Page 70 of The Devil's Redemption

“Yes, probably a little too much,” I admit, lifting my beer bottle. “But it’s been a while for me. I’m due.”

“It looks like you…” I can’t hear the rest of what he’s saying over the song that just came on.

“What?” I shout back at him, asking him to repeat himself.

He brings his head close to mine and puts his lips up to my ear.

“I said it looks like you’re having a good time,” he shouts.

Now it’s my turn to get closer to him.

“Yes, very much. Thank you,” I answer him before I feel someone tugging me away from him.

Suddenly, Blade’s body is standing between Josh and I. The music has stopped, and as I look around the room, I see everyone staring at us.

Oh, fuck.

“Keep your distance, man,” Blade tells Josh.

“We were just talking, bro. Chill out. The music was loud, and she couldn’t hear me.”

Blade is acting like a ridiculous fool, but I know better than to tell him as much in front of everyone.

“Come here,” I command, pulling him in the direction of the foyer.

The music comes back on, a little softer than before as we reach the front door.

“What the hell was that about?” I ask.

“I don’t like him being that close to you,” Blade answers matter-of-factly.

“Seriously? He’s one of the only people to actually talk to me tonight, to be nice to me, and you basically just told him to fuck off.”

He realizes how pissed I am.

“So what?” he shrugs.

But he obviously doesn’t care.

“So what?” I ask. “So if you want to bethatasshole, go right ahead. YouknowI’m going home with you tonight, no question. Jesus, I never took you for the unhinged, jealous type, Blade.”

I don’t know why I said that. That’sexactly who he is.

I turn away from him and walk back to the party, half expecting him to grab onto my arm and chaperone me the rest of the evening. He’s ridiculous. If he wants to be a sourpuss, fine. But I’m actually having a good time for once, and I don’t want it to end yet. When I get back in the other room, I find Maggie. I figure it’s best that I don’t try to resume my conversation with Josh. I may not agree with Blade’s actions, but I’m not going to piss him off deliberately.

“Hey, you alright?” Maggie asks when I approach her.

“Oh,” I laugh it off. “Yeah, fine. Are you having a good time?”

“Actually… Yeah,” she answers. “It’s a lot more chill down here than it is at home. The Bastards… They can be so uptight sometimes. They get lost in the politics of it all.”

“I’m sorry, Maggie,” I tell her. “God, I really wish you could stay. I need a good friend like you around here.”

“Well, as soon as I get where I’m going, I’ll get in contact with you.”

“Shit,” I curse. Something just hit me.

“What?”

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