Page 27 of Harper’s Renegades

There, leaning against the counter, was Ghost holding out a glass for me. Without bothering to look and see what it was, I gulped down the whole glass. When the taste finally caught up to me, I gaped at him. “Was that straight liquor?”

“Nah, it was coconut water with Malibu. If it doesn’t wash the taste out of your mouth, then it will help you forget it later,” Ghost answered, taking the cup from my hand and refilling it.

There was far more Malibu than coconut water, but I had to admit it was simple yet delicious.

Chapter thirteen

Harper

Magnus removed the Durian carcass, and the air quality improved, but the reeking stench of rotting still lingered. I’d had another full glass of my Malibu drink, and now I was floating on a blow-up pineapple in the pool. The sun was starting to set, so while it was still hot out, I wasn’t going to bake out here as I floated along.

The bendy straw was my best friend since I couldn’t really raise my head anymore to drink. I wasn’t a lightweight, but I was good and tipsy when it came to drinking on an empty stomach and chugging the first two glasses. The guys left me to my own devices, doing whatever it was they did when they weren’t babysitting me.

“Hey, angel,” Ghost called. “Magnus is starting dinner. He wanted to make fish. Are you okay with that?”

Flashing him a thumbs up, I took another gulp of my drink.

“Something tells me I shouldn’t let you finish off that drink,” Ghost commented.

The tell-tale sounds of someone entering the pool had me swinging my head to the side. Sure enough, Ghost was coming to join me. Only he wasn’t wearing anything but the skin he was born with.

“Are you trying to manipulate the drunk girl with your sexy body?” I asked as my words slurred a little.

Ghost glided up to my floaty and plucked the drink from my hand, then proceeded to drink the rest of it. “Angel, while I would love to play with you and that delectable body of yours, it would never happen while you aren’t of sound mind. The first time I get to slip into you and make you lose your ever-loving mind, you’re going to remember every moment of it. Right now, I’d be worried about you puking on me or drowning in the pool.”

My bottom lip popped out as I realized he wasn’t out here to play with me. Instead, he was making sure I didn’t die because he got me drunk.

“I didn’t get you drunk, angel. You shot-gunned the second glass all on your own and refused to eat anything when I offered it to you,” Ghost corrected, booping me on the nose.

“Did you read my mind?” I asked, trying to roll onto my stomach—which I was unsuccessful at doing and landed myself in the pool.

Strong arms scooped me up right away as I spluttered, wiping the water out of my face. I could feel Ghost’s chest vibrating as he laughed at me. “You all right there, angel?”

“I think I’ve had enough pool time, and don’t laugh at me,” I muttered and slapped him on the chest.

He, of course, ignored me and continued to chuckle as he carried me out of the water and set me on one of the lounge chairs. Snatching up the towel I’d left there, I dried off my face and flopped back with a groan. “Don’t ever let me drink again. I always forget how awful it is when you start to sober up. God, I’m going to have a migraine from hell after this, and I bet there’s no McDonald’s to get a Coke. That always helps to make me feel better.”

“Do you know why that is?” Ghost asked as he settled himself next to me.

“Because it’s magic.”

Ghost snorted at that. “No, silly, it's because there is an anti-nausea of sorts that is found in Coke. That’s why it makes you feel better, not because it’s magic.”

“Okay, but does wherever we are, have a McDonald’s?” I argued.

“No.”

“Then why are we talking about this?” I pouted, kicking my feet like a little kid.

Ghost grabbed my arm that was covering my eyes and pulled it away, tugging me closer to him. I didn’t have the willpower to fight him and whatever crazy idea he had up his sleeve. Then strong hands started to massage my scalp, and I moaned as the pounding started to lessen.

“Remind me the next time we let you drink, we make sure you don’t guzzle them down. You turn into a spoiled child, and while I might find it entertaining, others might not so much,” Ghost shared.

“You’re talking about grumpy old Maggie, aren’t you? Well, you can tell him to suck my toe because that’s all he deserves after how he’s acted.”

Ghost’s hands paused, and I cracked open an eye to look up at him, only it wasn’t Ghost who’d been massaging my head. It was Magnus. “Ooops.”

“Are you that upset with me, Harper?” he asked, a look of concern on his face.