“Take the shot, you’re gonna need it as much as I will.” We clinked the shot glasses together and both took them down.
“Okay, bitch. Spill.” Elise took a hefty drink of her martini, gazing around her, almost looking to make sure no one was around.
“I sorta slept with your brother,” she spit out, so quickly I almost thought I heard her wrong.
“What?!” I shrieked, and her hands covered her face instantly. She knew that she almost gave me a heart attack.
“When – How – What…” I was puzzled, flabbergasted even. I was completely speechless.
“You slept with my baby brother?” I didn’t mean to have judgement in my tone, but I did. Wow. I. Shit. I was speechless.
“He’s not a baby, he’s actually very, very much of a man.” She blushed as she said it as I slowly died inside, pushing down the remnants of my lunch that threatened to come out of my throat in that moment. “Oh my God, no, nope. Stop talking!” I took a large gulp of my martini, which was the only way I could stomach this conversation.
“How many times did you two….” I didn’t want to know the answer, I really didn’t, but if it was casual, this wouldn’t be too weird.
“Ummm…like…probably thirty times?” Yep, this was gonna be weird.
“WHAT?!” I screamed it at her, people around us turning at my sudden outburst.
“Stop, Brook, oh my God. I’m literally dying of embarrassment over here.”
“Why are you telling me now?” I asked, wondering myself why she didn’t tell me before. She probably was scared, scared for an outburst like the one I just had.
“Ughhh,” she groaned. “I haven’t seen him in a couple months, when he left for business we, I don’t know. He kinda stopped talking to me…completely?”
“So, you’re telling me my little brother ghosted you?” I cocked an eyebrow, in complete disbelief.
“Yes.” her head shot down to the table. She looked like she’s literally dying of embarrassment.
“He’s here….” I muttered, feeling absolutely horrible for my best friend and furious for the fact my brother was the one to treat her so badly.
“I knooooowwww, thanks for that by the way.” She yanked her head up, flipping me the bird.
“Well, maybe if you told me you fucked my brother thirty fucking times I wouldn’t have invited him,” I hissed. She’d never kept anything from me, ever. This was the first time. Elise downed the rest of her martini, grabbing mine and chugging it.
“Very lady like,” I teased her with a snort. She flipped me the bird again.
“When have I ever been a lady?” She was right; she’d never been one of those. It was something she seemed to pride herself on.
Elise and I hit the dance floor for a majority of the night, grinding up on each other, swaying our hips with the beat of the music, A few guys approached us, but we shoved them off, pretending to be each other’s girlfriends. We had a couple of offers for threesomes, which we turned down and stuck our noses up at them. We actually pretended to be lesbians quite often, and it always seemed to work. I guess when you’ve been friends for as long as we have, it works that way. Our moms used to be best friends, and that was the start of us.
“More drinks!” Elise exclaimed, as she tugged on my arm towards the bar. We found two open stools and each sat on one. She ordered four shots of tequila and two extra dirty martini’s. We downed the two shots each. Personally, I was starting to feel a little tipsy, and really, really good.
“I know what you need!” Elise exclaimed suddenly, the expression on her face telling me that she thought she had the best idea in the world.
“What do I need, Elise?” She smiled, grinning wickedly.
“You need to pick a fine piece of man and go fucking tonight.” She twirled around on her barstool, scanning the area for perspective targets.
“Elise, you need a water. You’re so fucking sloshed.”
“And you need to get laid, you’ve been so cranky, you need some DICK!” She continued to scan, as she found her eyes fixated on someone to my right. “Like him, take him home, if you don’t, I will.” She winked at me, I swirled around, looking for who she was talking about, until I found him. Sitting right next to me.
He sipped on his whiskey, and his face turned towards me, our eyes meeting, a blush starting to rise up my chest until it reached my cheeks.
“I must be the chosen one.”
I died, cringed on the inside, actually. But damn, the only reason I was cringing was because of his masculine perfection.
Jesus, take me now.
“I’m sorry, she’s sloshed,” I turned back to Elise, shooting her a ‘what the fuck’ look with my eyes. She giggled, and not in the innocently cute way. I sighed, it was going to be a long night. An hour or two passed as we talked about what was going on in our lives, her telling me way too much about her and my brother’s sexual escapades.
I found out way too much more than I cared to know. We still hadn’t seen him yet. I ordered another martini for me, and a water for Elise, which she frowned at but accepted anyway. I saw Seb out of the corner of my eye, walking over toward us. He spotted Elise and almost did a 180 until he saw me watching him the entire time, eventually giving in and walking towards us. “Hey ‘Lise.” He looked at her, scanning over her body like a disgusting pervert.
“Hi,” she muttered, taking a sip of water. Oh, the tension was brutal. You could have probably cut it with a knife at that point.
“Why did you ghost her, Seb?” I asked, thoroughly annoyed. I needed to get straight to the point. I wouldn’t give a shit if he ghosted any other little hussie out there, but not my best friend. She’s practically my sister.
“Uh, I.” He glanced toward her, his young idiot self, trying to find the words. “I fucked up, I fucked up big time ‘Lise.” Her beady blue eyes met his, watching him. I felt like I was in a rom-com right now, or some kind of trashy telenovela. “I love you. I’m sorry, take me back. I’m an idiot, a big fucking idiot.” She jumped off the barstool into his arms and kissed him.
I had to pick my mouth up off the floor and close it before I vomited all over them. Was this even real life? She yanked away from him, sporting the biggest grin I’d ever seen for him. “We’re gonna…go. I’ll see you later, bitch.”
“For the record, I fucking hate you…both of you!” Seb smiled as I said it, taking her hand in his and walking her out. I ordered another drink in the meantime, flipping through schedules on my phone. The fact that I had such a jam-packed day was finally hitting me, right square in the face.
Mason came from around the bar, “Mase!” I yelled, he turned and walked toward me. I’d known this old man since I was a little girl. It was his place, my spot, my happy place.
“Buttercup, what’re you doin’ out so late?”
I laughed at him, “Oh you know, stirring up trouble.”
He took my hand, “Don’t tell me that lass. We all know your Pa now, if you’re really, I’ll call him up in a jiffy.” He chuckled, pressing his lips to my hand. “Your momma would be so proud of you, the woman you’ve become.”
“Don’t make me start crying at your bar, it won’t look good,” I laughed, if only he knew the seriousness in my tone. Whenever anyone spoke about my mom I teared up, like a kid who dropped their ice cream cone.
He chuckled, pressing another kiss to my hand. If I ever had a grandfather, I would imagine he would be a lot like Mason. The man had to be in his late seventies. “The day you cry, is when the angels fall from the sky,” he winked at me, I couldn’t help but do the same back at him
“You must’ve had a lot of game back in the day.”
“Who says I don’t have it now?!” I laughed at his response. This was why I loved Mase, because he made me laugh all the time. I thought, in the back of my head, that it was why Mom loved him so much too.
Mase handed me another extra dirty martini. “You trying to get me drunk?”
He laughed. “Oh lassi
e, you have a liver stronger than most Irishmen I know. I don’t think you’ve ever been drunk in this bar.” I agreed with him, I’d never been drunk at this bar. I’d been tipsy, but never drunk.
The man next to me spoke as I went through emails on my phone. “Mason, could I get another?” Out of the corner of my eye, I could see he pointed to his drink. Mason nodded, topping it off for him.
My phone started ringing, the caller ID reading ‘Ashley’. I picked up, in much reluctance.
“Ashley.” I knew she could hear the sigh in my voice.
“Why are you answering the phone? It’s almost midnight!”
“Your point?”
“You have the biggest meeting of your life tomorrow, woman, get your shit together, get home, and into bed!” I could mentally visualize her vein popping on her forehead as she said it.
“Ashley, send me the financials again. I need to look them over one last time. I’ll see you at 8:30.” I hung up on her, putting my phone on silent before she could even begin to argue with me.
CHAPTER 3
Brooklyn
“Still here?” Mason popped back by, my eyes glued to my phone, reading over trajectories for my line.
“Yep,” I commented idly, making sure each line went directly into my brain for tomorrow.
“It’s passed one lass, better get back before Ashley gets ya!”
“I’m not scared of Ashley.” I looked up to Mason, his face going red from withholding his laughter.
“I know what you’re going to say, ‘You should be, mighty fine temper on that one’ right?” I faked an Irish accent, Mason going red again, laughing hard at that.
“Don’t do that, it was horrible, you offended my country right there, lassie.” He feigned a look of disgust.
“It wasn’t that bad!”
Mason looked to the man next to me, “Eh, Logan. How’d you rate that one?”
Logan, the man who Elise told me I should take home and fuck. I’d almost forgotten about him. But there he was, still as beautiful as he had been an hour ago.
“One of the worst I’ve ever heard,” he chuckled, bringing his hand over his head and running it through his hair.
“Well at least I’m giving you both some comedic relief tonight,” I cocked a smile, chuckling at myself. I’d always had a good sense of humour.
Mason refilled my drink, yet again. “You’re trying to get me drunk tonight Mase!”
“Oh, no, Ashley would tear me a new one for that. She may be my granddaughter, but I’m terrified of that lass.” Ashley would, especially if she knew her Pop had been the one refilling my drinks all night long.
I laughed at his response. “You’re terrified, and yet she doesn’t even phase me, and which one of us is the strong Irish man again?”
“You don’t know her like I do, lassie. She once, in broad daylight, broke a Barbie doll in half, and then lit it on fire.” I laughed hysterically at that one.
“You can’t be serious; I’m sure Ashley has done much worse than that.”
Mason laughed on, telling me story after story about Ashley. If she was as temper filled and feisty as she was now, I knew she must've been that way since birth. She must’ve come out of the womb kicking and screaming. By the time he was finished, I knew exactly why he was terrified of her.
It was a little past three in the morning, Logan still sitting next to me, and he’d been listening intently to the stories as well. We were two of the only people left in the bar. It didn’t close until four, and I had a feeling we’d both be here until then. “I have to admit, I’m surprised you’re still here. Thought you’d be gone by now,” I cocked an eyebrow, speaking to Logan. His gaze met with mine, his hazel eyes staring back at me.
“Funny, I thought the same of you.” Hmm. I’m intrigued.
“Why do you stay so late?” I asked, and he took a sip of his whiskey, turning towards me.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“Wrong; I’m the one asking the questions right now.”
“A woman interrogating me, and I don’t even know her name.” He cracked a smile, waiting for my response, running his hand along his stubble surrounding his jaw. I really couldn’t keep my eyes off him.
“I would hardly call this interrogating, but I’m Brooklyn.” I extended a hand. He met his with mine and shook, firmly.
“Why are you still here, Brooklyn?” His eyebrow raised as he turned back, taking another sip of whiskey.
“Because.” I didn’t really have an answer prepared.
“Because you want to fuck me?” He glanced over to me, and I could feel the heat rising in my face, almost choking on my drink. Dammit, now all I could think about was being under him as he rammed into me. I wouldn’t mind it, he looked delicious.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He chuckled. I didn’t realize I didn’t respond to him.
“I didn’t say yes.” I rolled my eyes, and he took another sip of whiskey.
“You didn’t deny it either.”
Fuck.
He was right, wasn't he?
He probably thought I was a little slut. Did I really mind, though?
A few moments passed by, just complete silence as the sexual tension between us began to build, our breathing the only sounds besides the clacking of dishes we could hear in the kitchen.
“B, is that you?” I knew the voice before I turned, horror shuddering through my body. It couldn’t get any worse. It couldn’t.
“Well shit, it is!” I reached over the bar, grabbing a bottle of vodka, pouring it in my martini glass and took a giant gulp. I was gonna need it, Logan staring at me questionably from the corner of his eye. I turned, facing the devil.
“Bryce.” I clenched my teeth together as I said his name, fearing I’d bite my tongue off if I didn’t keep my mouth shut. He walked up to me, his eyes glossed over. He was high. “B, when you’d get back in town?”
“A while back, not that I’d share that with you though.” I rolled my eyes at him. He disgusted me, terrified me, made me feel weak, little. I felt little.
“Want to get out of here, have some fun? I’ve got something with your name on it.” I didn’t smile at him, and I didn’t respond. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction; he stole four years of my life, and I almost died because of him. I could’ve died. I would’ve died if it wasn’t for Alfred. That’s why I agreed to the dinners, to the events, because without him, I’d be six feet under, right next to Mom.
“Come on Suga’, I’ve got a bag for you, the coke just came in. Tried some last night, it’s amazing.”
I turned around, not being able to hold it in. He’s threatening my sobriety, my addiction. “Why don’t you fucking get it? I don’t want anything, anything that you have to offer. Do yourself a favor and leave. Mason is gonna shoot you when he sees you anyway.” His hand reached out, grabbing my forearm, tightly squeezing.
“Let go of me,” I hissed, angrily trying to rip my arm out of his strong grip.
“C’mon baby, let’s have some fun.” He tugged at me.
Logan calmly stood. “Let go of the lady.”
“Who the fuck are you?”
“The man you don’t want to fuck with.” Before I could even react, Logan’s arm reared up, and he clocked him right in the nose, blood spurting. He flew back, putting his hands to his face.
“Daddy hire you a body guard, B?” He smiled, some of the blood starting to drip into his mouth, staining his already grotesque smile, knowing that bringing up my father would irritate me. “Fuck off, Bryce.”
“He did, good old Hamilton, protecting his prized possession.” He chuckled, laughing at me. Being a Hamilton, ugh. I’m not a Hamilton; I’m Brooklyn Harper.
Mason came from the back, his shotgun in tow.
“Get outta here lad, before your face is splashed all over my fuckin’ bar.” Bryce didn’t take Mase’s threat lightly and slowly walked out of the bar, his hands up in surrender. I sighed. That was the last thing I needed
tonight.
“Thanks, Mase.”
“No problem, lassie. Better get home.” I should, I needed to get home. I turned to thank Logan, who was nowhere to be seen.
“Thanks, for the….” I trailed off, scooting off the stool, walking towards the door, spotting Logan out of the corner of my eye. I picked up my pace, trying to catch up with his long strides. He was taller than I thought. He stopped in front of an elevator, his back turned to me. I caught up with him, and I yanked on his suit jacket.
“Logan, I wanted to-” Instead of being able to finish what I was saying I was met with his lips, on mine, grazing over me. His tongue entered my mouth, and I did the same. His hand was on the small of my back, his other lifting me up. I wrapped legs around him, my arms holding onto his shoulders.
He pulled away, his eyes staring into mine. “If you don’t want this, you need to tell me now.”
I didn’t say a thing, instead, I brought his lips down to mine. He kissed back fiercely. The elevator door opened, he moved us inside, clicking a button, pressing my back against the glass. His hands ventured further down my body, caressing my torso, stopping over my breasts, squeezing my hardened nipples.
“Oh,” I moaned into his mouth, he squeezed harder, making me want to scream out in pleasure. His mouth pulled away from my mine, going to my neck, biting and pulling on my skin. I was going to have some nasty hickeys tomorrow. Thank God for my makeup line.
He stuck a key into a slot on the wall, and the elevator beeped. The doors opened, and he pulled the key back out, shoving it in his pocket and pulling me back into his arms. The door closed behind us as we entered an apartment, which must have been his. He let me down, walking around me, pulling his suit jacket off, placing it on his kitchen island. Damn, he looked hot. I could lick every inch of him.
Maybe I would, if this encounter went the way I wanted it to.
He came to me, pushing my body against the wall, devouring my mouth with his own. He slowly slid my dress off, leaving me in just a black thong and heels.
“Your turn,” I breathed against his mouth. I pulled on his tie, slowly unbuttoning his shirt, yanking it off him, pulling at his pants until they hit the floor. It left him in a tie, boxers, and shoes. Logan lifted me up, putting his mouth over my breast, carrying me into a room and throwing me down on a bed. I could feel another mark being sucked into the skin of my breast.
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