Shrugging, I gave her a sly smile. “I thought so.”
“Joke around all you want, but the longer you wait, the deeper in you’ll be.”
Her statement had an eerie ring to it, as if the statement she made was more a promise than anything else.
The sound of Ry approaching brought our conversation to a screeching halt. “Here are the beers,” he said, handing one to each of us. “I’ll be right back with the popcorn.” Less than a minute later, the three of us were seated in front of the television, ready to watch The Crow. A sea of popcorn, candy, and beer bottles littered the floor around us. We were gearing up for a scary movie marathon that would last until morning. Nights like this were a blast. Wren and I had been like sisters for so long, and it wasn’t until we met Ry that we realized something was missing . . . him.
As much as I denied it, and as much as I wanted to ignore it, something was happening between the two of us. And if I didn’t figure out what to do about it, the dynamic of our trio would suffer the consequences.
“Sorry if I dampened the mood with my confession earlier,” Ry said as he started the movie.
“Don’t be. Dealing with stuff is hard.”
“Yeah,” Wren agreed. “It’s why B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Muddy Waters sang the blues. Because how else were they supposed to deal with all their shit?”
“You’ve got a point there.”
“So after this movie marathon, are we going to sing the blues together?” I questioned.
Ry gave me a rue smile for the first time tonight. “I’ve got Buddy Guy on my iPod.”
A COUPLE OF DAYS after our movie marathon, the three of us were dressing in our costumes and preparing to dance the night away. I’d opted for the iconic black satin uniform, bowtie, and bunny ears. With my hair curled to perfection and my body clad in a revealing costume, I felt every bit a Playboy Bunny. As I was dabbing on a fresh layer of red lipstick, Ry joined me in his living room.
“So, how do I look?” he asked, waltzing into the room like a contestant in the Miss America pageant. The sight of Ryan wearing a bustier almost identical to mine and high heels was one of the best things I’d ever seen in my entire life. Part of me had believed he wouldn’t have the balls to dress like a woman, but I’d be damned if he didn’t prove me wrong.
“Tim Curry wore it better.”
“Is it because I’m missing the pearls?”
“Oh my God!” Wren screamed, running up to Ryan. “You actually fucking did it! Ter, do you see this right now?”
“No. I missed the giant man wearing women’s hosiery,” I deadpanned.
“Someone needs an alcoholic beverage . . . or maybe five.”
I stuck my tongue out at her. “I mean, he’s pretty much impossible to miss.”
I watched as she tied the ends of the smoking jacket she wore. From head to toe, she was dressed like Hugh Hefner. Girl even had the pipe and matching slippers to boot. “This is going to be the best Halloween ever!”
“Alright, tell me I did a good job.” Ry slid next to Wren and flung his arm around her shoulders. “I mean, come on, we look fucking amazing.”
Tapping my finger against my chin, I pretended to be contemplating his assertion. “I don’t know. I feel like something is missing.”
As I glanced between the two of them, Wren and Ry regarded me with confusion.
“Me! Duh.” Jumping to my feet, I sauntered over in my too tall heels and positioned myself on Wren’s left.
Across from me, Ry gave me a once-over. My skin burned as if I’d been slapped on a spit roast and held over an open flame. That look was one I knew all too well. I’d seen it before, on the night we stripped down to our underwear and pretended to be lovers.
And oh, what a night that had been. My hands running through his hair while his cradled my body was a memory I never wanted to forget.
“You look incredible,” he said, his voice slightly catching.
I winked at him. Usually, I loved our relentless back and forth banter, but for the rest of the night, I wanted us to be honest with one another. “I think you look incredible too.”
“Do I need to get my ears checked, or did she just compliment me?” he asked, directing his question to Wren.
“No, I heard it too! And she’s checking you out too.”
“I am,” I admitted. “You look hot in women’s lingerie. Sue me.”
“Hell yes!” he shouted. “This officially just became the best damn night of my life, and you know what that means!”
“Shots!” Wren cried, spinning in a circle.
“All the shots!” I added.
After three shots of tequila for each of us, we were ready to call a cab to take us out. One of the clubs downtown was hosting a costume contest, and I could feel it in my bones that the three of us were destined to win it. By the time we reached Club NV, we had passed the giddy drunk phase and had landed in the “trust me, you can dance like a god” phase. Music pounded in our eardrums, the beat infusing itself into our bloodstream. A sea of bodies swayed in time with the beat. It seemed we weren’t the only ones set on having a killer Halloween.
Wren’s hand closed around my wrist as she pulled me out to the dance floor. The girl had insane moves, and whenever a good song was playing, it was impossible for her to keep still.
“You don’t want to get a drink first?” I asked.
“Hell no! I want to dance, bitch!”
Our laughter was lost in the crowd as we made our way to the center of the dance floor. Alcohol surged through my veins as my body submitted to its will. Cheers rang out as Ry joined us, his costume earning him a multitude of high fives.
“Alright, which one of us gets to be in the middle of this ass shaking train?” he asked with a devious grin.
“You pick.”
Ry’s hand fastened around my waist at my reply. Pulling me into him, my breath faltered as his chest met with my back. “How is this?” he asked, whispering into my ear.
We were in a club that was packed to the brim, but the second his warm breath hit my ear, we might as well have been alone for all I cared. “Feels nice.”
Liquor did precisely two things to my body. It made me shake my ass like a Laker Girl, and it made me honest. A combination that was especially dangerous while in close proximity with Ry. But for one night, screw danger. Standing on the sidelines never made anyone happy. If some unseen force was pulling Ry and I together for the past month, who was I to put up a fight?
“Is that so?”
“Yes, more than you could ever know.”
My comment was the equivalent of showing caution the middle finger and jumping off the ledge.
“I’ll be honest,” he began so only I could hear him. “That is music to my ears.” The tips of his fingers traveled leisurely from my waist to the tops of my thighs. Sighing, I reveled in the way his skin felt against mine. The two of us sharing the same space, the same air, was absolute bliss.
“You must be feeling bold tonight.”
“How can I not when your grinding your ass against me?”
“I take it you don’t want me to stop?”
“Not at all.” His lips brushed against the back of my neck, making me wish we were alone in his room.
Giggling, I spun around to face him. “I like it when you’re drunk,” I confessed.
“Am I reminding you of our dorm room scheme?”
“Maybe.” Shoving my chest into his, I increased my hold on him. “Could we recreate our scheme, but for real?” I gasped upon realizing what I was truly asking him. Being cautious only forced me to suppress my desires. And now that my body was imbued with liquid courage, my brain wasn’t telling me to hold my tongue.
“There is nothing I want more. But not like this, not wasted.”
I bit my lip, a smile drawing the edges of my mouth upward. “Agreed.”
Just as he set his forehead against mine, Wren began screaming. “Fucking finally!”
Our arms wrapped around
one another like vines, sealing our intimate embrace. At first, I wasn’t sure what Wren was screaming about, but after another high-pitched squeal, I realized we were the cause of her excitement.
Grinning from ear to ear, Ry stared down at me. “We probably shouldn’t disappoint her then.” His mouth dropped to the side of my neck, gently kissing my flesh.
“Probably not.” I wasn’t sure if he’d heard the words I’d uttered. Hell, I wasn’t sure I’d spoken them in the first place. And I was too distracted to even care.
“Is everyone having a good time out there?” The sound of the DJ’s voice boomed all around us and every soul inside the club screamed in answer. “We’re just about to kick off the costume contest, so if you think you’ve got what it takes to win, line up at my booth in the next five minutes and we’ll get started. The winners will receive a one-hundred-dollar prize and free drinks.”
More cheers and applause broke out among the crowd.
“Oh! We are so entering that shit!” Wren called out, grabbing Ry and I by our wrists.
It was the second time we had almost kissed, and I wasn’t sure my body could handle a third. The waiting, the thundering of my heart inside my chest, was enough to incapacitate me. I was ready to discover the way his lips felt against mine.
We flocked with a dozen others to join the line for the costume contest. Ours might not have been as original as some of the others, but we did have a hot guy wearing women’s lingerie in our group, and I was feeling especially confident about that fact.
“Okay, first up in our costume contest, we have Bonnie and Clyde!”
A couple dressed in Depression era clothing made their way onto the small stage by the DJ booth. They pretended to tango, much to the excitement of their onlookers.
“Up next we have Julius Caesar and Cleopatra!”
Again, the couple danced a bit and really played up the characters they were portraying. It was obvious the competition in this contest was going to be especially stiff.
The three of us waited patiently as the DJ called out each of the contestants who were in line before us. With each entry, the cheers seemed to grow louder. It was going to be a tough decision because everyone was dressed to the nines for the holiday. When it was finally our turn, excitement churned in the pit of my stomach.
“And last but certainly not least, we have Hugh Hefner and his Playboy Bunnies!”
Ry and I looped our arms through Wren’s and allowed her to escort us on stage. A mixture of applause and screaming filled our ears as we modeled our costumes. Wanting to add to the fun, Wren slapped Ry and I on our asses, causing the audience to cheer even louder. Then, to top off our entire charade, Ry sauntered to the edge of the stage and dropped it like it was fucking hot.
The screams of all the women in the room drowned out the music playing overhead. If I thought we had a good chance at winning the contest before, that move just sealed the deal.
Holy hell. Ry could dance too? The revelation was almost too much for my tequila-addled brain to handle. Seriously, drunk me knew he was the perfect guy, so what was the hold up for my sober alter ego?
Laughing, the DJ grabbed a microphone and joined us onstage. “That was one hell of a costume contest, wasn’t it?” he asked, smiling as the crowd roared. “When I point to each contestant or group, I want you to scream as loud as you can for who you think should win. Whoever gets the loudest response will be the winner.”
One by one, he went through everyone before finally reaching the three of us. “And let’s hear it for Hef and his Bunnies!”
The crowd’s response was overwhelming. Whistles and screams flooded the room with noise, marking us as the clear winners.
“And it seems like the winners are Hef and his Bunnies! Show them some love!”
Unable to temper their excitement, Ry and Wren bombarded me with hugs.
“I can’t believe we just fucking won that!” Wren screamed. “Oh my God. That was so much fun!”
“Shout out to the MVP who secured us this win!”
Wren and I surprised Ry by kissing him on each cheek. “I want to celebrate this victory by taking some shots with my girls!”
I cheered loudly at his suggestion. “Hell yes!”
Ry accepted the gift card from the DJ before the three of us jumped off the stage. Weaving through the crowd, we left the dance floor behind and headed for the bar to claim our free round of drinks.
“Six shots of Jack Daniels,” Ry called out to the bartender.
Like magic, six shot glasses filled with amber liquid appeared before us.
I held my shot glass up in the air to make a toast. “To black satin bustiers and high heels.”
Clinking our glasses together, Ryan added, “Fuck yes.”
Wren downed her shot like a damn pro. The girl never had any trouble holding her whiskey. “This has been the best night!”
After another hour of dancing and drinking to our hearts’ content, I couldn’t have agreed more with Wren’s statement. The night had surpassed being amazing and had hurtled into epic territory.
But I’d spoken too soon. Suddenly, Wren froze beside me, her body halting despite the upbeat tune playing. Following her gaze, I cursed as I laid eyes on Liam.
“What the hell is he doing here?” I asked, my voice the epitome of hatred.
“To destroy my night.”
“That’s him?” Ry asked her.
Wren nodded in response, her giddy expression from moments ago completely obliterated. “Yeah.”
The three of us watched as Liam ground his crotch against some random chick’s ass. It infuriated me that he was out living his fucking life to the fullest with no regard for the pain, suffering, and embarrassment he’d put my friend through. The fucking nerve of that asshole.
“That fucking piece of shit,” I spat. Pure hatred infiltrated my mind, causing me to see red.
“I couldn’t agree with you more.” Ry moved to stand next to Wren, his glare never breaking from Liam.
“This isn’t fucking fair!” she screamed. “I’m over here feeling every bit the broken, used, discarded mess he tossed to the side, and he’s out there rubbing his dick on anything with tits and a pulse.”
“I’m sorry, babe. Tell me what I can do to make it better.”
“One night of fun is all I wanted. Is that too much to ask for? Am I undeserving or something?”
“Of course not,” Ry added in a soothing tone.
Turning to him, she buried her face in his chest, her body shaking. “I can’t take it anymore. This pit, this endless hole he left me in, is too much for me to bear.”
All around us, people continued writhing their bodies in time to the music. They were none the wiser about the despair creeping into my best friend’s heart.
“Have we tipped the bartender yet?” Ry asked.
Wren’s brow furrowed as she looked up at him. “Yeah. Why?”
“Because this will probably get us kicked out of here.” He released her and stormed for the far side of the dance floor.
“Wait!” I called out to him, trying to keep his pace. Even with heels on, the guy could still book it. “What are you going to do?”
“Settle the fucking score!”
There was only one thing he could mean. Wren and I stared at him in shock for a brief moment. The look of seething, unadulterated rage masking his blue eyes was something I’d never seen from him before. Animosity seemed to radiate from every part of his flesh. Whatever fate he had in mind for Liam was sure to include his fists.
And my heart leapt with joy at the thought.
Ry approached Liam with his fists balled. One word was all it was going to take for him to snap.
“Hey, man, is your name Liam?”
“Yeah. What of it?” Liam asked, shouting his question as he broke away from the girl he was dancing with.
His cocky attitude was the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. I couldn’t stand it.
“It seems you used to know
my friend here.”
Liam’s gaze shifted past Ry, focusing on Wren. The fucker even had the nerve to smirk at her. “So you’ve picked up my leftovers?”
A fire lit behind my eyes. I lunged forward, but Ry caught me before I could land my hands around Liam’s throat. “I’ll rip your fucking throat out, you piece of shit!”
“Ter, calm down and let me handle this,” Ry ordered with complete authority. “I’m going to ask that you apologize to Wren.”
Liam laughed at the suggestion. “Yeah, right.”
Wrath welled inside me, so much that I had to keep myself in check as Ry released me.
Nodding, Ry smirked. “In a few minutes, you’ll be regretting that decision.” Then he turned to Wren and kissed her forehead. “Just so you know, this is for you.”
She glanced up at him hopefully, water swimming in her brown eyes. In this moment, if Ry could help ease her pain, I would be forever grateful.
Without warning, Ry stomped toward Liam and cocked his fist. The prick didn’t even know what was coming until the sound of his laughter was silenced. Ry’s fist collided with Liam’s jaw hard enough to make me wince. If the music hadn’t been so loud, I was positive the sound of breaking bones would have been heard throughout the room.
“I dare you to laugh at her again, you fucking asshole!” Ry shouted as he dragged Liam to his feet. Over and over again, he punched Liam until a shower of blood sprayed from his mouth. The spectacle had drawn the attention of those nearby, and a circle formed around us, making escape impossible for Liam. Although, I seriously doubted he was still capable of coherent thoughts with the way Ry was laying into him. “How about now? Are you fucking sorry yet?” Ry’s voice boomed, silencing everyone. “I asked you a question. Are you fucking sorry yet?”
Liam held up his hands in defeat. Blood dripped from his palms as he pleaded with Ry to stop. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Please, no more.”
“Say it again.”
“I’m sorry!”
“To her, not me, you fucking idiot.” Ry had a death grip on Liam’s collar. The only way this was going to end was with more blood.
Liam’s eyes filled with fear as he looked at Wren. “I’m sorry.”
Not Without You Page 12