Page 7 of Knight With Benefits

“I’m good, buddy, but if you don’t get your butt home, Cindy’s gonna have a new bear-skin rug to beat.”

He jerked his head toward the clock, his chair scrapping across the floor as he muttered a curse.

“If you don’t see me tomorrow, you better make sure she buries my bike with me, or I’ll come back and haunt all of you.”

Smiling into my glass, I finished off the rest of my beer just as Jackson stood to follow Blake.

“I should be going, too.”

“Aww, it’s past Jackass’s bedtime. Do you need someone to tuck you in?”

A glass was flying across the table before Jason got the last word out, Jackson smirking as Jason cussed when he fumbled it. David would kick us all out if we broke another of his glasses, but that didn’t stop the younger alphas from using them as weapons.

“Asshole!” Jason shouted as Jackson headed for the door, carefully setting the glass down in the center of the table.

I stood and stretched, trying not to make it too obvious that I was following the young wolf, but not wanting to give him the chance to ride off before I caught up to him either.

“I’m old, and it’s past my bedtime too. You gonna come tuckmein, Jason?”

I puckered my lips, blowing a kiss toward the alpha lion as he made gagging noises.

“Sorry, I don’t do diapers, and you’re definitely old enough to need them.”

Flipping him the bird as I laughed, I headed for the door.

Chapter Three

Gwyn

The noise behind me drew my attention, stirring me from the stupor I’d fallen into. It had taken everything in me not to turn around and look for Carl after we’d returned to the bar and he hadn’t followed me to my seat. Part of me appreciated that he had left me alone, while the omega part wished he’d ignored the hints and come back over to keep me company.

I turned my head just enough to see him walk out the door, my shoulders drooping further. My head was fuzzy enough that I was getting sleepy, but I wasn’t sure it was enough to keep the ghosts at bay once I was home.

I stared at my glass, realizing it was empty again. I’d finished the one I’d left when I took Carl to see the café, and then another, but I couldn’t remember if there had been another after that.

“Would you like some coffee?”

I curled my lip as I looked up, the world tipping and blurring a little as I lifted my head.

“No.”

David shook his head and leaned on one elbow, his brows making a vertical line in the middle of his forehead.

“Then how about some water?”

I sighed, turning away from him once I realized what he was doing.

“I can’t believe you’re cutting me off, David. I thought we were friends?”

I was proud that I’d managed to keep the whine out of my voice, although I wanted to stomp my foot over the younger man deciding I couldn’t have any more.

His chuckle came from behind me as I slid off the stool. For a moment I wasn’t sure my legs were going to hold me up, but everything settled after a breath, and the fuzz cleared more the longer I stood, even though my head was throbbing along with my heartbeat.

“And I can’t believe you’re not falling on your face. It’sbecausewe’re friends that I have to cut you off. If you did something foolish, I’d have to ban you from coming back, and neither of us want that.”

Scoffing, I started to shake my head but stopped when the world rocked a little too much. I tried not to be obvious when I reached for the back of the stool to steady myself, but I must not have succeeded when I missed the first time.

“Are you sure you can make it home?”

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