The Grace In Darkness (22 page)

But didn
’
t I? Not only to this idiot, but to myself. I needed to prove that I could be here just like everyone else and not need someone there to coddle me at all times.

I lifted the bottle to my lips, eyeing it with disgust, and squeezed my eyes tight, tilting the bottle in the air. I swallowed it down, trying not to taste it, but the bite of the flavor consumed me. It seemed like it took forever to finish the entire bottle, but finally it came to an end. Pulling the rim away, I wiped my lips with my arm and hid my gag reflex around a cough.

“
Real nice, an... I
’
m sorry, A.
”

I put the bottle on the bar and pulled
Mak
’
s arm.
“
Come on.
”

“
I
’
ll be seeing you girls,
”
Craze called behind us.

“
Let
’
s make sure to stay as far away from him as possible,
”
I told her, looking back over my shoulder. There was nothing but blackness.

“
What an asshole.
”

“
I agree and so does Ryland. He
’
s bad news, so I repeat, let
’
s stay far away.
”

Mak
stopped suddenly, pulling me to her.
“
You know I was trying not to draw attention to you, right? I didn
’
t want to keep coming to your rescue because he was already looking at you funny.
”

“
I know. It
’
s okay.
”

“
Where
’
d you learn how to deep throat a beer bottle, you naughty girl you?
”
Her voice was sprinkled with mischief.

I groaned.
“
Not that again! And I wasn
’
t deep throating anything!
”

She spun me around and my head spun too. I tripped on my own feet, falling into her.

She snorted.
“
Lightweight.
”

“
I can
’
t be buzzed already... can I?
”
My body was saying otherwise.

“
Probably. You don
’
t drink and you downed that beer like nobody
’
s effin
’
business. I
’
d say it
’
s possible. Come on, drunkard, let
’
s go find lover boy.
”

The darkness swirled around me as she pulled me with her.

“
W
ell, it seems like today is your lucky day, J.D.
“

“
So I
’
m guessing you came up with a solution for the problem.
”

“
I surely did.
”
Craze slung the beer bottle in the air, taking a long swig.

“
Did you find someone to help out?
”

“
You could say that.
”
He leaned into the wall beside the phone base.
“
Some blind girl showed up tonight looking for the Dare brothers.
”

The line was silent.

Craze shifted on the wall, wrapping his arm around his stomach.
“
Did you hear me?
”

“
I heard you. Is either of my sons there? Do they know she
’
s there?
”

“
Sebastian, not Ryland. He
’
s about to fight.
”

There was no answer.

Craze cleared his throat.
“
What do you want me to do?
”

“
Listen closely and don
’
t screw this up.
”

“
How are you beautiful ladies doing?
”
Craze asked two random girls sitting against the bar.
“
Did you see Sebastian Dare
’
s fight? He
’
s great, isn
’
t he? Why don
’
t you take this to him, on the house... He loves when his fans get up close and personal.
”

“
A
hh, to be a beer virgin again.
”
Mak joked as I stumbled against her.

She was jealous that I was feeling it already. She finished her beer and happily awaited the buzz. We
’
d found a less crowded spot in the back of the room, not too far from the fighters.

“
I
’
m going to go get another
‘
bartender
’
s special.
’
Come on.
”
She pulled my arm, but it felt like jelly and I let it sag in her grip.

“
You go,
”
I slurred and I felt like I had no control over my head as it rolled around my shoulders.

Mak
laughed.
“
You can barely stand, lightweight. I
’
m not leaving you here alone. What if something happens?
”

Everything I felt seemed heightened, and I snapped at her.
“
Stop it! Just stop! I
’
m not a baby. I can stand here and wait for you to get back.
”

She hesitated at first.
“
Fine. I
’
ll be right back.
”

I leaned against something hard, not responding to her. Everything seemed blurrier than normal, and I decided then and there that I didn
’
t like beer and I didn
’
t like being drunk. It wasn
’
t fun feeling so out of control when I had so little control as it was.

People started cheering as a voice rose above the screams. I thought I heard them say Dare, but I couldn
’
t be sure. Everything sounded muffled. The heat and lack of oxygen was unbearable, and I felt like I was going to pass out any minute now.

With what little strength I could find, I dragged myself along the wall, wanting to find a place where, if I passed out, I wouldn
’
t cause a lot of attention. I tripped and stumbled on something, or maybe someone, and I thought I felt hands, but I couldn
’
t be sure. Then I was in someone
’
s arms and I slumped against their frame.

I could feel his sweaty body through my clothes and his arms wound around me tighter, instantly making me afraid. I could feel his breath against my face and I turned away from the smell.

“
What
’
s the matter, angel? Don
’
t you want to come play with big boy Craze?
”

He tried to pull me toward him, but I resisted and pushed against his chest.

“
Get away from me!
”
I moved faster than I thought I would and I tripped in my own speed. I felt the painful cut of his fingernails across my skin has he tried to hold on to me. His grip turned angry and his fingers bruised my skin painfully as he tried to pull me with him.

“
Come on,
angel,
I promise you
’
ll want it.
”

“
Stop it,
”
I managed to scream and my hand felt like dead weight as I went for his face.

My aim and the strength behind my desperate attack weren
’
t worth much, but I managed to rake my fingernails across his cheek.

“
You bitch!
”
He screeched and pulled me toward him, crushing my arm behind my back.

I had no more energy to fight him or fight the buzz that was over taking my entire system. His hand came up and I flinched as I felt his fingers move across my collarbone.

“
What do we have here?
”
he asked, lifting my necklace from my chest.

Suddenly, I was pulled from his arms and felt the snap at the back of my neck. I prayed to whomever that it was
Makayla.

“
Mak?
”
I whispered. I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open now.

“
Hey, sweetheart. It
’
s me, River... well, the Soul Taker. Do you remember me?
”

I was no longer being pulled in two separate directions and I settled in arms that didn
’
t make my skin crawl. I could barely feel his hand cupping my chin and pulling my face toward his. I felt a hundred times better when I realized I knew him.

“
What the fuck, Craze?
”
he growled.

“
Get lost,
Rover
.
”

“
Do you
like
getting the shit beaten out of you? If either Dare brother catches you with her, they
’
re going to break your stupid neck.
”

“
What are you, their guard dog?
”
He scoffed.
“
Have her. I don
’
t care. Blind girls aren
’
t my type anyway. I like my women to be able to
see
exactly what they
’
re getting.
”

“
Blind?
”
River asked, confused, and Craze just laughed. I felt relieved as it faded into the background noise.
“
You
’
re blind?
”
he asked, and I nodded.
“
Well, fuck. Are you okay?
”
he asked with real concern. I
’
d expected him to be annoyed, but he seemed far from it.

“
Something
’
s wrong with me…
”
I said, my voice hoarse.

“
It
’
s going to be okay, sweetheart. I
’
m going to find Sebastian.
”

Everything seemed so heightened and my panic paralyzed me. I clutched his shirt in my hands.
“
Please don
’
t leave me.
”

“
Don
’
t worry, sweetheart. You
’
re coming with me. How many beers did you have? Do you remember?
”

“
One.
”
But it might as well have been one hundred.

“
One? Are you sure?
”
I tried to focus on the tone of his voice, but I couldn
’
t.
“
Did Craze give you a beer? Did he give you a bartender
’
s special?
”
He gently shook my face, trying to get my attention. I couldn
’
t tell if I shook my head yes or not.
“
Where
’
s your friend? Do you know if she was with Craze?
”
I wanted to answer him, but I couldn
’
t move my lips.
“
Shit!
”
he hissed in my ear and lifted me in his arms.

“
Dare! Dare!
”
His chest vibrated with every yell.

At the sound of Ryland
’
s last name, I wanted to sit up and look for him, but I couldn
’
t. I could feel the creep of unconsciousness and I willed it to wait until I was in Ryland
’
s arms.

“
Looks like you got your hands full.
”
A familiar voice joked and my head rolled toward the sound.
“
Araya! What the fuck, River? What the hell is she doing here and what the hell are
you
doing with her?
”

“
I found her like this, man.
”

“
What
’
s wrong with her? Is she drunk?
”

“
Craze gave her a bartender
’
s special.
”

“
What the fuck is a bartender
’
s special?
”

“
It
’
s stupid. Just get her out of here.
”

“
I will as soon as you tell me what he put in her drink! Do I need to take her to the hospital?
”

“
No. She
’
ll be fine. Just get her home and out of here.
”

“
I
’
m going to kill that son of a bitch! Where is he?
”

“
I don
’
t know, but I need to go find her friend. She wasn
’
t with her when I found her.
”

Makayla
!
I panicked.

“
Aw, hell, her friend? Find her and find Craze and warn him. Warn him that I
’
m going to kill him! Give her to me.
”

I was being transferred from one pair of strong arms to another, and I threw my arm around Ryland
’
s shoulders. I nuzzled his neck, breathing in his scent. I found his cheek and pulled his lips toward mine. They felt different, but I blamed that on the numbness in my lips. He hesitated for a second before deepening the kiss.

He tasted different than I remembered, not bad, just… different. Everything felt different when alcohol weakened your senses. His tongue swept across mine and I wanted to go on kissing him, but my body was losing the fight to stay awake. When I couldn
’
t hold myself up any longer, I wilted into the safety of his arms and his name tingled on my lips.

“
I love you, Ryland.
”

“
She
’
s out of it,
”
River said, but their conversation was starting to fade in and out.

“
Are you going to be okay to drive?
”
River asked, and for the first time, I could smell the alcohol on Ryland.

“
I just slammed a round with the triplets. What do you think?
”

“
Use Stitch
’
s room above the office and chill out there until your brother gets here.
”

“
Where
is
my brother?
”