I’d let go of everything when I shouldn’t have.
I’d let my guard down, and I’d only ever done that once in my life. The one time I regretted more than anything.
I tried to pull away again, but the guy wouldn’t let up. My breaths came faster, and I could hear my blood whooshing in my ears. I needed help. I needed out of here. But I couldn’t move. I couldn’t get away. This was the reason I never went out. This was why I kept my walls so high no one could climb over them.
I twisted to the side, my gaze flitting around the room, but I couldn’t concentrate on any one thing. I’d made a mistake coming here. I’d made a mistake not knowing my limits. I’d fucked up, and now I saw no way out of it.
“Let go,” I repeated, this time much clearer. I was gaining my wits, and sobering the hell up. At least I thought I was until the guy let me go and I stumbled forward. My knees hit the ground before I realized what had happened, and it took me a couple of seconds to make the room stop spinning.
I crawled over to the table we’d been sitting at and grabbed my jacket then used the chair to stand up. The restrooms were only a few feet away, so I made for those while trying to fish my cell out of my pocket.
My balance was off thanks to the shots, so I was glad there was a wall I could lean on to guide me down the hallway and to—
“Whoa.” Gentle hands gripped my arms. “Sorry.”
“That’s okay,” I slurred out, resting my head against the cool wall. My hair fluttered over my face, and I batted at it, needing to get it out of my eyes.
The hands moved off my arms and were then on my face. “Aria? What the hell?” I’d recognize that gruff voice any day of the week, and I couldn’t help but sigh.
“Hey, Cade.” My lips pulled up into what I could only assume was a sloppy smile.
“Are you drunk?” His fingertips pressed against my hot cheeks. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ, does your mom know you’re here?”
I nodded, or at least, tried to, but it was hard with his large paws stopping any movement. I reached up to try and move them off my face, but as soon as my small hands covered his huge ones, I forgot what it was I was trying to do.
“Mom told me to go out and have fun.” I finally met his stare in the dim hallway and inhaled a breath. His cologne wrapped around us, and I grinned. There was nothing like the musky smell that seemed to follow Cade around. “I was having fun,” I pouted, “until some guy on the dance floor pressed his dick into my ass.”
“I…fuck me.” Cade groaned and let go of my face, but pulled one of my hands into his. “Come on, I’m taking you home.” I didn’t answer him as he led me back through the hallway and into the bar area. He walked me near the door and said, “Wait here.”
I did as I was told and slumped against the wall, waiting for my knight in shining armor to whisk me away. Or maybe I would sleep. Sleep sounded real good right now.
Chapter Seven
CADE
I didn’t want to leave her alone, but I didn’t have a choice. She was drunk off her ass, and I was here with some teachers from school, so there was no way I could bring her back to the table we were sitting at and tell them I was taking her home.
Pushing my way through people in the crowded bar seemed like it took an age when, in reality, it was only seconds. I turned back when I was a few feet away from the table where Willow and Harold were sitting, and spotted Aria sliding down the wall. What the hell had she been thinking?
“I’ve got to head out,” I told the table as I grabbed my leather jacket and keys.
“What?” Willow stood and nearly knocked the drinks over as she reached for me. “It’s only eleven. It’s still early.” Her palm connected with my forearm, her fingers covering the tattoos that were now on display. I kept them hidden while I was at school because it was policy.
“I know but”—I flicked my gaze over to the front door and spotted Aria still there, only now it looked like she was asleep—“my dad called. He needs some help.” I shrugged her off and backed away a step. “I had a blast, though. Same time next week?”
That seemed to placate her because she smiled and trailed her hand down to her chest. The signs were all there. If I wanted Willow, I could have her. But that was the problem: I didn’t want her.
A couple of years ago, she would have been my go-to woman, but now, not so much. I’d learned not to waste a second of my life, not when it could be gone within the blink of an eye.
“Definitely,” she breathed out.
“I’ll see you all at school on Monday.” I didn’t wait for any of them to reply as I spun around and headed back toward Aria. My palm itched to pull out my cell and call Jan to tell her what had happened, but something stopped me. I was her age once not so long ago, and I would have hated the person who ratted me out.
Aria was more or less lying on the floor by the time I got back to her, so I crouched down and placed my hand on her face. “Aria? Come on, you need to get up.”
“I’m tired,” she groaned, her words coming out slurred. How much had she had to drink?
“I know.” I let out a slow breath. “I’ll take you home.”