Page 104 of King of Clubs

“Your accents are mildly offensive to me and my people,” Felicity deadpanned, brows raised.

“Aren’t you like 0.9% Welsh?” I asked, referring to her recent ancestry results she was holding onto like a prize.

“Exactly, and the Welsh and British are sisters,” Flick said as if that explained everything.

“That’s racist,” Arna replied in another poor attempt at a British accent and we all lost it again, our peels of laughter not even close to sophisticated.

“Sorry,” she whispered, again with a tinge of British.

“Hey, ladies,” Eva appeared from nowhere and enveloped me in a hug, a man standing awkwardly at her side with a champagne flute in his hand.

“Eva! I’ve missed you. Does your brother know you’re here yet?” She looked different tonight and I wasn’t sure what it was. She’d grown her hair out a little longer and was wearing less makeup than the last time I saw her but she looked happier and less stressed now her uni course was finished. Her deep blue dress contrasted against some seriously sun-kissed skin, also helping with the organic beauty.

“Not yet. I went to find him but I spotted you first, looking ridiculously gorgeous, and detoured.” She gestured to my high neck, low back, absolutely divine black dress. My gold shoes matched the accompanying gold bracelet I adorned, no longer needing any kind of woven colour to represent how I was feeling, because I was a survivor. I'd escaped and chosen me. As I said I would. And with the love of those around me, I was finally at peace.

“Marlee, this is Blake. Blake, this is Sebastian’s girlfriend, Marlee,” he held his hand out to me in greeting, pulling me free from my thoughts and I willed myself not to shudder at the clamminess of his palm. Poor guy must be nervous. Eva hadn’t mentioned a boyfriend so he must be new which explained his evident discomfort.

“I think Seb is over at the bar talking to Cooper, he will be so happy to see you.” I didn’t miss the way her eyes widened slightly at the mention of Cooper but feigned ignorance as I took a sip of my drink. Coop had asked me at least four times if Evangeline was coming tonight, suspiciously never when Seb was around so I was already on the lookout. Arna would have a field day when I told her.

“Evs, you will get an invitation to the bachelorette party soon, so be ready. It’s going to get wild without the old ball and chains.” Arns giggled as Andy came up behind her and whispered something into her ear. I had no doubt it was something I would most definitely not want to know so I emulated a gag in Eva and Flick’s direction.

“Honestly, they are three seconds away from making out right here, escape while you can,” I said to Eva and her date who’d turned a few shades whiter as they scampered away.

I watched the way Seb’s face lit up when he saw his sister and smiled when he grabbed her in a huge hug, lifting her from her feet.Turning back to Andy and Arna I rolled my eyes. “You two need to get a room. You’re sickening,” I joked as I excused myself, pulling Felicity with me towards where Seb was just placing his sister back to the floor.

“Seb, this is Blake. My ahh-date,” Eva said nervously.

Sebastian stared at him, clearly sizing him up, and by the grimace on his face he had already decided it was a big fat no. I agreed, but it was still awkward. I cleared my throat and opened my eyes wide at my boyfriend to signal to him not to be rude. He reluctantly held his hand out to Blake and feigned politeness.

“Nice to meet you. This is Cooper. He's practically Eva’s older brother too.” He gestured back and forth between the two and Coop choked on the mouthful of whiskey he had just been about to swallow.

He turned away to pull himself together and Felicity elbowed me, her eyes narrowing as we exchanged a conversation without words.

Did you see that?I asked with my excited grin.

How could I not. Cooper wants to fuck Seb’s sister.She replied with her narrowed eyes.

He does not want to be her older brother. I implored through my barely contained grin.

I wanted to laugh and pull my sister-in-law into a corner to demand she tell us everything. Did these two have history because something was clearly happening. There was most definitely tension and my adorable boyfriend had absolutely no idea which made this little situation all the more amusing.

Felicity slapped Cooper on the back, helping him clear his airways.

“You okay over there?” I asked, jumping in as Flick’s wingwoman. “This is Eva’sboyfriend, Blake.” I emphasised while Eva glared at me. I shot her a grin as Coop’s face hardened in the way I anticipated it would.

Felicity and I were beyond immature and it was the most fun I’d had in ages. It was probably the few vodkas I’d already drunk from the sneaky bottle Seb kept behind the bar just for me.

“Oh, it's only new.” Blake moved closer to Eva pulling her into his side and both Sebastian and Cooper stiffened, staring at the way his hand held her waist.

“Evy,” Cooper greeted, having finally composed himself. Pulling her from Blake’s grasp and engulfing her in a hug which took her by as much surprise as it did the rest of us. Other than Sebastian, who was already talking to Wayne, totally unaware of the pissing contest occurring over his sister.

When Cooper finally released a clearly stunned Eva, Felicity and I grabbed her hands and asked if she would like a drink as we pulled her with us anyway.

She hesitated, looking back towards her date, before nodding. As we walked away, I heard Cooper asking Blake why he was drinking champagne at a whiskey bar, an edge of irritation in his voice I’d never heard before.

This was going to be fun.

When our drinks were all full we moved back through the crowd to where Judy and Toby were standing.

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