I shrugged. “I like it hot.”

Rose and I caught a taxi to a local nightclub. I purposefully avoided the ones I knew were affiliated with the Brothers by Blood. I knew Optimus was going to be pissed I’d taken off tonight without asking first, and I knew he’d send someone to get me. But like fuck, I was going to make it easy on them.

My dress was a stunning shade of pink, a sort of dark fuschia and it fit perfectly to my body. Rhinestones were sprinkled all over the tight fabric which was bordering the sexy side of indecent. I know club girls were always looked at for dressing slutty, in barely there clothing with just a hint of self-esteem, but I didn’t care. I worked hard to keep the body that I had. So what if I wanted to show it off?

I wasn’t going out to pick up a man, my loyalties still lie with the club. But if I was going out, I sure as hell was going to do it feeling good about myself.

“Drink?” Rose called out, gesturing with her hand just in case I couldn’t hear her over the music which was assaulting my eardrums.

“Whiskey!” I yelled back as I pointed over my shoulder. “I’m gonna grab a table.” She frowned at my drink choice but nodded.

I weaved my way through patrons and found a small booth at the edge of the dance floor but still close to the bar. It was a little bit quieter and would allow us to chit chat without having to yell. The place was packed. I couldn’t say I’d ever been there before, but it was nice and the set up was great.

If we managed to get out of the clubhouse for the night, the boys would always drag us to places the club owned. We would have our VIP space and the boys could chill out knowing that no one would mess with them under their own roof. It had been a long time since I’d been out dancing or clubbing without at least one of the brothers nearby. My stomach turned a little. I was both nervous and excited.

“How do you drink that stuff?” Rose asked loudly as she took a seat at our small table. Rose wore a sparkly black halter top and a tight denim mini. It was a simple outfit, but she had paired it with some killer knee-high black boots that laced up the back corset style.

A couple of older men leered as they passed by us, their eyes starting at our legs and moving up our bodies. It wasn’t the kind of look that made you feel sexy, though. Rose and I both shuddered and screwed up our faces causing us to laugh.

I took a swig of my whiskey.

Perfect.

“Fourteen-years-old, foster house number seven.” Rose raised a brow at me. “I was moved from my previous foster home because my foster brother, who I was close to was shot at a party on the wrong side of town. My new foster mother was a drunk and immediately taught me how to numb my pain.”

Her eyes softened. “Oh wow … that must have been hard.”

I shrugged and took another shot from my drink, enjoying the sound of the ice clinking around the glass.

“You’re always so happy. So unfazed by everything,” she said, looking at me curiously. “But it sounds like you had a really shitty time growing up.”

“Everybody goes through shit in their lives. Whether it makes you or breaks you is a choice that you have to make,” I explained with a soft smile. “It almost broke me to be honest. I’m not always strong, but I’ve learned pretty damn well how to fake it.”

All of that was true. I’d found out how to cope and I coped. I grew up in some rough areas, in some rough families, but as long as you put on a brave face and stood your ground, it didn’t matter how you were feeling inside.

Be strong now, break down later.

The only times now that I struggled to control my emotions were around Optimus. He was my kryptonite. He dissolved my strength in an instant, and in that instant I would give him everything. Every part of me wanted to fall and pray that he would catch me. My heart told me he would, but my head wasn’t willing to risk it—the thought of the pain just too much to bare.

“I wish I could be like that.”

I shook my head, my thoughts clouding my atmosphere. “Be like what?”

Rose smiled but it wasn’t the smile I usually saw, it was full of sadness and regret. “I wish I could just not care, but I crave acceptance. I feel like I need to be a part of something.”

“We all feel like we need to be part of something. But you know what, we are freaking amazing just by ourselves and if people can’t accept that then screw them!” I held what was left of drink in the air and Rose grinned at me as she tapped her glass with mine.

There was another glass tap against ours and I looked up to see a gorgeous guy standing next to our booth, a cheeky smile on his face.

“Here, here!” he called.

Rose looked at me and raised her eyebrows and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Can I join you girls or should I just continue to stand here with my drink in the air looking like a douche?”

I looked at Rose, who just shrugged before I scooted a little further around the booth to allow room for sexy McWeirdo. He had dark almost black hair and his blue button up shirt contrasted so perfectly with his olive colored skin. He held his hand out to me and I shook it.

“Chelsea and this is my friend Rose.”

“Nice to meet you, girls,” he said as he shook Rose’s hand also. “My name’s Deacon. Sorry to crash your party. I had to stop. Very inspiring speech. Ever thought of motivational speaking?”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop myself from smiling. “Why do that when I can sit in a club and inspire strangers while drinking whiskey. I obviously touched you.”

“Motivational speaking would probably pay more.” He smirked.

I shook my glass, rattling the ice. “Buy me another drink and I won’t send you a bill.”

“Yes, ma’am. Whiskey and …” He looked to Rose, who seemed to be studying him.

She shook her head and smiled. “Oh sorry! Vodka and orange.”

Deacon snapped a salute and headed off toward the bar.

“He’s hot,” she said, obviously admiring his ass as he walked away.

“No kidding,” I said, doing the exact same thing. What could I say, his tight black jeans fit perfectly.

Deacon turned out to be a really nice guy, despite his not so great entrance. He’d come out with a friend, but had quickly been ditched for a girl. I felt bad for him, but he was great company, and damn good on the eyes, so his friends’ loss was our gain really.

“What do you do, Deacon?” I asked as we relaxed into conversation.

“I manage a gym downtown and I’m a sports therapist, so I also work some weekends for a few of the local sports teams, strapping, massage and treating injuries.”

My jaw dropped. “That’s exactly what we’re studying. That’s what I want to do!”

Rose nodded. “Well, that’s what Chel wants to do, I want to more get into personal training and nutrition.”

He laughed. “Should have known, bodies like those only come on sports girls.” He insinuated he was talking to the both of us, but he stared straight at me. I wasn’t one that typically shied away, but the look in his eyes made me blush—profusely. It was sexy and told me everything I needed to know. I had to duck my head, heat creeping up my neck and shading my cheeks.

Rose laughed. “I’m gonna shoot to the ladies.”

I raised my hand in answer.

“Do you mind if I take Chelsea out for a dance. We won’t be long, wouldn’t want to leave you alone,” Deacon asked.

My head shot up.

Rose grinned at me before looking back at Deacon. “Go for it! She needs a little fun.” She winked dramatically before turning and practically skipping off.

Traitor.

I waved my hands in front of me. “No, no. I don’t dance.”

He scoffed and climbed out of the booth, turning around and holding his hand out for me. “Come on, I’ll help you.” He grasped my hand and pulled me along the seat despite my protests. I stumbled out of the booth, but Deacon’s hands were quickly on my waist and mine went to his chest, holding me steady on my six-inch heels. He wasn’t tall, standing just a few inches above me even with heels on. But that didn’t matter. The guy was hot, and from what I could feel over his shirt, he was ripped.