Page 47 of Carved in Ice (Made of Steel 3)

“Do you have any special plans for it?”

“No, not really. Although, Don’s head on a platter would be nice. Or Eli getting out of the hospital. Or seeing V’s face.”

Liza laughed. “I feel like we’re still a long way off with Don. Eli’s not leaving the hospital anytime soon. And I kind of like the whole sexy masked man thing V has going on. If you know what I mean.” She winked at me, lifted up one of the Mike’s Hard Lemonades, and tried to hand it to me.

“Oh, no, that’s okay.”

“You have to drink.”

She was a stickler for these random girls’ night rules she had made up in her head. “I had some wine last night and I only just got rid of my hangover. I really shouldn’t. Besides, we have lots of work to do tomorrow. We need a new plan for Mr. Crawford and…”

“No work talk,” Liza said, cutting me off. “That’s why I closed the wall to the headquarters. There’s girls’ night rules.”

I glanced to my right and sure enough, the apartment could have passed for any other one in this building. “Liza, I have so many questions about Eli though…”

“We can talk about all that later. I know that sometimes it’s fun to break the rules. Technically I could be arrested for serving someone underage alcohol.” She whispered alcohol even though it was only the two of us in the room. “But I’ve been breaking lots of rules recently and I’ve found it very liberating. I bought these with the sole purpose of serving them to a minor.” Her eyes suddenly got huge. “Oh my God. That sounded so bad. I did not mean that in a sexual way. At all. I just literally meant that you’re under the age of 21 and therefore it is illegal for you to drink libations.”

“I got what you meant.”

“Good.” She popped off the top and this time forced me to take it from her. “I’m feeling very rebellious ever since I joined this group. But girls’ night is sacred and we are not breaking any rules tonight. Drink up.”

“I really shouldn’t…”

She got the same look on her face as when I told her it wasn’t a slumber party.

“You know what, you’re absolutely right.” I took a tiny sip. Honestly it was a whole lot better than the red wine I’d had last night with V. Not that I really drank it with him. I kind of stole it from him and drank it alone in Eli’s room. I shook away the thought. “We only live once, right?”

“Exactly.” Liza grabbed the remote and brought up the recordings on the DVR. There were several episodes of The Bachelor and she clicked on the oldest one.

“Since when do we have DVR?”

“Chill, slut. You have a ton of money. You’re not going to miss ten bucks a month.”

“Can you please stop calling me a slut? I’m not a slut.”

Liza laughed and took a sip from her drink. “I don’t mean it in an actual slut way. I mean it in a girl, you funny way.” She pulled her legs up on the couch. “Although, you have slept with quite a few guys. Way more than me. Don, V, Eli, Miles…”

“Who told you that I slept with Miles?”

“Eli talks a lot in his sleep.”

I had been sleeping over in Eli’s room. He had never talked in his sleep before. Had they been talking about me? “Don doesn’t count,” I said.

“I’m sorry, I know. I don’t know why I included him.”

“Thanks. And for the record, three guys isn’t exactly a lot.”

“Mhm.”

She didn’t sound convinced though. “Well how many guys have you slept with?”

“None of your business.”

“You literally ran a background check on me. The least you can do is tell me your sexual history. Slut,” I added.

Her smile grew tenfold. Apparently she enjoyed being called a slut. Me on the other hand? Not so much.

“I don’t have one.”

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