Page 21 of Brutal Reign
I must not avert my gaze quickly enough, because Chandler picks up on where my attention is directed, wrinkling her nose in distaste as she sidesteps in front of me to block my view. “I thought you hated River Jacobsen?”
“I do,” I reply flatly.
“You sure?” she challenges, narrowing her eyes on me in suspicion. “Cause I heard you issued a threat to all the guys to stay away from her.”
I roll my eyes as I rest the rim of my glass against my lower lip. “Must’ve been her dad.”
“Really,” she deadpans, folding her arms over her chest and staring me down. “Then what was that on the practice field the other day with Raf?”
My brow furrows. “Who?”
“The guy whose hands you broke.”
“Oh,him.” I snort a laugh, taking a sip of whiskey.
Chandler punches a hand on her hip impatiently, puffing out her chest. “Well? If it wasn’t abouther,then what was that?”
Draining the rest of my drink, I lower my glass, turning at the waist to set it on the counter behind me and motioning to the bartender for another. “Alpha stuff, babe. You wouldn’t understand.”
It’s funny how just bringing up the fact that I’m an Alpha causes Chandler’s entire demeanor to shift. The bitchy attitude melts away in an instant, that plastic smile returning to her face.
“So you’re not into her?” she asks, batting her lashes hopefully.
“I don’t care about RiverfuckingJacobsen,” I mutter.
She grins wider, edging in a little closer as she twirls a strand of hair around her finger. “And me?”
I flicker my gaze over a shoulder as the bartender drops off a fresh glass of whiskey. “You’re trying too hard,” I grumble, turning to snatch it up before pushing off the bar to head back to the DJ booth, not sparing Chandler another glance.
Girls like her have no self-respect. They’ll let you treat them like dog shit and still keep coming back for more.
The crowd parts to let me through, and I’m about to climb the steps up to the booth when I’m halted by a hand darting outto land on my arm. Whipping my head around to see who had the balls to touch me, I find two girls peering up with their best fuck-me eyes, bright smiles on both their faces.
“Hey Seb, can we come with you up to the booth?” one of them asks, wisely retracting her hand from my arm.
I dart a glance toward Ace, who responds with a barely discernable shake of his head. “Sorry, ladies, Ace doesn’t like distractions while he’s working,” I reply smoothly, the corner of my mouth lifting in a smirk. “We’ll catch you on his next break, huh?”
“Yeah, for sure,” the other girl breathes, hooking her arm through her friend’s. They titter excitedly as they scamper off and I roll my eyes, pivoting back around and continuing up to the DJ booth.
Ace never lets anyone else hang with him up here except me. I don’t really understand why, but far be it for me to question his creative process. Even our closest friends are banned from the booth, which Eli and Beau bitch about constantly.
The music is pumping with a lively beat again, the dance floor filling back up. I sip my whiskey while I watch over the sea of writhing bodies, eyes catching on River each time they skim over the crowd. It’s like a fucking disease I’ve never managed to find a cure for, and I can’t fucking stand the visceral reaction I have every time another man ventures too close.
River’s purple-haired friend is out on the dance floor with her, but Hayden seems to be struggling to even stay on her feet. Kendrick and Gus keep trying to prop her up, but she bats them away, giggling as she teeters on her heels. They aim concerned glances at River, and she’s quick to step in and assist them, grabbing onto Hayden’s arm and pulling it over her shoulders to support her weight.
As much as I don’t like those two dickheads hanging around River all the time, it doesn’t seem like they’re going anywhere.Guess that if what Chandler said about the recruits choosing sides is true, Kendrick and Gus have made their choice.
Too bad it’s the wrong one.
I slide Ace a side-eyed glance and find that he’s zeroed in on the same interaction, his jaw tight and brow furrowed.
“Her friend’s wasted,” I murmur.
“Looks like Riv’s trying to take her home,” he replies.
I turn back to the dance floor, finding River attempting to move Hayden toward the exit. Jake pushes his way through the crowd toward them, saying something to River before coming up on Hayden’s other side to steady her.
“The fuck is Jake doing?” I growl, narrowing my eyes on the asshole son of River’s pack’s Beta.