Had I been right about my guess that their song was about Lucas’ girlfriend dying?

Logan’s features softened with sympathy as he watched his brother Lucas sinking into a deep emotional pit right in front of us. “You okay, bro?” he asked. He rested a gentle hand on Lucas’ shoulder.

Lucas inhaled forcefully through his nostrils and shook it off. “I’m good.” A second later, the twinkle I’d seen in his blue eyes the day we’d met returned. He turned to Victory and said, “You were on fire tonight, girl. We need to have you sit in for us more often.”

“Thanks,” Victory smiled quietly.

“Wait,” Madison said, “I thought Victory was your regular guitar player?”

“Nah,” Lucas said, “our regular guitar guy is busy doing paying session work up in L.A., so we asked Victory to sit in for our last couple gigs.”

I blurted, “You should totally keep her in your band! She rocks!”

“Victory has a regular gig with another band,” Lucas said.

There went my foot again.

“She’s just doing us a favor,” Logan said.

Victory nodded. She was so quiet. Unlike me, the blurt bomb.

Someone tapped my shoulder. I could only assume it was Christos with our drinks. I totally needed a social save before I said something else awkward.

“Hey, Sam,” the voice said behind me. I turned around to face Hunter Blakeley.

Lameballs.

I meant, slimeballs.

Why was he here? Had he still not gotten the message I wanted nothing to do with him? Oh well, this was a public bar. Was there a quick way to explain to everyone that Hunter was suing my boyfriend for hundreds of thousands of dollars because he was a total ass, and we should all shun him until he went away? Maybe not. So I turned my back to Hunter, hoping he would take the hint and go away.

I should’ve known better.

Hunter squeezed into the circle next to me. He smiled at the Summer brothers and said, “I’m Hunter Blakeley.”

They both shook Hunter’s hand. They didn’t know who he was.

I glanced at Romeo, whose eyes had bugged out of his face.

“Who’s this?” Hunter drawled smarmily, eying Victory like a piece of meat. She was gorgeous, and Hunter was as predictable as he was obvious.

Victory arched an eyebrow at Hunter. I couldn’t tell if she was interested in him or not.

He extended his hand, “I’m Hunter Blakeley.”

Victory didn’t shake his hand. She just stared at it for awhile, then gave Hunter an amused grin. She was kind of hard to read.

Hunter smiled at her. “Are you a friend of Sam’s?”

Victory glanced at me. “Do you know this guy?” she asked me.

“Sort of,” I said uneasily. I wanted to shout, “He’s horrible! Run away!” But I was trying to be polite, so I didn’t.

Victory narrowed her eyes at me, drilling me with her gaze.

That was weird. She seemed mad all of a sudden. Was she mad at me? I don’t know why she would be, but I could feel it coming off of her in waves. I must have pissed her off somehow. Maybe she thought my question to Lucas about his song had been ultra rude, and she was offended for him? Maybe she was irritated I’d suggested she join Lucas and Logan’s band? Was it a sore point between them? I had no idea. Geez, I was the First Lady of Awkwardness & Insecurity tonight.

Victory turned to Hunter and smiled at him.

Maybe she was attracted to Hunter? I hoped not. For her sake.

Victory took a step toward Hunter, until she was right in front of him. Any second, Victory was going to take Hunter’s elbow, then turn to me and say sneeringly, “Let’s ditch these nerds,” before she and Hunter walked away. Then Lucas and Logan would laugh at me and throw things and call me names.

Instead, Victory glared up at Hunter and said, “Dude, you’re making everyone uncomfortable. Samantha doesn’t like you, and I can tell you’re a prick.” Her eyes gleamed when she said it. She looked, I don’t know, dangerous. Standing in front of him, she seemed way too small, but you know what they said about Honey Badgers. She wasn’t afraid of Hunter at all.

Romeo clapped a hand over his mouth, stifling a laugh.

A smile widened across my face. I couldn’t help myself.

Victory said to Hunter, “Why don’t you go elsewhere?”

The grin remained on Hunter’s face. He was never one to listen to basic instructions. He stood his ground. He was enjoying himself way too much to leave when the fun was just starting.

“Hunter Blakeley,” Christos singsonged from behind me. “So good to see you, pal” he said sarcastically.

My very own Motorknight always knew right when to show up.

Grin.

* * *

CHRISTOS


Hunter turned around and scowled up at me, “Christos Manos, in the flesh.”

I stared him down.

Hunter was a big guy. But I was bigger. And he knew he didn’t stand a chance against me in a fight. We had already proved that on two embarrassing occasions.

“How’s life treating you?” Hunter chuckled like he was my best bud.

“Awesome,” I smiled.

Hunter draped his arm over Samantha’s shoulders, like they were together.

Samantha winced and ducked away, saying, “Get off me, Hunter!”

He laughed it off like it was no big deal.

“You want me to teach Hunter some manners?” Jake asked, cracking his knuckles enthusiastically.

“No, I got this,” I said. The last thing I wanted was for Jake to knock Hunter’s teeth out and have his own civil suit to deal with. Jake and his family didn’t have money to spare like mine did. A big lawsuit would bury them.

Hunter said to Jake, “Easy, tough guy. Looks like your boyfriend is going to protect you. Maybe you can blow him later as a reward for standing up for you.”

“You’re an ass,” Madison said to Hunter. “Don’t you have some dick modeling to go do?”

“You remembered,” Hunter smiled, like he was good friends with Madison because of it.

“I remembered you’re a dickhead,” she scowled. “I’m sure there’s tons of dick modeling out there for a dickface like you.”

“Go, Mads!” Samantha blurted before slapping her hand over her mouth.

Hunter chuckled. “Wow, I’ve never seen so many ballsy women in one place.” He glared at me and Jake as he said it, implying both of us were women.

“Relax, Hunter,” I said.

He stepped up to me until his chest was an inch from mine and said, “I don’t think so.”

I really wanted to crush him like an ant.

“Come on, tough guy,” Hunter hissed. “Show me what you got.”

This was ridiculous. Hunter was doing everything he could to piss me off. He was acting like he had invulnerability armor on because of the civil suit. Sadly, he sort of did. We both knew he would sue me a second time if I hit him again. He had the upper hand and he was playing it to the hilt.

Whatever.

“When did you become such a pussy, Christos?” Hunter asked.

I shook my head dismissively.

“You’re not so tough now, are you?” he sneered.

“Hit me, Hunter,” I said calmly.

His eyes narrowed.

“Go for it,” I said, “I won’t hit back. I know you want to.”

Hunter nodded shrewdly, “I know what you’re trying to do. You want me to hit you so you can file a counter suit.”

“Am I?”

“I’m not stupid, Christos.”

“That’s debatable,” I chuckled.

Samantha and the gang all snickered.

Hunter’s face soured.

“Are you going to leave now?” I asked. “Or maybe you want to call some of your buddies so you can even the odds. Make it eight on two against me and Jake. Bring some guns and knives and shit, so it’ll be a fair fight.”

Hunter huffed derisively.

“You’re a pussy, Hunter,” I said. “I’ll prove it. Hit me as hard as you want. I promise I won’t sue.”

He looked like he was considering it, he was so angry.

“I’ll let you throw three shots before I retaliate. Then it’ll be self defense. But I’ll only swing once. You know that’s all it’ll take. And this time, there’s plenty of witnesses.”

“I’m filming all of this,” Romeo said, pointing his smart phone at me and Hunter.

I kept hearing Russell’s words echoing in my head, “No. More. Fights.” It wasn’t technically a fight if I just used words to win, was it?

“Fuck you, asshole,” Hunter hissed in my face. “I can’t wait to see how tough you are in court.”

“Me neither,” I said to Hunter as he shouldered past me.

* * *

TIFFANY


I watched the entire showdown between Christos and Hunter from a distance after I came out of the ladies room. That Hunter was a complete jerk. He really needed someone to put him in his place.

When Hunter barged past Christos, I considered joining Christos and his friends. I always liked spending time with Christos, but he was with his girlfriend Samantha. Oh well. I decided to leave them in peace.

I’d see Christos some other time.

I went back to the bar to order another drink. I was in the mood to drink alone tonight. After my double martini arrived, I sipped on it in solitude while the band played another set. Sometime later, I watched Christos walk out of the bar with his girlfriend and the rest of his friends.

Sigh.

I really needed to accept that Christos was no longer on the market. Another martini would certainly help. I signaled the bartender for another and he nodded in reply.

“Heeeyyyy, Tiffany,” Hunter Blakeley drawled. The band was taking a break, so he didn’t have to shout. He squeezed up to the bar next to me, pushing some random chick out of his way.

“Hey!” Random Chick blurted at Hunter, “Watch where you’re going!”

Hunter tossed a casual smirk in Random Chick’s direction while giving me a look that said, “Can you believe her?” He didn’t care. Hunter was totally full of himself.

Why hadn’t I noticed before that Hunter could be such a lout? Maybe because his good looks were very deceiving. Maybe because when I’d met Hunter, Christos had been dating his girlfriend for a couple of months and I was lonely. I was susceptible to Hunter’s quick smile and his golden amber eyes. And his ample muscles. And his washboard abs.

Hunter smiled, “How come you stopped returning my calls, Tiffany?”

I shrugged while absently playing with the red plastic sword that skewered the olive in my empty martini glass.

“I had a lot of fun that night,” he said hopefully. I could tell he was fishing for another shot with me.

I was torn between distaste for his bad behavior with Christos and my own desperation. I didn’t know which would win out tonight. I think the number of martinis I drank would affect my decision. I really didn’t care.

When the martini I’d ordered arrived, Hunter pulled out his wallet and said to the bartender, “I’ll get that. And could you bring me a Corona?”

The bartender nodded and pulled a bottle out of the bar fridge, popped the cap, and handed it to Hunter.

Hunter laid bills on the bar, including a tip.

I sipped my martini. Hopefully the gin would blot out my emotions. I was tired of feeling sad all the time. It had definitely gotten worse in the last month. The last thing I wanted to do tonight was think about things.

(Christos)

Hunter sipped his beer and grinned at me.

He really was a good looking guy with a friendly smile.

He lifted his beer and said, “Cheers.”

I clinked my martini glass against his beer, then gulped down a swallow.

 I couldn’t decide if I was making a mistake drinking with Hunter or not. I mean, we’d had sex once before. He wasn’t a total loss.

For the next thirty minutes, Hunter talked about himself. And talked, and talked, and talked. And talked. I almost asked the bartender for some earplugs, which they had on hand because of the live music. But the band was still on break. I didn’t want to be entirely rude. So I nodded a lot, focused on his smoldering amber eyes, shaggy blond hair, and pretended to care about Hunter’s boring life.

I wondered if he would talk this much during sex. He was so much better looking with his mouth shut.

“Anyway,” he said, finishing some story I’d already forgotten, “that’s why I spent last summer in Cannes.” He pronounced Cannes as “cans.”

I suspected Hunter had never been to Cannes, let alone France, or anywhere else in the Mediterranean, from the way he talked about it. He sounded like a guide book, not someone who travelled.