Page 17 of Aria

"Perfect. I'll be right back."I couldn't hide the knowing smile on my lips.Nothing was a bigger turn-off than a girl who couldn't hold her liquor.She'd be back to waiting tables in no time. And it wasn't that Ihatedthe girl—I was sort of enjoying our heated banter. But Chelsie was a threat, and the threat needed to be eliminated.

Simple facts.

Heading down the V.I.P. steps, I called over a waitress. She came by with the drink orders a few minutes later.

"One rum and Coke, and one shot of whiskey, coming right up," I declared, waving the alcohol in front of Chelsie's face.

Julia glared at me."Where's my drink?" She crossed her arms over her chest with a pout. "I thought I was your date for the night."

"It's a white-flag drink," Lisa explained.

Chelsie took her drinks with hesitant hands, wrinkling her nose at the shot. "What is this?"

There was revulsion in her tone, like I’d just handed her a severed limb on a plate. "It's my good friend, Jack. Drink up—you'll like it."

Chelsie sat there for a moment in silence before her wary expression faded into casual acceptance, and she tipped her head back, chugging down the shot in one swallow.

She gagged.

"Yuckdoes not give justice to what I’m feeling right now," Chelsie balked. She covered her mouth with her hand in an effort to keep the liquor down and physically shuddered.

I laughed, downing my own shot with ease.A devious smile lingered on my lips. "You'll get used to it.”

"As if I'm going to have more?"

"Damn right, you are." I spotted the waitress coming up the staircase again, so I waved her over. "Five Jägerbombs,” I told her. “And keep the liquor coming."

* * *

Chelsie

I eyed the peculiar cocktail. It resembled liquified tar that had been placed into a larger glass of pee water.I’d served these drinks as a waitress, but never dared try them. Glancing around the room, I noticed everyone had already chugged down their own respective glasses of pee water."Here goes nothing."

"'Atta girl," Noah said.

The beverage tasted like licorice and seltzer water.It wasn’t quite as heinous as the shot of whiskey, but I would die happy if I never had to drink it again.

It wasn't long before a solid buzz settled in.

"You're holding your own over there," Devon said with a smile pulling at his lips. He patted my knee with a wink.

I flashed him a radiant grin. "Are you impressed?"

"Maybe a little."

When I squeezed in closer to Devon, the aroma of his bourbon cologne made my head feel dizzy. Or… was that theactualbourbon?

"Ready for another?" Noah had set his sights on me again after putting equal effort into flirting with both Julia and our blue-haired waitress.

My already dizzy head started to spin at the thought of another drink. "No, thanks… I'm already starting to feel those last few.”

"So, why stop now?" Noah ordered another round of bombs.

My eyes narrowed at the mischievous glint in his gaze—he was up to something.

"Shit, man," Devon said as he slipped his arm around my shoulders."Take it easy on the girl.She's not an alcoholic like you are."

Heavy silence infiltrated our small group, and I could sense the tension lingering just beneath the repartee. The look in Noah's eyes said it all.

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