4

I glanced down at the brown-haired woman, who looked up at me with a satisfied smile as she slipped her hand down my pants.

I would have loved to find something emo, but it was all too much for me at the moment. Here, in this cheap toilet, I just felt shabby.

"Sorry," I said apologetically, taking her hand off my pants to rebuckle my belt and take a deep breath. I then helped her up to her feet, but instead of being grateful that I didn't want to take advantage of her, without warning she gave me a really pulling slap that made me look at her in shock.

Serious???

"Pig!", she hissed and angrily yanked open the cabin door to rush away stamping.

Was I really a pig now?! Apparently she needed it badly!

"Fuck man!" I cursed and then ran after her to look for Jake, but a completely different scenario coming out of the toilet got my full attention.

Irina was no longer standing with her friends, but further back at the edge of the club in the dark with a guy who was about Odran's muscular build. From the fact that he seemed to be yelling at her loudly, I assumed it must be her bloke who had some fucking problem with his jealousy.

I hated this behavior in men. As soon as they found a woman great, she was no longer the sole master of their senses. Rian was the same, but Keeva didn't seem to mind that she wasn't allowed to go out on her own anymore and generally wasn't allowed to have contact with men outside of the family.

I've never been jealous... Nor in love, which somehow made me a bitter man in his 20s.

"There you are," Jake snapped me out of my thoughts and walked towards me with a glass. "The little one lives nearby. Her friend ran away. What have you done to her?" he laughed and only got a warning look from me.

"Nothing at all! That's it. It wasn't quite tight," I replied and he looked from me to his trophy, only to look at me again with a grin.

"Brother, we'll just share. She's so drunk she doesn't even notice."

"Don't you feel like shit?" I immediately threw my thoughts at him and he even seemed surprised that I was even asking him that.

"What's the matter with you?!", he snapped at me immediately and got so close to me that even here in the poor light I could see his eyes clearly. "You didn't used to be like that. That's since that Keeva came to live with you! Now she's got your balls too?!"

I angrily grabbed his collar and pushed him away from me.

"Shut up!" I warned him, whereupon he just gave me a shake of his head and disappeared to his chick. "Bad asshole," I whispered to myself and just wanted to look at Irina again, but she didn't seem to be there anymore either.

What a shitty night was that!?

Everything was slowly becoming too much for me and I already knew why I drank so much alcohol and sometimes resorted to drugs. It was just unbearable. I felt unwelcome at home. As if I were just an appendage with no real function. And here with Jake, I was beginning to feel like I didn't really belong. Of course it was cool to pick up women together, but somehow I had outgrown that age. It just disgusted me.

And then there was this weird fear that was slowly but surely closing my throat more and more. Fear of never really belonging anywhere. Afraid of ending up alone. Fear that nobody would understand me anymore...

With this overwhelming feeling I wanted to get some fresh air as soon as possible. Jake would certainly have calmed down in no time and yes, maybe then I would have fun with him and the little one. Not because I wanted to, but because I didn't want to lose him too.

He was the only one who still wanted me around...

I walked past the bouncer for some fresh air and leaned against the club's wall and lit another cigarette before exploring the area.

Everything had somehow run down here. Narrow streets everywhere and the house facades had their best times behind them a long time ago.

Just as I was about to put out my cigarette, I suddenly heard a roar around the next corner. It was probably a man and I didn't care much about it until I recognized Irina's voice.

Quickly, holding my breath, I ran to the corner of the narrow street and around it I saw this guy's closet, which was pinning Irina's neck against the wall.

What a dirty bastard!

"Ey!" I yelled and ran towards the two of them, causing the giant to target me.

"Fuck off," he warned, releasing Irina, who was staring at me with concern and tears in her eyes.

"I'd say fuck off!" I shot back, pulling out the gun Rian gave me last week so I had some protection. The giant seemed unimpressed and was about to approach me when I looked back at Irina. I wouldn't just shoot the guy if she cared about him, but to my surprise, she nodded and I aimed right at his head, but he stopped and grinned stupidly.

"Senan," Irina wanted to warn me, but then I felt something cold and hard on the back of my head.

"Put your gun down, kid," said a man with a Russian accent, and while I was well aware that I was trapped, I didn't even think about giving up.

"No," I replied firmly and then heard a shot that made my eyes widen in shock.