“Oooh.” Brooklyn leaned over. “Can you send it to me?”
“Totally.”
“Thank you,” Scarlett said quietly as her friends huddled over the video of me punching Rafael. “Both of you. Like I said, you didn’t have to go all out with a punch, but I appreciate you having my back.”
“Always. You’re my baby sis.” Vincent ruffled her hair. “Someone messes with you, they mess with me.”
“Vince. What did I say about touching my hair?” She swatted his hand away, but a smile peeked through the creases of her annoyance.
I remained silent. I didn’t want to say what I was really thinking with Vincent there, so the words crowded in my throat, straining against the leash I’d snapped around them.
I’ll always have your back. Always. No matter what happens, there’s nothing in this world that I won’t do for you.
Scarlett’s gaze brushed mine. She stilled for a fraction of a second, her lips parting like she’d heard my silent promise loud and clear.
A familiar buzz sprang to life beneath my skin—just for a second, just until Brooklyn called out Scarlett’s name, but it was enough to make every dip of today’s rollercoaster worth it.
“The first cab’s here,” Brooklyn said, checking her phone as a black car rolled up beside us. “We’re celebrating at the Angry Boar.”
“Great.” Vincent flashed her a smile. “We can ride together. I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Scarlett’s brother, Vincent.”
“I know who you are.” She didn’t look up from her screen. “We’re not riding together. You’re riding with Asher.”
Our smiles vanished in unison.
“What?” Our voices overlapped over our glares.
“We can’t fit five in a car, so you boys are going first to snag us a prime table. We’ll be right behind you,” Scarlett said brightly. Carina opened the door; Scarlett pushed us inside. “See you at the pub!”
Brooklyn waggled her fingers at us. “Have fun and play nice.”
We didn’t get a chance to voice our outrage before Carina slammed the door shut and our driver sped off.
“What the hell just happened?” Vincent asked, his voice soaked with disbelief.
“I wish I knew.” I wiped a hand over my face, torn between annoyance, amusement, and pride. “Don’t ask questions. Just go along with it. Trust me, it’s easier that way.”
Of course our bloody driver got lost. London taxi drivers rarely got lost, but it was just our luck to be stuck with the one that did.
One very long, very silent car ride later, Vincent and I finally arrived at the Angry Boar. The girls had already snagged one of the few coveted booths in the back, and we had to fight our way through the crowd to reach them.
It was Saturday night, and the pub was packed. Music and alcohol flowed freely, and a few patrons had set up a makeshift dance floor next to the jukebox. Mac slung drinks behind the bar with his trademark scowl, which deepened when he saw us enter.
In fact, everyone noticed when we entered. Dozens of pairs of eyes followed our trek to the corner booth. If it weren’t for the pub’s rules, there’d be a million phones documenting this historic moment in football history.
Asher Donovan and Vincent DuBois, out on the town like best mates.
Ha. Over my dead body.
“It’s about time,” Brooklyn said as we took our seats on either side of the circular booth—me next to Scarlett, Vincent next to Brooklyn. Carina sat smack dab in the middle, her eyes glued to something on her phone. “Did you two enjoy your ride so much you extended it?”
“Don’t push it, Blondie,” Vincent said. “You’re cute, but not that cute.”
She smirked. “Was that why you wanted to ride with me earlier?”
“No, that was because I was already in a charitable mood and wanted to extend my generosity to you.”
“Children,” Scarlett murmured as Vincent and Brooklyn continued to bicker. “I’m surrounded by children.”
“Don’t lump me in with them,” I said. “I’m a mature adult.”
“Today is not the day for you to make that assertion.”
I frowned. Hmm. Fair enough.
“How was the car ride?” Scarlett asked. “I see you’re not sporting any fresh bruises, which is a good thing.”
“It was fine. Quiet.” I ran a lazy hand over her thigh beneath the table. Her skin heated beneath my touch, and a smile flickered over my mouth when her breath hitched. “I would’ve much rather been riding with you though.”
“Mmhmm.” She shifted, her eyes flicking over to where Brooklyn and Vincent were still bantering/flirting/whatever they were doing while Carina remained engrossed in her phone. “You were supposed to use that time to bond.”
My hand stopped an inch above her knee and squeezed. Scarlett swallowed, her breath shallowing.
“He’s not the one I want to bond with, darling.” The soft, languid glide of my words landed with the feathery grace of a dancer. Heavy enough to impact the vibrations of the air around us, but so light it only reached the person closest to me.
“Asher.” Nerves twined with breathlessness. “Not here.”
