Page 5 of Goodbye Note

He resumed his scan of the room and then turned on me. “I’m kidnapping you.”

“Isn’t it kinda against the point to tell me?”

“Right.” He snapped. “Good point.” He slapped his hand on the bar. “If I give you a twenty, would you slip me that bottle?”

“Hey, it’s a free bar.” The bartender weighed it, then set the mostly full bottle on the counter. “If you take it, I saw nothing.”

Varian took out his wallet and stuffed a twenty into the tip jar before swiping it. “Come on.”

I followed him toward the back of the joint and out the doors into the crisp February night. “We’re leaving?”

“We can’t talk in there. I can’t even think with the lights and the music.” He closed his eyes and tipped his head back, inhaling deeply.

Maybe it was the worst idea to leave my own party, but Varian drew me in. I wanted more.

“So, to gain clarity, we’ll freeze to death?” I pulled my jacket tighter.

“Always a tradeoff.” He walked toward the lake, and because I clearly had no sense of self preservation, I followed. “But it will be worth it.”

“Is this the blood ritual or the secret friendship stuff?” I shoved my hands into my pockets.

“It can be both.”

I laughed. “You’re not going to sacrifice me, are you?”

“Only if you ask nicely.” He shot me a glance.

“Please, Varian, please.”

He groaned and shook his head, lips twisting into a smirk. “Don’t tempt me! We don’t know each other well enough for me to reveal my kinks to you yet.”

“Yet? You say that like there will be more.”

Varian stopped and assessed my figure. “So much more. But we have to get to know each other first.”

The idea was intoxicating.

“Then let’s get to know each other.”

He stared into my eyes. “I’d like that. How do we start?”

I held out my hand for the bottle. “A drinking game. Take a drink and say something about yourself. I’ll start.” I tipped the bottle to my lips. “You made the night a whole lot better.”

His blond brow arched. “That’s not really about you, but I’ll take it. Was it going badly?”

“It wasn’t—this is a facts game. Follow-up questions require a drink as well.” I held out the bottle.

“Oh, so that’s how we’re playing?”

I nodded.

He tipped the bottle to his lips. “Answer.”

“I had a shit night. My girlfriend—” I cut myself off. He didn’t need the details. “It doesn’t matter.”

“No, say what you were going to say.”

I motioned for him to drink, and when he did, I spoke. “Pictures of my girlfriend cheating on me are all over the internet.”

---