Page 86 of Bound by Vengeance
He chuckles as I move to the bar and ask the prospect for a bottle and two shot glasses.
Emery slides up to me, not saying a word.
“Looks like we have a date with Jose tonight,” I tell her, sliding a glass in front of her.
She doesn’t hesitate, slamming it in one glug then tapping the glass back on the bar.
“We have a long fuckin’ date with Jose, Austyn. Long fuckin’ date.”
Tequila is poured, and we drink … a lot. Rylynn comes over and has a couple of shots. She may only be nineteen, but she’s with family.
A few hours later, Micah and his Emery clone come up to us. And I’m pretty happy that Emery is three sheets to the wind or this could be really bad. Or maybe her being three sheets is bad. Shit.
“Hey, Austyn, Emery. How’s it goin’?” he asks as Emery takes another shot. I’ve lost count of what we’re on, but Ryker hasn’t come over to intervene, so I guess we’re not totally lost yet.
“Good. You?” I answer for her.
“Good. This is Jacklyn,” Micah introduces.
I give a small wave as Emery’s lips tip up just a bit in a snarl, then she releases it.
“Hi,” Emery finally says. I can see her jaw clenched, fighting back from saying any more.
“How are you doing, Emery?” he asks, still holding the girl next to him.
She looks up to the ceiling. “A knife to the neck, arm, and stomach … Doin’ peachy. You?”
Micah looks stunned for a moment. That’s when I see Jacks, one of the brothers, out of the corner of my eye. He’s one of the quiet ones, always in the background, but never really far away. He strolls up to Emery, putting his arm around her and pulling her gently to his side.
He looks at Micah. “Glad I got the real one,” he says then takes off.
Micah gapes, and I laugh my ass off. He doesn’t know what he’s missing. Dumbass.
In this moment, I would buy Jacks anything he wants. The look on Micah’s face is priceless.
CURLED up in bed with my man with me is the best way to end the night. Well, it’s much better than praying to the porcelain gods, which I’m surprised hasn’t happened. I think it’s because, after the Micah incident, Ryker took the bottle away. Then I had the chance to let it permeate through my body. It’ll either be a blessing when I wake up, or I’ll have a killer hangover.
Right now, I don’t care.
Drawing small circles on his chest with my fingernails, I watch as his skin jumps when I hit certain spots. I make it my mission to hit those more often.
I love that I have that effect on him. I love that he’s the one lying next to me, loving me the way I always dreamed.
Shit happens in life. Sometimes we’re dealt a hand that’s hard to bear. Then sometimes you’re blessed with something you never imagined possible. It’s those times you have to hold on to. Have to care for and nurture. I’ve learned they are the best moments in life.
“You’re thinkin’ awfully hard there,” Ryker says from above me. I move my head so I can see his gorgeous face.
“Thank you.”
Puzzlement fills his face. “For …?”
“Loving me. Accepting me and giving me everything I’ve ever dreamed of.”
A sexy grin tips his lips. “Beautiful, loving you is how I breathe. That’ll never change.”
My heart melts as his head comes down, kissing me senseless.
E P I L O G U E
