Page 57 of Healed

Chapter 16

Gabriella

I don’t know who was to blame—I was blaming Rachel—but somewhere in the evening, shots were introduced.

And they were used as payment for everything.

Wanted to go to the bathroom? Pay the shot tax.

Needed something to eat? Shot.

Wanted to play darts? Shot, shot, shot, for every turn.

It wasn’t long before the room was spinning, and I wasn’t sure which way was up.

When I’d first entered the clubhouse, I was drowning in a sea of faces, all of them blurring into one. The shots hadn’t helped with that at all. I’d simply resorted to referring to every man here as “cut”.

Cut, bring me another shot.

Cut, I’m hungry.

Cut, hold my hair, I’m about to be sick.

That last demand had ended with Vienna shoving the poor man in the chest, warning him not to put his hands on me.

I’d giggled at that.

My Vienna was very possessive when he wanted to be.

Somewhere along the line, Rachel had decreed that she was too important to walk.

“These legs are not made for walking,” she’d slurred. “They must be protected. Dante! Protect me!”

She’d jumped on his back, only for him to shrug her off like a toddler.

“Dante, my legs!” she wailed.

“Unless they’re opening, I’m not interested.”

“Well, they won’t be opening for you any time soon.”

“We’ll see,” he smirked, turning away from her.

And so now she was on Darwin’s back, brandishing a snooker cue at anyone who dared get close enough.

Especially Dante. Whom she had declared as ‘Enemy Numero Uno’.

“Fancy making this interesting?” Vienna asked, making me jump as he appeared from nowhere.

“What do you have in mind?”

He downed his shot and grinned wickedly at me. Then, crouching down low, he tapped his back, indicating he wanted me to climb on.

I laughed, the alcohol having waved away any of my inhibitions and wrapped my arms and legs around him.

“Hold on tight to this,” he said, handing me a snooker cue. And then he was running through the crowd, not caring who he banged into.

“Sorry!” I called out to one of the prospects—I think Pivot—who was now on the ground muttering expletives.