Page 29 of A Very Addicted Christmas

O’Malley - 27 Epsilon(Current Client: Beckett Cobalt)

Paul Donnelly - 27 Omega(Current Client: Xander Hale)

Akara Kitsuwon - 27 Omega Lead(Current Client: Sullivan Meadows)

Quinn Oliveira - 21 Omega(Current Client: Luna Hale)

PAUL DONNELLY

THIS TRIP COULDN’T have come at a better time. It’s hard to even think it—but I didn’t want to be in Philly. Not this week.

Christmas lights twinkle in the dark Scottish pub. Fireplace is crackling, and a TV is turned on, volume low. Woulda cut some people off the guest list if I could’ve, but at least I’m here as some type of pseudo-bodyguard and as Farrow’s friend.

Since Xander stayed back home to attend his therapy sessions, I’m not getting paid to be here as security, but I’m helping out because I want to. Comms are working alright, and I have the earpiece in my ear, sitting with SFO on the sofas and surveying the pub while some of the famous ones drink.

“Cobalt princess is getting wasted,” Oscar narrates.

Jane has a silly grin on her face and sways near the fireplace further away from us. Her cheeks are rosy while she’s cupping another glass of whiskey. It’s just as fun for me being on the sober side of things.

I’ve never needed liquor to have a good night.

And I see that Luna and Sulli are hanging out with their cousin near the fireplace. Luna is wearing a black knitted sweater with green stars. I wonder if she made it herself.

I smile, then look to my friend. “Nah,” I tell Oscar. “Cobalts are immune to alcohol. They’ve gotextraordinary tolerances.” I purposefully chop up that one word into two.

Farrow raises his brows at me. “They’ve been drunk before.”

“Definedrunk,” I smirk.

“Plastered on the floor.”

“Never seen it.”I have.But I’m not tearing down the immortalized strength of the Cobalt Empire. Only building that baby up.

Farrow looks to Thatcher. The most stoic bodyguard remains completely quiet and swigs a water. He’s dating a Cobalt now, so his loyalties could be tied more strongly to them to where he’s not going to mention a drunken incident.

But partly, I’m thinking he’s just quiet because he’s trying not to focus too hardcore on Jane tonight.

Oscar pipes in, “Eliot. I’ve seen it.”

I motion to him with my water. “Stop firing shots at my lion cubs.”

“Ourcubs. And it was like a squirt gun shot, bro.”

I blow him a middle-finger kiss.

Oscar’s grin fades. He returns to hawk-eyeing his sister who’s chatting with the bartender across the pub.

Now that Oscar is looking in that direction, I can feel the heat of a pair of eyes on me, and an underlying tension inside this pub pulls taut again. I’m doing my best to avoid the guy who’s trying to bait me at the bar.

Unfortunately, I slip a teeny-tiny glare at him. He’sgrinning. One of those shit eating grins.

“Ignore him,” Farrow says quietly beside me.

“I’m trying.” It’s not as easy as it should be. O’Malley is a prick, andGod,he gets on my last fucking nerve, which is usually hard for anyone to reach. And I hate thathe’sreaching that place. I don’t want him thinking he’s special or anything.

“Oslie rumors have to die down, right?” Quinn asks all of us. He’s on his phone, probably checking the internet.

Oscar tenses at the ship name for him and Charlie.Celebrity Crushjustrecently ran an article stating SFO is fake, and we’re all dating our clients.

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