Stevie.
Her olive skin is deliciously on display, gleaming under the neon lights. I wish I wasn’t wearing the mask so I could see her better. She tugs her friend onto the dance floor, laughing. Her hips sway to the music, skirt swishing around the tops of her thighs. They move farther into the throng of bodies, but now that I’ve seen her, there’s no way I’ll lose her.
She holds her friend’s hands, bouncing up and down to the music, screaming along to the lyrics. Happiness bleeds from her body, and I feel a smile curl on my own lips. She’s infectious. I wish I could text her, tell her to come up here. But I’m not Aleksander. I’m Blade.
I’m not stupid enough to go down there myself. I’d be mobbed in minutes. Everyone knows we’re here tonight. Not just streamers, but The System, LoveLee, FlyingFox—as much as I despise him, the people love Decker. All the big names are out, everyone is watching. If I was worried she’d be a target at the VSAs, it would be even more so tonight. The space is too small, the eyes too wary. Fuck. I really wish we’d just come here normally.
I watch as some guys make their way to the girls, dancing around them, attempting to grind. Stevie and her friend flip, dancing back-to-back as they face the men. Appeasing them, but not giving in. Smart girls. One of the guys grabs Stevie’s hand, pulling her in to dance. It looks like she laughs, but I can’t tell if it’s real or not.
Heat bubbles under my skin as I watch him twirl her around.
Her friend pulls her back though, out of his grip. I watch, transfixed, as they dance on each other, basically grinding to the music. Stevie dips down, disappearing from my sight for a second, before she bops back up. She’s a goddess to the grind, a minx to the music. My body twitches, desperate to be in her grace.
She lifts one of her legs, hooking it around her friend’s hip before dipping backward. Her bare stomach stretches and glows in the orange light. My cock stiffens at the sight. The guys around them watch with rapt attention. Fucking hell. If they thought this show would dissuade them, it’s had the opposite effect.
Her friend leans forward, whispering in her ear. She pulls the wristbands the bartender gave her out of her boobs, attaching one to Stevie’s wrist before her own. The girls smile to each other before Stevie grabs her friend’s wrist and pulls her through the bulge of bodies. I watch as they weave their way through to the bottom of the stairs.
They brandish their wristbands like Cartier bracelets before the security guard gives them a nod and pulls back the rope for them to walk up. They grasp each other’s hands again, giggling as they jog their way up the steps.
I turn back to the table now.
Waiting. Watching. Expecting.
I can’t see the door from where I currently am, and it’s pissing me off.
I lean forward a little, a sliver of the doorway entering my peripheral view.
Stevie saunters in, arm still linked in her friend’s. Her friend lifts her hand, motioning to the table on the far right, just opposite and to the side of where we sit. I watch as they stride over, nothing but pleasure dripping from their skin.
I hold contact with Stevie, pleading that she turns my way. They pass the table, and I track as her gait doesn’t break, not even for a second. She’s on a mission.
They reach their table, and her shoulders drop, relief entering her body. Her friend reaches forward to pour them another shot. Their alcohol is crap compared to ours. Still good, don’t get me wrong, but not nearly as good. She downs the shot, not a grimace in sight. There isn’t much room left at their table. Her friend squeezes in next to a guy with a bleached fade, and Stevie deposits herself onto her lap.
“Will someone take Deer to grab a drink?” Lee’s voice breaks through my fixation.
“What?”
Allison’s brows furrow at me for a second before she flicks her attention to Jackson.
“Shield, do you mind taking Deer to the bar? She’s going to get trampled otherwise.”
“Hey, why not me?” Parker leans excessively over the table.
“Because you’ll get distracted on your way.”
“Fair nuff, babe.” Parker leans back, resting against my shoulder. I can feel his knee twitching, tapping up and down. He’s a bundle of energy, waiting to explode.
Jackson edges out of the table, holding his hand out for Deer. Her eyes flick to Allison for a second before she takes it and follows him to the VIP bar. It’s smaller than the main one, but just as crowded because there’s only one bartender.
We’ve hung out with Deer a few times, but I don’t know her too well. I think the only personal thing I know about her is that she is half Irish and moved here as a kid, which is why her accent isn’t that strong. She’s only been in the gaming community for a few years, and just started gaining notoriety over the last year. She sits in the cozy gaming community and focuses a lot on creating video content, only live-streaming twice a week. Our paths don’t cross too often even though Lee’s invited her to a few of our Frontline Doom sessions.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the Holy Vagina.”
Decker’s voice is so obnoxious, you couldn’t miss it even with the loud music. Our entire group tunes its attention to him, and my insides turn to ice when I realize he has made his way over to Stevie’s table. My hands fist, the leather of the gloves tightening.
Stevie’s expression turns from a smile to a sneer in mere seconds, and I watch as her friend tightens her grip on Stevie’s hip.
“I’m sorry, I forgot your name.”
There’s no way she’s forgotten Decker’s name, but it pisses him off all the same. Which was clearly her goal. I’m just not sure how smart it was.
He leans forward, pushing one of his hands onto the table in front of her, and my body jolts forward at the same time. Parker’s hand grips my thigh, pulling me back. He tilts his mask, and I settle back. For now.
“Daniel Decker.”
Why the douchebag always insists on repeating his full name, I’ll never know. Should’ve just made that his gamertag at this point.
“Right, David.”
“Daniel.” He growls out.
“Whatever.” She stands up now, her heels bringing her equal to his six-foot stature. “I’m here with my friends. I have no interest in whatever you or Chase or whoever has going on, alright?”
“Don’t be a tease, Stephanie.” Her fingers twitch at the use of her full name.
“Thought you weren’t interested in second-hand goods, Darren.”
Now I know she is getting his name wrong on purpose.
He steps closer to her, basically standing nose to nose, and I shoot out of my seat, Parker and Lee following suit.
“I’m not. No matter how hot the goods might look.” His hand trails over the back of her hand, but she rips it from his touch. A wolfish grin breaks out on Decker’s face. “I bet you don’t even know how many women he screwed while he was with you. How many nights you were parading around on his arm while he was banging chicks in the bathroom when your back was turned.”
Her eyes flash. I push out from the table, but I’m not quick enough. Stevie grabs a drink from the table and sloshes it onto Decker’s face. Within the next second, he has his hand pulled back to slap her. Fuck. I shove past Lee, stumbling forward, but his hand is quicker.