Dark Hearts (Light in the Dark 3)

I narrow my eyes on her. “We’re riding together.”

“Sure. Suit yourself,” she says with a little smirk, and I wish more than anything I could see inside her thoughts.

I shrug into my jacket and grab my keys off the table. I pass Nova and glance back at the table with a smirk. “We’re going to fuck on the table.” I drop that little bomb and smile in satisfaction as her jaw unhinges. “Let’s go.” I nod toward the door and she squeaks into action. I hope she spends the entire evening imagining what I’m going to do to her on that table. Whatever she comes up with won’t be nearly as good as the real thing, but I like playing with her.

A few minutes later, we slide into the cab of my truck.

I could drive a fancy sports car if I wanted—my dad would love that—but my ancient truck suits me. It feels right. With the holidays approaching I find myself thinking about him randomly more and more. We’re due for our annual call soon, and I’m dreading it. Every year I hope he’ll forget about me and he never does.

I dismiss thoughts of my dad from my mind. I’m good at that—ignoring things. It’s easier to pretend the bad doesn’t exist.

The drive is short, and I park around the block from the club. Nova hops out and I meet her at the front of the truck.

I tap out a cigarette and smoke as we walk.

“Why do you keep smoking if you don’t even like it?” she asks, her breath fogging the chilly hair.

I shrug. “Bad habit more than anything, I guess.”

“You should quit.” She kicks at an errant pebble on the sidewalk.

“But don’t you think it adds to my cool factor?” I joke, wiggling my brows.

She shakes her head. “I think the tattoos do a pretty good job at that.”

I chuckle. “You like my tattoos, don’t you?”

It’s dark but I swear her cheeks flush. “Maybe,” she mumbles.

The club comes into sight and I say, “Do you know if the others are here yet?” She fishes her phone out of her— “Did you just pull your phone out of your bra?”

“I had to put it somewhere,” she mumbles. She types out a text and it chimes a moment later. “They’re inside and Joel says he’ll be here soon.”

“Yippee.” I flick my cigarette onto the ground.

“Be nice.” She smacks my stomach. “He’s not even here yet and you’re already grumbling.”

“He better not ask you to dance.”

She laughs. “You do realize our friends don’t know we’re … whatever we are. It’s going to look suspicious.”

I give her a steely look as we cross the street and get in line for the club. “Do I look like I care?”

She shrugs. “I’m just saying. We have nosy friends, and they’re going to put two and two together if you’re glued to my side.”

I lean into her and she moves closer to the building. “So, are you saying you’ll have no problem with me asking some other girl to dance? Buy them a drink? Maybe lean in and kiss them,” I whisper the last part, my lips grazing her ear and she shivers.

“I get your point,” she says, her back ram-rod straight. “We’ll make do as best we can.”

I chuckle. “That’s what I thought.”

The lines moves a bit but it still feels a mile long. Nova shivers, and I wrap an arm around her, drawing her small body close to mine.

“Oh, hey, guys,” Joel runs up to us, slightly out of breath.

“Hey, Joel.” Nova smiles at him.

“Hey, Joel,” I mimic, my tone less than friendly unlike hers.