Page 15 of Trigger

I chuckled. “Are you sure about that?”

She nodded, blushing. “I’m sure. You get a free slave in returnfor a round of drinks at Pete’s. Maybe two rounds. Or three.”

I scrolled through my phone, checking if I had new texts from Vic.

“One drink,” I said finally, frowning when Shelly squealed withdelight.

“Got it,” she said sternly, saluting me. “Sir, yes, sir!”

I hoped I wouldn’t regret it.

Which was stupid.

Of course, I regretted it.

Well, not immediately. Not as I strolled down the rain-washedstreet with Shelly, chatting about inconsequential things. Not when we enteredPete’s, and I saw only the old crowd there: Bruce, Adam, Ruth, and a fewyounger cops in uniforms. The absence of a Hawaiian shirt made me feel bothrelaxed and annoyed as we ordered drinks at the bar, ignoring the othersyelling at us to join their table.

“Aren’t you glad I talked you into it?” Shelly said before downingher drink.

“It’s still undecided,” I grumbled.

“You’re not nearly as grouchy as you pretend to be, you know?” shesaid as I took a sip of tequila. “And this brooding thing—”

“Hah, I knew you would come!”

Just as I heard the familiar voice, a large, heavy arm landed onmy shoulders and pulled me into a side hug. Instantly, all my senses went awry.That intoxicating scent filled my nostrils, making me draw one breath more thanmy lungs needed. A strange, heady heat swept over me, like a dust storm in thedesert. I could feel the huge biceps flexing against me until goosebumps brokeout all over my body. It all… repulsed me, almost. What else to call thiscrawling sensation under my skin, this strange emotion bubbling in my core?

“There you are,” Thorsen said, looping his other arm aroundShelly. “My two favorite people in the whole wide world.”

I suffered through his hot, minty breath brushing my neck beforepushing his arm away and finishing my drink.

“We’re ordering beers,” he said, unperturbed by my reaction. “Areyou in?”

“Damn straight,” Shelly replied, wrapping her arm around mine anddragging me with her. “Come on, Carter. Let’s sit with the others, and then wecan get wasted.”

And I thought, why not? Why shouldn’t I get drunk and put thisentire shitty day behind me? For once, I wouldn’t think about Sophie Malik andher lifeless body that nobody mourned. I would forget that I was fighting alosing battle in this damn snake pit of a town. But most of all, I would ignorethe person in a garish shirt sitting across from me.

For most of the evening, I was successful at it. I mostly chattedwith Shelly and Bruce, who both drank too much. I texted Vic to check up on heras always. Still, I could feel blue eyes on me all the time. They watched metype into my phone. They followed my hand as I brought the glass to my mouth.They remained on my throat as I drank. No one else noticed it because that damnstalker conversed with everyone, laughed at every joke, and even told a few. Hedrank but didn’t look drunk or even tipsy. He flirted with Ruth, who washitting on him, and it annoyed the shit out of me. I asked her out years ago,but she refused me, telling me I was too pretty and that I would break herheart. And now she was flirting with that blue-eyed prick.

After Bruce went to the toilet, Thorsen stood up and sat inBruce's seat next to me. He resumed his conversation with Adam as if nothingout of the ordinary happened, making my blood boil. My hopes for a peacefulresolution lingered until Bruce returned, but he sat in Thorsen’s chair, toowasted to notice or care.

When I felt a leg pressing against mine, I gritted my teeth,suppressing the need to punch something. The man attached to it looked at mewith a smirk, almost as if to say,What? Do I bother you so much? If so,move my damn leg yourself.

Yeah, not happening. He was provoking me, and I wasn’t biting.Instead, I turned toward Shelly, who looked wasted.

“Hey, Shel,” I said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Doyou want to go home?”

Her lips curled into a wide smile as she caressed my cheek,slurring, “Your eyes are so pretty.”

“And you’re drunk,” I retorted, pushing the glass away from her.

“Aww, what a gentleman,” Thorsen said, making everyone laugh, butI ignored him.

“That’s why the ladies love him,” Bruce joked, munching on thepotato chips. “His pretty mug doesn’t hurt either.”

“My partner, a ladies’ man. Aren’t I lucky?”

The teasing baritone made my blood boil.

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