I SWIRLED THE ICE IN my glass. The moonlight glimmered on the bride’s dark hair and the past two years disappeared. I was no longer watching my best friend dance with his new wife. I was remembering the feeling of my wife’s hair as it slipped through my fingers and drowning in her deep brown gaze as she said two simple words.
“Another?”
I blinked and the image of my dead wife was gone. I looked up at the waitress. “Sorry, darlin’. Come again?”
Blonde, cute, she glanced at the bride and groom then looked back at me and smiled. “They make a beautiful couple.”
“No denyin’ that.” I tossed back the last of my whiskey.
“Would you like another drink?” she asked sweetly.
I dragged my eyes the length of her and smiled a smile that usually got me what I wanted. “That depends.”
Heat flushed her cheeks but she didn’t drop my gaze. “On what?”
I stared at her tits then her lips. “You.”
A small giggle escaped and she fluttered her eyelashes like she thought it’d make a difference. “You’re forward.”
“I’m single,” I stated, already irritated with the conversation. “What time you get off?”
“Half hour,” she said coyly.
I stood and placed my glass on her tray, then I leaned down to her ear. “Grab me another whiskey while I wait for you, darlin’.” This shit was getting too easy.
She shivered but she didn’t move.
“Now,” I commanded.
“Yes, sir.” She giggled, hightailing it back to the bar.
I watched her ass as André walked up beside me.
Glancing over his shoulder at her, he chuckled. “Fifty bucks says you don’t know her name.”
I didn’t need to. I nicknamed them all anyway. “Hundred bucks says she’ll know mine in an hour.”
“I’m not stupid enough to take that bet.” He inclined his head toward Blaze and Layna on the dance floor. “Blaze asked me for a security detail while they’re on their honeymoon. Know what that’s about?”
I scanned the perimeter out of habit. “I thought we took care of it.” Blaze and I had neutralized the killer who’d been stalking Layna months ago.
“Me too.” André casually glanced across the lanai then looked up and down the beach.
I knew what he was thinking. Beyond the small lights strung up around the tables, it was dark as shit. Lots of places someone could hide. “What’d Blaze say?”
“He didn’t. Just that he wanted two of my men and he doesn’t want Layna to know about it.”
A memory of my wife on our honeymoon played in my mind like a cruel joke. No amount of security could’ve saved her life in the end. But if I’d paid better attention… I shook the thought away. “Can’t blame a man for bein’ cautious.”
The waitress came back. “Here you go.” Her smile was no longer shy.
I took the glass, my fingers purposely grazing hers. “Thanks, butterfly.”
André grinned. “Yes, thank you, butterfly.”
She looked between us with a confused expression.
“Ignore him, darlin’. Hurry and finish up. Won’t take me a half hour to drink this.” I winked.
André laughed after she walked off. “Easiest fifty bucks I ever earned.”
“Fuck you.” I took a sip of the drink, feeling the burn.
He sobered. “Won’t help, you know.”
“What the hell are you talkin’ ’bout?”
He shrugged casually. “Tonight couldn’t have been easy, seeing them get married.”
The muscles in my shoulders went rigid and I swallowed a mouthful of whiskey. “You got somethin’ to say, say it.”
“Drinking, screwing random waitresses, it won’t make you forget her. Leigh didn’t want this for you. She wanted you to move on.”
My hand tightened around the glass.
He kept talking like I wanted to hear the shit that was coming out of his mouth. “I trust you with my life, brother, but this isn’t you. Respect her memory.”
“What the fuck do you know ’bout respect?” He’d never been married. He’d never scattered his wife’s ashes. I didn’t want to respect her memory. I wanted five goddamn minutes when I didn’t feel crushing grief.
André looked at me with pity and I wanted to slam his face into the tiled patio.
He shook his head. “I know you got no respect for the life you’ve been living.”
The waitress reappeared at my side and smiled. “I got off a little early.” Her hand feathered across my arm and settled in the crook of my elbow.
Fuming, my chest tight, I looked down and her features blurred into the sea of nameless women I’d fucked over the past two years. I shook her arm off. “Somethin’ came up.”
Her face twisted in confusion. “But I—”
“But nothin’.” Fuck her, fuck André, fuck the whole wedding party. I shoved my hand in my pocket and grabbed my keys as I strode toward the parking lot.
“Wait,” she called.
Already halfway to my car, I ignored her. I got in my Challenger and drove the seven-hour drive home.