their sake glasses in salute.
I forced a smile, squared my shoulders, and sank into my seat. I could do this. Fake the happy until I made the happy. At least for the duration of this girls’ night out.
Gen handed me a glass filled to the brim. “Raw round two coming soon. We couldn’t resist. Hope you’re up for it, but if not, I’m sure I’ll manage.” She downed the contents of her glass, slamming the empty on the table hard enough to rattle the sushi bottle and tiny plates. Chopsticks rolled.
“Whoa.” Claire rescued a pair headed for the floor. “Watch it there, Wonder Woman.”
Gen flexed her awe-inspiring, super-cut biceps, bared for view by the tight green, baby doll tee she wore. “Yeah, baby, that’s me, super-powered badass.”
She air-kissed each muscle. I snorted sake.
Her firm hand slammed between my shoulder blades as my body attempted to cough and laugh at the same time. To my knowledge, Gen was one hundred percent human but freakishly strong and not shy about it. At five feet seven inches we shared the same height, and I possessed preternatural strength to match and surpass hers, but where she was all lean taut muscle and near zero percent body fat, I had curves and cleavage to spare.
Claire thwacked Gen’s arm. “Dudette, dial down your bad-assness before you choke Rina to death.”
“You two need to come to The Grind. Seven a.m. on Baker Beach. I’ll kick your asses into shape so you can keep up with me.”
“We are in shape,” Claire and I exclaimed at the same time then laughed.
“And super cute.” Claire tossed her head, making her neon pink ponytails—set high on each side of her head—bounce and shine in the dim lighting.
Then she stood and shimmied, swinging the edges of her black mini skirt and bouncing the waist tie of her black blouse. At five feet ten in her bare feet, she ventured over six tonight in her pink-laced, black platform boots. Heads turned, conversation volume lowered, and a group of men nearby whistled and applauded.
Gen elbowed me. “You’re up, Snow White.” She danced in her seat, whipping her head fast enough to make her silver and blue streaked red hair smack her cheeks. “Give the crowd some love.”
I shook my head. “No way, Xena.” I pointed at the waiter headed at us. “Incoming.”
Claire reclaimed her seat as the waiter delivered our second round of sushi goodness. Yellowtail, salmon, fatty tuna nigiri, and a couple of rolls—one spicy tuna, the other eel and avocado.
“Perfect timing,” Gen crowed, handing him our empty pink sake bottle. “Another one of these, ASAP, if you please.”
“I think we’ve had enough,” I piped up.
As much as I loved my sake, who knew what alcohol plus black magic blood cocktail would do to my system. I pushed away my glass and quashed the wave of unhappiness threatening to engulf me.
“Nonsense, lightweight,” Claire teased, adjusting one pink-and-black-striped, thigh-high stocking above her knee. “We need to toughen you up.”
My gaze shifted to the window. If they only knew how tough I needed to be right now. If they only knew what Faith and Kai experienced right now…hell, I wish I knew. I’d complied with Dixon’s demand and consumed his gift. Had he honored his promise of food and water for my friends? I had to believe even evil bastards like Dixon followed some twisted code of honor.
Claire snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Hello in there.”
I blinked and focused on her, working to reset myself yet again and fake the happy. I managed a smile, but I knew it didn’t reach my eyes, with every inch of me stiff and fake. A liar, a secretive, little—
She pursed her lips. “On second thought, maybe you’ve had enough.”
“It’s not the booze,” Gen piped up, surveying my face. “She’s got that look.”
I tensed.
Gen leaned in. “The my-guy-is-being-an-asshole look.”
I relaxed against my chair. Perfect. Alexander’s weird behavior did bother me so
I forced a smile, squared my shoulders, and sank into my seat. I could do this. Fake the happy until I made the happy. At least for the duration of this girls’ night out.
Gen handed me a glass filled to the brim. “Raw round two coming soon. We couldn’t resist. Hope you’re up for it, but if not, I’m sure I’ll manage.” She downed the contents of her glass, slamming the empty on the table hard enough to rattle the sushi bottle and tiny plates. Chopsticks rolled.
“Whoa.” Claire rescued a pair headed for the floor. “Watch it there, Wonder Woman.”
Gen flexed her awe-inspiring, super-cut biceps, bared for view by the tight green, baby doll tee she wore. “Yeah, baby, that’s me, super-powered badass.”
She air-kissed each muscle. I snorted sake.
Her firm hand slammed between my shoulder blades as my body attempted to cough and laugh at the same time. To my knowledge, Gen was one hundred percent human but freakishly strong and not shy about it. At five feet seven inches we shared the same height, and I possessed preternatural strength to match and surpass hers, but where she was all lean taut muscle and near zero percent body fat, I had curves and cleavage to spare.
Claire thwacked Gen’s arm. “Dudette, dial down your bad-assness before you choke Rina to death.”
“You two need to come to The Grind. Seven a.m. on Baker Beach. I’ll kick your asses into shape so you can keep up with me.”
“We are in shape,” Claire and I exclaimed at the same time then laughed.
“And super cute.” Claire tossed her head, making her neon pink ponytails—set high on each side of her head—bounce and shine in the dim lighting.
Then she stood and shimmied, swinging the edges of her black mini skirt and bouncing the waist tie of her black blouse. At five feet ten in her bare feet, she ventured over six tonight in her pink-laced, black platform boots. Heads turned, conversation volume lowered, and a group of men nearby whistled and applauded.
Gen elbowed me. “You’re up, Snow White.” She danced in her seat, whipping her head fast enough to make her silver and blue streaked red hair smack her cheeks. “Give the crowd some love.”
I shook my head. “No way, Xena.” I pointed at the waiter headed at us. “Incoming.”
Claire reclaimed her seat as the waiter delivered our second round of sushi goodness. Yellowtail, salmon, fatty tuna nigiri, and a couple of rolls—one spicy tuna, the other eel and avocado.
“Perfect timing,” Gen crowed, handing him our empty pink sake bottle. “Another one of these, ASAP, if you please.”
“I think we’ve had enough,” I piped up.
As much as I loved my sake, who knew what alcohol plus black magic blood cocktail would do to my system. I pushed away my glass and quashed the wave of unhappiness threatening to engulf me.
“Nonsense, lightweight,” Claire teased, adjusting one pink-and-black-striped, thigh-high stocking above her knee. “We need to toughen you up.”
My gaze shifted to the window. If they only knew how tough I needed to be right now. If they only knew what Faith and Kai experienced right now…hell, I wish I knew. I’d complied with Dixon’s demand and consumed his gift. Had he honored his promise of food and water for my friends? I had to believe even evil bastards like Dixon followed some twisted code of honor.
Claire snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Hello in there.”
I blinked and focused on her, working to reset myself yet again and fake the happy. I managed a smile, but I knew it didn’t reach my eyes, with every inch of me stiff and fake. A liar, a secretive, little—
She pursed her lips. “On second thought, maybe you’ve had enough.”
“It’s not the booze,” Gen piped up, surveying my face. “She’s got that look.”
I tensed.
Gen leaned in. “The my-guy-is-being-an-asshole look.”
I relaxed against my chair. Perfect. Alexander’s weird behavior did bother me so
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