Page 88 of Liam

“I’ve missed you too,” I reply, stepping closer to him. “We need to talk.”

“Get a room, you two!” Lucas’s voice booms across the club, startling us apart.

Heat rushes to my cheeks as I realize we’re still very much in public. Liam chuckles, his hand finding the small of my back.

“Shall we join the others?” he asks, nodding toward the VIP booth where his siblings are gathered, all wearing identical smirks.

I nod, still blushing. “Lead the way.”

We slide into the plush seats, Liam’s arm draping around my shoulders. As we settle in, Cora and Ryder appear, looking disheveled. Cora’s hair is tangled, and there’s a telltale flush creeping up her neck. Ryder’s shirt is slightly untucked, and he’s wearing a satisfied grin.

“Well, well, well,” Sloane drawls, her eyes darting between Cora and Ryder. “Look what the cat dragged back. Or should I say, look who came up for air?”

“I think we know who won the bet,” Ava chimes in with a smirk.

Cora grins and takes a mock bow, her hand sweeping in the air. “What can I say? I’m a natural at driving men crazy.”

Ryder steadies her with a hand on her waist, pulling her close. “Crazy is an understatement,” he murmurs, his eyes never leaving Cora’s face.

“Oh God, get a room, you two,” Lucas groans, but there’s amusement in his voice.

“Already did,” Cora quips. “Well, not exactly a room. It’s not a hotel, but you get the point.”

This earns a chorus of groans and laughs from the group, with Ava covering her ears and Sloane pretending to gag.

“Too much information, Sis,” Liam says, shaking his head. “Way too much. I’d rather pretend you’re still a virgin.”

“Oh, sure I am.” Cora pats Liam’s arm.

Ryder leans in close, his lips brushing her ear as he whispers something too low for anyone else to hear. Whatever he says has an immediate effect on Cora. Her cheeks flush a deep red, and her eyes light up with a mixture of surprise and excitement.

For a moment, Cora seems at a loss for words, a rarity for her as far as I know. She bites her lower lip, her gaze locked with Ryder’s, the tension between them palpable. Then, recovering her composure, she manages a breathy laugh.

“Well,” she says, her voice a touch huskier than before, “you know how to make a girl blush. But don’t think this means you’ve won.”

Ryder’s lips curl into a satisfied smirk. “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he replies, his eyes never leaving hers.

The dim lights of the club cast a soft glow over us when Sloane, clearly still amused, stirs the pot.

“So...you all just happened to be out for a drink at the exact same place we’re at? What are the odds?” Her voice drips with playful accusation.

Logan narrows his eyes. “What? It’s a free country. We were just grabbing a drink.”

Cora rolls her eyes, not buying it for a second. “Uh-huh, sure. Just a casual night out, right?”

Liam shifts beside me. “We were just hanging out.”

Ava’s eyes narrow in on Lucas, and she crosses her arms. “Hanging out...at the same club you knew we were going to?”

Lucas doesn’t flinch, his lips curling into a smirk. “What can I say? Great minds think alike.”

Ava raises a brow, leaning closer. “You don’t trust me, Lucas?”

“Oh, I trust you, alright, Wifey,” Lucas replies, his gaze flicking around the club. “It’s the other guys in here I don’t trust. I just wanted to make sure you were safe.”

The guys nod in agreement like it’s the most reasonable explanation in the world.

Cora, always quick with a retort—I’ve come to learn—jabs a thumb in the direction of her stone-faced bodyguard, Kane, who’s standing off to the side like a human fortress. “In case you hadn’t noticed, we already have a bodyguard.”