“A fake tattoo?”
“Yeah. What if it’s not real? A way to hide his identity in case he was spotted by someone. If it’s fake, he could just take it off and no one would be able to tie them to the crime.” My words are shaky as the lie rolls off my tongue. Not the best lie, but it’s the best I could come up with within seconds.
They both look at me like I have two heads, but I can see them contemplating my words. Without being able to see any key features, a tattoo won’t be enough evidence to find the guy.
I could fucking kill that asshole right now. I specifically told him to make sure that none of his fucking tattoos where visible in any way. Why wasn’t he wearing any gloves or anything?
The three of us go back and forth for a while, arguing about the tattoo. I try to move on to a different topic several times, but each time they circle back to that detail. The discussion goes nowhere. Without any idea whose tattoo it is or if it is real or not, there isn’t anything the two of them can do about it.
Now, I just need to keep them away from that prospect or keep his tattoo hidden from them when he is around. Just more work for me to hide this secret that I didn’t even consider when I came up with this ridiculous plan. Fuck. I wish I had thought about this more before being an idiot.
The sun starts to go down, and we haven’t moved from Zeus’s desk for hours. There wasn’t anything else on the footage that could prove who the guy was, which was a relief to me.
We have spent the last fifteen minutes watching the girls hanging out in Serena’s room. Naomi brought up the idea of going to a club in Richmond tonight. Evie and Grace immediately agreed to it. Serena looked excited but a little apprehensive about it.
Evie finally convinced her to go when she reminded Serena that she could always invite Dante out too. Serena laughed, told her no, and that she would want to have a girls’ night.
We all sighed with relief when Serena turned down the idea of Dante going with them. We may not think he is behind this anymore, but I still want to keep her as far away from him as possible. I don’t trust him, and nothing he says or does will change my mind.
We turned the cameras off as the girls started getting changed into dresses or whatever they planned on wearing. As much as we wanted to see Serena naked, none of us were interested in invading her friend’s privacy.
Thirty minutes later, Zeus turned the cameras back on, showing the girls dressed and doing their hair and makeup.
I don’t pay attention to her friends, my eyes only focusing on the girl who has stolen all my attention from the second I saw her. Serena is always beautiful, no matter what she is wearing, but tonight she looks absolutely breathtaking. She is wearing a black lace cropped camisole, a black split hem skirt, black boots, and her leather jacket. Making her look like a sexy dark angel.
My dark angel.
I tuned the girls out as they excitedly yapped about whatever it is girls yap about, until I finally heard the name of the club they are going to, Midnight. The fucking club owned by the Shadow Brotherhood.
We would never be allowed in there, but there is also no way that we are letting our girl in without us. I have heard the rumors about that place. It may look like a club, and it is, but in the basement a lot of illegal shit happens. Mainly, the underground fighting ring or the sex club.
The guys and I quickly changed into some clothes a little more appropriate for the club. Each of us is wearing black jeans and combat boots. Odin put on a white button-down and a leather Jacket. Zeus in a grey Henley. Lastly, I am wearing a black t-shirt, wanting to match my dark angel.
We wait for the girls to leave before heading outside ourselves. We can’t take our bikes, wanting to blend in. Instead, we walk over to Zeus’s house. He opens the garage, showing off his other baby, a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner that used to belong to Pops. He and Zeus would work on it together all the time while we were growing up. Everything Zeus learnt about cars came from Pops. Before he died, he gifted the car to Zeus, knowing that he would be the only one to take care of it properly.
Not that Odin or I mind. We all use the car when it is needed -not that often- but it’s under Zeus’s name. It meant something to him and Pops, and we all agreed that he deserved it more than we. Zeus turns the key in the ignition. The loud rumble of the 535 Hemi motor brings the car to life. Zeus shifts the car into drive, and we head out towards Richmond.
Zeus pulls his car in front of Midnight and hands his keys to the valet. We look around, expecting to find Serena and her friends waiting in line, but they are nowhere to be seen. They must already be inside.
I tap the guys on the shoulder and nod my head towards the bouncer. I don’t wait in lines. They nod their heads, and we walk over. I slip the bouncer a hundred-dollar bill, earning a smile from him, and he opens the door.
The music hits me first. I don’t recognize the techno song, but it has everyone dancing. The place is so dark, you can’t see anything except for the bar off to one side and the dance floor bathed in strobe lights. I look around, hoping to catch a sight of Serena, but I can barely see anything. A growl of frustration builds in the back of my throat.
I glance over at the guys. Both are scanning the area, hoping to spot Serena anywhere, without any luck. I slap their chests, getting them to look at me. I nod in three different directions, letting them know to split up and find her. They each nod in understanding before the three of us break apart and search for her.
Odin walks to the left towards the bar area. Zeus goes right towards the booths and other seating. I walk straight into the crowd of drunk people, gyrating on each other.
People push against me as I push through them. I don’t think people here know me as well as they do in Fallingbrook, but I can see some recognition in their eyes.
I may not have power in the city, but people can sense it from me. I used to relish in the admiration and the way people would fall at my feet if I asked, but not lately. Now, the only girl I want to notice me does, but at the same time doesn’t.
A drunk girl plasters herself to my side, saying something I can’t hear over the music. As I look down at her, I feel nothing but sadness for her. She is pretty. Shoulder-length dark brown hair. Hazel eyes. Nice curves. But she doesn’t do it for me. I will give her credit for being brave enough to come up to me. Too bad for her, nothing will ever happen.
I try to politely ungrasp her acrylic nails from my shirt, much to her dismay. Eventually, she lets go and moves on to someone else.
I keep pushing through the crowd, finally finding my target. Serena is at the back of the dancefloor with her friends. Serena and Evie are dancing together, laughing and just having fun together. She looks so happy. Her smile is bright and infectious. It even brings a smile to my crusty face.
Grace and Naomi’s hands are all over each other as they dance so close together you wouldn’t be able to fit a piece of paper between them. I can see them whispering and kissing each other.
