Page 33 of Cookie: Part One
I turn up ze bottle, flickering my glaze to ze window, eyes on ze forest outside as a hunger unlike anyzhing I’ve experienced comes over me…I vant to touch her again.
Just once more. Ze thought pulses in my brain, echoing over every aching inch of my body as I tip the bottle back, ze fiery liquid burning down my zhroat, just enough to drown ze raw, desperate hunger she stirs in me.
I lick my lips, desperate for more, zhirsting for somezhing only she can quench, deep down knoving I’m going to shake zhis family by making zhat girl mine.
CHAPTER TEN
CONSTANCE
“SET AND GAME!” I slap the table, cackling as I snatch the cards from under his hand.
“BAH!” Grandpa Viktor waves me off, sipping something dark that smells like danger.
“YOU BEEN RENIGGIN’ SINCE THE FIRST ROUND AND EVERYBODY IS SCARED TO SAY IT!”
“YOU LIE BECAUSE YOU ARE SORE LOSER!”
“SORE LOSER?!” I nearly flip the damn table. “I’mbeating your ass, old man!” I sneer, eyes on fire as the rest of the family is crowded around the table like it’s a championship game. Money being passed back and forth, drinks clinking, laughter bubbling loudly through the room. I can’t lie, I ain’t never felt so chill with a bunch of literal rich ass people in my life. “THEN PUT YOUR MONEY DOWN THEN!” I shout.
“I VOULD, BUT YOU CHEAT!” Viktor says, deadpan. “NO HONOR. NO SHAME.”
“CHEAT? SIR!” I holler, slamming down my card like it’s a weapon. “RUN THAT!”
“VHAT? YOU SHAMELESS VOMAN!”! The whole table goeswild.
“Who needs shame when I got money?!” I cackle, thinking about how I’m about to be racking in rubles. There’s even a few deeds, and someone tossed a diamond chain in the betting pile. “YOU CAN’T SEE ME! YO—” As I’m about to go in for the kill, a screech cuts through the room and everyone goes silent. We all turn in the direction of the stairs, and my jaw hits the floor.
NotVeronica out here stumblingdown the grand staircase like a banshee, mascara streaked,naked as the day she was born,sobbing and stomping, looking pissed off.
“The fuck…?” I mutter, but everyone else just turns back to the table and starts placing bets, arguing about who’s going to pay in the next game. “Uhm… sh-shouldn’t we like… go check on her or something?” I turn to Grandpa Viktor, who just picks up his drink, not even blinking.
“People vho live longest mind zheir business,” he answers in turn and I pause before going back to stuffing my pockets with money.
“… You know what? You damn right! Let me mind my Black ass business,” I say and throw down my next card like divine judgment, and the tableerupts.
“Bah! I vill beat you in ze next round!” Grandpa slaps his knee, sputtering.
“Nah, you gon’ beat thisL, old man!” I holler, collecting my winnings like the greedy lil gremlin I am.
“You’ve got to teach us how you play like zhat. Vhat’s it called? Aces?” someone behind me asks and I throw my head back in laughter.
“Spades,” I answer, popping a bottle open. “The more the merrier,” and I give a little jig, showing them how to really cut a deck, my fingers dancing over the cards like I’ve been hustling since birth. The table crowds closer, hungry for the secret, laughter ricocheting off the walls and drowning out any awkwardness left lingering from Veronica’s dramatic entrance.
We play until our voices are hoarse and the pile of loot in the center looks more like a dragon’s hoard than a card game. Until I can’t take another shot, or slam my hand down on the table… I’m mother fucking tired.
For a hot lil’ ol’ second, they have me scared, thinking I’m going to pass out before them, but thankfully Grandpa Viktor yawns dramatically and I light up.Is it what I think it is?
“I go to bed,” Grandpa Viktor announces after our sixth round of cards, standing up with a loud yawn and a louder back crack.Yasssssss! I’m free of these alcoholics and gambling addicts!
I stand so damn fast, ready to go to my room and sleep, going over to kiss Grandpa Viktor on the cheek.
“Good night, Grandpa Viktor,” I say sweetly, ready for him to take his old attractive ass to mother fucking bed! I need some Tylenol, some Law and Order SVU, and some damn sleep!
“Okay you guys, I’m going to call it a night, too!” I voice and Uncle Vlad looks up with puppy dog eyes, holding up a bottle.
“But you’ve barely had any,” he slurs, clearly drunk but I’m not surprised they are all functioning alcoholics apparently but seriously I’ve drank so much I want to gag at the sight of the bottle…Pyper wasn’t lying about them being able to drink… shit
“And I’d like to keep it that way.” I chuckle and they all laugh, but I’m serious how the fuck do they have working kidneys!
