“Oh, hell.” Phoenix rubbed his temples with his fingers.
“Please!” I yelled. “Phoenix attacked Trace!”
Phoenix shoved his chair back. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
“Drink!” Nixon stood between all of us spreading his hands wide. When Phoenix didn’t attack, he cleared his throat and pulled a bottle of whiskey from one of the cupboards. “Or, we play Russian Roulette with Tex’s gun, and we all know he doesn’t play fair.”
We all sat.
For the first time since Andi’s death, we all took a shot together.
And for once, it didn’t feel like a tribute.
More of a what the hell do we do now?
Lovers and madmen have such seething brains. –A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Valentina
I STAYED IN my room like a complete coward all night. Thank God I had a stash of licorice and protein bars in one of my bags from work.
The piece of red licorice hung out of my mouth as I tore open the next letter. So far, they hadn’t given me any clues as to who was actually sending the things.
My money was on Frank.
Until I saw Frank and he seemed more… distant and cold, not the type to send letters from the grave.
Not at all.
There were only three letters left.
Panicked, I went back through to make sure I’d counted right.
Three?
Could that be right?
So what? I’d been given seven?
Frowning, I pulled the sheet of paper out. It looked like it had coffee spilled on it, but it smelled like the Victoria Secret coconut vanilla lotion I wore.
Over and over again the cycle continued, the prince, or the beast, struggled with his demons. His past calling to him while his future was laid out perfectly. But beasts, they are trained to fight against what feels wrong. Emotions can be so fickle, can’t they? Patience. Be patient. I imagine you’ve received your dress, the shoes, something old, something new, something blue. I also imagine that he saw the shoes. So just in case you don’t still have them, you’ll receive another package tomorrow. Don’t open it until ten minutes before you walk down the aisle. Wear everything and give him the other half of the package with his name on it. And remember, it isn’t how you start, but how you finish.
All my love,
R
More and more the letters made no sense and bordered on creepy, as if the individual knew me personally or was at least watching me and writing the letters in real time.
Was it one of the guys?
Or their wives?
Ugh, my head hurt.
I guess it didn’t really matter who it was, because it changed nothing, right? It changed absolutely nothing.
Something loud clanged from downstairs followed a few seconds later by another loud clanging. Panicked, since it wouldn’t stop, I tore out of my room and ran down the stairs.
Yelling and clanging got louder, and when I entered the kitchen I nearly fell over backward.
Sergio and Tex were arm wrestling.
“One way or another bastard, I will beat you!” Tex roared.
“More shots!” Chase yelled slamming a shot glass onto the table and then turning around offering whiskey straight out of the bottle. Phoenix held his stomach as he leaned against the counter cursing Chase to hell, while Nixon looked completely sober.
And yet, he was drinking like it was water.
“Ahhhhh!” Tex yelled using all his strength to slam Sergio’s hand to the left, while Sergio leaped to his feet. “Cheating!”
“You never said I couldn’t stand!”
Tex stood.
Sergio stayed standing.
“It’s amazing how they won’t give up.” Nixon shook his head. “Guys, call it a draw.”
“Shut the hell up!” they said in unison still trying.
“Well, one’s going to have a stroke.” Chase seemed overjoyed at the idea.
Finally, Tex flinched causing Sergio to switch positioning, but clearly he was bluffing, he slammed Sergio’s hand against the table and stumbled back screaming. “Are you not entertained?”
Chase slow clapped.
Nixon took another sip of whiskey.
And my mouth dropped open as Sergio pulled off his shirt, tossed it in Tex’s face and said, “Best out of three.”
“Great, maybe next time we’ll get lucky and I’ll detach your arm from your skinny little body.”
Skinny?
Sergio wasn’t as built as Tex, but he was still massive. Muscles bulged in all the right places, tightening like a freaking cord around his midsection, his traps alone seemed like they were swelling before my very eyes.
Add in his smooth skin and the few tattoos, and I suddenly felt like I was getting a free show.
Tally marks marred his side in the form of a harsh black tattoo.
There were a lot of them.
“What are you up to?” a voice asked behind me.
With a yelp I nearly slammed back against the wall as Frank stood to my right, chuckling out a curse as Sergio and Tex went at it again.