Rhett: Raven and Maddison have already had a few too many. Seems like there’s some type of competition taking place. You wouldn’t happen to know what it is they’re trying to prove, would you?
There was a video attached. It was of AJ in the middle of the two girls counting to three before Mad and Raven lifted their shot glasses and downed whatever was inside. When Raven picked up a lime wedge and placed it in her mouth, I knew it had to be tequila.
“Pussy,” Maddison said with a laugh as she pointed to Raven. “Real woman take it straight. To hell with the lime.” She was sassy, even sassier when she was drunk, and I smiled, staring stupidly at my phone.
Raven flipped her off before she broke out in a fit of laughter.
“Another one,” one of the girls shouted out, and the video ended.
Mike: On the way.
I hit send and tossed my phone onto the passenger seat. The entire drive over, I focused on what Rhett’s message had said and wondered if there was something each of them was trying to prove. And if so, did it have anything to do with me?
By the time I pulled open the door of Lucky’s and walked inside, the band was playing loudly. So many people mulled around, shoulder to shoulder, it was hard to maneuver through the crowd.
Laughter gained my attention, and I looked up to the left of the bar to find my group. Madison was dancing, a tall guy at her side, his hand on her waist possessively. I felt my temper flare as I watched the way she turned in his arms and wrapped her own around his neck.
“There you are.” I shifted just in time to catch Raven as she stumbled forward and gripped my arms tightly in an attempt to hold herself up. “Damn shoes,” she mumbled before laughing as if it was the funniest thing in the world.
“How many shots have you had?”
She held up her hand and started to count them off in her head.
“Never mind,” I said as I held her a little tighter and walked her toward the table where everyone sat. Finding the first empty bar stool, I lifted her by her waist and deposited her there. “You are such a gentleman.” She held my neck securely, and even when I attempted to loosen her fingers, I couldn’t. “I’m so glad you’re here.” I pulled back as much as I could, and before I had time to register what was happening, Raven plastered her lips to mine, gripping my neck with all the strength she still held in her drunken body.
“Okay, okay.” I unhooked her fingers and stepped back. I was just about to tell her that she needed some water when I saw movement over her left shoulder. Looking up, I found myself staring into Maddison’s eyes. She had a blank look on her face I couldn’t quite read, and her mouth hung open slightly. She had stopped dancing, stopped moving, actually, as she stared at me and Raven.
Something passed between us, something that made my mouth go completely dry, before she looked away.
“It’s about time you showed up.” Rhett slapped my shoulder, giving it a good squeeze as he looked toward the bar. “These two have been having some kind of competitive drink-off.” He motioned between Raven and Maddison. “Like a last man standing kind of thing, who’s the best, fucked-up kinda shit. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I’m done babysitting that one.” He pointed to Raven. “She’s all yours.”
Mine?
Rhett was gone before I could argue and grabbing for AJ, who stood near the bar. Pulling her back into his chest, he started to move against her from behind. It was a loving hold, one that, even though I wanted to, I couldn’t interrupt. They deserved this time together, time away from Blake, to be reminded of what they had as a couple.
The waitress walking past paused to ask me what I wanted to drink. “Can I get a water for this one?” I pointed toward Raven, and the waitress nodded before she walked off. Raven could barely hold up her head, it seemed, and in my opinion, the drink-off was over.
When the girl came back and set the bottle of water down, I handed her a couple of ones then unscrewed the lid. “Drink this.” I shoved it in Raven’s face. When she eyed the bottle, she practically went cross-eyed, and I fought the urge to tip it up to her lips myself. “Come on,” I encouraged her, and finally, she brought it up to her lips, taking sip after sip.
“Lightweight,” Maddison yelled out. I glanced in her direction to find her watching Raven with a hateful look on her face. It was a look that was so unlike Maddison. “She insisted she could outdrink me.”
“She’s loaded,” I told her, and she narrowed her eyes at me.
“I’m sorry your date can’t live up to her mouth. Always running on like she’s some badass, but in the end, she ain’t all she thinks she is.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
She flinched but continued to stare at me.
“She’s being a bitch,” Raven mumbled around the bottle that was pressed to her lips. “She’s been a cranky asshole for days.”
“Well, you’ve been a nagging pain in my ass.” Maddison stepped up closer. “Maybe I’m sick of hearing about the nasty things the two of you are exchanging through your phone. Maybe I’m sick of hearing about tonight is the night you two are going to finally hold true to this promise you made of corrupting one another. If you two want to fuck each other in the bathroom, do it. If you want to move it to
