Thedullacheatthe base of my skull pounds in time with the electronic music in the club. I take another sip of my beer to snuff the pain creeping around the edges of my vision.
All I want to do is go home, draw all the blinds, and crawl into bed until this headache passes.
The sway of writhing bodies on the dance floor does nothing for me. Why the fuck did I promise Talia I’d come to this fucking thing again? My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out with a laugh.Speak of the devil.
Talia:Can my friend rent the apartment next door?
Hello to you too. I didn’t know you hadfriends.
Talia:Hi, and shut up. I have friends.
Sure you do.
Talia:Whatever. I showed her the place, and she loves it. Can she have it or not? At the friends and family price. Pretty please with sprinkles on top.
I grin at my phone as a memory of five-year-old Talia asking for extra sprinkles on her ice cream pops into my head. She’s only five years younger than me, but I’ve always been super protective of her.
When our father left, I promised myself that I would always be there for her. It seems wild that a five-year-old can have those thoughts, but I did. I’d give my sister anything if it made her happy.
Is she going to be loud?
Talia:No, she’s very private and works long hours.
Fine. But if she is loud, and I come home and find her throwing a rager, you’re going to be on the hook to evict her ass.
Talia:Deal.
I’ll have the realtor send you thepaperwork.
Talia:Thank you! You’re the best brother ever. Love you, Nic.
Luv you too.
I shoot off a quick email to the realtor at the management company that runs rentals in my building and ask her to expedite the tenant lease.
My little sister has me wrapped around her finger. Hence my attendance at my future brother-in-law’s bachelor party. Fucking weird. But I’m doing it anyway.
For Talia, I remind myself.
I shove my phone back into my pocket and go back to watching the sea of dancers.
The night hasn’t been too bad, but thank fuck this club is the last stop on the Cam Miller bachelor party tour. We started with steak, whiskey, and poker in a private room at the best steakhouse in Los Angeles, where Cam’s three older brothers celebrated with us. I liked them. They are solid dudes.
I spent most of the time chatting with Cam’s oldest brother, Jace, about his son, who is also the same kid who gave me a dressing down on sportsmanship during the last family day. I shake my head at the memory. It feels like that happened a lifetime ago.
Now here I am, celebrating Cam’s impending nuptials to my sister.
I wasn’t happy about the strip show at the burlesque club that followed, but I have to hand it to Cam. He was respectful as fuck about it all. I’m pretty sure he’s putting on this dog and pony show for his boys. That he planned a similar night for Talia and her girls makes me respect him more.
The roar of laughter from my teammates has me turning around to find out what the commotion is all about.
Lance, Blake, and Heath are yukking it up in the private booth as Reed entertains them with another story from his and Cam’s wild days. Since squashing my beef with Cam, I’ve grown closer to them. I didn’t have this team camaraderie when I played with the Saints.
As I slip into the booth beside Lance, I finish my beer with a swig and place the bottle on the table. Without a word, he reaches over and grabs the expensive bottle of bourbon, fills a glass with two fingers’ worth, and slides it my way.
“Thanks.”
Lance juts his chin in acknowledgement. Lance is the quiet one of the group. The silent observer. He’s a good dude, even though there’s been a stick up his ass since a certain someone started working in the Evaders’ front office.
