Page 132 of Stolen Moments

I push it away, but he forces my hand and makes me hold it. The concoction smells horrific.

“That’s your punishment. Drink the hangover cure,” he demands.

“I don’t want to,” I whine, holding the rancid drink away from my face.

“Tough shit. We aren’t about to let you ruin Jace and Rylann’s wedding day.”

Fuck.

See? I’m an asshole, only thinking of myself and my own shit.

Cameron’s right. I need to get my shit together and man the fuck up for my brother.

With a groan, I bring the nasty liquid to my lips and take it down in four big gulps. My stomach churns and grumbles, cramping, as the disgusting liquid slides down my throat and settles in my belly. It’s some kind of miracle that I don’t hurl.

“That is by far the worst thing I have ever tasted. What’s in that? Rat poison and old boots?”

Cameron throws his head back and laughs. “It really is nasty, but Thompson gave me the recipe. He said the results are instant. You either feel alive again or…”

“Or what, Cam?”

He shrugs. “Or you barf your guts out.”

My eyes bug out of my head. “Seriously?”

“Hey, we took a chance, and it paid off. You’re fine, right?”

I take stock of my body. Even though my stomach bubbles from the disgusting drink, my eyes don’t burn as much, my body is humming, and my head seems a little clearer. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Hair of the nuts. It always works,” Cam jokes.

“It’s the hair of the dog. Now pay up, Cam.” Eli chuckles and puts his palm up, wiggling his fingers.

Cam sighs and hands him a twenty.

“Thank you very much.”

“Betting on whether or not I’m going to puke is messed up, you fuckers,” I grunt, lifting my hood over my head as they roar with laughter at my expense.

“So, what happened between dinner last night and this morning?” Eli asks. “Actually, hold that thought.” He pulls out his phone again, his fingers flying across the screen. Putting his phone down, he twists the cap off the gin, takes a swig, and holds it out to Cam. “I have a feeling we might be needing this.”

Cam grabs the bottle and takes a gulp. “Ugh, I fucking hate gin.” He wipes his lips with the back of his hand. “I don’t know how you drink this garbage. It’s horrible.”

“Like your face.”

“Har har. Funny,” Cameron deadpans as the sound of gravel crunching has me looking over my shoulder.

I should have known.

I shrink back into my seat as Jace approaches the warm hearth we are sitting at.

“I’m here. What’s the emergency?” He points at the bottle in Cam’s hand. “What the hell, guys? It’s my wedding day. Why are you drinking at…” He looks at his phone. “7am?”

“I only took a sip. Your man over there drank all this by himself.” Cam points at me and places the bottle on the ground.

I have half the mind to pick it up and take a swig, but my gut gurgles, so I shove that thought away real quick.

As Jace takes a seat in the chair across from me, Eli speaks up, “I was worried about Mase. He wasn’t picking up his phone or answering his texts. When I knocked on his door, no one answered, so I came down to find him. The guy at the front desk told me I would find him out here. Apparently, he’s been out here all night. Also, if he’s not nursing a hangover already, the idiot is still drunk. I’m not sure yet.”

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