Matt’s POV

I couldn’t believe that Gates and Vengeance were fucking dragging me to Johnny’s tonight, especially after they told me Dice was going to be there. Didn’t they know that I was trying to avoid her? Fuck, I was still so pissed off at her that it wasn’t funny. How the hell could she use me like that after I gave her fucking everything? Was I not good enough for her? Err…she just fucking pissed me off to no end but I couldn’t get her off my mind. Dice’s green eyes fucking polluted my thoughts and as much as I told myself I was over her, I really wasn’t. I could put on a good act, but it was killing me inside because every little thing reminded me of her. Fuck, my pillow still smelled like her orchid shampoo. I pretended to play tough around the guys but she fucking burned me, and boy did it hurt. I just wanted to put distance between us, hoping that that would put of the fire I still felt.

So why had I decided to go over and drop off a box of her stuff today? Because I was fucking crazy and decided that I needed another kick in the balls. I told myself I was playing the hero or being the better man, but honestly I was just trying to prove to myself that I was over her. And I was wrong again. I couldn’t believe how one look at her in that white tank covered in oil set me off again—I wasn’t over her. She hurt me bad, but I wasn’t over her. Part of me wanted to pull Dice into my embrace and never let go, while the other wanted to beat her ass.

Well, good thing I didn’t have time to find out because the fucking suits showed up. What kind of mess had Red gotten herself into now? Was she being accused of murder? That’s what it sounded like from my end though I couldn’t stick around to find out. I had to get out of there before I let my temper or my emotions get the better of me. How could she stand there and pretend that nothing ever happened between us? Dice was fucking liar if I ever saw one.

So where was I now?

I was sitting at the exact bar I didn’t want to go to talking with Zack about album release and tour logistics, trying to ignore the hot tamale in front of me. It took everything in my power not to look at her or pretend I didn’t want to bend her over the counter. Fuck, I hated this shit!

“So you think Almost Easy could be a single?” Zack asked; looking at me from over top of the beer that MJ had just handed him. It was like that girl had the ability to read minds, or maybe she just knew Zack that well, I wasn’t sure. I shot a glance down the bar to see her and Gates drooling over each other, which seemed to become a regular occurrence again. I didn’t even want to ask what was going on there. Though my eyes did catch Reds long tattooed legs as they crossed themselves over the bar. No Matt, hold yourself together.

I swallowed thickly as I forced myself to look back at Zacky. “Yeah, I mean it’s a good taste of this album,” yeah, a fucking album about Dice. What the hell was I thinking? Or Jimmy for that matter? Speaking of which, where the hell did he and short shit run off to?

“It might be just enough to get the fans hooked until the entire album comes out and we go out on tour. Though, I think it still need something…it’s a little short.”

Hell, tour was what I needed to get away from all this but we had to finish the album first. But maybe that was it—we had to get away to finish the album. I needed a break from Dice drama, Gates needed to be able to think with his head and not his dick, Zacky needed to stop pining over a girl he’d never have, Jimmy could really use some fresh air, and short-shit…was short shit. “Hey, what do you think about getting away to finish the album? Maybe a trip to Big Bear?”

“I think that is the best fucking idea I’ve heard all week.” Zack raised his glass to mine just as shot glasses landed on the counter in front of us. I closed my eyes and let out sharp exhale. What was she doing now?

“What’s this?” Zacky pointed to the shot glasses as the tan liquid filled to the top. If Dice thought I was going to sit here and play a game of shots, she had another thing coming. She cant tell me she used me and then fucking pretend that everything is okay. We weren’t fucking friends.

“A round of shots.”

My jaw clenched as I willed my mind to stay away from the night that we first met. It had been almost three years since then and I could still remember the first time those green eyes graced me with a patient look. It was a similar night to this one and she was new to the bar and area as far as I knew. I remembered sitting at the bar with Brain and Jimmy, flipping peanuts into an empty shot glass. That is until Red told us to buy a drink or get lost. Of course Gates couldn’t lose his prime scouting real-estate and ordered a round of dirty echoes and that was all that I remembered from that night.

„Have you even read it?” I heard Zack ask, though I hadn’t been listening to their conversation. I was trying my hardest to pretend I hated her and that this didn’t suck. I knew I still fucking wanted her and that was the worst part.

„I think I have... I’m not sure. Wasn’t quite sober when I applied to this job all those years back.” Dice said and suddenly her eyes were locked on mine. “What’s up? Don’t want the shot?” She pointed down at the shot that still sat in front of me.

No, I didn’t want the fucking shot. I didn’t even want to be talking to her or sitting at this bar. What the hell is she playing at? Was it some kind of piece offering? So Dice used me and now she is going to try to play fucking mind games with me? I was so tired of these games that I couldn’t really think straight. I just needed more alcohol and to get away from her, too bad she was the one supplying. However, it was at that moment that I heard my band blare through the speakers from Dice’s phone.

My finger traced the top of my glass, looking down at the amber colored liquid and shaking my head. So there was another thing she had lied to me about. “I though you didn’t listen to our band,” I said with a raised brow.

“Yeah, well, it turns out I listen to you and Backstreet Boys too.”

“I never pegged you as the pop boy band type, Dice,” Zack chuckled on the stool next to me. Shit, I had almost forgot that he was there too. Good. He could save me from having to talk because I didn’t think I control what I wanted to say with this much alcohol in my system.

“I’m full of surprises,” I couldn’t miss the shrug and the look that Dice threw at me as she said it. What the hell did that mean? I guess I would need that shot after all.

“So what was dickwads brother doing here?” My head craned around to Zacky so quickly that it hurt. What the fuck was Vengeance doing? I could literally kill him right now because I had been trying to block that thought out. I didn’t want to worry about her or about any of this, but here it was. Vengeance fucking scratched open that fresh wound again, causing my anger to tango with worry and concern.

“Getting a drink?” Was she serious right now? This wasn’t a time for jokes. “Fuck, I need another shot.” She emptied the bottle into the three shot glass. “And it looks like we’re out of Patron,” Dice sighed just to see some finger up at the end of the bar.

I took the shot and threw it back before standing. “I’ll get it,” I muttered, wanting to find an excuse to get away for a few minutes. Hell, maybe someone would knock me out on the way to the storage room and I would be put out of my misery. What ever this fake civility was between Dice and I was fucking torture and I couldn’t take it anymore. Maybe I should grab the bottles and just head home. At least there I could get totally wasted and pass out and pretend none of this ever happened.

As I opened the door and started to walk down the stairs, I heard two voices echoing through the storeroom. Was that Gates and MJ? Fuck, I just couldn’t catch a break and I wasn’t about to break up their little hookup. Sighing, I turned around to head up the stairs only to realize I heard words instead of moans.

“What the hell was that for?”

“You rolled your eyes. Now talk.” Was that MJ? Damn, I’ll give that girl credit, she had really been coming out of her shell lately. I was starting to believe that there was a little spitfire hiding inside her too.

“Fine,” Brian sighed and I slowly turned around to look at the couple. “look this Jay doesn’t even know that Dice is Lucy Reed. His beef is with Reed. However... sure he can figure that one out by the photo’s from after the trial, but what he wants from Dice is just to take her back to Vegas since what I get from this all – he’s deeply in love with her.”

She what? Are you fucking kidding me? I was beyond pissed now, my vision turning red. “You mean to tell me she left me for a guy who wants to kill her?!” I yelled, my voice echoing through the room.

As if Dice telling me that she didn’t care about me and used me wasn’t enough, I had to find out that she left me to date a psycho who now wanted to kill her? There was no doubt that my knuckles were white from how hard I was squeezing my fists. I wanted to fucking punch something and the booze in my system were necessarily helping.

“Okay, chill your anger horse, Shads, she’s not going to no Vegas, but you would know that if you actually maned up and talked to her,” Gates called up the stairs, turning around to face me. Oh, don’t fucking flip this around on me! I wasn’t the one playing these stupid little games. Now I really wanted some answers.

I clenched my jaw to prevent myself from putting a hole in the wall. “Grab a couple Patron’s on your way up,” I hissed and headed back towards the bar. Luckily it was getting late and the place was starting to clear out because I couldn’t take it anymore.

I walked right up behind the bar and spun Dice around to face me, my face inches from hers. “What the hell is going on, Dice? So you were just fucking around with Malcolm’s brother and thought that was a good fucking idea?” I growled in her face, seeing only red at the moment.

Dice’s mouth dropped before she gave me a firm shove backwards. “You have some fucking nerve. Get out from behind the fucking bar,” she hissed, her green’s giving me the death glare. Oh, please, like you really scare me. Okay, so maybe she did a little bit, but not right now.

“Not until you tell me why you left me for someone that wants to fucking kill you!” I hissed only to feel a firm shove to the center of my chest. Was she really trying to push me back? I had almost a good six to eight inches on her; I wasn’t going to move so easily.

It was then that I felt someone push around me from behind and plant themself between Dice and I. “What the hell is going on with Jay, Dice?” MJ? What the fuck are you doing? This is my battle.

“Yes, please tell us why you’re fucking around with Malcolm’s brother,” I said, as deep crease forming between my brows. So she could screw the brother of the guy that beat the shit out of her best friend but she couldn’t be with me? That made real fucking sense.

“I’m not doing this right now,” Dice growled, shooting daggers at someone behind me. “Get the fuck out from behind my bar, all of you!”

“Like hell we are!” I yelled. “You better get talking. Now!” My jaw was so tight that it was starting to hurt and I didn’t care if people were looking at us. I wanted answers and I wanted them now.

“Dice! You can’t keep hiding this shit! Why is Jay looking for Lucy Reed?” She put her hands on her hips as she stared down Dice. I had never seen Blondie so set on something before but I was glad she was on my side. “Why did I have to find out from Brian that you were living with him in Vegas.”

Dice let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against the shelves. “You never asked,” she said simply, running her fingers through her bangs. “Just keep your nose out of shit, okay. It’s easier that way.”

“That’s fucking bullshit,” MJ raged and I knew that I wasn’t going to get a word in edgewise if Blondie kept this up. “Does he want to kill you?”

“I’m going to fucking kill you Gates,” she said, pointing at Brian on the stool next to Zack. He threw his hands up in the air and gestured at MJ. “And no he doesn’t want to kill Dice, he wants to kill that crack whore Lucy.”

“Like I had a fucking choice, you know your best friend,” wait, why the hell did Brian know more than both Blondie and I? This was fucking bullshit!

“What the hell is going on out here?” We all turned to see Max gaping at our group, a deep frown written on his face. “You know what, just take it outside. You’re scaring away the patrons.”

MJ’s POV

“Now fucking spill it!” I hissed after dragging Dice outside into the back alley. At the moment I didn’t care that it was freezing outside, I wanted answers. “What the hell is going on?!”

Dice sighed and pulled out her cigarettes, ignoring the Avenged guys surrounding us and taking out their smoke too. Yeah, you could say that this was stressful on all of us.

“Fine,” she hissed after a moment. “So when I left town before, I went to Vegas and I ended up staying with Jay, but when I didn’t I didn’t know who the fuck he was until last week. Anyway, he came looking for me when I didn’t go back to Vegas and what I got from our last encounter is that he has set bounty on Lucy Reed for putting his father in jail,” I watched as she nervously puffed on her smoke, burning it down quickly.

I blinked a few times, trying to process what she said, but it was Matt who asked the question I was thinking.

“So he doesn’t know who you are?” Matt looked like he was about to punch the wall. I don’t blame you, buddy. I’ll be right behind you on that one.

“No, I didn’t tell him my real name. Jay only knows me as Dice, though if he’s smart enough to put the two and two together, I’m sure he’ll figure who’s the one in the photos from after the first trial,” Dice said with a sigh, flicking her ash down the dark alley way.

“So what were those suits doing at your place today?” Matt went to Dices’ house? I thought they broke up? I shook my head and wrapped my arms around my body, trying to conserve some of my body heat. It was a little too cold for shorts and a tank right now. It was then that I felt a warm leather jacket fall over my shoulders and a strong pair of tattooed arms wrap around my waist. I looked up to see Brian watching Matt and Dice with a small smirk on his lips. I knew I owed him for earlier.

“Suits? You mean like police?” I gaped. Dice rolled her eyes and ran her hands over his face.

“Oh, more than the police, they were the fucking FBI,” Matt crossed his arms and glared at Dice. “What the hell did they say, Dice?” The look in his eyes scared me a little bit and I couldn’t tell if it was concern or anger. Though it was nothing compared to the glare Dice shot back at him.

“The FBI” My jaw must have literally been on the ground now. “Dice!”

“Relax, they just gave me the heads up about Jay. I guess he has been making threats, but its nothing that I cant handle.” Was she fucking kidding me right now? Some crazy person had a bounty on her head and she wasn’t scared? “You can all close your mouths because I’m fine. I can handle Jay.”

Matt nervously ran his hands over his hair as he paced back and forth. “This is so fucked up,” he kept saying.

“Come stay at my place,” Brain said from behind me and I agreed that it would be the right move. “The spare bedroom is free.”

“And listen to you and MJ scream through the walls? No thanks, I think I’ll handle this by myself.” Why did she always have to be so brave?

“Come on, Dice. Done be the fucking hero. Jay is fucking crazy!” Brian urged, though my eyes were on Matt who looked like he was having an internal battle with himself. “You’ve met his brother and you know what that family is capable, don’t be stupid.”

Dice chewed her bottom lip as she looked down at the ground. Apparently the tip of her cowgirl boots were really entertaining because she seemed dead set on continuing the staring contest they had going on.

“Fine, then I’ll stay with you,” I said and all eyes were suddenly on me. Dice raised a brow at me as a smirk fell over her face, shaking her head. What? I could…okay, so maybe I couldn’t stand up to Jay but at least I could call someone if there was trouble. That was better than nothing, right?

“Don’t get in the middle of this mess, love, you’ve had enough shit with this family,” Dice said sadly, her eyes looking between Brain and I. Why was she avoiding Matt? He looked like he was ready to explode and honestly I was surprised he was still holding it together.

“You’re not going home alone, that’s for damn sure,” Matt finally said, breaking the silence that had fallen between us. Dice looked up and furred her brow. “If you wont go home with Gates and MJ, and you wont come to my place, then I’m staying with you.”

“So you’re going to play guard dog?” Dice almost laughed, though you had to admit the six feet of pure muscles would be the best one you could ask for. “No, thanks, I’ll pass.” You couldn’t miss the look of hurt that momentarily flashed across Matt’s face.

I pulled out of Brian’s arms and walked towards Dice, taking her hands in mine. “Dice, please…” My blues pleaded at her, trying to get her to see reason. “Brian’s right, you’ve seen what that family is capable of. They aren’t sane people and they hurt without thinking. Please…just-just let us help you.” Dice sighed and I knew this must be hard for her. She never once asked for help but this time I was pretty sure she needed it.

“I’ll fucking sleep on the couch, you wont even know I’m there,” Matt added, appearing next to my shoulder. “It’ll make everyone feel better and I’m not taking no for an answer, Red, so you better get that throw blanket and a pillow ready.”

Notes