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Well, yeah, Corey had a point there. He had known the minute they walked in it wasn’t a wise idea, but nothing generally scared him.
“Anyway, this joker here,” Brick said, pointing at Corey as he rolled his eyes, “tells this guy who could break our necks with a snap of his fingers that he can name any drink put in front of him with one sip. He dared him he could do it.”
Jezebelle frowned. “I don’t get it. What an odd thing to say to someone wanting to kick your butt.”
Corey shrugged with a wild smirk. “I was already half-drunk. I didn’t know what I was saying. But I remember the guy arguing with another dude about how he only liked certain whiskey and could tell the difference between different brands. He’d knock anyone out if they gave him something he didn’t like. The guy had an anger problem.”
“So you thought you’d challenge him in a taste testing game to calm him down?” Jezebelle’s eyebrows shot up.
Another shrug with a comical smile embraced Corey’s expression. “Totally drunk. I do stupid shit when I’m drunk.”
“So, the guy takes him on his dare. The bartender, another scary-looking dude, lines up five shot glasses.” Brick waved a hand with flare at the five shot glasses sitting in front of them. “The brawny guy tells Corey he not only has to name the drink but what kind of liquor was used. The specific brand.”
Brick paused. Corey’s wily grin widened.
Jezebelle laughed, wincing in mock horror as if watching a scary movie and waiting for the precise moment the killer would make their move and swiftly kill the victim.
“Stop holding me in suspense. Tell me the rest.”
A feather-light kiss hit her cheek as Brick’s laughter rang through the air. “He got all five drinks right, rendering the guy speechless. Hell, the entire bar went silent. I swear I saw my life flash before my eyes. I knew they were going to kill us. Beat us to a pulp. All because my younger brother is too smart for his own good, knowing his damn liquor.”
“I have a talent,” Corey said with a cocky smirk.
“And?” Jezebelle waved a hand for him to continue.
“And then the guy started laughing and said he should be behind the bar with such talent. Then the guy eyed the bartender with a murderous glare as if suggesting that guy didn’t always get his shit right.”
“The big-ass dude made Brick do the challenge, too,” Corey added.
Jezebelle smiled at him lovingly. So much trust and faith shimmered at him. “You got it all right, too.”
She didn’t phrase it as a question. She just knew.
“Asshole gave me harder shots than Corey.” Brick chuckled as if enjoying the memory as if it happened yesterday.
“Then the brawny guy joked we should be owning the bar. The guy behind it was actually the owner.” Corey shook his head, laughing.
Jezebelle looked around the bar. “You’ve owned this for five years. You took that man’s joke and made it a reality.”
Brick nodded. “Well, we do know our liquor.”
“And you walked out of there alive. With no bruises.”
“We walked out of there with new friends.” Corey grinned. “I had Dwayne over the other night for poker. Cleaned me dry.”
“You’ve always sucked at cards.”
Jezebelle stared at the shot glasses as he laughed with his brother. She wasn’t smiling anymore.
“Hey.” He kissed the side of her head. “You don’t have to do it.”
She shook her head as if she had been in a trance of some sort and smiled. “I can tell you I won’t be able to name the kind of liquor, but I might be able to name the drink. I had fun in college.”
“I already like you. Minus the incident earlier.” Corey’s expression turned hard before disappearing into his smooth grin.
Brick had never considered knocking his brother on his ass, not even when he thought he had stolen from their grandmother. But if he didn’t respect Jezebelle, he’d sock him a good one. He didn’t like that asshole’s hands all over Jezebelle or his lips anywhere on her body, but Brick knew she had nothing to do with it. Bradley took advantage of her and tried to create a situation to go his way. It didn’t work. It wouldn’t work. In his eyes, Bradley had assaulted her, and he wanted to beat him to a bloody pulp for it.
He had a hand around Jezebelle’s waist. She must’ve sensed the fury building inside him because she placed a hand over his and squeezed. Maybe in comfort. Maybe to stop him from using his fist. Either way, it calmed him down.
