Page 110 of Victorious: Part 2
I smile, sugary sweet. “You give me the drinks, and I promise not to tell my husband what you just said.”
He leans in, smirk growing. “Married? You’re too young and waaay too hot to be tied down. Tell you what… I’ll overlook that you’re clearly too young to be in here, slip you a drink, and you can reward my generosity out in the stock room with me. We’ll see if yourhusbandnotices you missing for a few minutes.”
I tilt my head, resting my chin in my palm. “Wow. That’s impressive. You managed to be sleazy, age-inappropriate, and disrespectful all in under thirty seconds. New personal best?”
Before he can answer, Phoenix is behind me, sudden and lethal. His hand wraps around my waist like a vice, pulling me flush against him. His smell wraps around me like home and my heartbeat all wrapped in one as I sink back into his tight hold.
“You got about three seconds to walk that shady commentback,” he growls, his voice reminiscent of a thunderstorm brewing. “That’s mywifeyou’re talking to.”
The bartender’s cocky grin falters. “Didn’t see a ring,” he mumbles, trying to recover, his posture stiffening.
Phoenix grabs my left hand and lifts it into the air. The tiny golden cactus keyring glints in the neon light.
“You see it now?” he snaps. “This ring might be small. It might have been bought in a gift shop, but what it does mean? That’s fucking massive.”
The bartender chuckles nervously, backing off. “All right, all right. My bad. You’re a lucky guy, though.”
Phoenix’s voice is pure grit as he continues to glare down this asshole, “Don’t I fucking know it.”
The bartender practically trips over himself getting to the taps to pour us a drink.
Phoenix watches him go, jaw tight, then turns to me. “You okay?”
I nod, the corners of my mouth twitching with a smirk. “I was about to handle it, but I gotta admit… seeing you go full caveman on his ass?” I tilt my head. “Kinda hot.”
He grunts, but a smile breaks through. “No man talks to you like that, Clo. You’reminenow.”
“You gonna pound your chest and mark your territory. Do that whole you’reminebiker speech that the guys always do?”
His eyes narrow on me, and he leans in, brushing his lips against mine. “You. Are.Mine.”
I can’t fight back my smile as the bartender returns with our drinks and avoids eye contact when he sets them down. Phoenix grabs the glasses, still glaring, then leads me to a high-top table in the corner.
We sit, and I lift a brow. “So, that was subtle.”
He shrugs. “Didn’t like the way he looked at you. Or the way he spoke to you.”
“You’re lucky I didn’t throw a mojito in his face,” I tease, swirling my straw. “I was about ten seconds away from going full glitter-bomb vigilante.”
Phoenix’s hand finds mine across the table. “You’re wearing my ring, Clover. That means something to me.”
I glance down at the absurd little golden cactus on my finger and smile. “I’mnevertaking it off. Not for anyone. Not ever. I love it, and you,fartoo much.”
He leans closer, his eyes burning into mine. “Good. And I love you, too, baby.”
I raise my glass. “To being yours.”
He clinks his whiskey against my mojito. “To forever… now go grab a book and choose yourself a song. We have a bucket list item to carry out.”
Grinning, I jump up and race over to pick out a song, jot my name down, then move back to Phoenix and continue to drink my mojito for liquid courage while waiting for my turn.
Three songs later, my name gets called. I down the rest of my drink and make my way to the stage, Phoenix’s encouraging smile giving me strength. The small crowd in the bar quiets as I adjust the microphone, my heart hammering against my ribs. The opening notes of “Love Me Like You Do” by Ellie Goulding start, and I take a deep breath. Then I open my mouth and sing.
All the nerves disappear the moment the first word leaves my lips.
I’m not Clover Cadell, MC princess with a target on her back.
I’m not the girl hiding from Cartels and family drama.
