“You know what I love about you?” She was smiling, fears forgotten.

“What?” I couldn’t help but grin at her now-playful forwardness. I loved when she let this side of her show.

“Everything. I know I’m not the easiest person to get along with. Thank you for giving me a chance.” Her smile fell and my breath caught at her admission. My own grin faded as I looked into her eyes, the truth reflecting back at me. She put on a front to keep people away, but I knew she needed someone just like the rest of us. Her eyes fell and I put my fingers under her chin to tilt her head back up so her eyes could meet mine.

“You can talk to me, Donna.”

“Just dance with me.”

We danced through half a dozen songs as the twins continued to grab rounds from the bar. By the seventh shot my vision had blurred enough that I no longer needed to glance over at Sarah, because I couldn’t see her.

Donna grinding her ass against me definitely helped. She smelled like expensive perfume that you find samples of in those chick magazines. I wondered briefly if she tasted as good as she smelled.

My hands ran up her sides, pulling and tugging at the delicate fabric of her dress. She turned back around to face me, her breasts pressed against my chest, and I knew she could feel how much I enjoyed it as I held her waist against mine. Her forehead was against mine as our noses touched, and my gaze fell from her eyes to her lips. Suddenly, I heard Sarah laugh, and my eyes darted over to her and Derek. Even with Donna in my arms, my mind flooded with images of Sarah. What would it be like to take Sarah in my arms and run my hands over her, to have her nails drag through my hair, to drag my tongue over her soft lips?

In that moment I knew I was going to do something I would later regret. I needed to push Sarah further out of my mind, and Donna suddenly felt like the only way to do that. She needed me as an escape just as much as I needed her.

Donna’s tongue ran out over her lips, and every rational thought I had disappeared as my mouth crushed against hers. She moaned quietly against my kiss as I sucked her lower lip between mine, grazing it with my teeth. My hands slipped onto her ass as I ran my tongue over the seam of her lips. She let them fall open, inviting me in.

She tasted even better than I had imagined. Her lips tasted like strawberries from her gloss and the ghost of the last shot she had drunk. Her hands slid down the sides of my neck and her nails bit into my shoulders as we struggled to get even closer to each other.

The bass of the music faded in and out, and I could only hear my own heartbeat thudding in my ears as her tongue pushed back against mine. In the distance I heard someone yell, but I blocked it out as my hand ran over Donna’s ribs, my thumb grazing the bottom of her breast.

I know I’ll regret this later on. I know that anything involving Donna is complicated given her role in the band. I know I am not thinking clearly, but in this moment, all I want is for someone else to want me. No, I want someone else to crave me. I’m tired of sitting on the sideline while the asshole gets the girl. I want the girl.

“E,” Donna moaned into my mouth, and melted my remaining willpower.

Suddenly, someone crashed into us and I stumbled, clinging to Donna to keep her on her feet. I glanced around at the crowd with hazy vision, struggling to focus on the swarm of bodies around us. A man with full sleeves of dark ink was yelling at another guy for groping his girlfriend, who was nowhere in sight, and the crowd grew hot and cracked with palpable tension. You could taste it in the air. Alcohol and lowered inhibitions craved something more—chaos was about to break out.

Before I could make my way out of the crowd, arms were flying and people were being shoved against one another. I wrapped my arm instinctively around Donna and tried to work my way through the fight. I had to shove and kick people out of the way, but I got her back to our table. Chris was on his feet and ready to push his way into the brawl.

I took a minute to steady my breathing before I looked around and panic set in.

“Where’s Sarah?” I yelled, and no one responded. “Where’s Sarah?” I yelled louder, and Donna jumped at the tone of my voice. I peeled her from my side and sat her down in the booth as I placed my face directly in front of hers. She looks to be in shock and I wanted to make sure she took in everything I said.

“Don’t move from this spot. I will come back for you. Don’t move.”

“Don’t go back out there.” I heard the fear in her voice. I don’t know if she was scared to be alone or for my safety.

“Don’t move, Donna. I’ll come back. I promise.” She nodded and I stood up, glancing over at Chris. A worried look was all over his face as the fight grew out of control, but I couldn’t leave Sarah in the middle of this. I knew Derek wasn’t putting her safety above his. He never put her first.

The screams were deafening as we worked our way back into the fight. Women were fighting and getting knocked to the ground as men exchanged blows. Chris shoved people out of our way and I grabbed some asshole by the back collar of his shirt and pulled him to the ground. I stepped over him as I moved forward in the crowd.

My heart stopped as I saw Sarah. Her hair was wild and black streaks stained her face from crying in her makeup. She looked absolutely terrified and lost as chaos erupted around us, with Derek nowhere in sight. I reach my hand out to her and she hesitated to take it as her eyes widened and she screamed my name. I didn’t have time to react as an elbow connected with my temple. The shooting pain was excruciating, bringing on one of my migraines that makes it impossible for me to think. I fell to a knee and stumbled as I pushed back to my feet. I held out my hand again to Sarah as several bodies pushed in between us. Her fingertips brushed against mine, sending a jolt of electricity through me. I had never before seen her so frightened.

“Grab my hand.” I yelled over the noise.

She pulled back, pushing herself against the bar. “I’m scared!”

“Trust me, Sarah. Take my hand.” Her fingers slid in mine and I pulled her between the other people and against my chest. She curled into me, so fragile and scared.

“I thought everyone left me.” She sobbed and I held her tighter.

“I wouldn’t leave you, Sarah.”

“I couldn’t find any of you.”

I clenched my jaw as I wondered where Derek was and why he hadn’t kept her safe. I nodded to Chris, who now had Terry by his side. They started to clear a path and guide us back to the table where I’d left Donna.

She pushed up from her seat and wrapped her arms around my neck as Sarah stepped out of the way. My eyes fell on hers wishing I could hold her and comfort her, but it wasn’t my place. I rubbed my hand over Donna’s back as I whispered in her hair that everything would be all right, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Sarah’s sad face.

“I didn’t think you’d make it back in one piece,” Donna whispered against my neck, and I swallowed hard, knowing our friendship was going to suffer from tonight.

“Me either.”

I watched as her throat moved and she swallowed hard, fresh tears in her eyes.

“We need to get the fuck out of here. Cops are coming,” Terry yelled, and I nodded to him, tucking Donna against my side as he put an arm around Sarah. Chris pushed a way through the crowd to the door and we followed behind. Sarah stopped as we reached the exit, her face turning to mine as she struggled against Terry’s grip on her.

“We can’t leave Derek.”

“The fuck we can’t.” Terry pulled her back against him and stepped out into the cool night air. She twisted in his grip, her eyes pleading and begging for me to help her. I had no choice.

“Go with Chris and Terry. They will make sure you get back safe, okay?” I tried to keep my tone light as I talked to Donna. She looked petrified, but I didn’t want her to keep me any longer. I needed to get in and out of the club before the police showed, and I could already hear the faint sounds of sirens in the distance.