“Deacon,” Alexandra said, laughing at his description.
He smiled down at her with love I had never imagined he could possess for a woman. “So raise a glass in honor of my son!”
My gaze went from Deacon to Alexandra who was beaming. A boy. I was going to have a nephew—another male to carry on the Malloy family name. I couldn’t have been happier in that moment if the news had been my own.
The elation I felt was short lived when I turned to smile at Annabel. Her expression was one of extreme anguish. I knew in that moment what she had been denied was coming front and center to torment her. At any second, I expected her to burst into tears. Instead, she seemed to be getting her game face on right before my eyes. She straightened her shoulders and walked over to Alexandra. She gave her a hug. When Alexandra whispered something in Annabel’s ear, her composure momentarily faltered as her entire body shuddered like she was in physical pain.
Once again, I held my breath in concern that she was about to fall apart. But instead, she pulled away from Alexandra with a smile. Without a word to me, she then made her way through the crowd to the bar. I quickly caught up to her. “You okay?”
“Fine. Just wanted a drink.”
After Alexandra had demanded Deacon’s ex, Cheyenne, be banned from the club, we had yet to find a new bartender. Instead, it became the job of the prospects, and it was the reason why you never ordered any mixed drinks.
“What can I get you?” our newest prospect, Jolting Joe, asked.
“A shot of Crown Royal,” Annabel requested.
Jolting Joe’s expression showed his confusion. “Is that some sorta mixed drink?”
I laughed. “Honey, we don’t have anything that expensive here.”
“Then what’s a good whiskey that will get me drunk?” she asked in matter-of-fact voice.
My brows shot up in surprise at both her tone and her plans. “You think that’s a good idea?”
“I need to get drunk. I haven’t been drunk in months. In fact, I haven’t been truly rip-roaring drunk but maybe three times in my life.” Sweeping a hand to her hip, she asked determinedly, “So what’s gonna get me drunk?”
“Tequila’s good,” Jolting Joe suggested.
Annabel grimaced. “No tequila,” she whispered. I knew she had probably been exposed to Mendoza’s drunken rages after he’d partaken in a little too much tequila.
“Give her some Jack and Coke.”
“Don’t sugarcoat it for me,” Annabel protested.
Deacon joined us at the bar. “Give the girl a bottle of jack and a glass, brother.”
Annabel turned to smile sweetly at Deacon. “Thank you.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think this is any of your business.”
He grinned. “Actually, it kinda reminds me of the time you didn’t think anything was wrong with Alex drunkenly dancing on the bar.” His comment earned him a smack from Alexandra.
“I can’t believe you just brought that up.”
“You were so sexy that night,” Deacon mused, his gaze becoming hooded.
Alexandra rolled her eyes. “On that note, I’m taking Willow and going home.” When she started past him, he grabbed her to him, molding her body against his own.
“I won’t be long.” He kissed her hungrily. When he pulled away, Alexandra appeared to have forgiven him. She took Willow’s hand and waved goodbye.
Turning back on his bar stool, he took a longneck from Jolting Joe. “Anyway, as I see it, payback’s a bitch.”
“Asshole,” I muttered under my breath. “Fine. A bottle of Jack and a glass.”
“Yes, sir,” Jolting Joe replied. After he retrieved the whiskey and thankfully just a shot sized glass, rather than a regular sized one, he placed it in front of Annabel. She unscrewed the lid and poured the dark liquid almost to the brim.
After cocking her head at me, she asked, “Aren’t you drinking?”
