Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
CALEB
Well, our stag just got a whole lot better.
“Hey, you look fucking stunning,” I say, sweeping Jessica into my arms and kissing her deeply.
She pulls back breathless, her cheeks heated. “Did you know?” she asks.
I shake my head. “No, we had no idea we were even coming here until we pulled up outside.”
“You look ravishing,” Noah says, kissing her too.
“Thank you,” she replies shyly. “Is this like bad luck or something?” she asks.
I throw my head back and laugh. “No, there’s no rule that says we can’t have a joint stag and hen do.”
She nods, worrying her lip. “Where’s Avery and Mason?” she asks, looking around. “I can’t believe they both chose the same place.”
“I can. I think they’re more alike than they care to admit,” Lily says as she joins us with Jax at her back and Tommy at her side.
“Sorry,” O says, approaching us. “It would appear your brother booked the other VIP area under his surname, but I didn’t even put two and two together.”
“It’s fine, O, now it’s a real party,” her brother Lucien says, clapping his hands together. “Well, while in Rome. Who’s up for shots?” he announces loudly.
Ezra, his twin, appears next to him. The only difference between them is a scar above Lucien’s right eyebrow.
“Linc is already on it,” Ezra says, tilting his chin towards the bar area.
Octavia looks over her shoulder and then back to us, her cheeks heating.
Interesting.
I’m about to say as much, but Avery’s appearance stops me as she sighs. Closely followed by Mason, his hands stuffed into his trouser pockets.
The tension is palpable, and I don’t want this to ruin Jessica’s night. “We can go,” I offer, but Avery shakes her head in resignation. “No, more the merrier,” she replies just as Lincoln, Lucien and Ezra’s best friend, appears with a tray full of shots.
“Perfect timing,” she says, plucking one from the tray and knocking it back in one, licking her lips before placing the empty glass back on the tray.
Linc raises an eyebrow, but the twins smile, grab one each and do the same.
It always freaks me out a little when they do shit like that in sync.
Lucien lowers the tray to the table, plucks two shots from the tray and hands one to Avery, but just as he’s about to move closer, Mason shouts, “Toast!” He leans over Avery’s shoulder and pushes his way between her and Lucien, grabbing a shot of his own.
Not subtle at all.
Everyone congregates around us, everyone snatching up a shot glass each.
The only person without one is Octavia, but Linc notices and passes her one. She hesitates.
“It’s J?germeister. You still like it, right?” he asks.
She nods before taking it, and we all hold them in the air.
“To Jessica, Caleb, and Noah,” Mason says.
Everyone joins in, and then we all knock them back.
Avery slams her glass down before reaching for Lucien and Ezra’s hands.
“Dance with me,” she says as she turns and tugs them behind her.
Mason’s eyes follow them as they find a spot not too far away. Ezra and Lucien cage Avery between them as they move to the music, which filters through the VIP area.
“You okay, man?” I ask Mason, my hand on his shoulder.
He just nods, turning his back to them and moving to Octavia.
“What do you say?” He holds his hand to her, and she smiles, accepting his hand as he pulls her to him, and together they begin to move.
“Right, well, I’ll go grab some more drinks,” Linc says, disappearing with the tray of empty glasses.
“How about it, Jessica, fancy a dance with us?” Noah asks.
She nods, her cheeks rosy from the alcohol.
Noah moves in behind her. As I move in front, she wraps her arms over my shoulders and begins to move.
I lower my mouth to the shell of her ear. “See, I told you one of your favourite places to be is between us,” I say.
Jessica shivers as Noah presses his lips to her other ear.
“Because you were made for us, weren’t you?” he says, loud enough for me to hear.
I press my mouth against her pulse point before my lips clamp down over her tender flesh, desperate to mark her on a deeper level, this place an aphrodisiac to my senses.
She moans, and I already know that Noah is doing the same to her other side without looking.
A loud clearing of a female throat catches my attention.
“You three want to get a room?” I look up and find Avery with a hand on her hip as she waves her other hand at where my mouth is. “And you better hope that hickey clears up by the wedding.”
Mason groans. “I did not need to see that,” he says, covering his eyes like a child, causing Octavia to laugh beside him.
“You’re so ridiculous, Mason. You should try acting like a man for once,” Avery says.
He removes his hands from his face and raises an eyebrow at her, seemingly in challenge, but she only rolls her eyes.
“Siren,” he says and holds out his hand for Avery.
She stares at it, and I expect her to give him a tart response, but instead, she surprises me as she presses her palm to his.
He pulls her into his body before dipping her back and causing her to squeal, but her laughter quickly follows it as he rights her and twirls her before pulling her back into his body.
“What the fuck? Who knew he had moves like that?” I say, equal parts surprised and impressed.
Jessica laughs. “He used to be my dance partner when I took dance classes,” She says, smiling, her expression nostalgic.
“He’s pretty good,” Noah says, watching Mason with Avery.
Jessica nods. “Yep, better than I was, that’s for sure. My rhythm is pretty poor in comparison.”
I shake my head. “I’d have to disagree. You’ve got plenty of moves, little temptress.”
It’s not hard to see her blush, even in the dim light.
“That you do, sweet girl. You sure know how to move perfectly in sync with us,” Noah says, pulling her hard against him.
“Keep that up, and we’ll have to go get that room Avery was talking about,” I say, only half joking.
But the way Jessica stares back at me has my dick thickening.
“Hmm, hold that thought, and I might just take you up on that later,” I say, glancing at Noah and then back at Jessica.
Aware that we’ve inadvertently crashed her hen night, I still do, in fact, want her to enjoy herself, and I don’t ever want her to miss out.
It’s why when Avery reaches for her hand, her intention is clear.
I step back as she pulls Jessica over to Lily, and they all begin dancing. Even Octavia joins in.
Jax and the guys all come over as Linc reappears with a tray of mixers for the girls and some beer for us.
We all take a drink as we stand there, content watching them throw their heads back, laughing. Jessica looks so young and carefree, and it warms my heart.
“She’s never been happier. You know that, right?” I glance over to Mase, leaning his elbow on the high round table as he takes a swig of his beer, his eyes flick to Jessica and then back to mine. “Thank you for loving her the way you do.”
“You don’t have to thank us. She’s our world,” Noah says as he watches her, a huge smile gracing his lips.
I swallow down the sudden lump of emotion, my arm sliding around Noah’s waist and tugging him to my side.
“Loving her is easy,” I reply. “Just like loving you,” I say, my words for Noah as I stare back at him.
“God, you’re all so whipped. It’s sickening,” Mase says, rolling his eyes, swigging his beer.
“Hey,” Jax replies. “Don’t knock it. Believe me, when it happens to you, and she knocks your entire world off its axis, you’ll know.”
He shakes his head. “Nope, not going to happen.”
Elliot looks at me and shakes his head just as River leans in and whispers something into his ear, his signature grin in place before pulling back.
“Or maybe she already has, huh,” River says to Mase with an arch of his brow.
“You lot can fuck right off,” Mason says, but he also doesn’t deny River’s statement.
“So is Avery taken?” Ezra asks, looking between us.
I almost choke on my beer, and Noah rubs my back. River throws his head back and laughs.
“What, what did I miss?” Ezra asks, looking confused. Mase seems ready to blow, and the rest of us laugh. “Oh, okay, enough said,” Ezra says, holding his hands up.
“I didn’t say anything,” Mase retorts.
Lucien tries to hide his smile. “That’s the point, man, you didn’t have to.” He slaps Mase on the back. “Denial is a bitch.”
“I need to take a leak,” Mase replies as he leaves his bottle on the table and walks away.
“Looks like we have a lot to catch up on,” Lucien says. “Damn, it’s good to be home.”
Jessica waves, catching my attention, and I grab Noah’s hand. “Excuse us, we’re being summoned.”
I hear a round of wolf whistles behind us, but I ignore them in favour of the woman who now has our undivided attention.