With Every Heartbeat (Forbidden Men, #4)(71)

“Um...thanks?” Though I wasn’t sure if I was that grateful for such a compliment.

The light turned green.

Quinn hit the gas.

And no one else spoke until we reached the bar.

The night seemed to be getting worse by the second. Quinn and Cora didn’t bother to hold hands as the four of us walked to the front doors, where the bouncer recognized Quinn and Ten and let the four of us in without carding or charging us.

Since Asher had been hired at Forbidden, he’d set up all kinds of musical entertainment. Tonight was supposedly their first night to have karaoke. So as soon as we stepped through the doorway, some guy on stage began an awful rendition of Alicia Keys’ “Fallen.”

“Oh my God. Kill me now.” Ten groaned and elbowed Quinn. “Remind me to never work on karaoke night.”

“Ooh, there’s Rachel,” Cora announced, bouncing on her toes. “Let’s go sit with them.”

But Ten braked. “Over my dead f*cking body. That chick annoys the hell out of me.”

Cora scowled at him. Then she glanced at Quinn as if silently asking him to step in and side with her.

“Why don’t you go over and say hi?” he suggested. “We’ll find a table.”

Her mouth fell open. I think this must’ve been the first time he hadn’t given her what she wanted.

I was tempted to cheer for him and root him on, even though I knew I shouldn’t. I should be Switzerland.

I totally wasn’t Switzerland.

“There’s an open table,” Ten announced, nodding toward a small round tall table that actually had two guys sitting at it.

“But—” I started, only to stop when he approached the men and told them we needed their seats.

My jaw dropped as they actually obeyed and left. They even apologized to me for sitting there first. I gazed after them before looking up at Ten.

“They’re freshmen football players,” he explained.

I shook my head but sat in the chair across from Quinn so I’d be by Cora and Ten. But Ten caught my arm and shook his head. “Hell no, honey. I don’t sit by other dudes if I don’t have to.”

He tugged me out of my chair, stole it for himself, and forced me to sit between him and Quinn. As Ten lifted his hand to flag down a waitress, I glanced at Quinn. He was waving a hello to Noel and Asher at the bar, who both waved back, and then he turned to catch me watching him.

His eyes saddened, but he forced a smile. Then he glanced toward Cora where she was sitting with her friends and chattering away. His sad, forced smile died completely.

I glanced at my hands in my lap and picked at the blue fingernail polish Cora had put on me, suddenly wishing Caroline were here. Or Reese and her cousin Eva. Anyone to spruce up the dismal start of this agonizing double date.

“Bottoms up,” Ten announced, startling me as he took a handful of drinks from the waitress who’d arrived with them.

Quinn scowled at the glass his roommate slid in front of him and lifted his face to transfer his frown to Ten. “This is alcohol.”

“I know.” Ten rolled his eyes. “You’re drinking tonight. I’ve even decided to play DD so both of you,” he included me in his glance as he nudged a glass toward me, “can relax and just...enjoy the evening.”

Quinn snorted and glanced away, letting him know that wasn’t going to happen no matter how much he drank.

I tucked my hair behind my ear and eyed my own drink before admitting, “I’ve never drank before.”

“Neither have I,” Quinn added, “and I’m not starting tonight.”

“Yes, you are,” Ten ground out. “I swear, your *’s probably puckered so tight right now you’ve gone and made yourself constipated. That cannot be good for you. Drink. Relax. Have fun.”

I leaned in toward Ten and quietly murmured, “But his mom was an abusive alcoholic.”

He blinked at me, and I could tell from the surprise on his face, this was news to him. But then he recovered and announced, “Well, my dad’s a hell of a nice guy, and my mom hasn’t sworn a day in her life.” Then he shrugged. “We don’t always take after our parents.”

Quinn looked at him as if considering his words.

“Are you sure you’ll stay sober enough to drive?” I asked, feeling the urge to be a little reckless because I wanted Quinn to be able to relax and maybe forget what Cora had done to him...even if it was just for a few hours.

“Smell.” Ten offered me his cup, so I’d know it was soda pop. But I took my investigation a step farther and took a drink from his cup to taste a sip. Pure Dr. Pepper. Handing it back to him, I smiled my approval.

“So, what did you give me?” I asked. “Some kind of girly frou-frou drink?” Caroline had insisted those tasted the best.

“Fuck no.” Ten snorted. “It’s a Long Island Iced Tea. It’s what both of you have.”

I nodded, then licked my lips and drew in a breath as I bolstered myself. Then I reached out and took a small sip.

Quinn sat up as he watched me. He looked as if he was ready to perform CPR if I started choking, but I merely nodded my head as the new flavors slid down my throat. There was a bit of a tang to the flavor that made me want to shudder, but over all, it tasted...fine. Mostly like cola.