Page 126 of Hybrid Heroics

“Without you?” he teased. “Not likely.”

“They’ll be down in a minute,” I confessed. “They’re just sorting out my punishment.”

“What did you do this time?” York inquired.

I smiled, trying to hold the giggles back. “Ask Vaughn.”

Friday, June 26th

Night

I propped my right elbow on the bar top, soaking in the joy that filled the room.

“Cheers, bitch!”

The handsome male to my right slammed his beer bottle against mine, making it foam and spill from the top. I watched as the cold liquid ran over my left hand.

Tonight was a celebration, and Jack would make sure I treated it as such.

I would usually call him my best friend, but he was so much more than that.

Jack King was my brother. And nothing would ever change the way we acted when we were together. He would forever be the person who brought joy into my life.

He pulled my mates and me from our home to bring us to the grimy bar he loved so much. Only tonight, there were no straight guys in here for him to hit on. This was a private party, and he had bought the bar when the owner refused to let us rent it out.

Apparently, there was an arrangement of sorts. The previous owner now worked the station on the left, slinging bottles and cocktails.

This was our first real night off in what felt like forever. There was nothing else to do. No contracts to read or missing persons reports to sort through. No lunatics to hunt or battles to fight.

It was still a hole-in-the-wall-bar that wasn’t up to my standards, though I suspected that would change. Slightly.

Some things were meant to be left as they were.

Some things didn’t need to be changed at all.

The sticky floor made me want to toss my boots in the trash before I put my feet back in my car. I cringed, literally feeling the velcro like noise as I lifted my shoe.

The music remained terrible, just ear-splitting, fuzzy songs from the busted speakers. The bartenders couldn’t make a good drink with more than three ingredients.

The patrons were loud, obnoxious… and happy.

I sighed audibly as I thought about how whole-heartily I loved these people. Jack directed his gaze at me with so much excitement and reverence I honestly thought he might tell me to go mingle. I had my fingers crossed, but I also wanted to spend a few more quiet moments with him.

“Lo,” he groaned. “If you want to hang out with someone other than me, then just tell me.”

“I did.” I chuckled. “You told me that wasn’t an option. Then you slung me over your shoulder and tossed me onto this stool.”

I cut my eyes at him, a smirk sliding across my lips. He huffed before he snatched my hand, dragging me to the bathroom.

Oh, gods. The bathroom.

The place was a breeding ground for infections the last time I’d been here. That was the only thing I desperately needed changed.

Again, the sticky floor followed us all the way through the bar into the stall Jack crammed us into. I still didn’t think the toilets worked, but that didn’t matter. We weren’t here to use them.

We were here so he could pretend the illusion of privacy was a real thing in a bar full of supes.

Confession in 3… 2…