Page 14 of Sour Notes

She made her feelings abundantly clear months ago. There’s no way in hell I can keep this to myself when we live together. I can’t look into her beautiful eyes and lie to her like that.

I need to apologize, come clean, and then see if I can convince her to give me a shot. Tonight was even more explosive than our first time, there’s no way she can deny the chemistry we have.

Jesus fuck, I’ve officially lost the plot.

I used to be a fully functioning adult.

Respected.

Mostly balanced.

Lieutenant of a damn police department.

Now I’m a guy who raw-dogs his feelings in a Ghostface mask. I should put that on a dating profile.

How’s that for the respectable police lieutenant?

Christ, if the guys found out I’d never live it down. Pretty sure Lucas would print Ghostface T-shirts saying, “Scream if you want it harder.”

Just as I take a step toward the courtyard, thinking Lucas’ name conjures him out of thin air.

He throws an arm around me, grinning wildly, and pulls the mask off my face. “Swayze boy, you’re welcome, by the way. Now whatcha doing over here on your lonesome? Come on, we’re taking group photos.”

He tugs me with him, and hope surges in my chest. Maybe Mia’s already with the others.

We join Axel and Haven, but there’s no sign of my angel anywhere. My heart divebombs to my gut and disappointment claws at my chest even though I’m not entirely sure what she’d do if she saw me masked up and realized it was me outside.

Probably chop my balls off.

“We’re under strict instructions to send Kim photos. Haven, where the fuck’s Mia gone? I know she was here.” Lucas tosses his phone to Jett and stands beside Axel, dragging me in with him, so all three of us surround Haven sitting on a barstool.

“Oh, she texted me to say she was heading home with a headache. Totally sucks.” Haven looks back at us with a pout.

My blood runs cold. A headache?

She seemed fine when I left her.

Did I hurt her?

I didn’t hold back when I fucked her tonight. I was probably rougher than I should have been.

Fuck.

“Swayze, you dick—mask back on, otherwise you just look like yourself.” Lucas snaps the mask onto my face, and I punch him in the gut in response.

“Boys, boys, behave in my bar before I knock your teeth out. You kids are too pretty to be toothless already.”

Despite Jett only being a few years older than us, her stern tone silences everyone, and we all snap to look at her.

“She sure told you,” Axel murmurs quietly, a smug smirk on his stupid face.

“Don’t be a prick, Axeman. It’s not too late for Haven to dump your ass, you know,” I can’t help but bite out. Because apparently, I’ve taken leave of all my fucking senses tonight.

Axel reaches behind Lucas to punch me in the shoulder this time. “Low blow, man. You need to stop this bullshit sex ban of yours. It’s making you cranky.”

Ha. Ten months, and tonight I tossed that ban in the trash can and set it on fire.

For her.