Page 6 of Savage Promises (Quinlan Empire #2)
Lennox
N ot less than twenty-four hours after the fight with Garrett, a flash of glitter from the VIP seating area catches my eye and my stomach drops.
“You have got to be kidding me.” The universe is testing me for sure.
Neve is here with her friends. My baby sister is all blonde curls and too much eyeliner.
Halloween was last week, Neve.
She managed to get the best table on the VIP floor, no doubt dropping my name. She’s smiling and waving her glass of champagne like she owns the place. All while coaxing her little entourage of giggling friends to drink with her. I can’t get caught serving minors. I’ll get shut down.
Goodbye liquor license!
And who will Dad blame? Me.
Neve’s barely-there dress would get her kicked out of most places. Or mistaken for an employee at a different kind of club.
I march straight up to her. “What the hell are you doing here? You’re not twenty-one!”
Neve huffs, rolling her eyes. “You’re always such a buzzkill. It’s just Champagne. That’s hardly alcohol.”
“It’s alcohol. I assure you.” I cross my arms, fuming.
“Chill, Lennox.” Neve does her signature hair flip. “We just want to have some fun. We’re celebrating a win.”
Neve is a star volleyballer for Astoria Prep.
With no responsibilities, she’s free to spend all the time she needs after school to indulge in her hobby.
Only, this volleyball thing is getting serious.
She’s good, I’ll give her that. But I’m not sure where she thinks she can go with a volleyball career.
If she thinks our father will let her go live in Southern California and play beach tournaments, she has a rude awakening coming with his name on it. The kind that will shake the dead.
I glare at her friends, but they all immediately avoid eye contact with me. “Why does Essie look ready to vomit?”
Neve snatches the glass from her friend and hands it to me. “Happy now?”
I hide my anger, smoothing my hands over my dress. “You can stay in this section. But I’m sending someone to collect the bottle and glasses. You can order sodas. Shirley Temples.”
Neve scoffs. “I’m not ten.”
“You stay in this seat. No wandering. Liam Riley will be watching you.” I snap my fingers to get my head bouncer’s attention.
The wall of muscle in a tight black T-shirt struts my way.
“Yeah, boss?” He too had a drug problem years ago and ended up in intensive care, but he got clean and I’m proud of him.
“Don’t let them so much as sniff a cocktail napkin.”
Liam smirks. “Got it, boss.”
Neve pouts, slamming her head against the back of the velvet-tufted booth with exaggerated drama. “You’re no fun, you know that?”
With a harsh glare I bite out, “Damn right, like you said, I’m a buzzkill. You’re reckless and spoiled, thanks to Dad. Someone has to keep you from doing something stupid that you’ll regret.”
Like, crawl into the lap of your older brother’s best friend.
Upon returning to the bar, I catch my reflection in the mirrored shelves. With my high cheekbones and perfect makeup, I barely recognize the girl who begged Shane Quinlan to kiss her six years ago.
I’m not that girl anymore.