path of heal - j.b.

22

The next evening, the group gathered outside the club where Elle and Ja'Marr had been the previous week. Since it was a Saturday night, the line looked even longer than last time, and honestly, Elle wasn't upset that they had the privilege of simply walking past the whole crowd to the bouncer and getting in.

Tabia and Liz, for whom apparently it was the first time, followed the group a bit uncertainly, their eyes scanning the large number of people waiting outside the club.

"Do the others not mind that we're just allowed in like this?" Liz asked Elle. "I mean, some of them have probably been waiting for a very long time, and here we are just walking in." It was clear she wasn't pleased, and Elle couldn't help but smile.

About a year ago, she might have felt the same way, but through her relationship with Joe, she had learned in the off-season that these privileges couldn't be avoided. Store owners, club owners, or other establishments had even insisted on favoring them, giving them something for free, or even asking other guests to leave so that they could have their peace. Elle had usually tried to decline, but sometimes the owners wouldn't take no for an answer.

Skipping the line now didn't seem so bad when considering the lengths owners had gone to just so Joe and she would have a positive impression of the establishment.

She lightly patted Liz's shoulder as Liz still glanced back at the line. "Don't worry. I've learned that most people don't mind because it means they can get close to the guys. So don't worry, okay? And get used to it a bit; with Sam on your arm, you'll be treated like a VIP more often from now on," she tried to reassure Liz.

Liz gave a hesitant grin. "I don't know if I can get used to it," she admitted. Again, Elle smiled. "No worries, you don't have to. Just enjoy it, don't let it change you, but don't take it for granted," she explained to her.

As they arrived at the heart of the club, Elle immediately scanned the bar and waved at Kit, who was working there again, smiling, while the group pushed further toward the roped-off area where Elle and Ja'Marr had sat last week and took seats around the two tables that had been pushed together for them.

"Here's your retreat. Only we're allowed in here, so if it gets too much for you, come up here, take a breather, and calm back down, okay?" Elle explained to Liz with a smile before she squeezed past Tee and stood briefly with Sam.

"Liz seems a bit overwhelmed by the situation, I think. Please stick with her for now," she said to him. Sam immediately sought out his girlfriend's gaze before turning back to Elle. "I'll do that, thanks for letting me know," he smiled at her before going to Liz and putting his arm around her shoulder. He talked to her, Elle couldn't understand what he was saying, but when Sam gave her a kiss on the forehead, Liz seemed much calmer already.

Smiling, Elle settled next to Joe, who was sitting at the end of the couch, as usual, trying to take in as much of his surroundings as possible. "So?" she asked him. "Still not happy we brought you along?" she grinned at him.

"So far, no," Joe rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh no, your friends dragging you out for a good night at the club. You're really to be pitied," Elle nudged him, grinning.

"I should really forbid you from contacting Ja'Marr. You're becoming too sarcastic and cheeky," a slight grin spread across Joe's lips, although he tried hard to suppress it.

"Hate to break it to you, but I think I got the sarcasm from you," she winked at him before patting his thigh. "You know what? You said you're not happy so far. Which means you're giving us a chance to make you like it," she grinned at him.

"Maybe," Joe mumbled before leaning in close to her ear. "It could still be a very good night, depending on how it ends at home," he whispered to her. A smile spread across Elle's face. "I'll definitely keep that in mind," she whispered back before sitting up. "But for now, I'll get us some drinks."

Arriving at the bar, Kit immediately took care of her. "You know, what Ja'Marr couldn't achieve all this time, you managed on your second visit. Pretty impressive," he grinned at her after Elle had ordered drinks for Joe and herself.

"So today, your first drinks are on me," he explained to her as he placed the freshly mixed Mojito in front of her and started making Joe's gin tonic. Elle smiled at him. "That's very kind of you," she thanked him.

"No problem. It's the least I can do for bringing Joe along," he winked at her. Elle laughed. "Trust me. It wasn't that easy," she grinned at him, took the two glasses, and thanked him again before returning to Joe.

"Are you okay?" she asked him when she noticed Joe's gaze fixed on Kit at the bar, and his expression didn't look happy at all. She placed the two glasses on the table in front of her and sat down next to Joe, who could only slowly tear his gaze away from Kit before looking at her.

"I can't stand him," Joe explained. "Who? Kit? Why not? I think he's cool. He kept me company last week when Ja'Marr was busy with Tabia," Elle explained, noticing how tightly Joe was clenching his jaw. Apparently, he didn't like her answer at all.

"Joe, what's wrong?" she asked him as Joe put his arm around her shoulder, still fixating on Kit at the bar. "Do you know why I can't stand him?" Joe asked. "I hope you'll finally tell me," Elle replied.

"Kit's brother owns all of this, and the only reason Kit keeps trying to bring me back here is to make better advertising for the club," Joe explained. "The first time I was here with Ja'Marr, they made ads for the next two months, saying that this was the club where you could party with Joe Burrow. I was the face of this club for two months, even though I was here for maybe two hours and never came back."

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Elle sighed. "Then you wouldn't have had to come along." Honestly, it made total sense. When she met Leila this morning, she had mentioned that there were Instagram pictures of Ja'Marr and her here from the club, and even the club itself had posted some, but she hadn't thought much about it.

"Kit may seem nice and like a good buddy, but he only sees you as a good marketing strategy for the club," Joe continued before turning to Elle and adjusting the neckline of her black tank top with the wrap octopus and deep V-neck. "And I don't like how he looks at you."

"Joe, he's a bartender. It's part of his job to make women feel so good that they buy even more," Elle stroked his cheek. She had never seen Joe so jealous. Honestly, she had never seen him jealous at all, but Kit seemed to trigger something in him that worried Elle somehow.

"Elle, I saw how he looked at you. And I'm a guy like him. I know exactly what goes through our heads when we look at a girl like that. Especially when that girl is you," Joe put his hand under her chin and turned her face towards his.

"I don't care how he looks at me. The only one who interests me is you," she clarified. "Good, because you're mine. Only mine," Joe growled before pressing his lips to Elle's and pulling her close to him.

For some reason I wanted a possessive Joe and that was a good scene for it🤷🏼‍♀️😂

WHO DEY🧡