Craving Lily (The Aces' Sons 4)

“You win?” my mom asked, coming up behind me. “That’s my girl.”

“Take her over with the women,” Cam ordered, “This is a man’s game.”

He dodged as my mom swatted at his head.

“And just like a man, he can’t handle it when a woman beats him,” she joked.

“I have to pee anyway,” I announced, standing from the table.

“You just want to leave before we beat you!” Will called out as I walked away from the table.

It was so crazy being able to navigate the room without touching anything. I wound around tables and people easily as I made my way to the back hallway. Thankfully, when my mom had taken me to the doctor right after my sight had come back, they’d promised that my depth perception would correct itself, and it had. The first couple of days, I’d bumped into things as I’d misjudged how far away they were, but after that, it was pretty smooth sailing.

The bathrooms in the hallway looked like they’d just got a good scrubbing, so I slid into one and did my business. I probably wouldn’t get so lucky the next time I was at the club, but it was kind of freeing being able to use any bathroom I wanted without the worry of stepping or sitting on something unpleasant. Plus, since they were having a family party that night, the chances of a vomit disaster were pretty slim, unless one of the kids had some sort of sugar overload.

I knew I shouldn’t, but as I left the bathroom, I detoured toward Leo’s room and knocked on the door. If he was hiding out in there, I wanted to clear the air. He really didn’t have to avoid me, if that was what he was doing. I could be an adult about it.

When he didn’t answer the door, I knocked again.

He’d kissed me and then changed his mind. Maybe he didn’t like it or something. I mean, it was pretty damn good for me, but I really had no way of knowing if it had sucked for him.

My Aunt Callie came out of my Uncle Grease’s room right as I turned to walk back down the hallway.

“Hey kiddo,” she said, smiling. “Enjoying your party?”

“More than I thought I would,” I said dryly as she wrapped an arm around my waist.

“What, you didn’t want a big party to commemorate your sight?”

“It’s weird,” I said, rolling my eyes.

She squeezed my waist. “Your mom is just excited for you, sweetheart.”

“I know, that’s the only reason I showed up.”

“Sometimes, you just have to grin and bear the shit other people do for you, even when it sucks.” She grinned. “Your uncle fixes shit that doesn’t need fixed all the time, and I just say thank you as he tears apart my kitchen to fix the dripping faucet that only needed a new washer.”

“Thank God this party isn’t going to take weeks, the way that kitchen remodel did.”

“Amen, sister.”

I laughed as we entered the main room, but as soon as my eyes hit a familiar figure, my entire expression dropped.

Leo was standing near the bar with a very pretty blonde.

I looked away and kept moving toward the middle of the room with my aunt, but I couldn’t stop myself from glancing back at him.

His hand was on her back. Really low on her back. Almost on her ass, which is where I was sure it was headed. She was leaning against him easily, like she’d been there before, and she was talking to Rocky, another guy from the club, as if she knew him.

I swallowed hard and turned away, just in time to meet Rose’s eyes. She was playing pool with my Uncle Grease as little Rebel walked around, picking up pool balls and setting them back down in random spots. I shook my head at Rose, and raised my chin.

I didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t want to think about it or worry about it or even remember that he was there. I just wanted to enjoy the party that I hadn’t even wanted to go to.

“Ah, the guest of honor,” Uncle Grease said, wrapping me in a bear hug as I reached them. “I was wonderin’ why I hadn’t seen you yet. You been hidin’?”

“Nah.” I hugged him back and grinned a little at the familiar feeling of his massive chest and arms. “I was playing poker with the boys.”

“They teachin’ you how to cheat?”

“I beat them.”

“Thatta girl,” he said, patting my back proudly before letting me go. “Now I’m gonna beat your cousin in pool.”

“Dream on, old man,” Rose said haughtily, strolling around the table. “Me and Reb are gonna take you down.”

“Only way you could beat me is if I was drunk and had one arm tied behind my back,” Uncle Grease boasted. “And neither of those two things are happenin’ tonight.”