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My smile widens even more as we start to dance, my men and Elijah all around us, enjoying the atmosphere.
The rest of the evening is spent the same way. I dance with all of my men, Elijah and Pete, and even Shawn. I do have to tell Jensen to take it easy at one point when he somehow manages to find himself in a dad dance-off with Shawn, which, while hilarious, is definitely not something that he should be doing right now. Thankfully, he pouts but listens.
I’m standing at the edge of the room, enjoying watching everyone and chugging a very much-needed drink, when Riot suddenly appears next to me, my phone in his hand. One of them always looks after my phone at these sorts of events, so I don’t lose it, and just in case Lyric or Jynx try to get hold of me.
“It’s gone off twice now, so I thought you might want to check and see who it is,” Riot explains before adding, “just in case it’s important.”
I frown. The only people who could be calling me are Lyric or Jynx, but they know where we are and what we’re doing, so unless something is wrong, they wouldn’t call me. I instantly start to worry as I unlock my phone and open my missed calls.
Riot watches me curiously the whole time; before I can tell him that both calls were from a number I don’t know and most likely spam, it rings again, and I figure that it might be easier just to answer and tell them I’m not interested in whatever they’re selling and to enjoy New Year’s Eve instead of bugging people.
“Hello?” I answer, a note of impatience in my voice that I’m hoping they pick up on.
Riot raises his eyebrow, but I’m too busy trying to make out what the voice on the other end of the phone is saying. It sounds really muffled, and they’re speaking really quietly, coupled with the loud music and the people talking around me, and it’s impossible.
I give up trying to understand and just say, “Look, I don’t want whatever it is that you’re selling. Don’t call again.”
“Spam call, really? On New Year’s Eve?” Riot questions as I hang up and give him my phone to keep safe in his pocket.
I shrug, “Honestly, nothing surprises me much anymore!”
“I know they’re just doing their job, but it pisses me off they have to work on holidays,” Riot replies with a frown.
“I know. Oh well, they shouldn’t call again, let’s go and find the food I’m freaking starving!”
Riot chuckles, “Sounds good. I think Rafe is over there trying to pick up tips.”
“That doesn’t surprise me; he takes any opportunity to learn more.”
The phone call is quickly forgotten as we stuff our faces with delicious food, and they head back to the dance floor. I spend the rest of the evening and the early morning hours dancing with my men.
**********
I honestly have no idea what time we all made it to bed last night. I do know that the sun is shining through the window and looks like it has been for a while, so I’ll be surprised if it's not afternoon. I also know that I very definitely need to pee, so quickly detangling myself from Rage and Atlas, who are still so asleep that they don’t even stir, I shuffle my way to the end of the bed and rush into the bathroom.
Once I’m done, I catch sight of myself in the mirror and groan; last night me didn’t think it was necessary to wash off her makeup clearly, because it’s currently all down my face. Stripping out of my underwear, I turn the shower on and hop in, finger-combing my hair to get some of the knots out, and then thoroughly enjoy just standing under the warm spray. It wakes me up a bit more and makes me feel more human. Unfortunately, thanks to the time, or what I think is the time anyway, we’re going to have to leave pretty soon so that we can get to the second location that Ace found for us and check it out before we have to head home.
Coffee and breakfast first, though. I’m not going anywhere without coffee and breakfast.
When I step out of the shower and back into the bedroom, it’s to find the room empty and Rage and Atlas’s bags already gone. I’m assuming that they realised the time too and have gone to put their bags in the car. Getting dressed in a comfortable outfit, I make sure that it’s still practical in case I need to fight and load up on my weapons as well. I then shove all of my stuff haphazardly in my bag, making sure that I haven’t left anything behind, and then head out of the room and down the stairs, dumping my bag with the others by the front door, and follow the noise into the informal dining room, because obviously, they have more than one.
“Good morning, Ever,” Zeke greets me, as he’s the first one who sees me, my men all too focused on their food and in various states of being awake.
I reply happily and then go around and give each of my men a kiss before settling down in the only seat that’s left and in front of a plate that’s already piled high with my favourite breakfast foods. Apparently, everyone woke up late today, and although it’s nearing two in the afternoon, Shawn and Zeke decide that you can never go wrong with breakfast, even if it’s for lunch instead. Of course, before I eat anything, I reach for my coffee. The first cup is necessary, the second cup is for pleasure, and yes, I am aware that I might have a slight coffee addiction.
“Do you guys really have to go already?” Shawn asks, “I feel like we’ve hardly seen you.”
“Sorry, Dad, we’ve got to get back to work,” Pete replies, regret in his tone.
“You work too much,” Shawn mutters.
Pete chuckles as he raises his eyebrow and points at his other dad, “Pa is working right now. It’s no wonder I have the work ethic that I do.”
“Semantics,” Shawn replies, brushing him off with a smile playing around the edge of his lips. He then changes the subject since that’s not a conversation that he’s going to win. “Are you leaving straight after brinner?”
“Brinner?” I ask, unable to hide the amusement from my tone.
Shawn grins, “Breakfast and dinner.”
