Remember the time you fucked Elizabeth and lied about it?
I really hope she isn’t like that, but if she is, then I’m going to have to handle it, and her. If she fucked someone I knew, I don’t think I’d take it very well, never mind someone I was related to. When she stirs I sit down on the bed, the mattress going down with my weight.
“Babe, are you hungry? We’ve been in bed for hours,” I say, kissing her forehead. “I need to feed you.”
“Hmmm,” she hums, opening her eyes. “What are we going to eat?”
“I don’t know, but everyone is waiting to see you out there,” I warn her. “There’s probably food in the kitchen, otherwise I’ll take you out to get something.”
“Who is here?” she asks, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. “I met Anna, she’s the one who let me in the gate. Are all the women here gorgeous?”
“Pretty much,” I say, shrugging. “I don’t know—I don’t see them like that.”
“Really?” she asks, eyes flaring. “I don’t even swing that way and I’ve checked out both Anna and Faye.”
I lift the sheets off her and pull her out of bed. “Well, you can see who else is here. What do you want to bet Anna called all the women?”
Jo rolls her eyes and stands up. “So, what, it’s let’s-all-stare-at-the-cop day? Are they going to give me shit? Never mind, don’t answer that. Either way, I’ll handle it.” She goes into my bathroom and washes her face, squares her shoulders, then says, “Okay, let’s do this.”
I grin and lead her straight to the kitchen, because I’m starving. Like I’d guessed, almost all of the women are in the kitchen, with the exception of Tina, Anna, and Faye.
“Oh, look who’s here!” Tia says, smiling widely. “What a lovely surprise.”
I glance around the room, expression blank. “Anna called you, didn’t she?”
Lana takes off her glasses and smiles at Jo, then at me. “She may have sent a group text.”
I sigh. “Everyone, this is Jo. Jo, these are the Wind Dragon women.”
I point and tell her the names of each woman. Jo says hi to each one, smiling amiably.
“There’s spaghetti,” Tia says to me while she pulls out a chair. “Jo, why don’t you sit with us while Ranger sorts you out?”
Jo takes a seat and I start serving the two of us.
“You’re so pretty,” I hear Shayla blurt out. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Jo.”
“You too,” Jo replies, and I can hear the smile in her voice. “It’s nice to put faces to the names.”
“What’s Ranger been saying about us?” Tia asks, making a tsk-tsk noise. “I can only imagine what you’ve heard. We’re not that bad, promise.”
“Although she probably likes bad,” Bailey throws out.
“Yeah, bad at beer pong,” Lana adds, laughing.
Fuck, I’m never going to live that down.
“I heard about that,” Jo says to Lana. “Talon told me. I think we should have a rematch.”
I’m going to have to kill my old Wild Men president, and I’m totally fine with that.
“When, tonight?” Tia asks, sounding interested. “Getting drunk on a weekday, isn’t that spontaneous. I wonder if Talon will stay with Rhett so I can get in on this.”
I approach the table and set down a bowl and fork in front of Jo. “Do you want anything with it? Parmesan cheese?”
“No, I’m good, thank you,” she says, picking up her fork. “I’ll save room for all the beer I’ll be drinking soon.”
“So, we’re having a beer pong match on a weeknight, against a cop and a former enemy turned family member?” Lana asks, eyebrows hitting her hairline. “Our lives are definitely interesting. Who’s going to play? We only need two.”
“Me!” Tia says, waving her pink-tipped fingernails in the air. “I nominate myself.” She looks around the table. “Who is joining me? Shayla? What say you?”
Shayla looks to Lana, who shakes her head. “You go ahead, Shay. I think I’m going to enjoy this from the sidelines.”
“You scared, Shay?” I taunt, sitting next to Jo and digging in. “I won’t lose a second time. Tell Vinnie to expect you home very drunk.”
And getting Tia drunk can be my ‘payback’ to Talon for doing the same to Jo that night at the bar.
“We’ll see about that, Ranger,” Shayla boasts, lifting her chin. “Eat. You’re going to need a full stomach.”
These women.
All I know is I better not lose this time.
? ? ?
Everyone comes for the event, like it’s a birthday, not a midweek beer pong game. The kids are all here too, but they’re playing outside while we’re in the game room. The red cups are lined up, and everyone is waiting to begin.
“Have you played before?” I ask Jo, not knowing how much she partied in the past. I probably should have asked her these things. But then, she’s the one who started this whole thing, so she probably deserves to get intoxicated tonight.
She nods, giving me an amused glance. “I haven’t been living under a rock, you know.”
“Ladies first,” I tell her, giving her the opening shot.
She throws the white ball but misses all the cups. She throws overarm, which I think looks weird, I prefer the underarm technique.
“Nice try, babe,” I tell her, trying to curb my competitive streak and be encouraging.
Tia goes next and also misses. “Dammit!”
I get my shot in, and Shayla drinks the cup, everyone cheering as she finishes it. Shayla misses her shot, and I taunt her for a bit, enjoying annoying the shit out of her.
“Maybe next time, Shay.”
“Shut up, Ranger!” she calls, poking her tongue out at me. “You haven’t won yet.”
This game really brings out the immaturity in everyone.
“I’m not losing.” I look to Jo, then smirk at Talon. “I have a better partner this time.”
Talon picks up a candle off a table and fuckin’ throws it at me, but I duck and it smashes against the wall. See what I mean about the immaturity thing?
“I’m an excellent beer pong buddy! Not our fault Bailey and Anna are fuckin’ sharks,” he calls out, and I actually agree with him on that one. Bailey is sweet as pie, so no one ever suspects her, but you need to remember who her company is. Any girl who is best friends with Anna can’t be sweet.
When Jo plays her next shot, she gets it in, and I’ve never been so proud. I lift her in the air and cheer as Tia chugs down the cup. Speaking of the devil, Anna arrives and smirks, approaching the table. “Well, isn’t this déjà vu.”
“Not going to lose this time, Anna.”
“That’s because I’m not playing,” she says, a smug look on her face. “And because Bailey’s not here. Convenient how both of us aren’t here while this is going on!”
I throw a Ping-Pong ball at her. “Call Bailey. After I win this game, Talon and I will happily take you both on.”
I hear Talon groan, but I ignore it. He’s in this too, and Anna isn’t going to shut up until she’s taken down a notch. I only hope she doesn’t open her mouth about my kidnapping her in front of Jo, because that will open up a shit storm and I really don’t have any way of talking myself out of that one.