw down.

I pull away from Billy and step between them just as None-ya is about to get scratched up.

“She’s none-ya-business,” I say as I feel the fog start to spread, relaxing me.

The little redhead steps around me and points at blondie. “You were invited to a party, probably to be someone’s piece of ass, not as a videographer. Now get out.”

“Is she for reals?”

“For reals.” None-ya mimics. “Now go.” She then looks up at me, pissed—not angry, not hating, just pissed the fuck off. “Get your boys to the door for phone checks. And if you pray, say one now that you’re not all over social media, fighting and smoking that shit!”

I look at her like she’s crazy ’cause she kind of is. She hates me one second, and then, in the blink of an eye, she’s taking care of the situation.

Then I can’t help smiling. Yeah, I’m fucked up. Feels good, too.

Once she throws her hands up in exasperation and goes to get Billy, I grab a bottle of Jack off the coffee table, sink down onto the leather sofa, and take a swig.

River sits next to me. “Sorry, man. I didn’t know.”

“When are you gonna get sick of playing stupid?” I look at his stunned expression. “Look, I fucked up tonight, too. But seriously, brother, I want you to stick around. Shit could have been worse.”

“I’m getting the feels, the warm and fuzzies.” He chuckles as I let my head hit the back of the couch in a total state of relaxation.

I look over to see Billy and a few others at the door, taking phones as one by one they let people out.

“Billy is a good dude,” I say as my eyes wander from him to her. “None-ya, she’s a fucking trip, too.”

“Thought you hated her,” he mumbles.

“Right now, I hate no one.” I close my eyes and let the fog take its full effect.

“You two done causing trouble?”

I open one eye, seeing Kellie standing there, arms crossed and annoyed as hell.

“You couldn’t stay away, could ya?” I chuckle.

“I came for a party, not to watch a fight or get laid. You two fucked that all up.” She rolls her eyes.

“Phone.” Sonya holds out her hand to Kellie.

“You serious?” Kellie gasps.

“Quite.” She snatches it from her hand, then hands it back to her once she appears satisfied. “The band is waiting for you outside.”

I yawn. “She can stay.”

“No, I’m out. Too much drama for my liking,” Kellie says, walking away.

“You two need to get a fucking grip,” Billy snaps at us.

“Chill, Bill,” River says. “You’re derailing the buzz train.”

“And you”—I look at Sonya—“just sent away all the fun.”

“You’ve already slept with half the band,” I huff. “Two down, two to go, and hey, look, they’re with your label now. That’ll give you even more opportunity to screw the remaining two.”

Both his eyes slowly open, and a grin starts to tease his face. “None-ya, you’re jealous.”

“She is. She so is.” River chuckles, his eyes not opening to even see if this might be offensive to me.

“I hardly think so,” I huff. “And you”—I turn back to Finn—“my name is Sonya. Do you think maybe you could possibly store that in one of the two or three brain cells you may have left up there?”

He rolls his eyes, looks toward River, and lets out a deep, dark laugh that rubs me in a way that is all sorts of wrong. “If I only have two or three, I can just imagine what you have going on in that head of yours, man.”

They both laugh.

“I need a ride home.” Madison, Memphis Black’s sister, says with her hand on her hip, looking at Billy.

“Are you asking me or telling me, Madison?” he asks with a hint of sarcasm.

“Which one will get me home faster?” she asks.

“Asking. Maybe end it with a please,” he suggests, giving me the impression he is amused by her.

“Why don’t you two just fuck and get it over with?” River laughs.

I immediately feel sorry for her. Hell, my cheeks even burn red with embarrassment, but hers don’t.

“A ride home.” She pauses. “Please.”

When Billy and Madison leave, I set about trying to find my coat. I left it on the back of the couch, and now it’s not there.

I bend over the couch and look on the floor, but it’s not there, either. When I stand and hit my back on something, the scent that I want so badly to ignore fills me, and I freeze.