“What? Now?” I glanced at the clock on my nightstand. Ten a.m. Not a problem for normal humans, but since our schedules were flipped around, it meant we’d be pushing it if we went out now. “We’ve got class tomorrow.”
“Come on,” Xinyi urged, going to my dresser and rifling through my drawers. “Just one drink. Trust me.” She tossed me a pair of jeans and deep purple shirt. “Something tells me you need it.”
Knowing I wasn’t going to win, I gave up arguing with her. Shirt pulled over my head and jeans tugged on, I sat on the edge of the bed lacing up my boots while Xinyi lingered nearby, poking through my things.
“You don’t have a lot of belongings, do you?”
I glanced up at her as I pulled my laces tight. “I didn’t see the point of bringing all my stuff here when my house isn’t that far away.” I sat my foot down on the ground and stood, shoving my phone and some cash into my pocket. “Okay, ready.”
Xinyi arched a brow at me. “I don’t think you’re going to need that.”
“My phone? I’m not leaving that—”
“The cash.”
I followed her toward my bedroom door. “How am I going to pay for my drink?”
Xinyi just looked at me and laughed. “You’ll see.”
The bar Xinyi took me to was one I’d been at before and far more packed for a school night than I’d expected. The dark wood tables and benches decorated the room, the light low and the music a sultry kind of beat.
Last time I’d been here, I was looking for clues about the rebels and ended up in the back alley with both Tate and Kyren. My body warmed at the thought as a heavy feeling pressed on my face. Slowly, my head turned, eyes searching the crowd of students and locals until they locked with a pair of dark ones.
Kyren sat at the same booth as last time, a tumbler loosely held between his fingers. It wasn’t like Kyren had ever been easy to read before, but tonight, the expression on his face was unreadable. I couldn’t tell if he was happy to see me or plotting my death.
“Jack, over here.” Xinyi grabbed my elbow and dragged me toward the bar, ignorant of the exchange between Kyren and me.
Pulling my eyes away from the vampire, I let myself be engulfed in a crowd of people. Most of whom I didn’t know, but a few of them had familiar faces from class or around the school. They each greeted me like we were old friends, even if I’d never said one word to any of them.
Xinyi pushed me toward a stool someone vacated for me. “Sit, sit.”
Before I even had a chance to ask for a drink, someone shoved a bottle of witch’s brew into my hand. “Uh... thanks.”
“So...” Xinyi grinned, entirely too pleased with herself. “Tell us. What’s it like to have seven dads?”
I arched a brow at her, taking a sip of my drink before swallowing and thinking about it. “Well, it’s a lot like having a bunch of older brothers honestly.”
The crowd chuckled.
“You know, as a kid, it was great,” I continued, letting my eyes skim over the group who hung on my every word. “I aways had someone to play with, carry me around on their shoulders. You know, the typical dad type of stuff.”
“Which one’s your favorite?” a female near me asked. “I mean, your dads are all so dreamy. I’d be happy to call any of them daddy.” A few others giggled with her.
I wrinkled my nose. “I wouldn’t exactly call any of them my favorite. They’re all different and fulfill a different role in my life.” I paused, my eyes catching Kyren watching once more. “I suppose that’s why my mom loves them all.” My voice went low. “They complete her.”
“But doesn’t one of them read minds?” someone in the crowd asked, but I couldn’t tell which one.
“Oh, man that would suck,” a male werewolf commented. “If my mom heard half the things I thought about, I’d die of embarrassment.”
I laughed with everyone, my eyes dipping down to the bottle I held before lifting back up, a certain sadness filling my chest.
“It’s not hard to hide what you’re thinking if you always expect that they’re listening. Plus,” I grinned as I lifted the bottle to my lips, “it helps to sing an annoying song on repeat in your head.”
I took a drink from my bottle, while the crowd roared and talked amongst themselves. Xinyi nudged me with her shoulder.
“See? This isn’t so bad.”
Giving her a small smile, I nodded. “You’re right. Thanks.”
