Part 23 (1/2)
With enormous self-control, I free myself and take Jax's hand firmly in mine, the one already sneaking up my side.
”Jax, we have an audience. I know we want everybody to think we're a couple but -”
”Let's go,” he interrupts and before I can say anything else, he tightens his grip on my hand and drags me in the direction of the open doorway.
We pause in the red-carpeted hallway outside the main room of the VIP area. One direction leads to stairs descending into the public part of the restaurant, and in the other are the VIP restrooms I recently visited.
”I'll call someone to bring a car round,” says Jax and I giggle. ”What?”
”You, Mr. Important who can click his fingers and five minute later have a personal chauffeur waiting.”
Jax grins. ”f.u.c.king awesome, right?”
The heavy sound of a door closing at the opposite end of the hallway behind me interrupts and Jax's eyes widen as he looks over my shoulder. ”Tegan,” he whispers.
”What?”
I turn. Nate and Riley stand outside the restroom door. Riley's hair has escaped the usual ponytail, strands falling across her face. She carries her high-heeled shoes in one hand and straightens the strap of her short blue dress with the other. When Nate spots us, he steps away from her and crosses his arms. In response, Riley's mouth falls open and she shoves him. I can't hear what she mutters at him but I'm betting it's not pleasant. Not looking at anybody, Riley drops her shoes on the floor, slips her feet in, and stalks in our direction.
”How's your evening going, Riley?” asks Jax as she pa.s.ses.
”Good, thanks. You?” Riley stops and looks at our joined hands. ”Oh. Cute. Were you two waiting for the bathrooms?” Riley jerks her head in Nate's direction.
Nate now rests against the wall, staring at the carpet, as if Riley doesn't exist. What a douche.
”Didn't realise you were occupied. The bathroom I mean,” replies Jax. I squeeze his fingers, warning him to stop teasing.
”You can't have waited here long, we were only in there a few minutes,” she says loudly in Nate's direction.
I expected Riley to deny what's obviously happened but that's clearly not occurring. ”Have you...” I begin, ”With -”
”Ask him,” she retorts and walks away.
”Nate! Dude! Smiley Riley?” calls Jax as Riley heads back into the function room. ”Seriously? No way!”
Once Riley is out of sight, Nate approaches and points at me. ”What about you and her?”
Jax scoffs. ”Hardly a comparison!”
”Excuse me? Standing here!” I retort.
Nate looks at me, and gives Jax a sly smile. ”We can compare notes later if you like?”
How drunk is this d.i.c.khead? Jax's fingers crush mine. ”Will's right, you're s.h.i.+t-faced otherwise I'd smack you for that.”
”Sure, you don't usually shy away from giving us a run down.” He leans closer to me. ”Jax has a ratings system.”
”Shut the f.u.c.k up!” snaps Jax.
I stiffen. ”What?”
”Chicks. Scores out of ten. Their looks, their skill at -” Nate is interrupted by Jax smacking him in the chest, and he stumbles back. ”Whoa, calm down.”
”I haven't done that recently.”
”Yeah, you boring b.a.s.t.a.r.d.”
”Looks like you failed to impress Riley!” says Jax.
”That, as they say, is a long f.u.c.king story.” He adjusts his jeans. ”Just not tonight.”
I pull a face and look away. Am I seeing a typical night out for Ruby Riot? Nate and Will strike me as guys who live life to the max in every way. I'm pulled in my their sense of humour and exuberance, but I've never seen this side of them. The tall guy covered in piercings, tattoos wrapped around his arms looks unfazed, as if getting caught in this situation is a common occurrence. What's weirder is I wouldn't put Nate down as somebody straight-laced Riley would go for. Maybe that's the appeal. Either that or she's as drunk as he is.
”Gotta go. Have fun kiddos,” Nate says and saunters away.
”OhmiG.o.d!” I splutter, staring after him.
Jax pushes a hand into his hair. ”Um. About the things he said...”
”Which bit? b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, Jax. Is this what you guys do?”
”Sometimes.”
”Ugh!” I start to walk in the direction Riley went but he catches my arm.
”Don't listen to him. I wouldn't do that with you.”
”Can we leave now?”
Jax drags me to him and looks at me warily. ”You're not going to let this spoil things with us are you?”
”Because Nate screwed Riley in the bathrooms? None of my business.”
Nate's words about Jax rating girls after he has s.e.x with them repeat in my mind.
”Okay?” he asks.
”Trying to be.”
”You know you're worth more than that, right?”
”d.a.m.n straight, I wouldn't have s.e.x in there!” I wrinkle my nose. ”Just... eww.”
”No, I mean the other thing Nate said.”
I pull my hand away. ”When did you last have s.e.x with somebody, Jax?”