Dare Me (Dare Me Series Book 1)

Dare Me (Part 7 - Colby)

"That woman do something to piss you off?" Gage asks as we get back into the car. "She was clumsy. I'm in a hurry." He slides his shades down over his eyes and grabs his hat from the dashboard. "So, you were a dick because she dropped her coffee and because you're in a hurry?" "Yeah." I press the clutch and turn the key. "And why are you in a hurry?" He quirks a brow, taking a sip of his coffee. "I want to get back home tonight. I've got things to do downtown." "You've got men overseeing that shit." He gives me a narrowed eye and then clucks his tongue. "You like that chick." "Stop," I say, annoyed with his assumption. He laughs and spins his hat around backwards. "I don't blame you. She's fucking hot." I look over at him. "Not trashy enough for me, though." He smiles before reaching down and grabbing his pack of smokes. "No way. Not in this car." "Come on, brother. I haven't had one in an hour." I snatch the pack from him. "Good. Your lungs will thank you." I toss it onto the dash. He scratches the side of his head and stretches his arms out, exhaling as he does. My eyes move from my brother who isn't the dorky older brother he was when I was little. Where did time go? I grip the wheel, switching gears as we hit the ramp to the interstate. "I saw her at the club last weekend," I say, looking at the road ahead. "Really?" he asks, reaching for his smokes again. "Yeah," I reply mindlessly as I think back on the red dress she was wearing. "Maybe it's destiny," he says, smirking. I roll my eyes and he laughs again. "I'm coming with you tonight," he says, putting a smoke between his lips, but not lighting it. "That's fine," I reply. "What do you think Katrina is making?" He turns to look at me. "I don't know, but I'm starving." I grab my coffee from the drink holder. "Same." My mind goes back to her once again as I drink from my cup. I've been thinking about her all week. Relaxing back, I let one hand lazily rest on the bottom of the wheel. I've never seen eyes so gray before. She's undeniably gorgeous, but different than the other women I normally choose. Both Gage and I seem to pick the trashy ones because most of the time they only want a good time and there are no strings. I like looking down at the crowd of people, but not being a part of it. Gage was playing poker behind me, and like always, girls were walking all around us. I watched as everyone mingled and sipped on their drinks, and then I saw her. Her hair was light brown, and her skin looked smooth and cotton soft. Her curious eyes danced around the club as if assessing it. She'd never been in there—I would have noticed—but just to be sure, I looked down at Ben, Gage's bodyguard, and walked over to the walkie to ask him if he'd seen her before. His answer was the same as mine. Her friend grabbed her hand, and I mechanically put down my drink and took to the stairs. I had no idea what came over me. It was as if I was trapped in a current and had no choice but to let it take me or I'd drown from the fight against it. I stood there leaning against the wall as a drink was placed in her hand. I didn't even notice anyone else around her or I would have seen that she was with Brennen, My best friend. She smiled, and the drink went to her mouth just as our eyes latched. My heart accelerated. Her lips parted. Her gaze explored and challenged as her brow quirked, but then her attention was pulled away. My eyes went to her throat as she tossed back the shot, and before she could find me again, I left the stairs. I didn't like the feeling she gave me when I looked at her. It terrified me. I hoped she'd never come back. But then Gage had to have coffee. What were the odds of her working there? It pissed me off. I wondered if I was the reason she dropped her drink? Did I affect her like she did me? I exhale and rake a hand up my face, lifting my hat as I try to rid myself of thoughts of soft skin and steel gray eyes. Leaning up, I twist the knob on the radio and press the clutch. Shifting into fifth gear, I step on the gas letting "I'm Not Okay" by My Chemical Romance fills my head, shoving her out of my mind. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I arrive at my place with Gage and walk in to have Navi and Circa jump on me fighting for attention. "Calm down" Gage says as they jump on to him. "What we doing for dinner" My yell echoes through the house. "Pizza!" I hear multiple voices say. "Hell yeah" Gage yells. "Shut up Gage!" Brennen yells from the living room. "Fuck you Brennen" Gage says laughing. "Fuck you too bud" He replies. Gage goes upstairs to pack his things so he can move into his new apartment across town. We are moving out of the house soon and getting our own apartments. Sam and I decide to go for a walk. "How's the club?" Sam asks "Fine," I reply as the breeze from the street hits my face and we start to walk. "And Gage?" I nod. "He's Gage." "Yes. I know he's Gage, but how is he? I hope he's calmed down some." I chuckle. "You know that boy is one big party." he sighs. "That's what I do know." I don't reply as we continue walking, and he doesn't say anything for a little while. We just enjoy each other's company, and I think back on a time when I made him and Brennen's life a living hell. I was a wild kid. Hell-bent on ripping my life to shreds after moving to Los Angeles. I was my brother's keeper until I came here. And then I was selfish. Drugs, alcohol, and trouble were my counsel. My comfort and my every day. I was self-destructive. I couldn't see past my own pain that I was wanted. More so with my new future than my past. That's until my 19th birthday when Sam was home when I came home high and drunk off my ass. I wanted to fight. I wanted to make something bleed and tear shit apart. Somehow he knew. He knew what I needed before I did. We fought one night. I punched, and he pushed back. He never hit me, though, and after it was all over, he slung his tired, wasted best friend over his shoulder and took me to my room There were a punching bag and boxing gloves waiting for me. "You're pissed. I get it. You're so mad at the world, you want to take it out on everyone around you and destroy yourself in the process," he said as he put me down. I slouched on my carpet floor of my bedroom at the time. My mind was a fog and my heart an empty muscle. "You're doing a mighty fine job." He walked back and forth before stopping and looking down at me. "You don't think I know?" he seethed. "You don't think I understand this pain inside you? I know Colby " He shouted at me for the first time ever. I flinched and something broke inside of me. "Colby we choose this and we need to be here for each other, but let me tell you something right now. You are given one thing when you come into this world. A name. Life doesn't owe you anything else. Now, you got two choices. You can straighten the hell up, and on days you get mad, you come out here and you beat this bag until your fists turn blue. You get over it, and you man the hell up and make something out of yourself. Or," he says. "You can pack your things, and hit the goddamn road. Life is giving us another chance, and you better open your eyes and take hold of it, because second chances don't come often" He left me in my room alone that night, and as I sat there, the dam broke and I cried like the stupid fool I'd been. I bled tears and decided right then I would no longer be the boy I once was. I would no longer be loud and destructive. I would be quiet and observant. I would learn, and I would do everything in my power to be more than what I came from. And I did. Look at me now. I'm a internet famous YouTuber with him.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We sit at the table and begin to eat dinner with everyone and Gage opens another beer. I eye him. "Relax, brother. This is only my second one." He sniffs, and my eyes narrow. He averts his, and I know. Son of a bitch. He takes his seat beside me, and I lean over while everyone is talking amongst themselves."Not another goddamn beer, you hear me?" He brings his beer to his lips. "Just enjoying the day, Colby." "And I'm going to enjoy kicking your ass if you piss Sam off" "That's your job," he retorts. I'm taken aback by his comment. "You wanna elaborate on that?" He lifts a brow. "Like you were the picture of perfection growing up." "That was a long time ago," I say. "Was it?" he asks. "Was it a long time ago when you came home so piss-drunk that you couldn't walk up the steps?" "The fuck you getting at, Gage?" My voice is louder than I meant it to be, and everyone at the table looks our way. "Just reminding you, you're not a fucking saint, brother. And you are your father's son." I reach over and grab him, standing him up as I do and backing him to the wall. "Don't you ever compare me to that weak motherfucker again. Do you hear me?" Gage laughs and sniffs, pushing me back with his shoulder. "Now, who's getting everyone upset?" "Stop it," Sam says. I narrow my eyes at  and shake my head. My appetite disappears, and I push away from him and head for the hallway. Sam calls after me, but I need a goddamn minute. With anger boiling, I head to my car and haul ass around downtown Los Angeles until my mind empties self-doubt and worry that my brother is right. I may be just like the man I've tried so hard not to be.