Unspoken(31)

I wrenched my eyes from the arm and glanced at Ellie, who just rolled her eyes at me. A rustling noise made me look around. Bo’s friends were gathering chairs and carrying a table back to us.

A number of people were following them. The little back room of Continental was soon swelling with people slapping Bo on the back if they were male or trying to sidle closer if they were female.

The guy with the inky black hair came and sat next to me, reintroducing himself as Finn O’Malley. He lived with Bo and three other guys.

He handed some cash to Ellie. “Phil told me I owed the cute chick with the braids some money.”

Ellie waved the money in front of me. “We can fund our drinking tonight.”

“Go hustle the guys at the pool table.” I laughed and pushed her toward the front where pinball machines lined the wall next to two pool tables. Turning to Finn, I asked, “So you all live together in some mansion in the suburbs?”

I was wildly curious about this infamous party house. The Woodlands parties had been going on since the summer before and were gaining near-mythic status on campus due to their exclusivity. A select few Central students, mostly girls, attended parties out there. Rumors abounded about what went on there. Some said that they hired strippers and people just had sex on the pool loungers and in the kitchen and on the dance floor. It sounded more like an underground sex club at times than a party house.

“Yeah, my dad is a developer and someone skipped out, just walked away from the house, so the guys and I finished the house with a little help and took over the mortgage.”

“That happens even in the richer neighborhoods?” I asked with some surprise.

Finn nodded, drained his bottle, and waved for the waitress to bring another. “Why haven’t I seen you out there?”

“I tend to stay away from campus events,” I admitted.

“We aren’t campus events. We’re townies. Except for Noah and Bo. They’re transplants and solely responsible for all the coed strange that wanders out to our little abode.”

“Is Finn trying to con you into coming to our house?” A new voice broke in. “Noah Jackson. I had Advanced Economic Theory with you last semester.” He stuck out his hand. If Bo was the god of northern thunder, Noah was his dark opposite. I could see why yoga class was full during prime dinner hours if Noah and Bo were in a neighboring room, flexing and sweating.

“AnnMarie West.” I tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Didn’t you come to the fight?”

Noah grimaced. “Can’t. If I get caught there, I might be suspended from the UFC.”

Finn explained, “Noah’s fighting professionally. Can’t be caught at an unsanctioned event, let alone an illegal fight.”

“Why is it illegal if both guys agree to be there?”

“The fighting isn’t exactly illegal; it’s the betting that goes on around it.”

“So we could all go outside right now and Bo and Noah could fight and no one could arrest them?”

“Maybe for public disturbance or something, but not for assault.”

“So what’s with the ‘first rule of fight club is that there is no fight club’?”

“Because Fight Club wasn’t just about fighting, it was the reclamation of self. There are still fight clubs around where they don’t allow spectators. If you come, you come to fight.” This was from Bo. He came up behind me, lifted me out of my seat, and sat, pulling me down on his legs.

“Gee, if you wanted my chair, I could have moved.”

“Who said I wanted your chair?” He tipped back a bottle of beer and drained about half of it. These guys made beer bottles look like baby bottles with how fast they downed the alcohol. I was tipsy just from all the fumes.

“Where’s Grace tonight?” Bo directed the question to Noah, who fiddled with his beer.

“She’s studying. I’ll meet up with her later.”

“Friday night?”

Noah just shrugged, sidestepping the question, and asked his own instead. “How’d the fight go?”

“Guy was a bleeder. I hit him above his eye twice and he started gushing all over the place, down his face and onto his shoulder. I was skeeved out. Worse, he wouldn’t tap out. Had to put him down after that,” Bo said matter-of-factly. “What’d you think of it, Sunshine?”

What did I think of it? “Primal and brutal.”

“That sounds about right.” Bo pulled my body closer to his even as I tried to place some distance between us. Sitting on his rock-hard thighs was doing crazy things to my nervous system.

“Can I get you something more to drink?”