Page 132 of Prince Charming

“I’ll sort it.” Tag all but growled through his teeth. He pushed off from the bar, swerved the table where Krusher was playing dominoes and he prowled over to his drunk buddy.

They got newcomers through the doors all the time. He didn’t care who the women were when he snapped his fingers and garnered their attention. “Make yourself scarce, ladies.”

“Aww.” They chirped together.

“Come to join us, brother?” Smirked Arson, toasting him. It was only recently Tag realized how well, and how long, Arson hid being drunk so often. Tag grew up around alcoholics, should have seen the signs sooner. “I’m sure the girls wouldn’t mind, would you? You want a piece of the Champ? Don’t tell his woman, though.”

“Get gone.” He told them again. They climbed to their feet and sashayed over to the bar.

“You took my snack away, Tag.”

“What in the fuck are you doing? Thought you had your shit together?”

“Yeah, well.” Arson grinned, rubbing a hand over his t-shirt covered belly. “I got bored and needed some fun.”

“Fun. You call being this smashed fun. Being this smashed every day is fun for you.” He didn’t pose it as questions. “Get the fuck up, brother.”

“Nah, me and the girls… where’d they go? We’re gonna have a party.”

“Your party days are over.” He replied and bodily dragged Arson to his feet. It said as much how long he’d been drinking for that day that he didn’t protest.

Getting Arson home didn’t take long, nor did pouring him into his bed. He left a trash can on the floor and a bottle of water on the nightstand. “When are you gonna stop this shit, buddy?” He murmured. Arson didn’t answer, he was already knocking out the snores.

Wandering through the apartment, he checked cabinets, the pantry, the fridge and anywhere else he thought Arson might store booze. Didn’t matter if it pissed his friend off, he was about to pour that shit down the drain.

But the surprise was, he didn’t find one bottle. Not one beer in the fridge. There were no empties in the trash either.

For a drunk, he was a controlled one if he wasn’t drinking at home. Making sure there was food in the fridge for when Arson woke up, and then he took off. Only when he was in his truck did he notice the two missed calls from Marianna.

Goddammit.

He’d been giving her time with her family all the while he craved for her.

The nightly phone calls weren’t cutting it.

His truck headed that way.

It was well after 2 a.m. by the time he arrived at her apartment. A light was still on and as he stepped out, he hit call on her number.

Not even sounding sleepy, she answered two rings in. “Luke? Is everything alright?”

“Come to the door, darlin’. Put on a coat.”

Snowing a little, he took the stairs two at a time. She was unlocking when he reached the top. Wide eyed and bundled in her coat. He rushed a hand over his hair to knock back snowflakes. Before he could reach for her, she was already flinging herself into his arms, latching on tight.

And the coils inside Tag, which had a stranglehold on him all week, loosened.

Fucking hell, he had his girl right here.

“Luke.” She whispered, her forehead on his shoulder. “I missed you.”

Ah, thank god.

With her legs around him, her back met the wall.

And his lips crashed down on hers.

God, she tasted good.

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