“I mean, it’s not really policy to allow customers behind the bar.” I lean forward a little more, giving the bartender an even better view. “But I suppose I could make an exception. You’ll need to be quick though, and you better not let my boss see you. He tends to pop up when we least expect it.”
“Thank you so, so much,” I say, as he lifts a makeshift door in the counter to let me through.
Once behind the bar, I pretend to scour the floor, waiting for my chance.
“Oi, two pints of Tooheys down here, mate,” a voice yells from further down the bar.
Bingo.
As soon as the bartender heads in that direction, I grab the first bottle I see, not bothering to look at the label.
“Found it! Thanks so much,” I yell behind me before ducking under the counter and speedwalking back to the table.
When I get back, I hold the bottle above my head, victorious.
“No fucking way.” Josh laughs.
“That’s incredible,” Ellery says open-mouthed.
“Do I even want to know how you did that?” Hari asks. Her arm is already looped around Josh, despite knowing him for all of an hour.
“Better if you don’t, I think,” I say with a wink.
Only Adrien looks put out. Of course.
I pour the bottle—some type of off-brand rum—into the emptyshot glasses that litter our table, laughing as liquid spills from the sides, and throw mine back with the others, barely feeling the burn this time. I ignore a snide comment from Adrien about the liquor’s poor quality.Is this bitch serious?
“Okay, my turn.” I don’t hesitate. I turn to Kyan, seated next to me, his black hair shiny and full, his face somehow even more gorgeous in the soft glow of the lights. “Truth or dare?”
“You needn’t even ask, darling. Dare, always.”
I watch Josh shoot Kyan an approving glance, as if he would have chosen the same. I can already tell there’s a budding bromance happening there.
My tongue pokes through my teeth, my hands itching to touch him. “I dare you to kiss a stranger.”
His eyes widen and then his mouth opens in a smile that shows off every one of his straight white teeth. He looks slowly at each one of us, as if pondering who to choose, mockingly stroking his clean-shaven chin. His gaze lands on Josh, and he takes a step forward, prompting Josh to jump back.
“I mean, I like you and all man, but not like that.”
Kyan laughs. “Aw, Josh, I don’t know if my heart will ever recover.”
He returns to looking at us one by one, lingering on Adrien for a second too long. Her anticipation is palpable, and my heart drops. But before the disappointment can set in, I feel Kyan step towards me. Then his hands are on each side of my face, and he’s leaning closer until his lips brush mine. They press harder, his tongue entering my mouth, and I feel my body go limp. He tastes like rum and passion andlife.Everything else around us seems to stop. I don’tknow how long his lips stay on mine, but when he pulls away, I have to force myself to remain upright and not collapse back into him.
“Wow,” I say breathily. And then I remember the others, all staring at me, most of them with impressed grins on their faces. All of them except for one. Adrien glares at me, her gray eyes narrowed and colder than I’ve seen them. The hatred spills out from them, an emotion so intense it’s instantly sobering. I cough slightly, trying to regain my composure. “You really leaned into that, Ky.”
“I always do,” he says with a wide grin, apparently not noticing the daggers Adrien’s eyes are shooting in my direction.
I laugh, but I can still feel Adrien’s eyes on me. And I know one thing for certain.
I’ve already made an enemy. And for once, it feels good.
7
Claire
Now
The five of us have been talking for nearly twenty minutes on Kyan’s patio by the time the conversation turns to Phoebe. We’ve covered pretty much everything you’d expect during a ten-year reunion. Life updates, nostalgic memories, the whole bit. Through it all, my mind keeps flicking back to that first night we spent together at the Notting Hill Hotel. It was the first time I felt like I was a part of a big family. And that truth or dare game was innocent at first. Until it evolved into something else. Something we would play on almost all our nights out or when we were bored. Until it got out of hand…
