Page 33 of Reckless Hands

I drank a bottle of wine with the intent to pass out and get rid of my thoughts, but it didn’t work.

Rubbing my eyes, I walk to the door and pull it open. Three women stand on the other side. And Troy, who looks incredibly comfortable standing beside them. The thought crossed my mind, I wonder if he knows they are all connected to the mafia.

“Gurrrl.” His eyes roam me. “You look like utter shit.” He pushes his way into my apartment and doesn’t stop until he is standing in the middle of the room.

“We’ve been knocking for ages. Are you okay? We thought you did a runner,” Sailor says. I glance down at her shoes and smile. They’re the ones I got her from Lucas.

“I drank too much,” I mutter as I scan them over one at a time. Chanel, who I know the most, is with Lucas. Piper, who is third-in-command after Joey. And Sailor, who is Keir’s wife. And, of course, my best friend, Troy.

“The makeup lady came and left, but lucky for you, Chanel knows how to do it.”

Chanel pulls out her bag and sets it on my table. “I’ve been practicing, and I think I’ve gotten good at it.” She smiles.

“She’s great. Look at my face,” Sailor says, smiling.

“You need to shower, you stink.” Troy grabs me by the shoulders and turns me toward the bathroom. “We’ll be back. Get the wine,” he tells the others, smiling and stepping into my bathroom with me. “What on earth? Why do you smell like a brewery?”

“I told you I drank too much.”

“Why?” he asks, his hand going to his hip. “And get in that shower.”

I start taking off my clothes as he reaches for the faucets and turns them on.

“Becca ended things between us. And, in case you didn’t know, I’m getting married today.”

“Okay, so which one is worse?”

I step into the shower and let the water wash over my face as I think over his question.

“The breakup. I think I can deal with Joey.”

“You don’t sound convinced.”

“Because I’m not.”

“Okay, let’s focus on the most important issue at hand… you are about to get married. Where are you going on your honeymoon?”

“Honeymoon?” I squeak, the thought making me more nervous than walking down the aisle.

“Yes, you know, where couples go and fuck the whole time.”

“I’m not fucking him.” I spit the words out like some bitter-tasting food has been placed in my mouth.

Why didn’t I ask him about this sooner?

“Okaaay…” He reaches in, turns off the shower, and hands me a towel. “Get dressed. We have a wedding to get ready for.”

“Can I run?” I ask with an innocent smile.

“Ha, you should have run the minute you knew.” He closes the door after him as I wrap the towel around myself.

Is running still an option?

THIRTEEN

JOEY

“You think she’ll run?” Lucas muses.

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