Page 18 of All Bets Are Off

Tyler nods in agreement. “Definitely fucking.”

“Ewww,” Evie squeals, grimacing as she shakes her head in disgust. “Addy, this joint bach is not working for me.”

We are called forward to the front of the line where we check in. We’re all carded, sent through the security checkpoint, and then personally escorted into the club.

It’s deafening inside. EDM blares from state-of-the-art speaker systems and strobe lights flare around us. There’s a huge LED DJ booth up front, funky displays on giant projection screens, and already thousands of people partying. Our booth is on the very edge of the dance floor, roped off and guarded by our very own bouncer to ensure no one strays into our space.

“This is insane!” Evie yells over the music as she gapes around in awe, and I completely agree.

This is out of this world compared to the clubs back home, although I can’t actually remember the last time I was in a nightclub, because Liam strops if I even dare to grab a drink after work at a cocktail bar. It’s only okay if he’s there too, which I suspect is a huge reason why he insisted on having his bachelor party here in Vegas alongside mine. He wants to keep an eye on me, and right now, he’s keeping a firm hold on my hand, too.

There are already massive bottles of vodka and rum in buckets of ice in the middle of our booth, surrounded by different mixers. As everyone immediately dives in (and the guys promise to pay us half of what us ladies have already forked out in advance), I fix myself with a bottle of water.

“What’s up?” Liam asks, tapping his knee against mine as he sits down next to me on the plush leather seating. “Why are you drinking water? Are you worried about getting too drunk and embarrassing yourself?”

I wrinkle my nose at him. “My throat’s a little dry, that’s all.”

“Okay, babe.”

Connor sits on Liam’s other side and smiles at us both over the rim of his glass as he swigs the vodka cranberry he’s just poured himself. “So, guys. Are we excited for the wedding? It’s come around fast, huh?”

“Man, I can’t wait,” Liam replies, giving my thigh a squeeze. “I’ve spent a long time dreaming of marrying this woman right here.”

“And you, Adelaide? Are you excited for the wedding?”

I glare at Connor, because what the fuck is he doing?

“Of course,” I say, tilting the bottled water to my lips so I don’t have to say anything more.

Behind him, Evie and Melissa have climbed up onto the booth and started dancing while John and Tyler sit back and drink. I grab the chance to escape this conversation and ask, “Can I go dance, too?”

Liam tightens his hand around my thigh. “Babe, Connor’s talking to us.”

“That’s okay. It’s her bachelorette party! Go dance, Addy,” Connor says, and we both know it’s a dare as he smiles at me, strobe lights flickering in his brown eyes. He dares me to challenge Liam’s objections, because he knows that I won’t . . . can’t . . . And then he’ll know he’s absolutely right—I am under Liam’s control.

“I’d rather you stayed here with me,” Liam says sweetly.

I look at Liam, then Connor, both of them expecting something of me. Liam expects compliance, Connor defiance. At the end of the day, my loyalties are with Liam. They’ll always be with Liam.

“I’ll dance later,” I say, snuggling closer into my fiancé, and I see the way Connor’s chest deflates with a sigh.

We remain in the safety of our booth for a while before we all agree to venture out onto the rammed dance floor together. I text both Hailey and Theo to let them know we’re here at the club if they plan on joining us, but if not, then to look after each other. Hailey’s always been sensible, and I’ve never had to worry about Theo in the same way I’ve had to worry about Evie. He may be the equivalent of a puppy with too much energy, but he’s always had his wits about him. If one of my younger siblings were to get themselves into serious trouble, it would be Evie. But she’s right here in front of me, whipping her hair in sync with every drop of the beat, so I don’t need to worry about either of them for now.

The person I do need to worry about is Connor.

We all stick together as a group on the dance floor despite being barged around by the crowd, but somehow Connor seems to be surgically attached to my side. I glare at him every once in a while, but I don’t mean it, not really. I can’t be mad at someone for having my best interests at heart, someone who has always had my best interests at heart.

Connor was selfless like that. He’d jump in front of a bullet if it meant saving the people he cared about. There was one time, back when we were teenagers, when I was making a family casserole for dinner as he hung out in my kitchen with me, and I didn’t quite get the correct grip on the dish with the clunky, padded oven mitts. It slipped out of my grasp and Connor instinctively reached out and caught the scorching dish with his bare hands before it could hit the exposed skin of my legs. His skin was red raw, burned, but mine wasn’t, and that’s all that mattered to him in that moment.

Maybe he’s trying to save me from being burned once again, but it’s too late. There are already too many scars, too many bruises.

“I’ve really broken the seal tonight. Can’t stop pissing. Be right back,” Liam yells into my ear over the music, and as he turns and disappears through the throng of bodies, a panicked sense of urgency comes over me.

Finally, I have an opportunity to speak to Connor without Liam’s watchful gaze. I turn to him in the darkness, vibrant colors cascading over us, and find him already standing still, staring straight back at me.

I point somewhere, anywhere, and he nods.

Evie and Melissa have bonded over their love of dancing, and John and Tyler are drunk and bro-hugging each other, so none of them notices Connor and me slip away.