Page 54 of Rhett

Imani pursed her lips. “May I continue?”

I waved my hand. “Go on.”

“I had to visit a hot but, frankly, a little scary leader of the vampire coven and convince him to vote in my favor to let me stay in the Ridge.”

I shook my hand. “I still can’t believe vampires exist.”

“And they’re hotter than what’s described in supernatural movies,” Nyx pointed out.

Imani gave us a mock glare. “If you two interrupt me one more time, no more wings for you.”

We mimed zipping our mouths.

She carried on. “I had to endure a vote by the town council to let me stay in the Ridge and put me under their protection. I had an encounter with a group of displeased rioting town idiots after said vote.” She paused. “Learned how to shift for the first time at the duel where I was fighting for my life. Oh, and last but not least, I fucked my mate in the forest.”

“Okay. You win the Most Crazy Shit to Happen to Me award.” I handed her a shot glass.

She accepted and air-kissed it. “Thank you.” She grinned. “And I dedicate my award to you and all my beautiful sisters soon to come to Black Forest, finding their fated mates and happily-ever-afters.”

Nyx clapped loudly. “Bravo!”

I snorted. “I’m forty. I stopped believing in happily ever after years ago.”

“Well, we haven’t,” Imani replied. “And we”—she gestured to herself and Nyx—“are in our forties too.”

The server arrived with more shots. We clinked our glasses and chugged the contents.

I waited for the burning in my tummy to lessen before asking them, “What’s in this Brew?”

“It’s a special concoction crafted by Brody Thornbern’s brewstillery,” Imani said, putting her empty glass on the table. “Others love it because it’s the only thing that can get us drunk.”

Nyx explained, “Others’ metabolisms churn through human alcohol like water.”

Still feeling the afterburn, I replied, “Well, it sure packs a wallop.”

Imani winked at me. “That’s the point.”

“So what do you think about Mama June’s?” Nyx asked me.

“I love it.” I panned June’s, with its glowing red lights. The crowd was diverse, which I liked, but the place was packed with more men than women. I gave Imani the side-eye and flat-out asked her, “Did you low-key bring me to a pickup spot?”

Imani waggled her eyebrows. “Maybe.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well, you wasted your time.” I swallowed another mouthful of Brew. “Because I’m not looking.”

“Is that because of Rhett?” she asked.

Nyx leaned closer to me. “There’s a rumor circulating that you and the sheriff are a thing.”

I sputtered. “We arenota thing.”

“Well, the nose don’t lie,” Imani said, tapping her nose. “Your scent has changed. And since I’ve heard that the last man you were with was Rhett two days ago…”

“And who told you that?” I asked.

“It’s a small town, Nova,” Nyx said.

Imani cut in. “I’m betting your animal is awake and she chose him.”