Neon Nights (Against the Odds Book 1)

by Bryony Kayn

  Angel closed his eyes. By the expression on his face, Jake realized he knew Spyk had slept with Steve, back in the old days. As for her, she had been oblivious.

  Jake sighed, ashing her cigarette. “No wonder you hate him so much,” she muttered, meeting Spyk’s level gaze. “Honestly, I have a pretty hard time picturing you and Steve in bed,” she went on calmly. “But don’t be so sure I was a one-man woman, either.”

  Angel stared at her. Spyk just grinned.

  “Sometimes his jealousy wasn’t just an overactive imagination,” Jake added, knowing by the look on Angel’s face that he’d been unaware. Of course, he’d always been one to put her on a pedestal, whether he realized it or not. “Not that he ever caught me in bed with anyone else. And I can’t count how many times I caught him in the act, so I still have the upper hand when it comes to handing out the guilt trips.”

  “Steve? Guilty?” Spyk scoffed, reaching out to smooth a strand of hair away from Jake’s eyes. “He doesn’t have the capacity.”

  Jake smiled ruefully and took a last drag before putting her cigarette out. “Maybe you’re right,” she acceded. “And I don’t think he’s changed all that much.”

  “So, are you going to tell us what happened last night?” Angel asked, apparently only concerned about Steve’s current transgressions.

  Jake glanced at the coffee pot. “Let me get a cup first,” she said, crossing the kitchen to grab a cup out of the cabinet. Spyk joined her, taking cups for herself and Angel, who had already moved to the table.

  A couple minutes later, they were all settled at the table with fresh coffee, and Jake began.

  “He took me to Apice in Beverly Hills,” she said without preliminary, pulling out another cigarette to light. When she smoked this much, it gave away her emotional turmoil. “Nice place, by the way. I may have to go back there someday, if they’ll let me back in.”

  Spyk raised an eyebrow at her. Angel just grabbed a cigarette for himself and lit it.

  “I guess he thought he was going to impress me,” Jake went on dryly, exhaling a long stream of smoke. “All he did was piss me off. After he got so smug I couldn’t stand it anymore, I got up and left the table. There were some guys sitting at a table across from ours, and they seemed to think I was pretty hot, judging by Steve’s temper. When I came back to the table, I flashed them a little leg.”

  Angel sighed.

  “Steve started getting possessive, moving his chair around to sit right next to me instead of across the table,” Jake continued, “So I kept flirting with the other guys. Nothing blatant, I promise. Just looking over at them sideways and smiling.”

  “Jake—” Angel muttered.

  She shrugged, completely unrepentant. “He shouldn’t have treated me like some hooker he picked up on the Boulevard, Angel. I may not be accustomed to the high life, like you guys are now, but I’m not some cheap groupie either.”

  Spyk put a hand on Angel’s arm to quiet him before he could say anything else. “What happened?” she asked, never taking her eyes from Jake’s face.

  Jake took another drag off her cigarette, glancing down at the ashtray so she wouldn’t have to meet Angel’s eyes. She had always had a bad habit of pushing Steve to the limits of his temper, and she obviously hadn’t grown out of it, considering what had happened last night. “After he ordered our dinner, he told me to stop acting like a bitch and appreciate what he was doing for me. Like taking me out to some fancy restaurant made him into some kind of saint.”

  Spyk grinned; she couldn’t seem to help herself. “We should nominate him for an award,” she said flippantly, and Angel glanced at her sharply.

  Jake laughed, unable to ignore the humor in the situation, though it hadn’t been funny last night. “I told him if it was such a chore, I’d find someone else to buy my dinner. God knows I didn’t want to put him out. Then I got up and went over to the other table and asked the men there if they’d mind if I joined them.”

  “And of course they didn’t,” Spyk prompted, her grin becoming wider.

  “Not a bit,” Jake agreed, taking a sip of her coffee. The disapproval on Angel’s face was evident, but he still hadn’t said anything more. “They pulled out a chair for me, started asking my name and telling me theirs. And that’s when Steve finally lost it.” Her smile abruptly slipped away. This part hadn’t been funny at all. “He came over and told me to get my ass back to our table, so I told him to fuck off. One of the guys, I think his name was Gary, he stood up for me. Told Steve to leave me alone. So Steve hit him.”

  Angel covered his eyes with one hand.

  “Of course, the other two got up then, and the first guy was lying on the floor bleeding,” Jake said, her voice soft. “Some of the employees and the manager came out onto the balcony then, trying to get between Steve and these other guys. And I finally decided it wasn’t worth playing games anymore ’cause it was just gonna get these guys hurt. So I told Steve if he wanted to hit someone, to hit me ’cause I was the one asking for it. You could’ve heard a fucking pin drop, man. Everyone in earshot was just staring at me like I’d lost my fucking mind.”

  Angel looked back up at her evenly, waiting for her to go on.

  “Steve looked at me for a long time, and then he just laughed, like it was all a joke. He pulled out his wallet, took out some money, and threw it on the table. He told them that was to pay the medical bills if the guy was such a pussy he needed to see a doctor. He tossed another bill on our table to pay for the dinner we hadn’t even gotten yet. Then he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me out of the restaurant.” She took a last drag off her smoke and stabbed it out in the ashtray. “We went down the stairs, and Steve sent the valet to get his car. While we were waiting, he pushed me up against the wall and told me if I was going to act like a whore, he’d treat me like one.”

  She fell silent then, and Angel just gazed at her, waiting for her to go on. When it became obvious she wasn’t going to continue, he asked, “So what happened after that?”

  Her lips curved slightly, the smile not pleasant, her eyes giving nothing away. “Do you really want me to go into sordid details, Angel-mine? Let’s just say he drove us back to his house and fucked me nine ways to Sunday. After he finally fell asleep, about”—she glanced at the clock on the wall—”about two hours ago, now, I got dressed and left. I’m sure he’ll be pissy when he wakes up and finds me gone. Don’t be surprised if you get a phone call.”

  “Jake, what are you doing?” Angel asked plaintively. “If he makes you so miserable, why are you with him?”

  She leaned back in her chair, thinking for a moment. Her own thoughts and emotions were a chaotic mess. Finally, she gave him the only answer she could come up with. “Maybe it’s the only way I know how to be, babe. At least he makes me feel—something. I’m not empty and hollow like I was during the time I was gone. Steve is very, very good at making me feel.”

  “You deserve better,” Spyk observed, her tone no more caustic than usual.

  “What makes you think so?” she asked, turning her eyes to the other woman. She heaved a sigh suddenly, rubbing her eyes. “I’m fucking exhausted and bitchy as hell. Don’t listen to anything I have to say.” She took a long swallow of her coffee and got to her feet. “I need to get some sleep or I’ll never make it through my shift tonight. Do me a favor?” This last was directed to Angel.

  “What?”

  “If Steve shows up over here breathing fire, make him leave me alone? I really just want to get some sleep, not deal with either his temper or his ego.”

  Angel nodded, concern still evident in his expression.

  “Are you coming down to the Neon tonight?” she asked, walking around the table to drop a kiss on his cheek.

  “Not sure—” he began, but Spyk cut in.

  “Yeah, we’ll stop by for a while,” she said, picking up her cup.

  “I’ll see you later, then,” Jake said, lifting a hand in a tired wave. Then she turned and headed down the hall to h
er bedroom, just wanting to crash for a while.

  “This is all going to end badly,” Angel said quietly when Jake was gone. He turned to meet Spyk’s eyes, unable to hide the worry that filled him. “I can just feel it.”

  “Some things—and some people—just can’t change,” she replied, more gently than he once had thought her capable of, and touched his face. “You just have to deal with that and move on.”

  He turned his head, kissing her palm, and didn’t bother to argue.

  Chapter 6

  Jake walked up to the table, smiling as she recognized the man she hadn’t seen in months. She bumped her hip against his shoulder lightly and smiled down into his cyan blue eyes when he glanced up at her.

  “Hey, Jake.”

  “How are you doing, Swan?” she asked, turning so she was facing him directly. “It’s been a while.”

  He shrugged, tossing long black hair over his shoulder, no smile on his sensual lips. “Been better, actually. Thought I’d come down and see if I could find a good time, cheer myself up. How about you?”

  She held a hand out flat, tipping it back and forth to convey that things were so-so. “What can I get you?”

  “Let’s start with a shot and a beer,” he replied, looking her up and down consideringly. “You look great.”

  She dropped her gaze, her smile becoming more personal. “Thanks. It’s nice to hear.” She reached out to smooth a few strands of hair away from his eyes and remembered how nice it had been to be held by this man. He’d been so sweet. “I’ll get your drink,” she finally said, turning away from him to head back to the bar.

  When she returned to his table with a bottle of beer and a shot of whiskey, he leaned back and crossed one long leg over the other, his expression becoming speculative. He handed her a bill, shaking his head when she went to make change, and she stuffed the bill into her pocket.

  “You still with Steve?” he asked, coming directly to the point.

  She nodded, no expression on her face to let him know how she felt about that.

  “He gonna threaten to kick my ass if I ask you to dance?”

  She laughed and put a hand on his shoulder. “He’s not here, is he? And he doesn’t get to tell me who I can dance with when he won’t dance at all.” She turned to look at the neon-lit clock above the bar. “I don’t get a break until eight. Can I take you up on it then?”

  He nodded, a slight smile touching his lips for the first time. “I’ll be waiting,” he replied, his deep voice warm.

  “Good,” she said, stroking his shoulder lightly. Then she turned and headed back to the bar, feeling his attention on her all the way. She was surprised at how good it felt just to have someone be sweet to her.

  About forty minutes later, Jake returned without her tray. Some friends had joined Swan, and they were talking over the music coming from the stage. Jake put her hand on Swan’s shoulder to get his attention.

  “My break’s up, Swan. It’s dance now or forget about it,” she said, smiling when he pushed his chair back and stood up, immediately slipping his arm around her waist.

  “Well, I’m not gonna forget about it,” he said, gazing down at her. He was taller than Steve, more slender. But his arm was strong around her, and he wasn’t uncertain at all as he walked her toward the dance floor.

  “Good,” she said, waiting until they’d reached the edge of the dance floor before turning to face him. Without hesitation she put her hands on his chest, moving them slowly up to slide around the back of his neck, and she pressed her body against him. She smiled to feel his arms tighten around her, and she began moving her hips to the pounding beat of the music. Swan had danced with her a few times, and she knew he had watched her dancing with Nikky on more than one occasion, so he had some idea of what kind of dancing she enjoyed. While he was nowhere near as overt as Nikky, he wasn’t shy either.

  So of course that was the moment when Steve had to walk into the Neon. Jake had turned in Swan’s embrace, her arms above her head as she swiveled her hips, brushing her ass against him shamelessly. She knew he was getting turned on and knew she shouldn’t be doing this—but God, it felt good! As she turned back to face Swan once more, she caught a glimpse of anger personified pushing his way through the crowd and gritted her teeth.

  Swan glanced up when Jake stiffened and saw Steve approaching them, his hands clenched into white-knuckled fists at his sides and black eyes filled with murder. Swan glanced back down at Jake, clearly unsure what to do. She met his gaze and put a hand on his chest.

  “Don’t move,” she said calmly, just loud enough for him to hear. Then she turned back as Steve reached them, facing him casually. “What’s up, baby?” she asked.

  “Get your hands off her,” Steve grated, looking over Jake’s head to the man still standing behind her.

  Swan held his hands up to show that he wasn’t touching her, but said nothing and didn’t move.

  Steve glared at Jake, his mouth tight. “Get your ass outside,” he ordered.

  “Fuck you,” she returned and laughed as white lines appeared at each side of his mouth. “You don’t own me, Steve. You have no right to order me around, and I’ll do what I want, thank you very much. Go sit down, and when I finish this dance, I’ll come talk to you.”

  “I mean it,” he threatened, taking a step closer, and he reached to grab her arm.

  She jerked out of his grasp, her heart thundering as she realized that Steve was going to push her into a fight—she didn’t think she could avoid it, unless she did as he told her. And she wasn’t about to do that. “Go sit down, Steve. Or do I have to call the bouncers?”

  Quick as a striking snake, his left hand flashed out, catching the back of her neck and jerking her toward him. Instinctively she put her hands up, bracing herself against his chest, but the pressure he put on her neck was rapidly becoming agonizing.

  “Man, knock it off!” Swan shouted, stepping closer.

  With no hesitation, Steve drew back his right fist and punched the other man in the face. Swan stumbled back a few steps but managed not to fall as others who had been dancing near them caught him. Jake took the opportunity afforded by Steve’s lack of concentration on her and ducked down under his arm, crying out as his fingers dug painfully into her neck before she slipped out of his hold, losing a few strands of hair in the process. She whirled around, moving to one side and slightly behind him. Before Steve could turn to face her, she kicked him, her heel striking the back of his knee.

  Steve fell, hitting both knees hard, but was up again in an instant, the fury on his face absolutely clear. He stalked toward her, hands open as he prepared to grab her again, but was suddenly stopped as Jaime and Cody intervened. The two bouncers were both bigger than Steve, and Jaime, at least, had dealt with the singer before. Cody was a newer addition to the security staff, but Jaime had been a bouncer at the Neon before Blackstone was signed. He had witnessed and interrupted more than one fight between Steve and Jake during that time.

  “That’s enough, man,” Jaime said, his voice deep and booming. On his off-hours he was a body builder, and while not nearly as quick as Steve, he was much stronger. “You can either calm down, or you can take off. Which will it be?”

  Jake left them to it, stepping around the three men to check on Swan. He was still there with a crowd of onlookers, touching his jaw gingerly. A thin trickle of blood came from the corner of his mouth. “Still got all your teeth?” Jake asked.

  He nodded, lifting her chin gently and gazing at the side of her neck. “You okay?”

  She shrugged, ignoring the throbbing where Steve’s fingers had dug into her neck. “I’m fine. Babe, I am so sorry.”

  He shook his head gingerly, looking back at where the two bouncers were still discussing matters with Steve. “You really know how to pick ’em, Jake.”

  She sighed, going up on tiptoe to drop a kiss on the side of his face that hadn’t been hit. “I never had much sense when it came to men. I’ve stuck with him for years
and let you go without a second thought. No one ever accused me of being smart.”

  “Jake!” Steve snapped, and she turned her head to encounter his furious expression.

  “Go put some ice on your face, babe. You’re gonna swell,” she said to Swan, then walked back to where Cody and Jaime were still detaining Steve. “Will you calm the fuck down?” she said, her voice sharp. She slipped between the two huge men, bumping her hip playfully against Jaime’s as she did so. “I’ve got just enough time to have a smoke before my break’s over,” she added, taking Steve’s hand. He gripped her fingers tightly, but she refused to show how much it hurt. “You can come with me, or you can stay here and dance with Jaime.”

  The bouncer laughed, the sound a deep rumble. “You know I don’t dance, Jake,” he said, then met Steve’s eyes levelly. “I’ll be back to check on you in a couple minutes if you’re not back in to work by then.”

  “Give me at least five, man. I want at least half a smoke!” she returned, then started toward the back hall. Steve went with her, his hand still almost crushing hers as they crossed the club.

  When they reached the back lot, Steve didn’t even wait for Jake to put the brick in the jam to hold the door open. He grabbed her by the arms and pushed her hard against the wall, using his own body to hold her there. His dark eyes were enraged as he stared directly into hers.

  “What the hell did you think you were doing?” he snarled.

  She took as deep a breath as she could with his weight against her, willing her pounding heart to slow. “I was dancing, Steve. You know—that thing you don’t do?” She flinched slightly as he tensed, but went on when he didn’t say anything. “What is your goddamn problem, babe? I dance with other guys all the time.”

  “He wants to fuck you, Jae,” Steve replied, his voice tight. “He wanted to fuck you before, and that hasn’t changed. You know it, and I know it. I saw the way you were dancing with him. Do you want to fuck him?”