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  Based on the outer appearance of just a metal rectangular shaped warehouse, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when we went inside, but surprisingly, the dimly lit space looked like what I assumed a regular club would look like. Bars lined the two walls to my left and right; a good-sized stage was centered against the back wall; the main area was filled with tables and chairs with the exception of the small open space directly in front of the stage that was currently being used as a dance floor; there was a door leading to what looked like a hallway on one side of the room; and there were several pool tables set off to the other side. The place was pretty full, all of the pool tables were in use and there were only one or two open bar tables.

  Before I had an opportunity to look around anymore, Mina grabbed mine and Evie’s hands and drug us off toward a group of people seated at some tables that had been pushed together. People stopped to look at the three of us as we made our way across the room, it was impossible not to notice. I thought we may have resembled Charlie’s Angels—the striking blonde, the bad-ass Asian, and the mysterious brunette. Even though I wasn’t really mysterious at all, it was the best I could come up with for myself . . . the ‘boring brunette’ just didn’t have the same ring.

  As soon as we reached the table, Mina jumped in the lap of who I assumed was Noah and started making out with him wildly. The whole table cheered at them which caused Mina to start laughing and break the kiss. She then introduced us to Noah, who was just as nice as he was good-looking.

  “It’s so nice to meet you both,” he said as he shook both my and Evie’s hands. He then looked over at Mina and told her, “I’m not sure I’m going to approve of you hanging out with the likes of these two ladies. The three of you beautiful women together will be nothing but trouble.”

  “You know I don’t need any help finding trouble. I found you didn’t I?” she teased while kissing his neck.

  Noah laughed and moved her mouth to his. “Yes, you did, you naughty girl,” he said against her lips.

  Seeing the two of them together made me so hopeful, yet so envious too. I could see how much they truly enjoyed being with one another, they were adorable together.

  “Hey Mina, are you going to introduce your friends to the rest of us?” one of the other guys at the table called out. “I’m sure they didn’t come with you to watch you and funny boy there kiss and make goo-goo eyes all night.”

  “Oh, right! Sorry guys,” she said as she jumped off Noah’s lap. She then walked us around the table introducing us to the rest of the Noah’s bandmates and friends. However after the first or second introduction, I stopped processing the names and faces because I caught sight of the lead singer of the band that was currently on stage. In the excitement of our arrival, I had barely noticed the band on the stage and the group of people gathered in front of them as well as the loud music that filled the room, but my brain had been on such a sensory overload, I had failed to notice just how incredibly hot the front man was. I somehow made my way around the table, I think I had met a Max, a Seth, and a Justin, but I couldn’t be sure about those and had no clue on the rest. Several of them had girls in their laps or by their sides and I didn’t remember any of their names either.

  When we got back to where Noah was sitting, he had beers and stools waiting for us and he explained to us the setup for the night. This was only 32 Leaves’ fourth time playing here, but Noah explained it was quickly becoming one of their preferred spots because of the older crowd and the overall chillness of the place.

  I tried very hard to pay attention to the conversation that was going on around me but I kept finding my attention and eyes tuned in on the guy holding the microphone. I was awestruck. He was tall, probably six-five or six-six, and his defined muscles were on display via the sopping wet black t-shirt that was plastered to his chest. His dark hair was shaved close to his head and tattoos covered both arms and crawled up the front and back of his neck. Small piercings in each nipple were also evident through the thin cotton shirt that clung to him.

  Mina leaned over close to my ear and said, “He’s pretty amazing, huh.” It was more a statement of fact than a question and I nodded without breaking my focus.

  “I think I’m in love,” I murmured only loud enough for her to hear.

  “You, me, and every other girl in here,” she chuckled.

  And at that moment, as if he heard our conversation over the loud music and across the crowded room, he turned in our direction, locked his eyes with mine and flashed me a wicked grin. Instantly, I looked away, mortified that he had caught me staring at him.

  A few moments later Mina said, “He’s still looking at you, ya know?” I shook my head no and kept my gaze on my drink that sat on the table in front of me.

  “I’m sure he’s looking at someone else,” I replied .

  She just shook her head at me and laughed. “Ok-ay, well in case it was you that he was eyeing and you end up talking to him later, I’ll tell you what I know about him. His name is Mason but everyone calls him Rat.” She made an ugly face when she said the nickname which mirrored my thoughts exactly. “His brother owns this place and he’s basically treated like a rock God around here. When their band, Jobu’s Rum, isn’t playing, him and his boys sit at those reserved tables over there, and there’s always a herd of groupies surrounding them.” Mina motioned her head toward a collection of tables that were positioned perfectly in between the bar and the pool tables and that also had an unobstructed view of the stage.

  “I came here a handful of times with my brother before Noah and the guys got this gig, so I’ve been here maybe ten times or so and he’s always here, always with a different girl, sometimes more than one in the same night,” she continued. “Not that I can blame him though, if I looked and sounded like he did, I would probably be a male whore as well.”

  Learning that the Mason guy was one that got around was not a surprise in the least. Like Mina had said, with his looks and voice, I’m sure naked women were lined up for his disposal around the clock. I turned to say something to Evie, but she had moved around the table and was engaged in a cozy conversation with one of the other members of 32 Leaves, Max was it?

  The room got a bit quieter and I noticed that Mason (I refused to refer to anyone as Rat) and Jobu’s Rum had finished playing and there were some workers taking down the instruments. I then glanced over to the tables that Mina had pointed out, and I was disappointed to find that they were still empty. Feeling silly for actually looking around for a guy, I decided to do an inventory of the people in the pool area, maybe finding some other possibilities for the BB challenge. And it was then that I saw him.

  Ash and a group of five others, what appeared to be three couples, were stationed at a pool table up against the far wall. The other two couples appeared to be shooting a game of doubles while Ash sat on a barstool next to a cocktail table. A blonde girl, big surprise there, stood between his legs so that I could only see her back. Not long after I noticed them, they started making out. I had a straight shot view of his one hand buried in her long straight hair while the other caressed her back and ass. It was like a car wreck for me, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away. My stomach felt as if a brick had just been dropped inside it and my mouth was free of moisture. Even after they broke the kiss and she turned around to lean her back up against his chest, seeing him tenderly stroke her arm and bury his nose in her hair made me sick. I didn’t quite understand why I was freaking out so bad seeing Ash with another girl. First of all, it wasn’t like I had any claim on him. I knew he dated and slept with lots of girls, all the time. Second, I saw him every Saturday evening with a different chick and not only was I obviously okay with it, but I would then crawl in bed with him hours later. Maybe that was it. Maybe because on Saturday nights I knew that I was ultimately the one that was going to be sleeping in his bed, it didn’t bother me so much. Or maybe on Saturday nights because I knew what to expect, I had a chance to prepare for it.

  No matter what the reas
on was, the fact remained that I was overwhelmingly jealous when I had no right to be, and I was quite irritated that he was ruining my night. A night that was supposed to be free of Ash and Dylan. The longer I watched Ash and his date together, the more I thought I was going to vomit. I needed a change of scenery and a drink pronto.

  “Do you want to go to the bar with me to get another drink? I don’t feel like waiting for the server to come back around,” I asked Mina suddenly as I jumped off my stool.

  Instead of looking directly at me, she looked over my shoulder and said, “I think you may have company.” A sly smile spread across her face. Afraid of who or what I was going to find, I spun around and saw the guy from the band headed my way.

  He was even more gorgeous up close and personal than he appeared up on stage, if that was even possible. Unable to see his eyes from afar, I was then able to see the unusual steel gray color and his eyelashes that were so thick and long, it almost appeared as if he wore eyeliner and mascara. His facial features were strong and masculine, a chiseled jaw line and defined high cheek bones. He had a small lip ring on his lower right lip that I instantly wanted to reach out and touch. He had changed shirts to a solid red t-shirt so that he was no longer wearing wet, sweaty clothes and he smelled like he was fresh from the shower. Throw in the vibrant, colorful tattoos that covered a good part of his upper body and voila, my dream bad boy rocker had come to life before my eyes.

  “Hey, I’m Mason, but most people call me Rat,” he smiled and stuck his hand out to greet me. He carried himself with an aura that exuded confidence and sex. He was used to being the center of attention and had probably never been denied by a female in his life. I knew that his arrogance should have turned me off and made me run the other way, but there was something about his cockiness that I found irresistible, and his drop dead good looks didn’t hurt either.

  “Hi, I’m Scarlett,” I introduced myself and shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mason.”

  “I overheard you saying that you were headed to get a drink as I walked up. Would you be interested in joining me for one at my table?” he asked pointing to the area where his friends sat.

  I looked around for Evie who was watching my exchange with Mason from the lap of her newly chosen BB. I lifted my eyebrows at her and tilted my head toward the area where Mason’s tables were. She nodded her head understanding the message I was trying to relay. I turned back toward Mason and grabbed my purse off the table, “I’d love to.” I tried to keep my facial expressions and body movements in check as if I did this kind of thing all the time, but inside it was like fireworks were going off. I was overflowing with excitement and anticipation and I couldn’t wait to see Ash’s reaction to me sitting with Mason at his table.

  The daggered looks that were shot my way from nearly every other female in the warehouse as I walked across the room hand in hand with Mason didn’t end when we reached his bandmates and friends. We walked around the tables and I was introduced to the other members of Jobu’s Rum—Cruz, Aaron, and Sebastian. Mason dismissed several girls that were hanging around his stool. He slid up onto it and instead of pulling an additional one up for me, he positioned us as many couples throughout the warehouse were, with me on his lap.

  It felt a little weird to be honest. I had just met this guy and I was perched on his lap like we had known each other for a while. Well at least more than five minutes. We hadn’t said much to each other except our names and to determine that I wanted something to drink, but something about being with Mason felt so natural. He had no reservations about touching me in front of everyone; it was never in a disrespectful way but he had his hands on some part of my body at all times, unless they were occupied with his beer. Being with him also made me feel so bad and I found that I loved the adrenaline rush.

  Once we were comfortably settled with our drinks and before saying another word, Mason grabbed both sides of my face in his hands, looked into my eyes, and pulled my mouth to his. The kiss was much softer and gentler than I had expected. His lips felt like silk up against mine and his tongue teased ever so lightly as he traced my lips, requesting entrance to my mouth. I involuntarily groaned and my lips parted allowing him easy access to my complete seduction. I could feel the metal ring on his bottom lip pressed against mine and I couldn’t help but run my tongue over it. The guy oozed with pure, unadulterated sex. I was so out of my league.

  He moved his hands down to my neck and broke the kiss, but kept his face close enough that his nose was nearly touching mine. “Why did you look away from me earlier?” he asked.

  “I don’t know, I guess I was embarrassed that you caught me watching you,” I admitted shyly.

  “Embarrassed, huh?” He kissed me again and laughed softly against my mouth. “That’s a new one.”

  “What do you mean?” I pulled back from him just a little bit more so that I could get a better read on his eyes. My heart was pounding erratically in my chest and I felt a warm tingle throughout my body. My brain had turned to mush some time ago and I was having trouble processing and understanding the events of the last hour. I wasn’t sure of much, but there were a few things that I knew—1.) Ash was somewhere in the warehouse on a date with another girl; 2.) Dylan was not anywhere near this place, but for all I knew he could be making out with some bimbo himself because somehow I had become his Saturday-only girl; and 3.) I was sitting in the lap of a sexy ass local rock star that wanted to spend time with me and make me feel good, which in turn should’ve helped me to forget about #1 and #2.

  Mason leaned back in toward me, resting his forehead on mine. My hair fanned around us, forming a shield of sorts, blocking us from those around us. “Most girls, Scarlett, are dying for me to pay attention to them. They want me to catch them staring at me. And once I do glance their way, they usually do any stupid thing they can think of that they think will attract or seduce me. They don’t look away and try to pretend that I don’t exist.”

  “Well, I’m not most girls,” I whispered. It wasn’t meant to sound seductive, but in the low, throaty voice that it came out in, it did just that.

  “That’s exactly what I’m afraid of,” Mason replied and then claimed my mouth with his once again, with much more force than before. It surprised me how much I liked his roughness as he pressed his lips firmly against mine and his tongue explored my mouth thoroughly. We heard hoots and hollers from others around the table along with several “Get a room, Rat boy!” shouts. Mason and I both started laughing and broke apart to turn and face the others around the table. He gave his friends shit and teased them right back while I sat in his lap enjoying myself immensely. The only thing that I didn’t like was everyone calling him ‘Rat.’ I just couldn’t get used to that. It was one of the worst nicknames. Ever.

  My eyes wandered over to where Ash and his friends had been and I saw that he had noticed my presence. He looked pissed as he stood next to the pool table, arms crossed over his chest, glaring at me and Mason. I had no idea how long he had been watching me but by the look on his face, long enough to see our last kiss. I flashed him a huge smile and gave a quick nod of the head as to say hi. He frowned and turned his back toward me. His reaction delighted me on so many immature levels.

  Thinking of how I could make Ash even more jealous and bitter, I asked Mason how long of a break he had before he had to get ready for his next set. When he answered nearly two hours, I mustered up all of my inner-courage and asked him if there was somewhere we could go that was more private.

  He nodded. “Yeah, are you sure?”

  “Do you typically ask girls if they are sure when they ask to go somewhere more private with you?” I teased him, running my fingers in his buzzed hair. “Should I rethink this?”

  He worked his way down my face with kisses, first my forehead and then my nose and then my mouth. “Well, no, but we’ve already established you aren’t the norm, remember?” He lightly kissed my mouth again. “I don’t know what it is about you, but there’s something differ
ent for sure, and I’m going to have to keep you around until I figure it out.” He lifted me by the waist and set my feet on the ground so that I was standing in front of him. He then turned me so that we were facing one another and pulled my body up taut against his, his arms wrapped around my waist.

  I kissed his shoulder and then made my way up his neck until I stopped right below his ear and whispered, “Let’s go.” And with that he stood up, grabbed my hand and pulled me across the room to the door next to the stage. I couldn’t help but look back at Ash just as I disappeared with Mason, and just as I had hoped, he eyes were still on us.

  The door opened into a well-lit hallway that led to four separate rooms. Inside the first door was an office where a dark-haired guy, who I assumed was Mason’s older brother based on their striking resemblance and what Mina had told me earlier, sat behind the desk working on his laptop. Still holding my hand, Mason stopped in the doorway and waited for his brother to look up from the screen and acknowledge our presence.

  “Hey Rat boy, what’s up? Everything okay out there?” I cringed at the nickname.

  “Yeah, yeah. Everything is fine. It’s pretty crowded but things appear to be running smoothly,” Mason answered and then looked down at me. “Marcus, this is Scarlett. Scarlett, this is my brother, Marcus,” he said and then paused for a moment so that we could both say hello to one another. “We are going to chill in the suite for a bit until I have to go back on, in case anyone is looking for me.” Marcus lifted his eyebrow in question at Mason, then he looked over at me and shrugged his shoulders.

  “I’ll text you when you’re thirty minutes out,” Marcus answered and returned his attention to the computer.