Page 32 of Destined Dawn

Rhi turns her gaze away from me and towards Spencer. “How do we play?”

“We take turns to make a statement – something like, never have I ever played a drinking game. If you have done the thing, you drink your drink. If you haven’t, you leave it untouched.”

“This is immature and stupid,” Azlan says.

“It sounds like fun. And I think we deserve a little bit of fun. Things have been … intense,” Rhi says, glancing first at Barone, then Spencer and then Tristan. My gaze travels around that little circle and I get a fair idea how my mate has been spending her time today. “Can I go first?” Rhi asks. Spencer nods. “Hmmm.” She taps her fingers on the table. “Never have I ever watched porn.”

I groan. “That is so lame, sweetheart. If you’re going to insist on playing this game, at least make the questions interesting.”

She stares me square in the eye. “Have you?”

I swear and down my drink. Everyone else does too – which is hardly fucking surprising. What human hasn’t?

Rhianna and Barone apparently.

“Bullshit,” I say to him. Rhi had barely any internet connection growing up. But Barone? He’s male with a pulse. Of course he’s fucking watched porn.

“Not my thing,” he says shrugging.

“Not even snuff?” I ask darkly. He smirks at me.

“What’s that?” Rhi asks.

I change the subject. “Never have I ever made myself come thinking of someone else in this room.” I grin at her.

Rhi smirks right back at me and swallows her drink. From the corner of my eye, I see Tristan hesitate and do the same.

“Fuck, yeah, who, little rabbit? Who were you thinking about?”

She leans across the table, picks up the bottle and pours herself another shot.

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” Azlan says, grabbing her wrist.

“No,” she says, snatching her hand free. “And this is fun.”

“My go,” Barone says. He takes the bottle from Rhi’s hands. “Never have I ever flayed someone alive.” He spins his gaze around the group hopefully. Nobody drinks. He shakes his head and downs his own.

“You really are a sick fuck,” Spencer mutters.

“I’ve seen you rip a man’s throat out, Spencer Moreau,” the assassin says, something dangerous in his tone.

“I have another one.” Rhi snatches the bottle off him. “Never have I ever been in love.”

It’s clear she says it to try and diffuse the tension in the room. It has the opposite effect. Suddenly everyone is looking uncomfortable, like this is a far worse question and love a far dirtier word than murder and torture.

“Oh, come on,” she says, as her cheeks pinken. “Nobody? Nobody’s been in love?”

Azlan reaches for his glass and silently drinks the contents.

“Who?” Rhi asks, her tone suddenly sharp. And this is why I didn’t want to play this game. It never ends well.

“I’m in love now,” he says, refolding his arms, “with you.”

“That wasn’t the question, asshole,” I mutter. “She asked if you’d been in love before.”

“Then no, I haven’t.”

Rhi relaxes.