Page 59 of Digging Deeper

The twins fist-bump before we head outside to our waiting Uber and climb in. Once we arrive, Aiden leads the way into the bar since he’s been here before. He’s the one that suggested coming here for the Halloween party, and as I take in the many people in all the amazing costumes, I can see why he wanted to come. Everyone is decked out in every costume you can possibly think of, the music is upbeat and blaring through my chest, the place has decorations hanging everywhere, and the atmosphere is filled with excitement and fun. I can’t help but smile as we walk toward a table in the back.

Drix and Jameson head to the bar for drinks and Holds says, “I can’t believe you got him to dress up. I didn’t think he would.”

“He didn’t want to at first, but I’m glad we came.”

“Me too.” Holds smiles at me and moves to rest his elbows on the table, drawing my attention to his ridiculous costume. “You seem happy.”

“I am.” As I stare at my best friend for another few seconds, a laugh bubbles out of me. “I’m sorry, but I can’t take you seriously as a slice of bread.”

He snorts, then asks Aiden, “Do you come here a lot?”

Aiden shrugs. “I wouldn’t say a lot, but I’ve been here a few times.”

“Is it always this crowded?” I ask.

“Sometimes, but I think the theme nights are more crowded than the normal ones.” His eyes dart around for a moment. “Thanks for coming with me.”

I scoot off my stool to put my arm around Aiden’s shoulders and squeeze him. “Anytime.”

He smiles at me, but I jerk back when someone touches my side, tickling me. I hear Drix’s deep chuckle a moment before he wraps his arms around me from behind and pulls my back against his chest. “Gone for one minute and you’re already moving on.” He tsks playfully in my ear.

Sending Aiden a grin, I turn in Drix’s arms and drape mine over his shoulders, kissing him hard on the lips. Then I turn back to our friends and Drix hands me a drink, so I take a sip, but I feel eyes on me and glance up to see Holds staring, so I ask, “What?”

He shakes his head, his eyes darting between me and Drix, who’s still behind me with his arms around my waist, and Holds says, “Nothing. Still getting used to…” He waves his drink at Drix and me with a shrug.

Drix leans forward to kiss my cheek, and I shoot Holds a smile that he returns.

After my second drink, I ask Drix, “Do you wanna dance?”

He bites his lip. “Um… I don’t know if…”

“Come on.”

He leans in, his mouth near my ear, and says, “What if I fall?”

“I won’t let you,” I say back.

He stares at me for several seconds before nodding and letting me lead the way to the dance floor. When I find a spot, I turn to face him and wrap one arm around his waist, smiling up at him as I move my hips. Drix stares at me, seeming a little breathless, so I grab his hips and start moving them for him. After a minute, he begins loosening up and dancing to the beat with me. The two of us get lost in the music and dance like we’re the only ones on the dance floor, swinging our hips, holding one another, making each other laugh, and every few minutes, he kisses me possessively. My heart pounds in my chest, not only from exertion, but from the way Drix looks at me. His eyes reflect the same things I’m feeling; lust, pleasure, amusement, comfort, and most of all, affection. If the look in his eyes is anything to go by, Drix is falling just as hard for me as I am for him.

By the time we make it home, I’m more than ready to be alone with him, and when he pulls me into his room, I know he’s not ready for our night together to end, either.

23

Hendrix

“Please, don’t shoot him. Shoot me instead,” Gavin cries out.

I search the yard to see who he’s talking to, then I spot him, a man with a gun. This is the house with the noise complaint, a domestic argument. What is Gav doing here? It should be me and Jameson. Quickly, I try to divert the man’s attention from Gav to me. “Listen, he shouldn’t even be here. This is between us. I’m the one who’s going to arrest you.”

The man is swinging the gun wildly between us, but now he turns his full focus on me. “Yeah, you’re right. You’re the cop who wouldn’t mind his own business. Whatever happens between me andmyold lady inmyhouse ismybusiness. Why didn’t you just leave? Why did you have to demand to see her?”

The woman in question yells from the porch, “What are you doing? Get in here. I’m sorry, you’re right. I shouldn’t have said I wanted to leave. If you shoot him, you’ll end up in jail, or worse, dead.”

The man doesn’t take his hate-filled eyes off of me as he sneers back at her, “Shut up, Georgia. None of this would be happening anyway if you’d mind your place. You caused this. You made me come after you and that’s what bothered our nosy-ass neighbors.”

I quickly sweep the yard one last time with my eyes looking for my partner. I need Jameson. He’ll get a now-trembling Gavin to safety while I keep this guy distracted. Not seeing him, I raise my hands slowly and say, “Listen, we can work this all out. Why don’t you drop the gun and—”

“No! Just shut the fuck up! What? Do you think I’m stupid? Like you’re going to let me go!”

---