Page 9 of Without Bound
“I’ll add you to my dance card, pretty girl,” Hayes says.
Luca –lord have mercy this man– gives me a smirk that I know he doesn’t mean to be sexy but from him, it just is.
“Assolutamente, piccola.”
Bishop stands with one hand in his pocket and a bottle of beer in the other which he holds up to his lips and drinks slowly from. I stare at him, waiting for him to confirm, as do the other men.
He finally drops the bottle from his mouth and says, “sure thing, Anais.”
His voice is flat and totally emotionless. He either really hates me, or is working really hard to make me think that he does. I smile at him because I won’t be turned off by his harsh attitude.
“Uncle Nix,” I draw out and step closer to him. “It would be so amazing if you got me a glass of champagne.”
He arches a brow at me once again, and slowly shakes his head. I immediately pull out the big guns and cross my arms over my chest and turn my mouth into a pout.
“Please Uncle Nix? I’ve been so good and I just want one little glass. I promise I won’t drink anymore than that.”
I clasp my hands in front of me and bat my eyelashes at him.
“Nah nah. Don’t pull that shit with me. You’re not ten anymore and I’m not going to fall for the whole sad girl routine.”
“Aw, c’mon Nix. She’s nineteen and it’s not like she’s never had alcohol. Just a little glass,” Vaughan says, coming to my defense.
“Yeah, Uncle Nix. One glass isn’t going to hurt her,” Hayes adds.
I look at Luca and he shrugs. “The drinking age is eighteen in Italy, so to me it is no problem. This is a call for Zio.”
Phoenix looks each of his friends in the eye, not seeing one of them coming to his defense, and gives them each a glare.
“Y’all really sold me out. Damn. Thanks,” he tells them. “Oneglass, Anais. Don’t go begging someone else for one. Got it?”
“Yes, Nixy,” I respond, using Viv’s nickname for him.
His nostrils flare and Hayes snorts a laugh before the rest of the guys follow suit.
“You’re a brat,” he tells me then turns to the bar where glasses of champagne are lined up and throws a twenty in the tip jar for the bartender, telling him, “she’s with me, but don’t let her con you into giving her another.”
The bartender looks at me, his eyes roaming up and down my body before saying, “you got it.”
“Quit looking at her like that before I take back this fucking tip,” Phoenix growls and I latch onto his arm and yank him away.
“He’s kidding,” I tell the poor bartender who is now pale. “Thank you.”
“No I’m not!” Uncle Nix shouts as I drag him away.
All the guys follow behind the two of us as we make our way through the guests and back to the tables that all of the ladies are now standing near.
“There you are, husband,” Cami says, an enormous smile on her face.
“Hello wife,” Vaughan growls in a deep rumble, then takes Cami in his arms, kissing her with an over dramatic flair.
All of the ladies smile with hearts in their eyes that I can practically see. Uncle Nix holds tight to Viv’s hand and CeCe and Luca are locked onto each other's waists. Cat and Hayes exchange guilty glances and it has me curious, and Bishop stares at the beer in his hand as he swirls it around.
He’s quiet and almost solemn as I stare, willing him to look at me. I want him to see me and to see that I could be his Cami or Viv or CeCe. I just need a look. One look is all it will take.
But he never looks and I go back to waiting for the day he’ll finally realize what we could be.
I throw my head back in laughter as Hayes pulls me in to him after twirling me out. The song is a fast country one, and he’s had me shuffling and two stepping all around the floor.
