The Not So Lonely Lone Wanderer Book 1

Chapter 9 - Birthday Shenanigans

Finally, Amata's 17th and somehow Arianna had finagled the party planning away from Jennifer Owens, the other bestie and if she was honest, someone better suited for friend duty then she had been lately. It wasn't that Ari and Amata had issues but at times Amata acted her age and Arianna rarely found accurate ways to communicate on the same level. While Jen and Amata put heads together to giggle over boys and first kisses, Arianna currently had seducing a man on her to do list because she'd gone past just dipping her toe into the lake of sexual escapades, she'd jumped in head first. The pair just ended up on divergent paths and while it stung a bit, Ari understood why with a maturity that spoke to her father's teachings.

So the upper atrium lounge had been decorated, some more adult refreshments laid out since Arianna knew where the stockpiles of goodies were tucked in the depths of storage. Making a last minute check of the layout, she turned to find Butch, Paul and Freddy lingering in the center of the room between her and the door. A perfectly sculpted brow shot up as a wry smile began to take shape. "Wow. Not surprised you morons wandered in." When one wandered too close to the food set-up she stepped up to block.

"Of course, you did this for the Overseer's brat? How'd you find this kinda prize loot?" Butch reached around her for a shot at one of the appetizer trays and without a hint of warning, Ari's hand shot out and knocked his wrist back with just enough force to make his fingers tingle.

Eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and rancour, she leaned in a bit so he wouldn't miss a word, sharp eyes catching Officer Wolfe lingering just outside the doorway to the lounge. Back-up just in case it got ugly for a change. "It's for the party. And yes, you and this annoying little cadre of underachieving assholes don't need to drop by."

Butch took a step but Paul's hand snagged his friends elbow, apparently Arianna wasn't the only one who caught the Security Officer right outside the door. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the blue uniform with two coming up from the lower level and backed off with a snarl. "Better watch it Rainy." He dragged Amata's nickname for her out in a sneering growl. "You aren't always gonna have the boys in blue to save your ass."

"Last time you had these odds Butch she didn't need us if I remember correctly." Hunter moved in next to Wolfe, leaving Chris behind and to the right. No way to miss the look of ferocity on his partner's face when the scene presented itself on the way up the stairs and Hunter figured safest route was to keep as much distance as possible between the would be attackers and his friend. He didn't like the threat against the Doc's daughter either but pounding the hell out of the self named 'Tunnel Snakes' wouldn't help their already strained relationship with Chief Hanlon considering it was his son on Butch's left.

Sending Hunter a scathing sneer, Butch shook off Paul's grip and motioned for the boys to leave. "Don't worry officer. I don't make the same mistake twice."

The three Security Officers watched the younger males leave before Wolfe nodded and followed at a decent enough interval to make sure they didn't double back. Chris waited till the other officer was out of range before stepping past Hunter and slipping a hand under Arianna's chin, forcing her brown eyes to meet blue. "Rain, I don't like this at all. You make sure ......"

A husky laugh, followed by Arianna pulling his hand down to step up and brush his lips with her own to stop his directive. "I'll be fine. I gotta get ready." Her tangle of fingers in his lingered till she was out of reach. "Stop by if you want."

Hunter sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Doubt it, probably gonna be in the brig because neither of you can keep shit undercover." The sotto voice didn't carry any farther than his partner.

Chris kept his eyes on her till she disappeared down the stairs to the lower level before rounding on Hunter. "You worry too much." A half smile faded as he mulled over the scene. "You don't think he was serious..."