Page 281 of Enigma: The Complete Collection
When I poke out my tongue, he chuckles before bumping me with his non-injured shoulder. Nodding, Harlow pours another four shots of tequila. When Cormack joins us, Cate’s bottom lip drops into a pout, frustrated her big brother is killing her buzz.
Harlow, Hugo, Cormack, and I clinch our glasses together. “Bottoms up.”
“Or not.”
Regan snatches the shot of tequila from Hugo’s hand before downing it herself. I’m impressed when her face doesn’t allude to the harsh bitterness sliding down her throat. She doesn’t even grab a lime from the counter. She just scrubs the back of her hand over her mouth before dumping the empty shot glass onto the counter.
Regan is dressed to impress in a one-shoulder Donatello red slip dress. Her hair is pinned back, exposing her delicate neck, which is adorned with a gorgeous diamond and ruby necklace that appears high-priced. She looks like Hollywood royalty.
“Come on, Regan, one shot won’t kill me,” Hugo objects.
Regan’s red-painted lips twist. “No, but Raquel might if she finds out you were drinking alcohol after taking pain medication.”
“If she stopped ramming them down my throat, I wouldn’t have to worry.”
The hairs on my neck bristle a mere second before an arm wraps around my waist, and I’m pulled back. I suppress a moan when Isaac places a kiss on my neck before he greets Hugo and Regan with a nod of his head. “How did you get out of Raquel’s clutches for the night?” he queries, glancing at Hugo.
“I didn’t.” Hugo rolls his eyes before settling them on Regan. “She sent her evil twin in her place.”
Air whizzes out his nose when Regan whacks him in the stomach with her clutch.
“Did you tell them?”
I peer up at Isaac and shake my head. When he angles his head. so his anxious eyes shift between mine, I rub the wrinkle between his brows. “I was waiting for you since it’sournews to share.”
The fretful mask on his face relaxes. “Do you want to tell them, or shall I have the privilege?”
“They're mainly your friends, so why don’t you—”
“Holy crap. What’s that?” squeals Cate at the top of her lungs, scaring the living daylights out of me and anyone within a five-mile radius.
When I turn to face her, her bulging eyes are fixed on my diamond engagement ring.
Realizing our secret has been busted, I bite on my lower lip before raising my left hand into the air with a wiggle. “We’re engaged.”
My voice doesn’t come out rickety because I'm dreading the engagement. I’m ecstatic about that. I’m just worried about how Harlow will take the news since she’s been officially dating Cormack longer than Isaac and I have been a couple.
Any apprehensions I have disappear when Harlow hollers, startling me for the second time in under a minute, before throwing her arms around my neck to hug me tight. “I shotgun being maid of honor!”
“I wouldn’t want anyone else.”
Hugo smiles a gigantic grin before holding out his hand in congratulations to Isaac. After they shake, he gives me a sneaky cuddle, risking death when he holds on long enough that Isaac shoots him a stern glare. Regan remains quiet, but the sheen in her eyes reveals she is happy for us. Cormack offers quiet congratulations while Cate announces it to the world with a declaration loud enough for all to hear.
“Congratulations.”
This blessing is a little hard for me to swallow. I can’t see the person who issued it, but I know her voice—very well. It’s never missing bitter bitchiness. Gritting my teeth, I spin toward the greeter. My assumptions are proven on point when I spot Clara’s narrowed gaze. As always, she's impeccably dressed in a dark steel gray dress that matches the intensity of Isaac’s eyes. Her hair has been recently cut into a daring shoulder-length, side-sweeping bob with bangs. With a light fluttering of makeup and her new hairstyle, she appears more her age of twenty-five.
She smiles, faking sweetness, before turning her eyes to Isaac. “Can I please request a minute of your time?”
Isaac remains quiet, but I can hear his teeth gnawing as he contemplates her request. I told him about my confrontation with Clara at the boutique. He was beyond furious, the angriest I’ve ever seen him. It was such an incredibly arousing experience, I should probably thank Clara for her devious act as my night was filled with memories I’ll treasure for years to come.
Isaac peers into my eyes, requesting my opinion. He smirks an appreciative grin when I nod. As much as I dislike Clara, I need to learn how to control my green-eyed monster. Women are drawn to Isaac like moths to a flame, so stuff like this will be a regular occurrence during our marriage.
“I’ll be back in a minute.”
He kisses my temple before gesturing for Clara to follow him. My heart warms when he stays in eyesight, knowing it will appease my jealousy.
“So, I’m guessing you’re officially resigning from the FBI?”
