Chapter 5

"You owe us, man.” Eddie shrugs, taking Marc's side, "You said an hour but it was like 15 minutes." Marc whines again.

"Because I nearly got shanked by Lan's batshit crazy girl." I defend.

Eddie loses interest in our conversation and he looks past the both of us. His eyes fill with mischief and he's wearing a shit eating grin as his eyes trail something from across the club.

"I think you'll probably wanna stay longer tonight then."

I turn around in confusion and try to find the joke that has him cracking up.

In the middle of the club I spot a tall brunette and beside her a big puff of ginger curls. It's just her back facing me and I notice how the black straps of her top crosses at her back and how it doesn't cover her fully.

Her friend pulls her through the crowded dance floor and to the bar. I watch her move and this shit almost feels like it's happening in slow-motion when she takes in her surroundings as her hair moves around with her and in the next moment her eyes hold mine in a grip tighter than any headlock I've been in before.

She's in a trance, fuck it I'm in a trance. After a particular harsh tug on her arm she looks back up at her friend but searches for my gaze again and I allow myself to take in her angelic face and the silver of skin between her top and denim jeans, to the curve of her hips but I can't bring myself to look at what she obviously intended to be tonight's showstoppers.

"God they really are identical. Look at those tits." Eddie whistles, breaking me out of my trance as I turn to glare at him.

"Sorry." He holds his hands up but I see the smirk on his face and reach for him in effort to remove it but Marc steps in front of me before I can beat my friend to the ground.

What the fuck is she doing her? She doesn't even like crowded places much like her deranged sister. Or at least she never used to.

"Thought you'd be at that Kyle boy's party." I throw into the air while making scribbles in my book attempting to avoid her eyes.

"Uh yeah well... I don't really know Kyle so..." I look up and see her twirling her pencil between her fingers.

"How could you not? You all went to elementary together." I quip but notice I've hit a nerve when she averts her eyes to the ground.

I know the look, it's guilt. She doesn't want to blame her sister but she knows the truth.

"Uh I guess..." She chuckles dryly while running her fingers along with the corners of her book "I hate crowded places anyway"

"C'mom man if you're gonna be fair you better knock Rosco's teeth out before mine at least I'm not eye-fucking her." Eddie's obnoxious ass laughs over Marc's shoulder but his words have me turning around to face the bartender who's eyes are indeed switching sights from her face to her chest.

I don't even notice that I'm burning holes into his head until the dick looks up at me in confusion. He's new and I'm guessing he doesn't know what Knives looks like because he's not freaked out by a redhead version of her. Because if he did and was jokingly flirting with a Knives who spontaneously decided to dye her hair Lan would properly have his tongue removed from his head.

Before I can think I'm making my way over to the bar and I don't even have to shove anyone out of my way because my expression does it for me, sometimes being the known brother to the Devil has its benefits like getting in a club or drinking before 21, which is something I know Sunniva is not yet.

"She's not 21." Is out of my mouth before I plan it.

Rosco looks up at me in shock but I don't give him a second longer of my attention because the small woman besides me takes it.

She looks up at me in a mixture of shock and disbelief. An expression I've seen on her face before and it burns my insides. I quickly return my gaze to Rosco again and notice he's at a loss for words staring between Sunniva and I and her friend who I haven't acknowledged yet.

"Excuse me..." She does it for me but when I turn to the brunette her scorching eyes are not addressing me but Rosco, "Two gin & tonics please." She waves her card around trying to get his attention.

Rosco looks at my scowl and sighs in defeat "Sorry ladies I'm gonna need some ID." He states and I turn to see the brunette's green eyes now piercing into me as she reaches into her purse to pull out two obviously fake IDs.

Rosco takes them with reluctance and scans them then looks to me once more. Before he can open his mouth I reach for the cards and scan over their names and photos.

Sunniva smiles in hers and I can't believe she'd agree to be a part of something illegal. It’s done so often these days you'd barely get a charge for it but it's hard to believe that the girl who cried when being threatened with detention one time is the same girl who owns a fake ID.

"Her name's not Megan." I tell Rosco, dropping the hard plastic on the counter.

Sunniva doesn't allow me to see her eyes when I look down at her and I feel bad for ratting them out but I can't risk anyone seeing her. She's fiddling with her thumbs and I'm itching to hold her hands between mine like I remember she let me those few times when we were just kids.

I felt worthy for the first time in my life because a piece of shit from the north side like me was sitting in a pristine clean, yellow room holding hands with a girl that resembles the sun.

"Sorry ladies." Rosco sighs again before bolting down the bar.

"You thirsty, baby?" A voice calls from behind the bar and I look up to see Christy leaning over with her palms spread across the counter.

"He's not 21." Sunniva's friend chirps loudly and Christy chuckles not catching onto how pissed she looks.

"I know, honey." Christy laughs, causing Sunniva's friend to throw her arms up in frustration.

"What the fuck?" She scowls between the two of us.

Sunniva has not made eye contact with me this whole time and is instead tugging on her friend's arm to get her attention. I hear her tell her friend to either ‘let it go’ or ‘let's go’ and I'm hoping it's the latter.

"We practically live here, sweetheart." I hear Marc's voice from behind me.

Sunniva looks up at the voice and I allow myself to finally soak her face in and lips and eyes and the necklace that she's never removed and the way it dips in between her tits. Fuck, I'm staring and I know I am because I've missed the conflict taking place and when I look up from Sunniva's glorious tits I see her friend looking ready to launch at Marc.

"Fuck off." She says and raises her finger in an added gesture.

"Lucy." Sunniva's sweet voice gasps as she reaches to shove her friend's arm down, "Let’s just go, please" Her desperate voice pulls something inside of me that leaves me on edge.

Lucy rolls her eyes but allows Sunniva to guide her through the dance floor where I lose sight of them.

"Did that ginger look like Knives to you?" Christy's words make me go stiff and I see the speculation on her face.

"No." I say firmly

"You drunk or something? C'mon Christy it's not even 12 yet." Marc jokes, helping me out and I see Christy laugh at him and dismissing her statement.

Leaving them I walk towards the club entrance. Beside the bouncer's counter I see two figures hunched in front of the light of a cellphone screen.

"1 minute." Lucy huffs, rubbing her bare arms for heat then brings Sunniva into her side to do the same.

"You guys need a ride?" I speak before I think for the second time tonight.

Their bodies jump in fright, their faces too but then I see Sunniva's eyes settle on mine and quickly avert it to the ground beneath us. I begin to move to remove my jacket when Lucy stops me in my tracks.

"What the fuck is your problem, asshole?" She shoots at me.

"I'm just asking if you guys are good for a ride?"

"Oh how sweet you're just asking if we're good for a ride.” Lucy clutches her chest and smiles mockingly, "After you chased us out the club." she throws her hands in the air dramatically. I look at Sunniva and notice how uncomfortable she is, eyes bouncing between her friend and I.

"I didn't... you guys shouldn't be her-"

"Oh well then please, sir map out the areas you allow." Lucy sarcastically quips, "But unfortunately we've already agreed to a lease in Dolton center which as I recall was also off limits for the King of Finridge apparently."

I look at Sunniva to see her eyes glistening and I move closer "You moved to Dolt-"

"Fuck off and leave us the hell alone!" Lucy interrupts me again and pulls Sunniva to her side as a black car pulls up along the side walk.

Lucy checks her phone a few times and pulls Sunniva with her on her way to the car. I watch with what feels like jab to the gut as Sunniva's sad eyes turn away from me. Lucy opens the car door for her and she gets in and before Lucy closes the door she sends me a parting glare.

I do another shot hoping it'll clear the image of Sunniva's sad eyes from my brain but it just merges all the memories of every time she's ever looked at me like that together until I'm another four shots deep and now all I see are her big brown eyes and her big round tits.

Fuck me.

"Okay." A voice speaks beside me and I turn to see a blonde with tattoos.

"Carter." I remember.

"Cooper." I guess I don't.

"You following me?" I ask the girl who's eyes trace my tattoos.

"And what if I was?" She sassily remarks and bites her finger between her teeth. I catch her gaze and take the win I'm being offered by the gods.

"Follow me then." I say, grabbing her hand.

In my blurry vision I manage to part the crowd and make my way up the stairs and once on the second floor I pass VIP through the door between the couches.

Sunset was a strip joint before my brother got it remodeled but there's a section at the back that used to be private rooms for guys looking for something different and although these rooms are unknown to most they're still unlocked.

Opening a door I switch on the light and see the flashes of red and white illuminating on Chloe's porcelain skin.

I move to lift her up and slam her body against the door. I wait, watching her lustfully drag her eyes from my scarred eyebrow to my lips and she leans in to kiss me. My hands roam her body and I lift her so her legs wrap around me.

My tongue makes its way into her mouth and my gripping hand makes its way under her skirt as I move us to the flat couch in the middle of the room.

She falls beneath me and moves to take off her top, breaking the kiss and my hands lift my T-shirt. When it's gone I move to remove her skirt but she shoves my hands away and I lift them up in surrender. She smiles and crawls below me on the floor while tugging on my jeans. She moans and it's so different to what I imagine Sunny would sound like that I'm instantly pulled out of this moment and I pull her head away from me. She reaches for me again but I grab her hands.

"What's wrong?" Chloe's voice asks frantically and I bring my lips to her hands and place a chaste kiss on them.

"I can't right now." I sigh, reaching for my briefs and jeans.

By the time I put my T-shirt back on she's out of the room and I go downstairs again in search of whichever one of my friends stole my keys.

I snatch the keys dangling from Marc's jacket but he catches my wrist in the process.

"No fucking way.” He laughs and reaches for Eddie who’s hunched over a brunette, "Let's go." he says.

"Wait a minute you guys have to meet Rasleen." Eddie says, smirking at the girl but Marc only rolls his eyes in annoyance.

I block out most of their conversation until Marc says we're heading out.

I'm in the backseat being tortured by the sound of Eddie singing along to Phil Collins until Marc gets as pissed as me and turns the dial.

"Hater." Eddie says under his breath and they begin arguing again.

My thoughts take me back to an image of Sunny's face and her tits and as if Divine, Marc suddenly goes fast over a speed bump and head hits the window.

I shouldn't be thinking about her like that anyway. Especially with the way she looked at me tonight. Her sad eyes.

And we're right fucking back

"Here." Marc announces and I turn to see we're at Luther's.

I get out and try to keep from falling while I lean over to get the spare key from under one of the cobble stones.

As I move to unlock the door I hear Marc honking "I'll return your car in the morning." He shouts out the window and I'm sure I'll get an earful about the noise when I get inside.

I raise my thumb in acknowledgment and continue unlocking the door before making my way inside, careful to miss the porcelain dog figurine Linda used to love. I make my way to the only couch not covered in plastic and I pass out.