Page 19 of Never Going to Care

Landon looks up and meets my gaze and I give him a nod before he gets the same from Barrett, Owen and Colt. “We’re going to Sala.”

Barrett crosses his arms and widens his feet. “Of course we fucking are,” he snarls. “Did you see how fucking good our women looked? They’re going to get hit on.”

Remington wrings his hands slightly. “Don’t you think they won’t be very happy about it?”

Colt barks out, “I don’t give a flying fuck. There is no way I’m going to let our wife be in a club without us there as back up. Even if she wasn’t pregnant, we’d still be going.” He grabs one of the drinks and gives Landon’s shoulder a squeeze as he tells him, “I’m glad you came to your senses. I knew this whole separate party thing wasn’t going to work out.”

Landon chuckles under his breath and shakes his head. I notice how he doesn’t say Colt is wrong. Because the man has a point.

Easton eyes me and gives me a chin lift. “What about you? You’re awfully quiet.” I notice how no one gives Blaze shit for being too quiet, but I guess his demeanor is to be expected at this point. When I look over at my friend, he quirks an eyebrow as if backing up Easton’s question. “Landon looked to you too for confirmation on the change in plan. Does this mean you’re going to admit what we all already know?”

I scoff, but I don’t say shit. I don’t have to. They already know.

Landon takes pity on me. “He’s in on us crashing their little party and that’s all you need to know.”

“We don’t have to crash, we can just keep an eye on them,” I hedge.

Everyone turns to me and gives me an incredulous look, but I shrug it off before I dig into some pizza and whiskey. It feels like fucking forever before we figure it has been enough time and we can head to Sala to keep an eye on the ladies for the night. The closer we got to the club, the easier it is for me to breathe.

I need to see Celeste. I want to make sure she is okay and make sure no one is trying anything with her. I want to punch Landon for making us wait five extra minutes when I was already feeling ready to crawl out of my skin with the need to have her in my sights.

We don’t have to wait to get inside Sala, the big bouncer must see the determination on our faces because he doesn’t even pause. The moment I see her in the middle of the dance floor, her hips swaying from side to side and attracting way too much fucking attention, I grit my teeth. I want to wrap my hands around her hips.

I don’t dance much, but for her, I will do it. For her, I’m realizing more and more, I’ll do anything. The smile stretched across her lips radiates happiness. She’s fucking glowing.

I force myself to take in the rest of the club, it is difficult when it should come easily. I was trained to look for security weaknesses and threats, but with Celeste in the room all that falls away. It is like she is the only thing worthy of my attention, even though that is far from the truth.

I notice the security cameras around the space and the exit toward the back, as well as the hallway leading to the bathrooms. I glance at the women dancing in cages at the corners of the dance floor area, but I look away quickly. Looking at them, even for a passing moment, feels like a betrayal and it stings in the middle of my chest.

Weston lets out a low whistle before he’s pulling us toward the bar to grab a beer. I shake my head no, my eyes locking back on Celeste. It feels like I’m too damn far away from her now. Claws are raking at my chest, something inside of me begging to be set free and to go to her.

Would she cradle me in her arms if she knows I’m here watching her? Would she yell at me with fire in her eyes? Would she care that I can’t take my eyes off her?

I can feel Landon’s tension along with Ella’s men. All of us are staring at our women like we can protect them with just our eyes. Oh, to have superpowers right now. I would choose telekinesis because there are far too many men close to Celeste.

She’s oblivious to the whole thing and I can’t decide if it makes me irrationally angry or if it makes me want her more.

I’ve never been so conflicted in my life and all of it is due to a petite woman with raven black hair and sass for days.

Weston, Easton and Blaze are looking around while they sip their beers. Remington has a glass as well, but he’s just looking uncomfortable as fuck. It might have something to do with the woman who has practically plastered herself to his arm.

When his voice rises, I look at him again and the tension in his face is so unlike him, I almost step up to give him a hand. There’s a cold piercing quality to his voice I’ve never heard before as he barks, “I’m not interested.”

The woman pouts and presses her tits against his arm as if it’s going to make a difference. Remington has been quiet and a little more reserved since taking on the beauty pageant client. I don’t know what is going on there, but I have my suspicions.

Even though it’s unlike me, I should have been asking questions and making sure he’s alright. I know if he needed help with the woman’s safety, he would ask, but this is something else, something more. He carries more tension in his body now than I’ve ever seen before. It’s shocking considering he’s always been affable and quick to smile.

I can see the weight on his shoulders and the woman making a pass at him isn’t helping. Before I can step in and help him, Weston slides up to the pair and grins down at the woman. There’s a flirtatiousness in his smile, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Hi, pretty lady,” he drawls and the woman sways toward him.

Remi’s relief is fucking palpable as Weston leads the woman away. I nod once and then look back at the dance floor. I clench my fists seeing how much closer some of the men have gotten to Celeste.

Can I step in? Would she hate me if I do? Do I care if she does?

Something thumps in my chest, rattling a piece of me I didn’t know was there. What I feel for her is more than want. It’s something deeper, more, everlasting.

I see it happening in slow motion, as if the men are a fucking pack and moving in synchronicity. One approaches Ella, Celeste and Piper all from behind. There’s a fourth who is slower to make a move on Stella.

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