Page 101 of Black Flag

When Emma and Aidenwere officially married, we made our way back to Treasure Island once againwhere I may or may not have been singing Hound Dog on the bar. I can’t be surebecause I really don’t remember. I do remember prying some hooker off poorCharlie when he looked as though he was about to have a heart attack. Idistracted him by convincing him to play pool with me, trying to sober him up.It didn’t work. Instead, he decided the pool sticks were entirely too much workand opted to use his hands. One straggler ball got out of hand and hit the wallbehind the bouncer’s head, where it stayed.

We were asked to leaveafter that.

At around 3 a.m.Charlie was still going strong and I was moments away from passing out. I had noother choice but to dilute two Tylenol PM’s into his beer. An hour later, hewas sound asleep in his room.

Another hour later andI was curled up next to Sway only to discover Alley curled around her too. Ipushed Alley off the bed onto the floor. It didn’t look like Alley but had herlong ass legs and the same clothes as before. I decided I was too tired to givea shit.

Spencer was in chargeof Emma and Aiden, neither one of them was in any condition to be left alone,especially Aiden. So I wasn’t surprised when I got a text from him at six inthe morning that if I ever wanted to see my spotter make it to the next racealive, I’d come get him right now.

Apparently, Aiden hadwoken up and couldn’t decipher where he was at, and ended up peeing on Spencer.I personally thought this was hilarious. Spencer did not.

In the morning, Emmahad some explaining to do and for a reason I did not agree with, she wanted meto do the explaining for her. I wasn’t okay with that for a number of reasons.

“Jamesonplease!” she begged. “You have to talk to them for me.”

“No,” I shook my head.“This is allyourdoing.Youtell themwhatyoudid. I don’t want any part of that conversation.”

And I really didn’t.They still weren’t happy that Spencer and I were present when Emma decided toget the Trash-R-Us token. Wait until the find out we were both present when shedecided, on a whim, to get married. I was sure that wasn’t going down well.

“That’s not fair!” shestomped her foot like a goddamn child in the middle of the casino lobby. “Ihelped you with the candles the other night.”

“All right,” I turnedto face her; tears streamed down her cheeks, her mascara smeared under hereyes. “That was for Sway...this,” I held up herleft hand pointing to the quarter machine ring she was now wearing. “isentirelyyourfault.”

“Why didn’t you stopme—you were there?”

“Yes I was there, butif you remember correctly, I was just as drunk as you, and wearing an Elviscostume. I don’t think I was inanyposition to help.”

“Mom and dad are goingto kill us.”

“No, they’re going tokillyou, not us.” I pointed out. “At least it’s not a tattoo. Just takethe ring off, they’ll never know.”

“Good point.” Shelooked down at the plastic ring. “But I don’t want to take it off.”

“Then don’t.” I shruggedwalking toward the espresso bar to get Sway’s mocha. “I don’t really care ifyou tell them or not.”

“Jameson, please helpme!”

“Emma, you got married.Big deal, you’re twenty one. Legally you’re old enough to make your own goddamndecisions. Why do you even care?”

I honestly couldn’tunderstand why this was a big deal.

“Yeah but...”

“Butwhat?”I looked at the barista tossing some money on the counter. “Can I get a decafwhite mocha, please?”

The young girl behindthe counter smiled. “Are you Jameson Riley?”

Emma giggled knowingwhere this was going.

Shooting Emma I glare,I replied with an annoyed. “Last time I checked.”

The girl, not muchbigger than Emma, smiled again handing me an empty cup. “Can you sign this forme and oh, can I get a picture?”

“Yeah, sure,”

The instant I said thatshe practically jumped over the goddamn counter to get to me. Emma snapped apicture with the girl’s phone while I signed her cup.

“Here you go.” I handedher the cup.

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