Page 10 of Best Served Cold

“He punched holes in his body,” River pointed out. “It would be weird if it didn’t hurt.” He peered at me critically. “Which hurt the most?”

“One I sure as fuck ain’t showing any of you.” I toasted him with my glass.

Bubbles guffawed. “You make it sound like you pierced your dick.”

I winked at him, then shot back more beer.

“Wait, what?” Gray almost fell off the stool he was perched on. “Seriously?”

“I’m neither confirming, nor denying, anything.” I gave him a serene smile.

“No fucking way.” Zane rolled his glass, the amber beer swirling inside it. “I call bullshit.”

I leaned against the bar top. “Think whatever you want.”

He looked at me in challenge. “I’m not falling for that.”

“Falling for what?” I sipped my drink, making sure to put my pinky up because I knew it would piss him off.

His eyes narrowed. “You’re lying.”

“Lying?” I blinked at him, barely stifling my grin when his glare intensified. “I didn’t say anything either way.”

“Dude,” River complained. “You can’t just cliffhanger us. We need answers. Do you have a pecker piercing?”

I snorted into my beer. Some spilled down my front as a laugh bubbled from my chest.

“Fucker.” I wiped my shirt. “Warn a guy before you pull out something like pecker piercing.”

“Need a bib?” Zane asked sweetly.

“Pecker piercing, yay or nay?” River pressed.

I shrugged, fighting back my own smile.

“Duuuude!” River threw his hands up in exasperation.

I slid my gaze to Zane, who was staring at my crotch. “Take a picture, it lasts longer.”

His eyes snapped up. A flicker of something, maybe surprise, momentarily cut through his usual stare.

“You could always take a closer look,” I said, my tone as sweet as pie.

A warm flush crept over my cheeks and heated my neck as the start of a beer buzz hit. I was a big guy and had a decent tolerance, but I hadn’t eaten much today. Pair that with barely sleeping and working long hours, and I was a lightweight tonight.

I put my almost-empty glass on the bar to slow down. I wasn’t out to get drunk.

“All you gotta do is ask nicely,” I continued, dropping my voice to a purr.

“Ooooh.” Bubbles clapped gleefully. “Challenge declared.”

“What challenge?” Zane didn’t look away from me, his intense stare never wavering. “I didn’t hear a challenge. Just someone writing a check they can’t cash.”

“Writing a check I can’t cash?” I scoffed. “What does that even mean?”

“It means you don’t want me to take a closer look.”

“Why, you gonna cut it off?” Gray snorted. “It’s not like you don’t have the knife collection for it.”

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