TEDDY
The bass from the clubhouse speakers thumped through the wood and vibrated every part of me, almost as a second heartbeat. I sat at the bar with a glass of whiskey I hadn’t touched in ten minutes, watching the usual summer parade swirl around me—bare legs, bright smiles, laughter that came easy and cheap. Dozens of women packed the place, drawn in by patches, bikes, and the promise of a wild story to take back to campus in the nearby cities when fall rolled around again.
Tourists.
They always come this time of year. Sun on their skin, curiosity in their eyes, looking for something dangerous enough to feel alive but safe enough to walk away from.
Normally, I could play that game. Charm, flirt, disappear before dawn. No complications.
Not tonight.
Bane was restless.
He paced un
