Sneak Peek: ASSASSIN, Take 3

The next night is Girls’ Night Out, and boy do I ever need it. Killian’s not happy that I’m running off with the girls, but he gets it. Sometimes, you just need a night out with your friends.

Once the last gal—Lillian—climbs into our rented limo, we’re off, and I sigh heavily because my best friend decided to stay home. Clancy attempted to coerce the preggo, but she refused to budge on the matter. I think it bummed him out because he probably wanted to hang out with Killian. So for tonight, the lineup is me, Alanna, Kennadi, Lillian, Jada, and Echo sans Katy. I think they’re having a fight or something. Echo isn’t her usual chipper self.

I pass the bottle of Jameson to Lillian and she takes a swig. “Where the fuck were you last time?”

She flushes, her cheeks turning a rosy shade of pink. “I had plans already before you told me.”

Alanna turns to her. “What the hell is more important than your friends?”

“I bet it’s Brennan,” pipes up Kennadi. “Isn’t that Clancy’s brother? Damn, the handsome genes in that family are strong. They got any cousins?”

Now Lillian’s cheeks are red. “I don’t know.”

“So it was Brennan,” I say. “That boy better be fucking amazing in bed for you to pass up Girls’ Night.”

Lillian  just blushes and tries to hide her face.

“Where’s Nemy?” Kennadi asks, a smirk on her face and one brow raised.

“That’s different,” I say. “She’s about to pop that little girl out. Oh, that reminds me, we need to do a baby shower soon. I’ll set it up and all you bitches better show up.”

They nod one by one, and the bottle makes its way back to me.

“Where are you gonna have it?” Alanna asks. “Your place?”

“I was thinking that, yeah,” I reply. “Why?”

She shrugs. “Maybe we could have it at her place, and work with Clancy on decorating and getting her out of the house for a bit. That way she’s at home and comfortable.”

I blink and everyone in the limo is staring at Lan. Thing is, Alanna is one tough bitch, and it has nothing to do with her looks. She’s got that handsome girl thing going on, but she’s by no means ever been girly. To hear the soft sentiment come out of her is no less than shocking.

“What?” she says.

My eyelashes flutter. “Nothing. That’s a great idea, Lan. I just think we’re all a little stunned by the nurturing shit.”

“Fuck you all.” She crosses her arms over her ample chest and leans back in her seat. “Maybe I just felt bad for making her cry yesterday, and I don’t wanna do that again.”

“You made Nemy cry?” Echo shrieks. God, that girl is so dramatic sometimes. “What the hell for?”

“Yeah, Alanna,” Kennadi says. “What the fuck?”

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” She slumps in her seat and pouts.

“Oi, she really didn’t mean to,” I say to try to stifle the building animosity toward her. “It was an accident and Nemy’s overly emotional lately.”

“Like how overly emotional?” Kennadi asks with a raised brow. “You know I can’t stand that girly-girl shit.”

“None of us can, Kennadi, so just deal with it,” I command. “This is Nemy we’re talking about.”

“If she’s crying at the fucking drop of a hat, I can’t handle it,” she replies.

“She’s not,” Lan says. “Her A.D.D. is way worse, though.” She laughs. “Like holy fucking hell bad.”

“That’s the damn truth,” I say. “She changed topics like five times in one breath.”

“Jesus,” Lillian says, and Alanna nods.

“So don’t worry your pretty little asses about it,” I continue. “She’ll be fine.”

“I don’t even know what to get her,” Kennadi says.

“I’m sure you’ll think of something wholly inappropriate,” I reply.

She gets a sparkle in her eye and grins. “Damn straight.”

“I know what to get her,” Jada says softly. Girl is still meek as hell and it’s been damn near a year since we got her away from that bastard. Of course, him disappearing and dying helped a lot, but she’s still clinging to the devastation. Don’t blame her one bit. Getting over a man beating on you takes time, if ever. I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had a man hit me, and the first one that does will find himself at the bottom of one of the many abandoned mine shafts that litter the Arizona deserts.