Everyone chants, “To Sophie and Viper.” We clink glasses, and I down the shot, feeling both the burn and the sweetness of the peach schnapps.
The men slam their glasses on the bar counter. “I love me some wet pussaayyyssss,” Axle says with a lopsided grin. He laughs when Elena rolls her eyes at him.
I notice Ava didn’t take a shot. As the men walk away, I ask her, “Do you want something else?”
“No, thank you, I haven’t been feeling well.”
I frown. “What about a mocktail? I can make you a drink because we got some more fruit juice when we went shopping.”
Her lips curve. “That I will say yes to.”
“What do you feel like? I can make something tropical.”
“That sounds good, thank you.”
I make my way over to the kitchen while Ava, Elena, and Zara follow behind. They take a seat at the kitchen island while I pull out the blender. “Does anyone else want a mocktail or cocktail?”
Zara and Elena nod and smile. I get to work making a pineapple crush mocktail for Ava and a cocktail for Elena and Zara with pineapple, coconut water, lime, and the added shots. I can’t believe we’re having a so-called getting hitched celebration. Even though it’s phony, I love me a party.
* * *
The drinks are flowing,my techno music is thumping, and Zara, Ava, Elena, and I are sitting outside by the fire, talking and laughing. My body is toasty warm from the fire. Its flames are high, sending sparks into the night sky.
“I still can’t believe you’re with Viper,” Elena says next to me. “Axle told me Viper was the manwhore of the club, and at the beginning, I saw him hook up with different women during parties and stuff, but then Candy got her hooks into him. He calmed down a little, but as soon as there were other chicks here for parties, he would be with them instead.”
“What’s Candy’s deal? If he has been with others, I’m obviously not the first.”
“Viper always seemed unattainable,” Elena replies. “His flirty attitude suggested he was up for a good time, never anything serious, but he married you… It’s a big deal with a commitment-phobe like him, which makes me think Candy’s jealous that she never got that part of him.”
“What’s Candy like?” I ask them. “I’m getting the impression she’s not too happy with me being here.”
Elena nods. “She’s usually bubbly and happy, but I’ve noticed a change in her since you’ve been here. The jealousy is clear—she’s either glaring or frowning at you.”
Ava moves forward an inch so I can see her clearly, as she’s sitting on the other side of Elena. “I agree. Candy’s been sweet since I’ve been here, but I guess there’s this different side of her we’ve never seen before.”
“How’s your stay been? Is it better than you imagined?” Zara asks me.
I stare into the fire, taking a sip of my cocktail before answering. “It’s surprised me, actually. I can still be in my routine, and it makes it easier that Viper shares the same interests. Like partying”—I raise my glass—“and exercising. I’m just waiting for my laptop so that I can keep on top of managing my business, and I’m going for a motorcycle ride tomorrow.”
Zara puts her hand on my arm. “Oh… you’re going to love the ride. It’s so much fun.”
“So much fun…” Elena agrees. “There’s nothing quite like it.”
I smile. I can’t wait.
Viper, Reaper, Bomber, Demon, and Axle are at one end of the table, smoking cigars. Some of the single guys—Twitch, Rage, and Cash—are at the other end with Mercedez, Trixie, and Dolly, playing strip poker. It’s amusing, as Mercedez and Dolly are playing while trying to cover their boobs and hold the cards at the same time. Trixie has only lost her top, while Twitch and Cash are fully clothed and Rage is sitting there naked. God, that young man has a delicious body, with his carved-out eight-pack of defined muscle and tanned skin. If I was younger and not with Viper, I would go after him.
Twitch places all his cards on the table with a large, smug grin. The women smile, apart from Trixie, who yells, “Cheater!”
Twitch replies, “Sore loser,” while Cash and Rage laugh.
Sitting next to the women is Candy, her eyes darting from the game to Viper. Then she moves and takes a seat next to him. I glare as her hand goes to his lap. Though it looks like he’s not giving her any attention and is talking to the men, it still irritates me.
“Excuse me, blondie!” I yell out. Candy and Viper glance in my direction. “Hands off my husband!” I say as I give her hand on Viper’s leg a pointed look. She swiftly moves her hand as Viper’s lips curve up into a smirk.
Since I’ve made Twitch change the Bluetooth from his to my songs, I go to my playlist, browse through, and choose an old song—“Hello” by Stafford Brothers, Lil Wayne, and Christina Milian—and turn it up. I place my drink on the ground and then stand. The women smile broadly as I shake my hips from left to right, in line with the beat.
I wave them up, and the three of them stand. I grab Zara’s hand, and we effortlessly sashay our hips to the rhythm. I drop low in a seductive move, then spring back up. Zara laughs and looks over my shoulder but then lets go of my hand, so I turn. Viper grabs my hand instead, catching me around the waist and spinning us, making me smile.
