Page 143 of Brutal Reign
The thump of the bass pulses through the speakers like a heartbeat as I slide the crossfader bar, seamlessly transitioning from one song to the next. The acoustics of the ballroom at the lodge have always been decent, but the upgraded sound system that was installed during the renovation makes a world of difference. I definitely wouldn’t mind DJ’ing here on a regular basis.
That’s a distinct possibility, with the reopening of the Cedar Ridge Ski Resort to the public next week. The party tonight is just for the packs in our alliance, celebrating the ribbon cutting on the new and improved facilities. I hardly even remember what it was like when the businesses on the outskirts of our territory were operational, but everyone seems eager to reclaim the income from tourism that we’ve missed out on over the past decade.
There’s an actual DJ booth in the ballroom now, and I’m right at home up here with River and Seb, spinning tunes to keep the dance floor packed with bodies. It seems like everyone turned up tonight for the festivities– the party has spilled out onto the terrace, a steady stream of people trickling through the doors. Even our parents were here earlier to commemorate the occasion, though most of the elders left a while ago.
“Wanna pick the next song?” I ask River, swiveling my stool toward her.
She nods eagerly, coming over and climbing up onto my lap. “Whatcha thinkin’?” she asks as she leans in to look at my laptop screen, rolling her lower lip between her teeth as she browses the queue.
“Whatever you wanna hear,” I reply, hooking my chin over her shoulder.
Just like listening to music is better with her, DJ’ing is, too. I’ve slowly taught her how to work the tables over time, and since she’s got an ear for music, she’s taken to it like a fish to water.
I watch as she selects not just the next song, but six more to follow it, too.
“There,” she breathes, grinning in satisfaction as she sets the queue and slides off my lap.
I snatch her around the waist, yanking her back in. “Where do you think you’re going?” I growl.
“I think it’s time for a break,” she replies, tossing her long hair over a shoulder.
“I was just thinking the same thing,” Seb chimes in, coming up behind River and curling his hands around her hips. “I say we sneak upstairs, check out the upgrades to room 209…”
She rolls her eyes, waving him off as she spins away from us. “Later. Right now, I wanna dance.”
“You know I don’t dance,” Seb replies flatly.
“That’s fine, Ace will dance with me,” Riv says smugly, shifting her gaze to me. “Right?”
“Of course,” I drawl, smirking at my best friend.
He frowns, but the moody bastard still follows us out of the DJ booth and out onto the dance floor, refusing to be left behind.
Seb doesn’t even realize how tightly River has him wrapped around her finger. I mean, I have no room to talk, but it’s amusing how oblivious he is to her tactics at this point. The three of us have hit a stride together over the past year while living and working together at the squad complex, and even though Seb and Riv still bicker like children, there’s no denying how much they adore each other. Same goes for River and me. I guess we just each have our own love language in our relationships, and as long as it works, I’m in no position to complain.
For as rocky as things started with our mating, it’s now smooth sailing. I look forward to waking up every day with my girl by my side and ending each one with the warmth of her body next to me.Or on top of me, or beneath me.Our friend groups have merged, and life is just…good. I’ve never been happier.
River leads us over to join her friends out on the dance floor, Gus tackling her with a hug the moment we approach.
“About time you got out here!” he slurs, stumbling a step when he lets her go.
Kendrick catches him by the elbow before he topples over, clapping him on the back with a laugh. “You alright, buddy?”
“Never better!” Gus exclaims, throwing his hands in the air.
I can’t help but laugh as I watch him sway to the beat, obviously three sheets to the wind. Hayden isn’t in much better shape– she’s hanging off Kendrick, practically humping his leg. The two of them are officially an item now, so it’s not as weird as it sounds.
River starts shaking her ass to the music, Seb and I closing in on either side of her as she loses herself in the beat of thesong. It rolls seamlessly into the next one, and I’ve gotta say, I’m impressed with her selection. It’s the perfect song to keep the crowd’s energy up. I couldn’t have picked a better one myself.
I used to prefer hiding out in the DJ booth, but these days, I’d rather be anywhere my girl is. Whether it’s tearing up the dance floor or going for a morning run out in the woods around the squad complex, I’m happiest when I’m by her side.
Maybe that makes me a sap, but in my eyes, it makes me the luckiest man on earth.
Five Years Later
SEB
“Anyone else need a drink?”River asks as she pulls a bottle of water from the cooler beside the firepit, glancing back over her shoulder.