Page 26 of Until Death or Defeat

Once we’re back at my hotel, I get right on my phone to call her. I asked Maxim earlier for her number, because so far he’s the only brother I can stand to speak to.

The line rings briefly, and she picks up. “Hey, Lyra?This is Giselle Santoro.”

“Oh, wow, hey,” she says softly into the phone, sounding surprised to get a call from me.

“Are you busy tonight? I wanted to invite you to my bachelorette, well it isn’t really an official one it’s just dinner and some clubs. No strippers I promise,” I say with a breathy laugh.

“You want me to come?”

“Yeah, I mean you don’t have to, but I’d like it if you came.” I can see Reina teasingly pleading up to the ceiling, hoping she’ll say no. I just toss a pillow at her, and put the phone back to my ear.

“Um yeah, I’m not busy tonight . . . I’d love to come.”

“Great, I’ll text you the details now then!” We hang up, and Reina groans. “Come on, she won’t ruin anything. We just need to rub off our bad influence onto her, that’s all.”

Dinner went by quickly, we all enjoyed sitting around the table and talking nonstop. Lyra is definitely a wallflower, but I can see how badly she wants to open herself up. I’m not sure bringing her around loudmouths is the best thing for her, but hey, maybe it will help her channel her inner confidence more.

Reina and Alcina have also always gotten along. Alcina is a lot like me, but she’s a bit less...well no, I won’t call myself crazy just because everyone else does. She’s more chill, I guess. She’s always been a bit reserved because of her insecurities, and it took years through high school to get her to even wear a dress because she thought she was ‘too fat’, no matter how much I told her that her curves were killer.

She’s significantly grown from that mindset, but I can still see deep down she struggles with her image. And the dramagoing on with her dad leaving her and her mom hasn’t helped. The bastard just up and dropped my aunt for some woman, got her pregnant from an affair and decided he wanted to start over from scratch with her. Alcina has been going through it badly, so I know tonight will be good for her to let loose.

And Reina...well she’s the happiest out of all of us. Perfect boyfriend, happy family, and she has a job she loves. We’re all so different, but tonight—we will be the same;drunk as fuck.

“So where are we going first?” Alcina asks as she downs the rest of her champagne.

“Uh, well I guess we can go toPlushfirst? I mean they usually play the best music so starting there might get us in the mood?”

I look around, and Alcina and Reina both nod in agreement, but Lyra just sits there looking at their reactions.

“Have you ever been there?” I ask her, and she looks like a deer in headlights. She shakes her head.

“What clubs have you been to?”

She nervously shrugs. “Uh, I haven’t really been to any bars or clubs before.”

Gasps from all of us around the table, and she immediately shrinks in her chair a little. “Seriously? Why?” Reina asks, and Lyra just shrugs again.

“I don’t know. I’ve just never been invited to one I guess?”

God, this girl hasn’t experienced life at all. How the hell is that possible? Are there really people this sweet and pure? I thought they only existed in books and movies.

“Well, that’s changing tonight,” I say with a smile as I stand, causing the other girls to take my lead and stand with me to go. “Tonight you have to let loose, okay?”

She nods timidly, and I can tell she’s unsure about the idea of it. We walk out of the restaurant, still laughing and talking loudly as I put my hand out to hail a cab. It isn’t a super farwalk, but I refuse to ruin everyone’s night by making us walk everywhere in heels.

Plushis packed, but I’m able to secure a VIP booth with a little cash and a quick flutter of my lashes.

“Drink the hell up ladies, it’s party time!” I say raising my shot glass.

Alcina and Reina excitedly press their glasses to mine, and Lyra eventually follows suit a little calmer. I can see her face sour terribly after she takes the shot, and we laugh.

“Don’t tell me it’s your first time getting wasted too?” She nods, rubbing the back of her neck.

Oh, I’m going to fucking enjoy tainting her.

The night is taking us all away with it, and after a few more shots, we’re all just enjoying the dance floor. I definitely haven’t been this loose in a long time; and I’m so thankful for it. I desperately needed a release like this, between Artem and my family, I don’t think I’ve had a moment of real peace in the last two weeks. Even Lyra is dancing a bit, which makes me happy for her. Surprisingly, her and Reina hit it off well. Reina has her hands intertwined with Lyra’s as they both dance together.

Well, dancing is a strong word. I’d say, it’s more like hopping around like crazy drunk girls, thinking they’re dancing to the beat.