Chapter 164

Ella

“Hey! Wait!”

I hurriedly made my way through the crowd, determined to catch up with Logan. He had already disappeared into the throng of people, and the deafening heavy metal music made it hard to hear anything else.

I finally spotted him a short distance away, chatting with a group of people who looked like they were straight out of a punk rock concert. Tattoos, piercings, and edgy fashion seemed to be the norm here.

As I approached, my anxiety kicked in again. I wasn’t exactly the type to blend in with this crowd, and I felt like I had a big neon sign above my head that screamed, “I don’t belong here.”

Logan glanced in my direction and immediately broke into a grin when he saw me approaching. He stepped away from his friends and met me halfway.

“There you are,” he said, his voice barely audible over the music. “I knew you’d change your mind eventually.”

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t gonna sit in the car and wait around,” I said with a huff, folding my arms across my chest. “I felt unsafe over there, all by myself..”

Logan shot me a disbelieving look. “Is that so?” he asked with a chuckle. “Or did you just feel left out, and like you might actually want to experience something new for once?”

His words made me roll my eyes; after all, hadn’t I experienced enough by coming with him to the race for the second time? But, then again, he wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Okay, fine,” I said finally, my eyes following a pair of women walking side-by-side. They were twins; one was wearing all pink and the other was wearing all black. They looked cool. Really cool. “Maybe I was… intrigued.”

Logan grinned, putting his arm around my shoulder and pulling me close before I had a chance to resist. “That’s my girl!” he exclaimed as he ruffled my hair. “I knew you’d come around. It’s great here. Trust me, you’ll enjoy it.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I couldn’t help but blush at his words. I pushed him away and smoothed down my hair with a scowl that I didn’t really feel to my core.

“But I’m just staying for one drink,” I replied, my voice coming across as more stern than I intended as I shot him with a sideways glance. “And then I want to go home. Okay?”

Logan chuckled, his eyes glinting in the orange light of the bonfire. “Okay, deal,” he said. “Let’s get you that drink, then. Beer?”

I shrugged. “Beer is fine, I guess . Where’s the bar?”

At my words, Logan laughed again. “Oh, my pampered princess,” he said, looping his arm around my shoulders and leading me away. “This isn’t that type of party.”

He led me over to a nearby blue cooler filled with various beverages. He grabbed two beers and turned to me, holding one out. “Here is your beer, madame,” he said with a smirk. “Fresh from the… Bar de Cooler.’”

I hesitated, my eyes fixed on the unopened beer in his hand. “Logan, I don’t know where this drink came from,” I admitted, my paranoia getting the best of me. “I know better than to take random drinks from coolers.”

Logan laughed, his expression warm and reassuring. “It’s just a beer, Ella,” he said. “And it’s clearly not been opened yet. Trust me, there’s no way it’s been drugged.”

Reluctantly, I let out a soft sigh and let my shoulders sag slightly. “You’re sure about this?” I asked.

He nodded, his eyes locking with mine. The mirth and charm faded, leaving nothing but sincerity. “I promise, Ella. You’re safe with me.”

In that moment, I couldn’t say no. I could see it in his eyes, in the way his smirk faded; he was being truthful. I didn’t have anything to fear.

With a deep breath, I decided to trust him. I nodded. “Okay. I’ll have some.”

“Attagirl,” he said. He popped the top of the beer open with a bottle opener on his keychain and handed it to me. Our fingers brushed as I took the bottle, sending a brief jolt of electricity through my hand. The bottle was cold and damn, little droplets of condensation dripping down the brown glass.

“Cheers,” I said, holding the bottle up.

Logan grinned and clinked his glass against mine. “Salut.”

I took a cautious sip, the cold liquid hitting my tongue. It was cheap beer, nothing at all like the craft beer I might order at a brewery, but it tasted surprisingly good, and I felt a bit more at ease as the coldness slid down my throat.

“See, that’s not so bad, right?” Logan asked with a grin.

I rolled my eyes at him but couldn’t help but smile. “Not bad at all. But remember, just one drink.”

“I won’t forget,” he replied with an affirmative nod. “Now, let me introduce you to some of my friends. They’re dying to meet you.”

Logan guided me over to the group he had been talking to earlier. The people in the group turned to look at me, their expressions a mix of curiosity and amusement. I suddenly felt very aware of my appearance among these edgy individuals.

Logan began the introductions. “Everyone, this is Ella,” he said, his arm still around my shoulders. “Ella, meet Chris, you already know Miles, and this lovely lady is Rickie.”

I offered a shy smile and nodded in greeting, feeling a bit intimidated by the group. Rickie, in particular, caught my attention.

Rickie had short pink hair, two separate nose piercings, an eyebrow piercing, and was almost entirely covered in tattoos. She wore a white tank top and a pair of ripped jeans, a tattered flannel tied around her waist, and a pair of platform boots that made her tower over me.

“Rickie and I go way back,” Logan explained, walking over to her.

I didn’t know what to say. Logan had his arm draped around her shoulders in a friendly, close manner. She gave me a scrutinizing look that made me wonder if she was sizing me up. She slipped away from Logan and sauntered over to me, her eyes scanning me.

“Ella, huh?” she said, her voice low and sultry.

I swallowed. “That’s me,” I managed with a tense smile, feeling intimidated by this tall, tattooed woman with biceps that were almost twice the size of mine. I managed to stick my hand out, hoping that I didn’t seem too awkward. “Nice to meet you, Rickie.”

Rickie said nothing. Her eyes flickered down to my hand, then back up to me, and in that moment, I felt like a complete and utter…

Loser.

“She seems mean,” Ema growled, recoiling as I pulled my hand back.

“Yeah, I’ll say—” I started to respond. But then it happened.

Rickie stepped forward, her scowl turning into the biggest, brightest smile I’ve ever seen. And then, suddenly, I was enveloped in those tattooed arms and pulled into a warm, comforting hug. My breath was taken away, my eyes widening in shock.

“It’s nice to meet you, Ella. I’m glad to finally meet the woman who Logan can’t stop talking about.”