Embracing Trouble (Trouble Series) (34 page)

My phone vibrated in my jeans and I pulled it out. Tyler.

I groaned softly and contemplated whether to answer it or not. He wasn’t meant to be a part of this night, but I felt guilty as I looked down at his name. With resignation, I leaned against the sink and put the phone to my ear.

“Hey.”

“Oh, hey, we’ll be going past HiFi soon. Thought I’d see if you needed a lift home.”

I closed my eyes at his thoughtful but annoying attempt at keeping me away from Zac.

“I’m okay. I’ll go home with Janey as planned.”

“Maybe we’ll come in and have a drink with you guys.”

I mouthed a swear word and rolled my eyes.

“It’s sold out.”

“I’ll ask at the door.”

The restroom door swung open and Janey stomped in, the music blaring into the quiet space.

“You okay?”

I nodded with the phone in my hand and then ended the call.

“It’s fucking nuts out there! You’re missing out in here!” she said leaning in to grab my hand and pulling me back out.

The crowd seemed even wilder and as she pulled me back in, I remembered Zac’s warning of no moshing. Where was he? Was he still in the mosh pit? Would Tyler manage to get in? Janey pulled me in further and I gritted my teeth and pushed my way in.

Zac

I pushed my way out of the crowd and scanned the club for Ava, tension making me climb up near the speakers to get a proper view. Part of me hoped she had gone home, because she was just too much of a temptation. I only had so much self-control left before I took everything that I wanted.

I scanned the crowd hoping to god that she hadn’t gone back into the mosh, knowing I would break every limb of anyone who touched her in there. I looked back to the bar and paused at the sight of Tyler standing there with two friends. What the hell was he doing here? He was obviously checking up on what he thought belonged to him. I wanted to suddenly set him straight. Tyler hadn’t seen me yet, and I could tell he was looking around for her as his friends looked around. They were trying their hardest not to look uncomfortable.

Tyler’s stance changed and he said something to his friend and pointed. I looked over to where he was pointing and saw Ava and Janey climbing up on the other side of the room. They were both laughing and moving fast to the kick drums with their arms up in the air. I stopped breathing for a moment as I watched her laugh and shake her head with the music. She was fucking beautiful.

Tyler moved closer, waving his arms at her, but she was too engrossed in the band to see him. I watched her flick her hair back and sing along to the chorus with her hands up in the air doing the devil sign.

The thought of her listening to Academy and learning the words made me happy. I watched her tight T-shirt ride up as she lifted her arms to show her flat tanned stomach. I felt like going over and claiming her right then. She would always be mine. What the fuck had I been thinking?

So I wasn’t up to standard and didn’t fit the ideal mold, but I would love her like my life depended on it. Wasn’t that enough? Fuck, did I just say
love
? No way.

I looked back over to Tyler, knowing pretty boy would love her and be more than enough. The panic on Tyler’s face registered with me and I glanced back over at Ava.

Before I knew it, Janey had taken Ava’s hand and climbed up a little further against the speakers. I knew instantly that they were planning to jump and crowd surf. Ava had a wickedness in her eyes that no one would be able to control. I didn’t panic. I watched instead, completely smitten with my wild cat.

They both then jumped into the sea of bodies as hands reached up from everywhere to move them across the crowd. I didn’t want to focus on the hands going for free grabs, but I was relieved to see Noah in the center, helping her across. I turned and saw Tyler almost bursting a blood vessel. I looked on, highly amused. She was hard core and there was nothing pretty boy could do about it.

Ava

I could see security were at the front of the stage, pulling the crowd surfers over the barrier as I moved across, a hundred hands on me. I looked up at the ceiling and laughed. I had done it and it had felt amazing. The crowd was one big heaving mass of hands that threw me around and I felt excited and alive.

I got to the front and Noah was there, grabbing me before security could get at me. He pulled me down at the front and protected me from the mosh by pulling me against him. His body was a barrier to the worst of it, and I could see Will doing the same for Janey. I caught Janey’s attention for a second and laughed in excitement. She cheered before we were shoved further away from each other.

I held onto Noah’s arms that were across me to steady myself as we were pushed and shoved every which way. The band wanted more from the crowd and enticed more energy and screaming from everyone by playing a favorite. I screamed along with everyone else and threw my hands up in the air, letting out all of my frustrations. Knowing I was safe in Noah’s arms, I planned to enjoy the rest of the set.

As the band left the stage later that night, the crowd slowly started to disperse. I saw clothes and odd shoes on the dirty floor. I slowly unstuck my sweaty self from Noah and burst out laughing at the grossness of it all. He was already soaked, so he didn’t appear to mind in the slightest.

“Thanks for looking after me,” I said suddenly hugging him.

He laughed and said, “Anytime! Let’s get you a drink.”

He took my hand and pulled me through the moving crowd in the direction of the bar. I felt hot and sweaty and thoroughly happy. I had survived a hard core mosh pit.

I saw Zac first and gave him the devil sign as I stuck my tongue out. He shook his head and actually chuckled in amusement. I laughed happily, wanting to go to him and kiss him senseless.

Noah stopped suddenly and I bumped into him as I felt him squeeze my hand. I locked eyes on Tyler who was standing at the bar with Sam and his friend, Jason. He looked furious.

“For fuck’s sake,” I breathed as Noah let my hand go.

I slowly made my way over to Tyler, shoving my wet hair back.

“What are you doing, Ava?” he asked as I reached him. “You could have killed yourself in there.”

“Noah protected me,” I said with a dry mouth. “I need a drink.”

I turned to the bar and a bottle of water appeared in front of me. I turned to see Zac behind me and I put it to my lips gratefully.

“Tyler,” said Zac arrogantly.

“Zac,” he replied with a sharp nod.

Zac gave a slightly smug smile as he moved away, feigning disinterest and striking up a conversation with one of their friends further down.

“Are you coming home with me?” asked Tyler quietly so only I could hear.

I shook my head no.

“I’m with Janey tonight, Ty. I told you that.”

“Doesn’t look like you’re with Janey at all,” he responded with an angry stare.

I rolled my eyes and challenged him, “What’s that supposed to mean? Geez, Tyler, I’m on a night out with a girlfriend, having fun.”

“I can see that,” he said annoyed.

“So go and enjoy your boys’ night while I continue mine.”

Tyler groaned in frustration.

“You’re killing me here, Ava. I’ve never had to plead for a girl to be with me, and I don’t like this shit between us.”

“There’s no shit,” I said annoyed. “I’m just out enjoying my night. I shouldn’t have to answer to you all the time!”

“Well, if we’re in a relationship, we need to answer to each other,” he spouted, angrily.

“We’re not in that sort of relationship,” I said.

He cocked his eyebrow.

“Really? So you’re back to toying with me as friends? Is that it?”

“Oh, Tyler,” I said running my hand through my hair in frustration.

“Forget it,” he said turning and storming off as he left the club.

Sam gave me a dirty look and followed him with Jason.

I raised my eyes to the ceiling in frustration. I knew I was being horrible, but he had to let me breathe. He had to let me see what would happen with Zac. I twisted my hair and lifted it up at the back to get some air on my sweaty neck.

“Problems?”

I turned to Janey and sipped my water.

“Yeah.”

She splashed some water from her own bottle at me and I gasped in surprise. She laughed as I tried to splash her back and then she ran off. I ran after her laughing, my tension forgotten. I grabbed her near the stage and tried to splash her again as she squealed. Then she was laughing and throwing her arms around me.

“Love ya, Ava,” she said hugging me tight.

“Love ya, too,” I said happily.

Zac

I watched her laugh with Janey and smirked to myself. Sipping my drink, I looked her over, from the blackness of her hair to the tight jeans that made me want to take her somewhere private.

“Trouble, Zac man,” warned Will from the bar.

I looked over and saw Tyler storming back into the club. I watched him head towards me, looking pissed. I stood casually, not in the least concerned about his anger. I knew I’d be able to take him down with one punch.

“You can’t keep doing this,” said Tyler as he reached me.

“Doing what exactly?” I asked with a dark look.

“You gave her up and she’s mine now.”

“She’ll never be yours,” I answered, with a smirk, my eyes turning to cold steel.

“She has been mine during the last two months,” said Tyler with a clenched jaw. “In every way.”

I stepped closer to him.

“She’ll still never be yours.”

Tyler looked furious and clenched his fists.

“It must be so fucking shit to know that when she’s with you, she’s thinking of me,” I taunted him with a dead calm.

Tyler stepped closer and anger appeared to make his entire body rigid.

“Hey, pretty boy, time for you to go home,” interjected Will.

I stared into Tyler’s eyes, daring him.

“Do it,” I provoked evenly. “Throw the first punch. I’ll end you,” I growled softly.

Tyler didn’t move.

“Just stay away from her,” he gritted out.

“She’s a big girl. She can do what she likes,” I replied, my focus not wavering from him.

Ava

I laughed with Janey and looked back to see Zac and Tyler face to face. Blood drained from my face, knowing Zac had the ability to kill him.

“No!” I shouted as I ran over to them.

I tried to pull Tyler away, but he refused to budge. He stared at Zac with an evil intensity.

“Tyler! Stop!” I said, and wedged my way between them. I tried to shove Tyler back. “Enough!”

Tyler broke eye contact with Zac and looked down at me. I saw the anger and hurt in his eyes, and I felt utter anguish in my stomach. I had done this.

“Don’t fight him,” I said emotionally. “Okay? I’ll come home with you.”

Tyler glared down at me.

“Let’s go,” I pleaded.

I couldn’t handle Tyler being beaten up over me, and I knew that’s what would happen. The three of them didn’t stand a chance against Zac, let alone Will and Noah as well.

Still seething, he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the entrance. He was rushing now, like he knew that if I looked back at Zac that I just might change my mind.

“Go home where you belong, pretty boy,” said a voice which I was sure was Will’s.

They all chuckled at the bar and Tyler stopped and clenched my hand harder.

“Just go,” I said to him under my breath.

“Fuck this,” said Sam pushing past me and going back over to him.

“No, Sam, don’t!” I said following him.

Will strode over with a smirk on his face. He was just waiting for a reason to fight.

“You got something to say?”

“How about you shut the fuck up?” said Sam.

“Sam, stop!” I shouted grabbing his arm.

Not taking his eyes off Will, he shoved me away angrily. I lost my balance and fell to the floor with a thud.

Zac came out of nowhere and was suddenly on top of Sam on the floor, holding him by the neck.

“Don’t you fucking touch her,” he snarled, holding him down.

Sam struggled with his arms and gasped for breath.

“Zac, don’t,” I pleaded as Janey helped me up from the floor. “Please. Don’t.”

“Get off him!” shouted Tyler coming towards them.

Will was suddenly there, shoving him back.

“Zac, please,” I pleaded again with tears in my eyes. “Let him go.”

Zac paused, obviously hearing the emotion in my voice. He held for a little more and then suddenly released the grip on his neck and climbed off him. He grabbed him by the collar and shoved him up to a standing position like he weighed nothing.

“You just got lucky. Touch her again like that and I will end you,” he growled.

Sam was shoved back and he coughed and spluttered as Jason pulled him away outside.

I sobbed softly as I looked at Zac, the muscles in his back rigid with tension. He wasn’t looking at me, but I could see his fists were still clenched. He had heard me through his anger and had done what I had requested.

“I’m so sorry,” I gasped softly, feeling so ashamed that this was all because of me.

He didn’t turn around.

Tyler held his hand out to me, his eyes asking me to go with him. This was all my fault and I owed him at least that.

“Go,” whispered Janey. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

I stepped over to Tyler and he took my hand as we silently stepped outside with the other guys and then looked for a taxi. I felt numb and still a little crazy from the emotional night. Sam didn’t look in my direction, knowing he blamed me for everything. I know they disapproved of what I was doing to Tyler and I needed to have a talk with him. I had to be honest with him. He deserved that, at least.

As he dropped me off at home that night, he kept the taxi waiting as he walked me to the door. He hadn’t said a word to me since we had left the club.

I pulled my key out from my pocket and went to unlock the front door. My back was to him.