Page 9 of Loved By You

Harry, one of my best friends, is ridiculously good looking, but God, does he know it. He's got the whole tall, dark, handsome with a cheeky grin, thing going on; a different girl every day, he refuses to settle down and act his age.

“We can’t leave now. Chris wants us to meet ‘his Nancy’,” I say in a mocking tone.

“Fuck, I need another drink,” Brad says with a grunt, taking two large whiskeys from a passing waitress and downing themone after the other. “I’m sitting down. Let me know when we can leave.”

“Don't worry, sunshine, we'll let you know when you can go home and snuggle up with yourColleen Hoovernovel,” Harry shouts over to him.

Brad sticks up a middle finger. “It was one book, one time, you fucker and my mom sent it to me,” he grumbles.

“Still read it, though,” Harry laughs.

Brad gets up, storming off. He’s a miserable fucker. I don’t blame him. We served two tours together and the things he's been through would keep the strongest man awake at night. 6ft 2, dark hair, covered in tattoos and built like a house. The man looks like he would snap you in half. He's a man of few words, but I couldn't do life without him by my side.

“Dude, I know Brad is a miserable fuck, but when can we get out of here? It’s been an age since I got my dick wet.”

“It's been two days, Haz,” I say bluntly.

He tilts his head as if he’s thinking something through. “Actually, four once you consider the time difference, so yeah, we've got a situation over here. It's so bad I've even started eyeing you up.”

“I’m honored to be considered for your roster,” I deadpan.

“As you should.” He nods. “Only the elite make it on that list.”

I shake my head, laughing, running a hand through my hair.

“Good, let's get outta here,'' Harry says, scanning the bar for Brad.

Someone taps me on my back and when I glance over my shoulder, I see Chris.

“There she is,” he shouts over the music, nodding to the staircase.

We all turn to look in the direction he’s facing to see a woman who resembles a life-size doll, followed by an entourage of women dressed in variations of little black dresses.

“Change of plan, we're staying,” Harry yells, with a shit-eating grin.

Fuck’s sake, he’s going to ruin this business deal for us. If he fucks one of Nancy’s mates and never calls. Chris might regret going into business with us.

Chris strides over to Nancy, picking her up and swinging her round in his arms, making her friends clap and swoon for the bride and groom-to-be.

Harry and I follow, so we can introduce ourselves, and even Brad drags his ass up off the sofa he’d retreated to.

Chris introduces us, his eyes greedily fixed on Nancy, his feelings for her clear to see. “Oh, you have to meet my girls. You’ll love them,” Nancy says excitedly.

“Ri, Ali, Gabs, get your hot asses here and say hi.”

Ri. God, I haven't heard that name in years. The only Ri I have ever known was Maria Jones in high school, and I would be lying if I said she didn't enter my head more times than she should. She was the kind of girl that left a lasting impression and one who was always way out of my reach. I cared for her too much to risk pursuing her and I knew one moment with her could have ended my friendship with her brother. We joined the Marines, and she met someone and I had to accept we were just never going to be, and it's been a few years since I last saw her.

I scan the sea of women waiting for these girls to appear.

“Jack?” a stunned voice says.

I turn my head sharply to the left and there she is, looking as stunning as I remember.

Maria Jones.

Chapter Five

Ria

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