Crash and Burn (1)

don't worry, i'm going to kill him

**I'm so so so so so sorry about my drunk post yesterday. It was...unplanned. I mean, what does it say about a person when instead of drunk texting or calling an ex, they go and drunk post a chapter on Wattpad? 😂😂

♚ ♛

"YOU ARE THE PREDATOR now."

I am the predator.

"They're not chasing you anymore. You're chasing them."

I'm chasing them.

Breathe.

I closed my eyes briefly before I heard Soren's voice again.

"You need to pay attention in there."

He seemed to be on a loop inside my head, his words and touches guiding me. Placing my forearms on the bar, I tried to brush my hair down over my face.

I hadn't openly sat at a bar in over 7 months. There was something about it that was exhilarating. I could almost taste freedom, but I knew I was potentially closer to death.

"Listen to what they're saying, watch what they're doing."

Snapped back into reality by Soren's ghostly reminder, I glanced over my shoulder.

"Give him something to watch."

Something to watch.

Seth had always hated when I went to bars. He'd always hated when I was surrounded by men. I could give him something to watch.

A thick smoke seemed to coat the sultry red tone that decorated the barstools and booths of the entire bar. It made everything feel hazy, including my thoughts.

"You are the predator now."

Narrowing my eyes, they glazed over the crowd of people conversing. In casual attire and various skin tones, the men outweighed the women by too many. It made me nervous.

Heat rolled through me when I felt someone's eyes on my back. Turning swiftly on the barstool, a squeak sounded, making me wince. But I couldn't think about it when I came face to face with dark brown eyes and a sweet smile.

"You looking for a drink?" His voice was like honey, long and low and smooth.

With a tan complexion and scattered freckles, the bartender gave me a dimpled grin that almost made my heart stop. He had a friendly air to his demeanor, the way he was slightly leaning over the bar and the way his eyes were twinkling with amusement. An aura that Raine probably would've loved.

Looking into those dark eyes, I knew that I'd much rather have Soren glaring at me.

And that scared me.

Lately, friendly didn't do it for me.

"I'm looking for someone to buy me a drink," I tried to purr confidently, hoping he'd get the message. I definitely needed some liquid courage right now.

There was a hot trail running down the back of my neck right now and I didn't think I could face that heat without some whiskey.

His grin softened. "Sorry, mami, but it would come out of my paycheck."

When his hands swept over the bar to graze mine softly, I felt my breath catch. This wasn't the plan. "Why are you here alone in the first place?"

"I'm not alone." I said softly, watching his expression change in the dim light. "I'm with you, right?"

A low chuckle left his lips. "Girls don't come in here alone."