Page 56 of Vicious Little Snakes

Arden’s bottom lip protrudes as she reaches for my hand, but I grab the bottle of Jack to pour more shots.

“And like the fucking masochist I am, I just keep proving we’re all wrong, over and over, until I gut myself, never learning the lesson. And the kicker is, I have nobody to blame but myself.”

I raise the shot glass before tossing it back.

I could say all the rest of the story, tell Arden everything I’m leaving out, but saying it might actually kill me. It hurt that fucking badly, and in the end, it doesn’t matter.

“Oh, Liam. You’re a beautiful tragedy married to an ideal. When are you going to open your eyes?”

“Can’t we just drink, Arden?”

I grab the bottle and pour two more shots, feeling my senses dull.

She purses her lips like she’s thinking. “Yes, only because I can’t stop you. But give me one honest answer, and then I won’t ask any more questions.”

She licks her lips and looks me in the eyes as I nod.

“Go.”

“Did you know you loved her during our summer?”

I stare into Arden’s eyes, tired of pretending. I’ve never admitted anything aloud, but for whatever reason, maybe the alcohol, the setting, I don’t know, but I say the exact thought in my head, for once.

“I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know.”

Arden holds up her shot glass, clinking it to mine. “Brutal.”

She sucks it back, slapping it down on the counter, but I leave mine.

“Liam Brooks, I’m thinking staying here is the worst possible idea. Let’s go get into trouble together. Maybe we can find a girl for each of us? God knows I need to get laid.”

I glance back at the dance floor and then back to Arden. “Just you. I’m done with women.”

“Oh God, been there done that—and then I hit her with my car. Well, you remember. Didn’t work out too well. But she forgave me when she was going through her vegan Buddhist phase. Lesbians are good like that.”

“Vegan? Sounds like you dodged a bullet.”

The saying sticks in my throat—remembering what Caroline said to me the other day.

Arden laughs, slapping my chest. “Too bad she didn’t dodge the fucking car.”

We stand, me shaking my head and her laughing. Arden reaches for her fur coat, but I push her hand away, smiling.

“I got it.”

She turns for me to help her put it on, and I look over at the dance floor again, feeling her arms slip in.

“How come it feels like I’m the one that’s been hit by the car,” I whisper.

Kai’s running his hands up Caroline’s body as they dance. She spins away from him into some random dude’s arms as Kai gets pulled over to someone else. I turn my head, watching Caroline sway with the stranger, who takes her hand and starts to lead her away.

My eyes shift to Kai, but he’s preoccupied.

“Dude,” I say to myself, immediately looking over to where Grey isn’t paying attention either. Motherfucker.

Caroline’s disappearing into the crowd, tucked under that guy’s arm, and my heart starts to beat through my chest. Who the fuck is he? Anything could happen to her. I don’t like this.

“What’s up?” Arden questions, looking to where I am.