“What you’re about to see is me put this miserable, cheeky bastard in a headlock,” Lorenzo threatens.
“Go ahead.” I’m dying for a fight. Even if I have no chance of winning.
“How about instead of violence we drink?” Divan suggests.
“Already there.” I tip my bottle at him, halfway to hammered.
“What should we drink to?” Divan pulls out a bottle of Captain Morgan.
“Women, money, redemption, and second chances,” Lorenzo suggests.
“Sounds good to me!” Divan pours two shots of rum for him and Lorenzo. I stick with my bottle of JW. “For you, big man.” He pushes a small glass with amber liquid forward for Lorenzo, then picks up his own. “To Jack the Stripper and his big, bright, star-studded future.”
I roll my eyes and go to drink.
Divantsksme. “What about your toast?”
I curl my lip. Lorenzo nudges me with his mammoth elbow. I almost fly off the chair. “Fine.” I hold myself steady, and then raise my bottle. “To... demons and goddesses.”
Divan and Lorenzo both glance at each other curiously before downing their shots.
“All right man. You have to explain what that’s about,” Divan insists.
“It’s a long story.”
“We’ve got time. And plenty of alcohol.” He motions to the buffet of bottles behind him.
This could be dangerous on all accounts.
I glance back and forth between Divan and Lorenzo, reluctant to talk.
“You are a master of suspense, you know that?” Divan chuckles. “Just spill it. Ain’t no one going to judge you here.”
I polish off the rest of the Johnny Walker in one gulp. “Open another one,” I tell Divan.
Seconds later, I hear the top crack. My head is swimming in intoxication as he places the bottle in front of me.
“Her name is Alana,” I haphazardly begin.
It’s the last thing I remember from the night.
