Page 32 of Needed You

Garrett marches over from where he was talking with one of his staff members, his eyes full of anger. “Seriously, Dare. What the hell??” He runs his hand through his hair.

I glare at him.

“You better talk fast before I call the fucking cops and get all of you thrown into jail tonight!” He moves his hand in a circular motion, indicating to me and all of my friends who are still here. “I’ve talked to you about this, man,” he says a little more quietly, his shoulders sagging with what seems like defeat.

I stop pacing and glare at him again. “The guy assaulted my friend,” I say, my voice as steady as I can get it. I point to the empty space where Keira was just standing a moment ago. “He grabbed her ass, and I stood up for her.”

“And he was a homophobic piece of shit,” Tim yells from his seat. He lights up a cigarette and takes a deep drag as Garrett turns to face him. “He called Dare a fucking slur.” Tim’s sucking so hard on his cigarette that it’s almost gone already, and I notice a tremor in his hand.

Garrett looks back at me. “That true?” he asks quietly.

I nod, dabbing at the blood under my nose again.

He sighs. “I’ll take care of him. But Dare, no more. You understand? I can’t have you making these messes in my bar. No. More.”

Garrett grips my shoulder and gives me a squeeze. I wince at the pain. That must be the shoulder that hit the wall.

I nod again as a car pulls up behind the group of us that are outside, lights illuminating the parking lot. I see the door open, and Lev steps out. My heart drops.

“I called him,” Garrett explains. “He’s taking you home.”

“What the fuck, Garrett?” I seethe.

“You need a babysitter tonight, and he’s the lucky one.”

“I don’t need a fucking babysitter.” I’m starting to see red again.

Garrett turns to Lev, who has somehow managed to sneak up and is standing right beside me. “Thanks for coming so fast, Lev. Get him home.”

Lev nods and takes my arm. I feel an electric shock where he touches me, and as much as I like it, I yank my arm out of his hand. “Don’t fucking touch me,” I say, almost surprising myself with the growl that escapes me.

One of Garrett’s guys comes out then, handing Tim and the group of us some paper towels. He hands a stack to me, and I put them to my lip and nose. I don’t even know where else I’m messed up. My side hurts, and my hands are throbbing. I’ll figure it out later when my adrenaline crashes.

Tim stands up as his girlfriend’s car pulls in the lot, another woman in the front seat. His girlfriend gets out and runs to him, then gives him a quick hug before looking him over. I hear them murmuring to one another, and he waves to Garrett and gets in the car. They drive away, throwing gravel behind them. I don’t know how anyone else is getting home, and I don’t care. My focus is on Lev and why Garrett called him.

“I’ll get a car,” I say, pulling out my phone.

“No,” Garrett says forcefully. “Lev is taking you home. You owe me that much, Darian.”

I scoff and stand there, staring at him. “I don’t owe you shit,” I say, spitting a little bit of blood on the ground.

I hear Lev take a deep, exasperated breath beside me. “Come on, Dare. Let’s go.”

“I. Can. Get. A. Car.”

The door to the bar bursts open, distracting all of us. One of the assholes from the fight is being dragged out, flanked by two of the bartenders. I stiffen.

“Let’s go,” Lev says again, a little more gently this time.

I really don’t want to go to jail tonight, and I’m starting to feel the pain and aches from the fight, so I give in, turn around, and follow him to his car. The air in the car is stifling, and I feel my skin throbbing. My cheek and lips have a pulse. My knuckles are stinging and throbbing right along with my face.

Lev starts driving in silence, and I throw my head back against the headrest and let out a deep sigh, closing my eyes.

“Rough night.” Lev’s statement is just that. It’s not a question.

I scoff. “You could say that.”

I expect him to ask what happened, but he doesn’t. Instead, he chuckles. “You’re going to be a pain in my ass, aren’t you little lycan?”