Page 93 of Play Fast (Brooklyn Dawn 2)

“Not enough.” I gulped half of it down and winced as the sweet liquor went straight to my head. I’d vowed to nurse one or two drinks all night, but if Oz was about to appear, I needed to pregame.

Once a user always a user, right? The only thing that changes is the drug of choice.

No. That wasn’t the truth. I’d had maybe a handful of drinks over the past couple of years. I hadn’t touched any sort of drug in even longer. Oz or no Oz, I could handle myself just fine.

Deliberately, I set the glass down. “So, the whole band?”

Teagan was still staring at me strangely. “I think so. Oh, crap, this is about Oz, isn’t it? Men suck so hard.”

“It’s nothing. What about you? Are you seeing anyone?”

Teagan played with her cocktail napkin. “Well, no, but I was kind of hoping something would happen with Noah, since he’s always hanging around lately. But he’s all about you.”

Jamie picked up her tall purple drink and plucked off the wedge of orange. She sucked half her drink down before tipping her head back to smile at her new male friend. “I could use another. Mind?”

“We’re in VIP, babe. They’ll handle it.”

“I’m thirsty now. Please?”

“I was comfortable here, but I guess.” He frowned and diverted his hand from where it had been happily placed two inches from the swell of her breast. She had on a revealing corset top with a cropped black leather jacket and huge hoop earrings. Total rockstar look.

“Awesome. Thanks!” She beamed at him and slid off his lap into the free space between us. “Hiya, Daisy.”

“Hi.” I took a breath. Even though I’d done her hair and makeup for the fan club show, we hadn’t really spoken much since I’d told her off about Oz. The dressing rooms were pure chaos before a concert, and any conversations were usually drowned out by laughter and music and general revelry. “Um, about earlier this week—”

Jamie waved a hand, waiting to speak until her male companion slid out of the booth and ambled away, looking peevish. “Old news. What’s this about you and Noah?”

“Not you too.” I shook my head. “You do realize we’re related, ri

ght? I mean, super distantly through marriage, but there’s some sort of familial thing there.”

Actually, I was surprised I hadn’t seen Noah yet tonight. It was rare for me to make it out of my building lately without him swooping down as if he had a tracking device on me.

He didn’t have a tracking device on me, did he? I wasn’t sure I’d put it past him.

“Does Oz know that?” Jamie rested her chin on her palm. “Maybe you’re trying to make him jealous.”

I snorted. “Why would I bother? I saw the pictures of him and that blond. Then they were together at the fan club show.” I’d tried very hard to ignore the photos, but it seemed as if news about Oz was everywhere lately. The worst part was she looked an awful lot like me, even if she dressed in a more utilitarian fashion.

The few pictures I’d seen hadn’t been salacious. Not even close. Most of the time, they were getting in and out of vehicles. But the fact remained she was a female, and I’d never seen her around before this past week.

Maybe I’d broken his streak of not needing to have condoms strewn all over. After all, he’d purchased that industrial-sized box and only used one with me.

I grabbed my drink and took another long swallow. The kick of sugary sweetness from the coconut rum only slightly killed the ache in my chest.

It was Jamie’s turn to snort. “You mean his bodyguard? That’s Sarah. She’s on Noah’s team at Roth.”

“Oh.” I set down my glass. “Hey, want to see some naked pictures of him?”

Elle leaned across the table, her eyes wide. I didn’t know her that well, but she’d always been really nice to me. “Naked pictures of who? And the answer is yes. Always yes.”

“Hey there.” Her husband Mal slung his hugely muscled, tattooed arm around her shoulders and hauled her back against his side. “You see enough nudity for five women.”

“Yes, and I enjoy it greatly.” She reached up to rub his bald head in a way that made me avert my gaze. “Even so, it never hurts to admire the scenery.” She clasped her hands together and leaned forward, making Mal roll his eyes. “Let’s see the goods.”

“They aren’t exactly naked. Only partially.”

Lindsey laughed as she stole the piece of pineapple off the tiny sword in Jamie’s drink. “Now you’ve ruined their night.”

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