Walking in the back doors, Alex nodded his head in greeting to a couple of people he recognized and then went in search of Logan and the others. He stopped suddenly when he saw them sitting at a table in the corner, all seven of them. Luke, Cole, and Sierra were sitting across from Logan and Sam, talking. Tag had just stood from the table, smiling that devilish grin that seemed to attract the ladies, but it was what he was doing that had Alex ready to knock that smile right off his face.
He was holding Ashleigh’s hand, leading her to the dance floor.
With his hands balled into fists, Alex turned away, making a beeline for the bar. He needed a drink.
“Hey, Alex.” Kane greeted him when he approached.
“What’s up, man?” Alex tried for normal, but his words came out with a hint of the irritation building in his gut.
“Not much. I see the whole gangs here tonight. What’s up? Someone else getting hitched?”
Alex laughed, not a hint of amusement in the gruff sound. “I’ll take a shot of whiskey. Make it a double and I won’t bother you for a little while.”
“Sure thing.” Kane disappeared for a moment before returning with a glass tumbler filled with liquid gold.
“Thanks.” Alex took the glass and turned back to the floor, his eyes immediately zoning in on where Tag and Ashleigh were dancing much too close for Alex’s peace of mind.
He wondered how Sam was taking it. For the last couple of months, Tag had signed on to be the third in Logan and Sam’s relationship and from the bits of gossip Alex had received, the three of them were having more fun than ever. Apparently being a third lacked the jealousy associated with being in a relationship, or so it would seem.
Alex wouldn’t know because he didn’t share his women. Ever. His friends were all into the threesome thing, and that was all good and fine where he was concerned. To each his own and all that. But Alex couldn’t do it.
He didn’t share well. Which was another reason he and Jessie hadn’t lasted more than a few months. There had been a brief time during the marriage that Alex wondered if he should actually try to make a go of it. They might’ve gotten married so Jessie could get out of her abusive father’s house, but it had been a monumental step for Alex.
That brief thought had died a painful death when Alex learned Jessie was sleeping with a couple of Alex’s buddies. Since she had been seventeen at the time, Alex had vowed not to touch her, regardless of whether they were married or not. His friends didn’t seem to have a problem with it.
And now, leaning against the bar, watching Tag hold Ashleigh close, he knew he’d never be able to share her. Having another man’s hands, lips, or any other body part on his woman didn’t do it for him. Logan got off on it, big time, but Alex didn’t want her anywhere near another man.
The red haze was damn near blinding him, but he had to remind himself that Ashleigh wasn’t his. It didn’t matter that they had sex. It didn’t matter that he knew she had been a damn virgin that very first time, even if she hadn’t told him as much.
The thought still made his dick hard. He was the only man she’d ever been with and up until a few nights ago, he’d planned to keep it that way. But Jessie had to go and interfere, answering his damn phone, and now he didn’t even have a chance to explain because Ashleigh wasn’t having any of it.
Not that he blamed her. He’d been on that side of the fence a time or two, and he hadn’t listened to any explanations either. If you stepped out on the one you were with, you deserved to be left. But he hadn’t. He never would either.
A cold blast of fury raced up Alex’s spine when Tag leaned down and kissed Ashleigh on the lips, a laugh breaking loose from the man’s chest as the two of them walked back to the table.
“What’re you hanging out over here for?” Cole’s deep voice broke into Alex’s thoughts.
Alex turned to look at him, but didn’t say a word. He wasn’t sure he could speak at the moment. When Cole turned and looked back to see what Alex was looking at, he knew.
“It’s nothing, man.” Cole told him. “Nothing at all.” Stepping in front of Alex, Cole crossed his arms over his chest.
“What?” Alex tried to play dumb, but Cole wasn’t having any of it.
“He’s trying to get her to smile. Something’s obviously wrong, and she needed a little cheering up.”
Alex knew something was wrong. She wasn’t answering her damn phone, that’s what was wrong. He needed a chance to tell her what was going on.
“Why don’t you join us?” Cole asked, then turned to Kane. “I’ll take a beer and get Alex another one of these.”