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Carved in the Shadows

Page 117

by A.L. Jackson

“Come on, Brinley, one more!” I begged as I lifted the shot glass over my head.

Music blared from the speakers, and lights flashed and strobed over the Crimson Crows’ bar.

The safe space where all the guys could let go within the confines of the compound. A place they owned and only their rules applied.

Apparently, I was also making all of my own rules tonight.

A feeling of freedom zipped through my veins that only multiplied as the night grew late.

An air of heedlessness had taken to the oxygen.

Intoxicating.

Entrancing.

I knew that Silas didn’t really love me hanging out in the bar. Hell, he had actually forbidden it when I was younger. But once I was an adult, I’d put my foot down.

If the club was a part of this family, then it was a part of me.

And tonight, I was fully taking advantage of it.

Brinley groaned through a laugh. “Are you trying to kill me? You know I will have a toddler peeling open my eyelids the second the sun shows over the horizon, don’t you?”

We were all gathered at a small table tucked in the far-right corner of the bar.

“Just this once, let go with me. Please!” Standing at her side, I jumped and tried to tug her off my brother’s lap.

Her face only blurred a little when I did. A swirling of dizziness that matched the rhythm of the music that boggled my brain.

“I’m finally free and I need my bestie-slash-sister to celebrate with me.”

I hadn’t had either one of those until she’d shown up here a few months ago.

I flapped her arm all over the place.

“Okay, since you are quite literally twisting my arm.”

She sent me a smirk, and it didn’t take much for the giggle to work loose.

“I prevail!” I shouted as I lifted the bottle, then poured the dark alcohol into the little glasses Lulu had given us. I figured I really did prevail since I managed to only splash half of it over the side.

“And I lose,” Brinley groaned.

“Oh, come on, don’t act like you don’t love it.”

“Pretty sure neither of you are going to be loving it come six tomorrow mornin’.”

Trevan’s voice was all rumbly and low where it hit me from my left, and a shiver rolled through me at the sound.

A chill that physically shook me. I doubted anyone really knew where the reaction was coming from.

Well, except for Brinley because she gave me that look. The one that asked if I was finally going to make a move.

Except there was a little caution in it, too. You know, since I’d blabbered what had happened this morning to her when we’d been chatting in her bedroom after we’d tucked Kai into bed.

Giggling and laughing and dreaming.

“You had an actual orgasm against his thigh?” she’d asked, disbelief written in her expression.