Page 50 of A Shot of Pretty Poison

Cue traveling bartenders.

You’d be surprised how many experienced bartenders there are that will work for tips alone if you’ve got a good enough place. I don’t have to pay them out of my pocket, and I get a night off. It’s a win-win in my book.

“You better behave,” I tell Devin as we get out of my truck.

She flips her hair over her shoulder. “Ialwaysbehave.”

But I’m not fucking around. “I’m serious. These are more Laiken’s friends than they are yours, and I’m not going to deal with you making a scene. You don’t have to like her. I understand why you don’t. But you do have to play nice.”

It takes a second, but finally, her shoulders sag. “I just don’t want her to hurt you again. I’d never seen you so devastated.”

Sighing, I come closer and pull her in for a hug. “I know. And I appreciate you trying to protect me. But this is one decision I need to make on my own.”

“Fine,” she reluctantly agrees. “But if you take her back, and she fucks you over again, I get to punch her in the face.”

I chuckle. “I mean, if that’s the way you want to die, that’s on you.”

She rolls her eyes, and the two of us round the corner. The fire is already raging, and the bar is more crowded than usual—showing us that summer is approaching. Owen and Lucas are already here, but there’s no sight of MaliorLaiken.

“Nice of you to finally show up,” Owen teases.

I flip him off. “I wasn’t going to come, but I figured not gracing you with my presence would be cruel.”

Lucas salutes me. “We appreciate your sacrifice. Now get me a beer, barkeep.”

My eyes narrow on him as I hold back my laugh. “You do realize I can still kick you out of here, right?”

The smile falls right off his face, while Owen laughs at his expense.

I’ve missed these guys. After Laiken left, there were a few things I couldn’t really handle anymore. One of which was going to the rink. Every part of that place reminded me of her, and after I showed up there day after day, hoping she would walk through those doors only to be disappointed, I knew I had to stay away from it. Of course, that meant quitting the team, but that was inevitable. Once the bar opened, I didn’t have the time for it anyway.

Cam brings me a beer and jokingly hands Devin a juice box. Although, it backfires when she smirks and sticks the straw into it, only to spray it at him. He shrieks as he jumps back and collides into a customer, spilling his beer.

“Shit,” he grumbles. “I’m so sorry, man. Let me get you a new one of those.”

Luckily, the guy is understanding enough and nods, following Cam back into the bar and through the crowd. Meanwhile, I look at Devin, unamused.

“What?” she asks obliviously. “He started it.”

I’m surrounded by children.

I’M JUST COMING OUTfrom helping with an issue they had behind the bar when Lucas’s eyes widen. He looks like he’s seeing colors for the very first time, and that can only mean one thing.

“Holy shit,” Owen drawls. “As I live and breathe, Laiken fucking Blanchard.”

Wrong last name, fucker.It shouldn’t grind on my nerves the way that it does, but as I turn my head to see Laiken coming toward us with Mali right beside her, everything else vanishes from my mind.

She is unmistakably the most gorgeous woman here.

Mali must have curled Laiken’s hair and put just a dusting of makeup on her, even though she never needs it. But it’s what she’s wearing that makes me think I reallyshould’veskipped tonight.

The jeans she has on sit low on her hips, and the crop-top is one I’ve seen Mali wear before, but it looks so much better on Laiken. Then there’s the thin, gold choker around her neck that I would love to replace with my hand right about now.

How the fuck am I supposed to last the next few hours when she’s here looking likethat?

I watch as she willingly walks into Owen’s open arms, grinning from ear to ear. For as long as I have known Owen, I don’t think there’s ever been a time when I was jealous of him until now.

“Unclench your jaw,” Mali murmurs from beside me. “Your jealousy is showing.”

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