“Heya John,” I said with a wave.
His face brightened up. “Branna, how are you, babe? Haven’t seen you in a while.”
“I’m good, this one dragged me out tonight.”
“I expect nothin’ less from Miss. Collins,” John teased.
I smiled as he stamped Free on my left wrist, and Darkness on my right in thick black ink.
“Thank you,” I smiled warmly as he did the same for Aideen.
“You got it, darlin’.” John winked. “Have a good night.”
I thanked him again and followed Aideen through the double doors that lead into the nightclub. I needed a moment to allow my vision to adjust to the club’s next to no lighting. The strobe lights were already forming an ache in my temples. I followed Aideen over to the crowed bar, and I hung back while she ordered us some drinks.
I tapped my hand against my thigh and bobbed my head along to the song that was pouring through the speakers. I took the drink that Aideen offered me and took a sip. I hummed as the liquid slid down my throat.
Vodka and Coke.
“Me favourite,” I grinned.
Aideen clanked her glass against mine and downed her drink in just a few gulps. I blinked, and didn’t even attempt to do the same with my drink because I knew it’d be back up my throat just as quick. I drank mine at a regular pace, which was not what Aideen did. By the time I finished my first drink she was on her third.
“Let’s dance!” she shouted when her glass was empty.
I put my empty glass on the bar, took hold of Aideen’s hand and allowed her to lead me to the dance floor. We danced, laughed and danced some more. I was just about to request we take a little break, when the sea of people parted on the dance floor and opened up the view of the booths across the club.
My eyes locked on the corner booth, or rather on the man in the booth.
Oh, Christ.
“Branna?” Aideen laughed. “Will you blink?”
I knew I was staring, and for the life of me I couldn’t make myself stop, or at the very least look away. My libido sprung to life and had taken over full control of my body.
Pulse. Pulse. Pulse.
“Who is that?” I asked Aideen without taking my eyes away from the Greek God that was sat in the corner booth gulping down Budweiser like it was water.
“That,” Aideen wickedly grinned as she nudged me to the edge of the dance floor, “is Ryder Slater. Skull says he is from New York and that he just moved here with his younger brothers, one of his brothers—who is an identical twin by the way—is a fighter. He has fought here almost every weekend for the past few weeks, he is lethal and is only Bronagh’s age.”
I heard everything Aideen said, but my mind, and vagina, only focused on one crucial detail of her Intel. Ryder Slater.
“He is gorgeous,” I gushed, unable to look away from him.
Aideen whooped over the music. “Go get him, mama.”
I felt molten heat creep up my neck. “I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t?” Aideen asked, clicking her tongue.
I looked at my friend and frowned. “How does a woman like me talk to someone who looks like him? Because I honestly have no idea, I’ll make a tit out of meself.”
Aideen rolled her eyes and over the music she said, “Branna, will you listen to yourself? You sound like you’ve already been rejected by him, but you haven’t and you won’t, if you just be yourself. You’re stunnin’, babe, and you’re a hell of a girl, too. Lads dig that.”
I hated that my eyes welled up. “You’re so sweet to me,” I said and quickly dabbed under my eyes, careful not to ruin my eye make-up.
“We have got to get you laid,” Aideen grumbled. “And Ryder Slater will be the one to work out all of your kinks. Come with me.”
Everything happened rapidly when Aideen grabbed hold of my hand and quite literally tugged me along behind her as she briskly walked off the dance floor, not caring that body after drunken body was in our way. I shouted for her to slow down, but either she couldn’t hear me over the music, or she flat out ignored me. I only shouted once because I became very self-aware that I was shite at walking in heels, and brisk walking in them could very well cause my immediate death.
When we made it through the crowd and across the dance floor I silently thanked God that I survived, but then quickly asked him to take my life when I realised where Aideen brought us to a stop. We were no more than a metre away from the very booth that the stunning Ryder Slater was sat at. He was looking down at his phone, but when he noticed we were standing next to his table staring at him, he pocketed his phone and gave us his full attention.