Page 22 of Bad Habit
BROTHER. Where have you been?
Oliver
Busy. And then my phone wouldn’t stop blowing up. You’re all annoying as fuck.
Eli
Seriously, if you need us. Call. We will be right there.
A piece of me wants to ask Oliver what he is doing but it’s none of my business. Besides, I’m literally on my own date. I put my phone in my purse. It’s rude to answer them while I’m sitting in his passenger seat, but I hate this song and don’t want to ask him to change it and look like a bitch. He turns the corner and we are now on a side road that I recognize. Iwas so busy with the group chat that I wasn’t paying attention to where he was taking me. We make another turn, pulling into the parking lot of The Poolhouse.Fuck Me.
Davey is grinning ear to ear as he stares at me while putting his car into park. “Do you like fighting?”
Depends on the fighter…Is what I want to tell him. But I learned quickly on my dates that I cannot mention I work at West Haven or that my best friend trains and dates Rory Davis.
The first date I went on, all he asked were questions about Rory and what he eats and his work out routines. Two more guys wanted to know if I could let them come by the gym while he was there to train. Gross. I hate when people think that they can use other people without consequence.
“Everyone in this town enjoys a good fight. Are you fighting tonight?” I ask as I do another sweep of his build. I don’t think he would be the type to train every day and then enjoy being hit but I could be wrong.
We get out of the car at the same time and I wish I would have worn different shoes. I assumed we were maybe going to a club so I wore heels and one of my shortest dresses. It’s just a simple black slip dress but it’s comfortable and easy to take off.
He shakes his hair out and smiles over his shoulder at me. I’m slower walking than him since my heels are just sinking into the gravel. “My buddy is fighting tonight. He’s a beast though.” He finally notices my struggle and lifts his hand out to me. “Sorry.” He ducks his head a tiny bit in embarrassment. “I’m a little nervous. You look really fucking good and I don’t want you to think this is a boring date but I promised my friend I would be here and they have a whole section of the building built for a bar and dancing.” Don’t I know it. The last time I was here I was carried over these stupid rock fragments in Oliver’s arm. I’ve avoided being here since even though I know he fights nearly every weekend.
“Nothing is boring about spilling blood.” We reach the door and this time he opens it for me.
The place is packed as usual. Davey still has my hand, leading me through the crowd to the back part of the building where the empty pool is. It’s such an eerie thing, to bring such violence into a forsaken place that once held laughter and goodness. I probably could have gotten away with Davey not knowing that I’m well acquainted with the fight nights here if it wasn’t for Rob at the door. He sees me and nods, smiling.
Davey picks up on it quickly and raises an eyebrow at me. “You know the bouncer?”
“He’s a friend of a friend.” I play it off. And then the crowd erupts as Rob opens the door for one of the fighters to come out. He’s tall. Not as thick as Rory, but he has a plethora of tattoos and scars covering his body. He looks like a nightmare. When he notices Davey standing next to me, his smile grows wide, completely changing his demeanor. He jogs over and wraps his whole body around Davey, eclipsing him.
When he lets go, he takes a quick look at me and his smile turns wicked. “Damn.” Rob doesn’t give him a chance to say anything else as he pushes him forward.
Davey grabs my hand again and pulls me behind his friend towards the pool. His opponent must already be down there because the other corner already has people in it. Two guys in cut off black hoodies are huddled up and talking. One has to be the fighter, and he is definitely smaller than the guy we are here to support.
“You can sit on the side if you want?” Davey motions to the side of the pool. I weigh my options. I know that there is a chance of my ass hanging out if I sit, but there is a definite outcome of these guys seeing up my dress if I stay standing. So I let him help me into a sitting position.
My eyes find the guys standing in the corner again and it’s like all the cement lining this empty pool just falls into the pits of my stomach. One of them shakes the hood off and the same eyes that have seen everyinch of my naked body are raging at where I am sitting. Davey’s friend is still getting situated in his corner, but Oliver is already out of his hoodie and marching over to the ledge where I’m sitting. I can feel all my nerve endings burning as the tips of my fingers start to itch.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” He barks. I look down at him and something about the fact that he is looking up at me from my slightly parted knees rearranges my ability to breathe.
I lean forward and smile at him. “On a date.”
“Hey man! I’m Davey.” Oliver’s eyes never leave mine even though Davey is clearly speaking to him. When Oliver doesn’t respond, Davey clears his throat. “We’re just here to support Damian. And I think it’s about to start…” If I can hear the nervousness in Davey’s voice, I know Oliver can.
“You’re not fucking sitting in his corner.” Oliver is still staring at me, giving absolutely no energy towards my date at all.
“I’m sitting on the ledge of the pool, Ol.” I watch his jaw tick and his muscles tighten all over with the way I’m defying him.
“I need you to not sit there, Mia.” There is an edge to his voice that makes me hesitate with my response, but only for a second.
“Unfortunately, your needs aren’t my concern.” I push back.
“Mia.” One word but it is full of so much pleading that I almost cave.
“Make me move then, tough guy.” I know better than to challenge him. I actually know full well he would make me. Maybe that’s exactly what I want.
He steps forward and lifts me easily even though I am a few feet above his head. He grips the backs of my knees and lifts, tilting me forward where I actually fall onto his shoulder. “So aggressive Ol. What the fuck.” I feel something blanket around my bottom half hanging off his shoulder and I somehow just know it is Eli covering me up. When Oliver pivots around to face my date, Eli is giving me apologetic eyes. Fuckers.
