Page 106 of Burning Ember

But I won’t stick around if it means jail time or being sent back to Warner, and I sure as hell won’t put up with Mav’s mistreatment a second time. But the fact remains, ratting out the club isn’t an option, and I don’t know which Mav I’ll see when he returns, or when Davis will come looking for me.

It’s a waiting game I’m playing, and it’s dangerous. My freedom hangs by a thread. I know that. But in the back of my mind, I’m holding on to this small ray of hope that the man I saw in Mav today is the one who’ll come back in three days. And maybe, if he truly wants me, he’ll understand and protect me from my past when it comes calling.

Mav and the club just might be the only things that can.

Lily gestures to the green drink Bethany’s mixing. “What do you call that again?”

“Lethal Kryptonite. Named after you know who.” Bethany opens the refrigerator, pulls out the pineapple juice, and pours some into the glass until the liquid touches the brim.

Lily stands from her stool at the bar. “Tell me again how to make that drink with Jäger. The one you made for me last time. I’m gonna name it after Goose.” She wobbles a bit as she circles around the kitchen island.

We’ve all had too much to drink and that was before Bethany unlocked the liquor cabinet and started serving the hard stuff.

“Teach Doll,” Lily snickers, “ . . . teach Doll how to make cock . . . tails.” She throws her head back to laugh but nearly falls over. Thankfully, she catches herself by gripping the edge of the table.

Bethany shushes her.

Placing her hand over her mouth, Lily smothers her cackling. When she recovers, she whispers loudly, “She needs to make a drink she can name after Mr. Hot and Broody.”

“Mr. Fire and Ice,” I mutter before taking another sip of my Mai Tai.

“Ew! That’s perfect!” Lily screeches earning her a hissed, “Lil’,” from Bethany.

“Sorry.”

Bethany takes a big swig of her drink and groans. Licking her lips she says, “Almost as good as the real thing.”

Lily and I giggle.

“You’re drunk enough to talk about Dozer?”

Bethany shrugs. “I’d rather talk about Hodge.”

Lily shakes her head and gives Bethany a disappointed look.

“What? It’s what’s I do, right? Pick Hodge because he’s safe and easy, and loving him doesn’t terrify me or make me crazy. Only, because some senior citizen couldn’t see him on his bike and the son of a bitch was too stubborn to wear his helmet, I’m alone now and thinking about somebody else. Someone I shouldn’t be thinking about.

She sighs dramatically and leans back against the counter. “Letting Dozer into my heart again would be the worst mistake I could make. So have at ’em, Doll.” She waves her hand toward me.

“There is nothing going on between me and Dozer,” I tell her honestly.

After studying me for a minute she says, “I believe you. I’m sorry. That was rude of me. It’s obvious you have something going on with Mav.”

“Bethany,” Lily groans. “You’re being stubborn.”

“No, I’m being reasonable. I’ll admit that I can’t look at the giant without wanting to climb him like he’s a goddamn tree and I dream about having sex with him at least once a week.” At Lily’s glare she admits, “Okay, twice a week. But God, the fucking man gets better looking every year. I mean, seriously. What the hell is up with that?”

“So just have sex with him then,” Lily whisper yells.

“No. He’d want more. I know him. Plus, we’re oil and water. We don’t mix. I need safe and simple, and he’s complicated and messy.”

“Bethany.”

“Can we please talk about something else?”

Lily groans. She and Bethany have a little bit of a staring contest until Bethany says, “Doll’s turn.”

“There’s not much to tell.” I shrug. “He hated me. Now he likes me. He’ll probably hate me tomorrow.”