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When she leaned over to hug Gem, that was when I smelled the booze. It was also when I saw all the alcohol on the kitchen island. The entire counter was covered in alcohol, mixers, glasses, and anything needed to go with it like salt or limes. I frowned at the skittles.
A burst of laughter sounded from a sitting room where people were standing and sitting on a bunch of couches. Or no, there was a television mounted on the wall above. They were playing a video game.
“Scout’s here?” Gem asked breathlessly, taking everything in as Kira stepped back.
“Yep. He showed up ten minutes ago with Cohen, but I don’t know where they went. Probably downstairs. I think an MMA fight is on the television, so everyone who wants to be cool with Scout is down there with him.”
Cool with Scout. That was a thing?
“Come.” She grabbed Gem’s hand, pulling her to the kitchen.
Ciara and Leanne were there, both looking a little buzzed. “Hi!” Ciara waved.
Leanne started laughing and had to turn away to keep it under control.
Gem’s grin slipped, and yeah. Here I was, being stupid again because I laughed, “You know those movies with the mean girls and how they’re all nice and buttering you up before they embarrass you but you always get the revenge in the end?” My smile went flat as all three stared at me. “This is feeling like the beginning of one of those scenes, but that would be so cliche and lame. Right? You guys aren’t lame, are you?”
Leanne choked on her drink while Ciara’s eyes bulged out.
Kira forced out a laugh. “Why would we do that? You’re cousins with our friends.”
I eased back. “Right. That’s true.” And that was it. I held their gazes then, letting my slight threat, which was vague but still totally a threat, hang in the air between us.
“Jesus, Williams.” Scout moved in behind me, and I sucked in my breath because damn it, I hadn’t felt him at all. I’d started to be able to feel him lately. He went to reach for the bourbon. His gaze was cold and mocking as he poured it into his glass. “Maybe wait a full month of being here before making more enemies? Just a thought.”
Kira brightened. “Scout! When’s your next fight? I want to make sure I go.”
He ignored her, sipping his drink and heading past me. His arm brushed against mine.
A wave of tingles spread through me from that touch, and I had to inhale slowly before exhaling to let those sensations ease out of me. He had too much power over me, way too much.
Another laugh sounded behind me, but this one didn’t send my alarms going.
Kira snapped, “What, Cohen?”
He moved so he was standing next to me, his drink still mostly full, and he swirled it around. “You know, I came to get into your pants tonight, but I’m thinking maybe I should focus elsewhere.” He sidled closer but didn’t touch me. He didn’t need to. The whole movement was an insinuation, and that was when I saw the mean girl in Kira. She’d been veiling it the whole week on the committee, but I’d felt it sidling earlier, and I saw it now. She cocked her head to the side, her tone nasty, “Don’t even, Cohen. She’s the Maroney triplets’ cousin. They’ll ice you out in a heartbeat if you touch her.”
Well. I didn’t know how I felt about that, but I was kinda enjoying hearing the insecurity in her tone.
I decided to let it play out. I wasn’t going to wade in or say anything. I wanted to see what else would be said about me, in front of me.
My surprise? It was Gem who took care of it.
“Forget Clint, Trenton, and Alex.” Gem picked up a glass of something that I was hoping was okay to drink and took a sip. She didn’t make a disgusted face, so I figured it was fine, but she did smile, almost cockily at Cohen. “You touch my new friend, and you’ll have me to deal with. Don’t forget. I have your mother on speed dial.”
He swore in Spanish, before breaking out in a laugh. “And you’d totally call her. But don’t worry, little Gem. I’ve got no plans to hit on your friend. Too many people would mess me up.” He went over to her, hooking an arm around her neck, and pretended to mess her hair up. As he did, he gave me a wink, and I knew then that the whole thing was a charade. I just didn’t know why. Either way, I relaxed enough and took a drink when Kira offered me one.
“We’re not that bad.”
I was on a couch in the living room, buzzed, and Gem was flirting with a guy in the corner. I liked seeing that. It made me happy that we’d come, but I shifted a little as Kira sat by me.
