“Oh.” Theresa frowned, her voice softening.
Amanda closed her eyes and let out a silent breath of relief. She mouthed the words, thank you to me before shifting back in her seat and looking once again to Theresa and Noah. “Sorry. I didn’t mean for you two to stop cuddling. Keep going. Emma and I will keep up the commentary.” She whispered loudly to me, “Do you see that? His hand is shifting, and he’s going for the lay-up.”
Noah froze.
Theresa frowned.
I laughed. “Two points if he makes the basket.”
“Oh!” Amanda snapped her fingers. “He just got the rim. So close.”
“What the fuck?” Noah rolled his eyes.
Theresa relaxed and shook her head. “They’re making fun of us. Don’t worry. It’s not really a play-by-play of us having sex.”
“What?” he asked again. “What the hell is going on here?”
“So when’s the move-in date?” Amanda asked.
I sucked in my breath. Theresa’s mouth fell open, and Noah’s forehead wrinkled into a scowl.
“Damn, Amanda.” Theresa closed her mouth, shaking her head as if to clear her mind. “Way to just dig right in.”
Amanda shrugged. “My question stands.”
I shot her a sideways look. Where was this coming from? But I caught the swift rise and pause of her chest as she held her breath. I frowned. Was this still about distracting from her slip before? I had covered it. Theresa took the bait—hook, line, and sinker. We’d just been laughing, and now a sudden tension filled the car.
No one said a word.
Theresa shifted and looked out the side of the car. Noah glanced at her, his scowl deepening, then he sighed and leaned back in his own seat. He turned to look out the other side of the car, so now it was just Amanda watching them, and me wondering what the hell was going on.
Those two had checked out, but the car was slowing to a stop, and it wasn’t long before the door was opened for us. Thomas and Michael stood outside. They waited as Noah let Theresa out first. He moved behind her, placing his hand at the small of her back. Amanda was next, and she held back for me. As I got out, I shot her a look. “What the hell was that about in there?”
Her face was stony, and she jerked a shoulder up. “It was nothing.”
“That wasn’t nothing. You seemed fine with them being like that. We were joking even.”
“Leave it alone, Emma.” The wall slid away, and a haunted expression flickered across her face. The sides of her mouth curved down slightly, and she pressed a hand to the corner of her eye. Her eyelid had started to twitch. “I’m sorry. I—I’m sorry.” She started forward, ahead of me.
“Miss Emma.”
Thomas held his hand out, and I started forward. The car door shut behind me, and I was soon flanked by two guards, and Thomas and Michael behind me.
Everyone else had gone ahead toward the front door of the club. A line had formed on both sides of the sidewalk with large bouncers keeping people back. There was no rope, but it was evident that people couldn’t enter freely. As Noah and Theresa walked through, a protest rose from the crowd.
“Who are they?” yelled a voice. “What the hell, man?!”
The bouncers ignored them.
Amanda was allowed in next and then as I approached, I felt the wave of attention turning my way. I swallowed tightly. I could be recognized any moment, but I held my breath and hoped no one would notice me without Carter. As I walked past the front of the lines, I didn’t hear any other protests. Once inside, my shoulders dropped from relief.
I hadn’t been recognized, and I’d never thought to look at the name of the club either.
One shot.
Two shots.
Three shots.
By the fourth shot, Amanda was toasting by herself. Theresa had dragged Noah to the dance floor, and we could watch them from our private box. Amanda took her phone out and texted someone, but then left it forgotten to the side.
When she signaled for a fifth shot, I knew it was time. I’d been waiting since we got inside to confront her again. Theresa had stuck close to Noah, and I wasn’t sure if that was why Amanda was pushing the drinks or if she would’ve been anyway. I sat back and shook my head when she offered me a shot, too.
“Suit yourself.” Amanda tipped back her head, downing the drink, as soon as the server left. She practically tossed the shot glass back on the table and turned, her frown becoming a scowl as she went right back to watching Theresa and Noah.
I had covered for her earlier, pretending I’d been missing Carter as I watched the two¸ but now, my eyes narrowed. Maybe it was her. She was missing her boyfriend. Then I thought, fuck it for the second time that night and prepared to go in.
“You’re still seeing him?” I began.
She leveled her eyes on me. “What?”
“You know what I’m talking about.” I raised my chin and squared my shoulders. This was going to be talked about, whether she wanted to or not. “You’re still seeing him?”
“Was I supposed to break up with him?”
I ignored that. “You haven’t told Theresa?” I knew she hadn’t.
Her eyes narrowed. “Where is this going?”
“You’re not a nasty bitch.”
Her head reared back slightly.
“But you’re acting like one right now,” I added, holding steady.
Her mouth fell open, just a little bit. “Excuse me?”
“What’s your problem? And don’t lie to me. You might be living with Theresa, but I know you better, and I know you’re not like this. What’s going on?”
“Who do you think you are—”
I cut her off, shooting forward so I was halfway across the table and almost in her face. “Your friend. Your family. That’s who I am.”
“And you? What about you?” she countered.
I sat back, frowning. “What about me?”
“We’re all in this mess because of your guy. He’s in the mafia—”
“No, he’s not.” He was.
She rolled her eyes. “Stop, Emma. He still is. You’re the only one trying to fool yourself into believing he’s out. Theresa’s so scared that something will happen to you because of him.”
“I went to him. I did. Because of Mallory. Because of what I had done. Me. He didn’t pull me into this life. Remember that.”
Amanda closed her eyes and let out a silent breath of relief. She mouthed the words, thank you to me before shifting back in her seat and looking once again to Theresa and Noah. “Sorry. I didn’t mean for you two to stop cuddling. Keep going. Emma and I will keep up the commentary.” She whispered loudly to me, “Do you see that? His hand is shifting, and he’s going for the lay-up.”
Noah froze.
Theresa frowned.
I laughed. “Two points if he makes the basket.”
“Oh!” Amanda snapped her fingers. “He just got the rim. So close.”
“What the fuck?” Noah rolled his eyes.
Theresa relaxed and shook her head. “They’re making fun of us. Don’t worry. It’s not really a play-by-play of us having sex.”
“What?” he asked again. “What the hell is going on here?”
“So when’s the move-in date?” Amanda asked.
I sucked in my breath. Theresa’s mouth fell open, and Noah’s forehead wrinkled into a scowl.
“Damn, Amanda.” Theresa closed her mouth, shaking her head as if to clear her mind. “Way to just dig right in.”
Amanda shrugged. “My question stands.”
I shot her a sideways look. Where was this coming from? But I caught the swift rise and pause of her chest as she held her breath. I frowned. Was this still about distracting from her slip before? I had covered it. Theresa took the bait—hook, line, and sinker. We’d just been laughing, and now a sudden tension filled the car.
No one said a word.
Theresa shifted and looked out the side of the car. Noah glanced at her, his scowl deepening, then he sighed and leaned back in his own seat. He turned to look out the other side of the car, so now it was just Amanda watching them, and me wondering what the hell was going on.
Those two had checked out, but the car was slowing to a stop, and it wasn’t long before the door was opened for us. Thomas and Michael stood outside. They waited as Noah let Theresa out first. He moved behind her, placing his hand at the small of her back. Amanda was next, and she held back for me. As I got out, I shot her a look. “What the hell was that about in there?”
Her face was stony, and she jerked a shoulder up. “It was nothing.”
“That wasn’t nothing. You seemed fine with them being like that. We were joking even.”
“Leave it alone, Emma.” The wall slid away, and a haunted expression flickered across her face. The sides of her mouth curved down slightly, and she pressed a hand to the corner of her eye. Her eyelid had started to twitch. “I’m sorry. I—I’m sorry.” She started forward, ahead of me.
“Miss Emma.”
Thomas held his hand out, and I started forward. The car door shut behind me, and I was soon flanked by two guards, and Thomas and Michael behind me.
Everyone else had gone ahead toward the front door of the club. A line had formed on both sides of the sidewalk with large bouncers keeping people back. There was no rope, but it was evident that people couldn’t enter freely. As Noah and Theresa walked through, a protest rose from the crowd.
“Who are they?” yelled a voice. “What the hell, man?!”
The bouncers ignored them.
Amanda was allowed in next and then as I approached, I felt the wave of attention turning my way. I swallowed tightly. I could be recognized any moment, but I held my breath and hoped no one would notice me without Carter. As I walked past the front of the lines, I didn’t hear any other protests. Once inside, my shoulders dropped from relief.
I hadn’t been recognized, and I’d never thought to look at the name of the club either.
One shot.
Two shots.
Three shots.
By the fourth shot, Amanda was toasting by herself. Theresa had dragged Noah to the dance floor, and we could watch them from our private box. Amanda took her phone out and texted someone, but then left it forgotten to the side.
When she signaled for a fifth shot, I knew it was time. I’d been waiting since we got inside to confront her again. Theresa had stuck close to Noah, and I wasn’t sure if that was why Amanda was pushing the drinks or if she would’ve been anyway. I sat back and shook my head when she offered me a shot, too.
“Suit yourself.” Amanda tipped back her head, downing the drink, as soon as the server left. She practically tossed the shot glass back on the table and turned, her frown becoming a scowl as she went right back to watching Theresa and Noah.
I had covered for her earlier, pretending I’d been missing Carter as I watched the two¸ but now, my eyes narrowed. Maybe it was her. She was missing her boyfriend. Then I thought, fuck it for the second time that night and prepared to go in.
“You’re still seeing him?” I began.
She leveled her eyes on me. “What?”
“You know what I’m talking about.” I raised my chin and squared my shoulders. This was going to be talked about, whether she wanted to or not. “You’re still seeing him?”
“Was I supposed to break up with him?”
I ignored that. “You haven’t told Theresa?” I knew she hadn’t.
Her eyes narrowed. “Where is this going?”
“You’re not a nasty bitch.”
Her head reared back slightly.
“But you’re acting like one right now,” I added, holding steady.
Her mouth fell open, just a little bit. “Excuse me?”
“What’s your problem? And don’t lie to me. You might be living with Theresa, but I know you better, and I know you’re not like this. What’s going on?”
“Who do you think you are—”
I cut her off, shooting forward so I was halfway across the table and almost in her face. “Your friend. Your family. That’s who I am.”
“And you? What about you?” she countered.
I sat back, frowning. “What about me?”
“We’re all in this mess because of your guy. He’s in the mafia—”
“No, he’s not.” He was.
She rolled her eyes. “Stop, Emma. He still is. You’re the only one trying to fool yourself into believing he’s out. Theresa’s so scared that something will happen to you because of him.”
“I went to him. I did. Because of Mallory. Because of what I had done. Me. He didn’t pull me into this life. Remember that.”
