Satan's Revenge by Celia Loren Read Free Book Online

remember he was tall, maybe not as tall as he is now, but certainly for a high school kid. But too thin for his height. And serious. Didn’t seem too comfortable with himself—probably didn’t realize how fuckin’ cute he was!”
    I smile at this image of the teenage Drifter, still awkward in his body and unsure of himself.
    “Ooo, ladies, I want to get home before this storm hits,” Danielle pipes, looking at the TV, which is turned on at low volume.
    “What storm?” I ask.
    “Supposed to be a big thunderstorm hitting tonight, though it looks like they’re saying it’s coming faster than they thought originally.”
    We all agree it’s better to be safe than sorry and decide to head home, especially since Bethany and Tina are on their bikes. I’m glad I only had a half a glass of that sangria. We quickly help Liz clean up a little, then stream toward the door. I say a quick good bye to Cherish, with the promise that we’ll get together to talk about the food for the fair.
    As I hop in my car, the clouds above darken ominously. I think with concern about Drifter, out on the open road. Maybe he’s already inside, wherever he is.
    I turn the radio on to lessen my anxiety, and hum along to some Otis Redding. As I pull up to a stoplight, I hear my cell ringing in my purse on the passenger seat and lean over to answer it. It’s a number I don’t know. I put it on speaker and lay it in my lap.
    “Hello?”
    “Hey Violet, it’s Hollywood,” his voice answers.
    “Oh, hey, I just saw Cherish. Wait…is everything OK with Drifter?” My stomach knots in fear that he’s calling to tell me something bad happened on the run.
    “Everything’s fine with Drifter. It’s his brother I’m calling about.”
    “Marcus? What do you mean?”
    “I’m down at The Tease,” he says, referring to a strip club that the Sons own. And from what I’ve heard, the name is pretty inaccurate, since the dancers take it all off. “Marcus is wasted, making a scene. I’d call one of the prospects to take him home, but it’d probably be best if Flint didn’t hear about it. You know, keep it unofficial.”
    “Yeah, I got you. I’ll be right over.”
    I hang up, get into the left lane and put on my blinker. Just as I turn toward The Tease, a big fat raindrop falls onto my windshield. And just like that, the heavens open up and the sound of the rain hitting my car is so loud that I can’t hear the radio. I flip on my headlights and squint as I make my way toward The Tease. I try not to focus too much on my annoyance at Marcus.
    About fifteen minutes later, I pull into the parking lot, getting as close as I can to the awning. I run inside, but still manage to get pretty soaked in the five feet that I had to traverse.
    Hollywood is waiting for me just inside the door, arms crossed, looking annoyed.
    “Hey. Thanks for calling me. What’s going on?” I ask, skipping the small talk.
    “I’m filling in for a bouncer, and some guy comes in and starts throwing money around, which is fine of course, but then he gets wasted and starts grabbing at the dancers. They get pissed, and when I come over he starts yelling that he’s Drifter’s brother and we better treat him like it. I heard his brother was in town, and they look alike, so I believed him. Look, I don’t want to have to beat the shit out of him, but you’ve gotta get him out of here or I’m not going to be able to help myself.”
    I hear raucous laughter coming from inside the club. My head snaps around and I see Marcus leaning on the edge of the stage. He grabs a topless dancer by the leg and she angrily tries to shake him off.
    “Yup, that’s him,” I confirm.
    I make my way through the tables and chairs to where Marcus is sitting. It’s a Saturday, but it’s still pretty early and the weather is terrible, so the club isn’t that full. I reach his table and lay a hand on his shoulder. He jerks back and stares at me, blurry-eyed. I wonder if alcohol’s the only thing