“Yeah, she said she would.”
Either she doesn’t care or the woman is a saint.
“I’ll just go over to her house then, I guess. Will her parents be there or what?” I ask, wondering what her parents will think of her hanging out with me. Then again, she hangs out with Zach, and I’m not any worse than he is. Unless they have a problem with tattoos, then I’m shit out of luck.
Zach’s body goes still. “She lives there alone. Why do you think I check on her all the time?”
“What do you mean, she lives there alone?” I ask, scowling.
A young, beautiful, sweet girl like her living alone? I don’t like it.
“Her dad died two years back,” Zach replies in a low tone.
“Shit.”
Looks like we have something fucked up in common.
“Yeah, now she’s alone.”
“Her mum?” I ask, hoping she isn’t dead, too.
“Left her when she was a kid. No one knows where she is,” Zach replies sadly, turning off the game and staring straight ahead of him.
“That’s fucked up,” I say quietly.
“Yeah, no idea how she came out so well. But her dad was awesome, loved her to bits. She was devastated when he died.”
That sounds familiar.
“And now she has no one?” I ask, feeling for the beautiful girl. She is way too young to have lost both her parents and to be living all alone. I’ve lost my dad, but I still have my mum and sister. She has no one, and here I am feeling sorry for myself when she has it a million times worse. I think about what it must have been like for her, my chest starting to hurt.
Does she do everything for herself with no help? How does she manage financially?
Fuck, she’s such an independent, strong girl.
Zach throws me a look. “She has me, dickhead.”
I really don’t think that makes up for the loss of her family, but I decide to change the subject. “Where’s Grim, anyway?”
“He stays at the clubhouse more often than not. It’s usually just me here. I’d probably be there more often, too if it weren’t for Trillian.”
So much for changing the subject.
“Dad’s got some club business tonight. He’s meeting with Sin, the president of another chapter of Wind Dragons.”
Sounded like club shit that I didn’t need to know.
“I could just stay in tonight,” I think aloud.
Zach shrugs. “Then she can keep you company for a bit. I already spoke to her about it. If you want, I’ll go over to her place and say you don’t feel like going out. She’ll probably assume you have other plans like—”
“I’ll go,” I interrupt. “It’s a Saturday night. There should be shit to do, right?”
Zach chuckles, knowing he has me. “Sure. The usual nightlife, movies, parties and all that shit.”
“What do you have going on at the clubhouse?” I ask curiously, lifting my feet up onto the coffee table in front of me.
“Party,” he replies, grinning. “I’d bring you, but it’s for Wind Dragon club members only. Like I said, another chapter is here and we always show them a good time. Offer them our hospitality and shit.”
“I can only imagine what kind of party,” I reply in a dry tone, making Zach laugh.
“You could always prospect for the club and find out,” he says, smirking. Not the first time he’s said something like this, and it won’t be the last.
“No, thanks,” I reply. “This is just a temporary visit.”
“I know, I know,” he mutters. “Did you enjoy last night?”
I glance at him. “I don’t kiss and tell.”
More like, I don’t fuck and tell because I actually didn’t kiss her on the mouth. I know that makes me an asshole, but she knew why she was there and it wasn’t for me to romance her with sweet kisses—it was for both of us to get off. Besides, after staring at Trillian’s lips all night, hers paled in comparison, and I had no desire to taste them.
“Well, I know from experience, she’s good at head,” he adds casually.
Did he really just say that? This guy.
My eyes narrow dangerously. “Please don’t tell me you passed me your sloppy seconds?”
He shrugs. “What? It’s hard to find a hot girl in town I haven’t been with.”
You could look right next door for one.
“You’re something else, you know that?” I reply, shaking my head. “We’re close but we’re not that close. I don’t want someone who’s had your dick in her mouth.”
Zach laughs, spreading his arms out on the back of the couch. “It was a while back, don’t worry. It wasn’t like it happened recently.”
That’s not the fucking the point.
“The next time you bring a girl my way, I’m going to be a lot more wary.” As in, I’m going to say no way in hell.
“Oh, come on, I was a good host.”
I shake my head at him. “You’re fuckin’ insane.”
He just grins.
Why is he my friend again?
*****
I knock on the door twice and take a step back. Rubbing my palms together, I hear the door unlock then slide open.
“Hey, Xander,” she says, smiling shyly. Her cheeks are a little pink, and her hair is tied up and piled on top of her head. She’s so beautiful that for a second, I don’t speak, but just take her in.