Page 24 of Grizz

I take the bottle from his hand before he drops it.The room tilts in color, pink, electric blue, ultraviolet white.The beat is relentless.I don’t party quite as hard as Tanner does, but when in Rome…

I lift the bottle, intent on drinking it straight from the source.

Then I see her.

Daisy.

At first, I think I’m imagining it—the way she moves through the crowd, unhurried and composed.She’s different from the other women, forsaking ass-bearing minidresses and opting for a halter top paired with sleek black pants.She has delicate gold hoops in her ears and a thin chain at her throat—subtle and understated, except for the sky-high heels.She walks with an aura that makes people look twice.

Especially me.

Daisy notices me noticing her and I refuse to look away.She angles in on me, weaving through the mass of bodies with graceful ease.

I brace for a lecture because I know it’s coming.Nothing good ever comes from professional athletes partying after a win.

“Relax,” she says when she reaches me, raising her voice over the music.“I’m not here to kill your night.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

Her mouth twitches.“Langley wanted me to check in, that’s all.He said you’d probably go out here afterwards.You win a big game, you celebrate.I get it.”She hesitates, eyes scanning the chaos behind me.“I just need to make sure you don’t end up trending for the wrong reasons by sunrise.”

I smirk.“So you are here to ruin my fun.”

“I’m here to make sure you get to keep having it.”

I grab an empty shot glass off the table and prepare to pour.“Fine,” I say.“If you’re gonna babysit, you might as well do it while I drink.”

Tanner cheers from behind, wrapping his arm around my neck.I nearly fall over and push him back with a laugh while Daisy watches with a smirk.

Tanner grabs the bottle from me.“That’s my boy!”He pours until the glass overflows and some spills onto my hand.“To fuckin’ wins and to—shit, what rhymes with wins?”

“Sins?”I offer.

He squints.“Never heard of it.”He laughs, leans in close, his breath reeking of Patrón.“You know what, Grizz?I’m gettin’blastedtonight, man.”

“You’re already blasted,” I reply dryly.“You got a head start at the hotel.”

“Right… like I said… blasted.Like, nuclear.I won’t even remember tomorrow.”

“I’m not sure you’ll remember next week,” I mutter.

He raises his glass, grinning wide, eyes unfocused.“To having no memory.Just like your old man, huh?Not a single memory of what’s come before.”

I freeze over at his thoughtless words.The lights keep flashing, the music keeps pounding, people keep dancing—but it all fades, muffled, distant.My molars clamp together and a flush of heat creeps up the back of my neck.

Tanner doesn’t even realize what he said.He’s too far gone, laughing, clinking glasses with one of the girls.But I can feel the room closing in, that old pressure behind my ribs that makes my hands itch for a face to hit.

Then I see Daisy again.

She’s watching me now.Really watching.Her expression’s changed—curiosity, confusion.She heard what Tanner said about my dad and maybe she’s piecing it together in real time.I only know she’s an investigative journalist and this is going to start the questions flying.

I can’t do this here.Not now.Not ever.

I toss the shot back, let it burn all the way down, and set the glass on the table.“I’m out.”

Tanner squints at me in confusion.“What?The night’s young, baby!”

I clap him on the shoulder.“Yeah.So are you.Don’t drown in it.”