Ryder reaches out and helps her to her feet as she drags her dress back into position.
“I’m going to clean up. Just… get my brother a drink.”
“Kitty Kat,” I call, grabbing her ruined panties that Ryder’s abandoned on the bar.
She spins around just before disappearing around the corner and I lift the lace to my nose.
“Later,” I promise.
“I’ll hold you to that. Both of you.”
Ryder looks at me and grins, a silent agreement for what’s to come tonight, a beat before the door slams back against the wall and the rest of our family spill into the room.
“Where’s my sister?” D booms the second he notices her absence.
“Gone for a pee. Chill the fuck out.”
“It smells like sex in here,” Dane points out with a shit-eating smirk.
“Ignore him, bro,” Ryder says, throwing his arm around D’s shoulders. “So what do you think of the place?”
“It’s fucking epic,” Zach says, coming closer to the bar, his eyes scanning over everything before something on the wooden top catches his eye.
He looks at me, his brow quirks, a knowing glint sparkles in his eyes.
I shrug, and for once, he doesn’t poke D with his discovery and instead just demands I grab the best bottle of whiskey I have.
By the time Ryder and I have lined up enough shots for everyone, Kat has rejoined us. Her lips are swollen from my kiss and her cheeks pink from her recent release.
“Shit worked out good, man,” Ryder says to me, reaching for another bottle.
“Yeah. Couldn’t be better.”
“Right everyone, grab a drink,” Ryder booms.
“To family,” Dane says, holding his shot up.
“Family.”
Everyone throws their shots back, some of the less seasoned drinkers amongst us wincing with the burn.
“Now let's get the motherfucking party started.” Zach grins.
Ryder hits the switch for the music as I turn the lights down.
I stand there for a moment just watching everything play out around me, feeling totally overwhelmed to be a part of this. To have this incredible family around me, to be surrounded by people I love. It’s everything.
“You’re looking a little choked up there, Johnson,” Dane says, stepping up to the bar with Crank and D flanking his sides.
“Nah, it’s just the thought of having to put up with you motherfuckers all night,” I lie.
“Sure. We’ve got you a present,” Dane says coyly.
“You didn’t need to do that, D’s sister is more than enough.”
“You motherfucker—” Diesel growls under his breath but Dane cuts off whatever else he might want to say to that by throwing a bag onto the bar in front of me.
“What’s that?”