made me feel happy and girly when I spun around and it flared out around me in a perfect circle. I washed my face and unbraided my hair so it fell in loose golden waves down my back. I exited the bathroom to find that Liam had changed into a clean blue t-shirt that matched his perfect blue eyes.
“We match,” I laughed, twirling in my pretty blue dress.
Liam smiled and walked over to me, placing his arm around my waist. “You look beautiful,” he whispered in my ear.
He held my hand in his as we walked down several city blocks. The area was a bit run down but it had a trendy vibe that made it feel less threatening. Plus, with Liam by my side, it was hard to feel afraid. He walked with confidence and I knew that he would protect me if anything went wrong.
We stopped outside a red door with the words “Crow Bar” emblazoned in black across it. Loud music thumped against the walls, echoing out into the increasingly crowded streets. Liam pulled open the door and ushered me inside.
My eyes adjusted slowly to the darkened room. There were several long bars on the edges of the room and crowds of people pushed forward to order their drinks while others swayed in time to the music. I felt suddenly out of place in my pretty little sundress. Most of the girls were wearing bandage dresses that looked to be painted onto their bodies, revealing cleavage and pieces of their sides and bellies.
“Liam!” a voice exclaimed. I looked up to see a large, smiling man barreling through the crowd towards us. He gave Liam a big hug and then extended his hand to me as Liam introduced us.
“This is Kyle,” Liam shouted over the music. He helped me when I first left the club and was wondering around aimlessly. Kyle smiled broadly and I could read genuine affection in his eyes as he slapped Liam on the back and guided us to where he and the rest of his group had secured a table.
There were two other men, Tom and Josh, and Josh’s girlfriend Amy. They all greeted me with big smiles and were welcoming. Tom, Josh and Kyle all had previous been involved with various motorcycle clubs and had left when things turned bad, just like Liam. Amy had been with Josh back when he was part of the gang and she left with him when things went south.
I looked her over, feeling slightly intimidated. She had long, stick straight raven black hair and wore a short black leather mini skirt with a tiny black tank top that barely covered her ample breasts. Her bright red lipstick made her look the perfect seductress. I felt so silly in my little blue dress. Liam seemed to notice my nervousness, even if he didn’t know the cause.
“Would you like a drink, Mary?” he asked, squeezing my hand. I nodded and he headed to the bar to order a round.
He came back with a cup that looked like it held soda but smelled strong. “A jack and coke,” he explained, handing it to me.
I took a gulp and almost spit it out. The alcohol flooded me immediately and after two more gulps I already started feeling more relaxed. Kyle went and bought everyone another round, so I was able to transition straight to my second drink. Liam watched me with amusement as I scrunched up my face and downed the drink in several big gulps.
“I didn’t take you for a big drinker,” he explained.
“I’m not. I mean, I wasn’t. But tonight I am,” I slurred. The alcohol was working its magic, leaving me feeling relaxed and cheerful.
“Let’s go dance!” Amy called out to the group.
Liam gave me a questioning look and I nodded enthusiastically. Nodding made me dizzy, but Liam’s strong hand steadied me as I jumped out of my seat to head to the dance floor. I had been to many school and church dances, but there was always strict supervision and many rules. I wanted to finally let loose.
The music pounded loudly, beating a rhythm into my body. My blood rushed through my veins, pumping to the dizzying beat and I stared up into those beautiful blue pools in Liam’s face. His