Page 152 of Till The Sun Dies (Checkmate 2)

She nods. “You’re in for life. You’re under federal protection now, Baby. Nothing will ever happen to you again.”

“I know. But putting that aside – you and Kane showed me what it’s like to have a strong, respectful, loving relationship. I mean; I already knew what those were. Alex and Jules. Luc and Kari.”

“Scotch and Sammy.”

I laugh. “Right. But I allowed myself to forget, to cast everyone as the enemy, but you guys refused to let me go. So now I’m here, in a pretty dress, with sexy underwear that I’m hoping Ang might ask to see, but even if he doesn’t, I wore it all anyway, because I’m ready to be happy again. I like him, like, a lot.” I shake my head at the heat that gathers in my cheeks. “I feel about as mature as my students, but whatever. I like the guy, and I’m ready to stop being a victim. It’s time.” I tangle our hands as we approach the front doors of a bar called FantaSea. “It wasn’t so long ago that I was terrified of all men.”

“And now?”

We step inside and study the open room.

“And now, I’m afraid of all men except the few we know. And I’m okay with that, because the most important men are in my circle, and everyone outside of it doesn’t matter.” I turn us toward the bar. “Drink?”

“Sure.” Her smile is magnificent. “This is like the old us again. You know what I want, Baby, and you know I want another to chase it down.”

“Two strawberry daquiris.” Experimentally, I flash a grin and a flirty wink at the young bartender. “Please.”

“Sure thing, pretty girl.”

“Laine!” Jess snatches both of my hands when he turns away to work. “Are you serious right now? It’s like we’re twenty-one all over again,”

I laugh. “I’m trying. But that wink; that felt gross.”

She nods. “Winkers are wankers. We know this.”

I answer her morose nod with one of my own. “Rookie mistake. I’m a little rusty.”

“It’s okay.” She turns and slaps a twenty onto the bar. “My treat. Well…” She snickers. “Kane’s treat. I stole that from his wallet.”

“You stole? Are you broke? I can lend you money, Jessie.”

“No, I’m not broke.” She brushes me off, accepting the drinks with awankerishwink, and passes me mine, tapping them together. “I have money, but when I steal from Kane, it’s so much more satisfying. Nothing tastes as sweet as a stolen daquiri.”

I laugh and bring it to my lips. “Cheers to that.” As soon as the rum registers on my tongue, my eyes slam shut in protest. “Holy mother of–”

“Alcohol.” Jess turns to the still watching bartender. “Did we get any strawberry with our liquor?”

“Just a little,” he laughs. “You girls out for fun, or…?”

“Yup, with our boyfriends. Thanks.” She takes my hand and drags me toward the pool tables. “We donotget caught flirting with boys, Baby. That would be a bad move. Bad.” Laughing, she wags her finger in my face. “Bad!”

“What would Kane do if he found you flirting?”

“He’d probably shoot the guy. Then he’d take me back to our room and fuck me till I forgot how to speak.”

I lean against the unused pool table and tilt my head. “I mean, that doesn’t sound too awful. Except the shooting the guy part.”

She flashes a playful grin. “I have a plan for tonight, Baby, so I’m gonna need you to lower your standards. It’s gonna be fun.”

“You’re a monster!” I laugh. “I feel sorry for the guy already.”

“For Kane?”

“No, for the fool that’ll get shot.”

She waves me off and watches the door. “No one will get shot. It’ll be okay, trust me. Kane doesn’t control shit.” When the guys step through the front door like a couple gunslingers stepping into a saloon, she turns to me. “We control the world, Baby. A real man lets his queen control the world.”

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