I was not...this had nothing to do with my feelings about Mason.
Maybe not, but you’re still acting like it.
I sighed wearily and took a drink, seizing when it hit my taste buds. Good Lord, whatever the hell Mason had done was clearly what I’d asked for, but good God, did it have to be so...vile? As a matter of fact, the taste was horrifyingly familiar, and I had to bite back the bile that rose in my throat.
Everclear. God, I hadn’t touched it since Dom and I had gotten drunk together. Not the time he had kissed me, of course, but a different time that still resulted in something sexual happening. A fifth of Everclear, bought for us by the man who had just served me. The hangover had been the worst of my life, and I’d had a few doozies since. I would forever associate the taste of Everclear with the horrible headache, nausea that made me throw up at the sight of food, let alone the smell, and the god-awful sense of impending death that had followed me into the next day.
“You,” I began, pushing the glass away from me hard enough to make it slosh, “are an absolute bastard.”
Mason turned, grinning widely. “What’s the matter, sir? Something not right with the drink? You did say you wanted it strong and didn’t care if it tasted like liquor, right?”
“Cut the crap,” I said with a huff, glaring at him. “No one in their right mind would serve that...gasoline by accident.”
His grin fell into a smirk. “I’d mention that you could complain to our head of staff, but it looked like the moment you saw her, you went running for the bar.”
“I haven’t been able to say this for fifteen years, Mason, but go fuck yourself,” I scowled.
“I’ve got someone who can do that for me now. Not sure if Dom mentioned that or not,” he said, folding his arms to lean on the bar and look me over. “You finally got some meat on your bones.”
“Thanks. I see you’re still an asshole.”
“You know, that kind of flattery might just make Jace jealous. I hope you’re not here to try to cash in on that big ol crush you had on me years ago.”
My chest fluttered, and I rolled my eyes. “Of course, you knew about that. Never mind that I didn’t tell anyone.”
“You were...what? Fourteen, fifteen? Teenage boys aren’t exactly known for their subtlety,” he said with a snort. “To be honest, I wanted to say something ages ago, but Moira stopped me.”
“A good thing too, I’m pretty sure you would have horrified me,” I said with a shake of my head. “Being gentle was never your strong suit.”
“True, true. And I don’t think Dom would have forgiven me if I somehow scarred you,” he said, pushing up from the bar and grabbing a glass he’d hidden out of sight, sliding it to me. “Here.”
I didn’t think anyone would blame me for giving the drink a sniff before I took a sip. It was bitter, but it had a floral sweetness that chased it, and I leaned back in my seat, my brow rising even further as I took a second drink. There was a slight earthy note to the bitterness that blended into the faint sweetness, just enough to make the entire thing full-bodied and pleasant.
“Well, I’ll be, Dom wasn’t lying that you were excellent at making drinks,” I said, swishing the drink in my hand. “Remindme to get the recipe before the night’s over. I’d hate to lose the chance to have this again.”
“You could always come around more often, and I’ll make it whenever you want,” Mason said, looking over my shoulder. “What’s up?”
“Are you done messing with him?” I heard Moira’s voice, as irritable as ever, whenever she spoke to Mason. “Or should I let Jace and Dom know they’ve got competition?”
“Not on your life should you say anything of the sort,” I said, turning around to glare at her.
Moira smirked. “Oh, so you twoaretogether then? Dom’s been very tight-lipped about that. Good to know.”
I sighed. “I keep forgetting that no matter how different you two are, you’re still ridiculously similar. Congratulations, you tripped me up and tricked the truth out of me.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I’ll try to remember it’s been fifteen years, and you might have forgotten a few things. Namely, claiming Mason and I are anything alike is a good way to get booted out the front door.”
“Seriously,” Mason grumbled as he came around the bar to stand beside me. “I actually know how to have a good time. She wouldn’t know one if it bit her on the ass...unless...does Kayden bite you on?—”
Moira turned away. “Let’s go, dinner is about to start.”
I eyed him. “Do you know how to have a conversation with someone without pissing them off?”
“Do I know how to? Absolutely. Do I want to? Almost never. Do I enjoy getting on everyone’s nerves? Yes, I get a few days extra life every time I irritate someone.”
“You should be dying in the fourth millennium then at this rate.”
“Somewhere along those lines, c’mon, we don’t want to keep everyone waiting, do we?”
