Page 63 of Sentinel's Kiss

Sentinel snorted. “I’ve got vodka, rum, tequila, and beer.”

“Do you have soda? Rum and Diet Coke?”

“How about real Coke and we work off the calories?”

“Deal,” she said. “I didn’t have much chance to look around here last time.” Ashley walked around the living room.

“Whose fault is that?” Josh filled a glass with ice and a generous portion of rum.

“I’m just saying.” She ran her fingers over his mantel. He had an electric fireplace. There was a picture of him and Sarah at her wedding. He was just a kid, looking like he’d rather be anywhere than in that monkey suit. In another photo was a prom picture. She was surprised to see a few people she recognized in the group.

“Is this Ryder?” Ashley asked, holding up the picture.

Josh squinted. “Yeah, the girls are Ryder and Evil’s sister Jules. The guys are me, Warden, and Evil.”

“Which one of you went stag?”

“All of us. Gross. Ryder and Jules are like our sisters.” He cracked open a can of soda and poured half of it in the glass. That was going to be one powerful drink.

“So you all grew up here?”

He snagged himself a beer out of the fridge and sat on the couch. He handed her the rum and Coke when she sat next to him. “Yeah, Jules and Evil were our next-door neighbors. Warden and Ryder lived in a nicer neighborhood.”

“How did you all meet?”

“This Al-Anon group that we were strong-armed into going to by some Dudley Do-Rights who thought it would help. We sat in the back and played cards.”

“Did it help?”

“The meetings?” Josh shrugged. “There was food and something warm to drink. And no one was screaming or beating the shit out of us. But that was about it. After a while, we stopped going and hung out at other places. The community center basement was a big one.”

“When did you guys decide to form your gang?”

“It’s a bike club. Back then we rode ten-speeds.”

“Did you terrorize the neighborhoods?”

“Only the people who deserved it. We thought we were Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes, and Batman all rolled up into one.”

“Even Ryder?” She took a sip of her drink. It was strong, but the burnt taste of the dark rum he used tasted mighty fine. Ashley kicked off her shoes.

“Especially Ryder. She must have given the nuns at that high-priced Catholic school a run for their money.”

Ashley ran her fingers through her helmet hair to try to fluff it out. “Oh yeah, she had a problem with authority.”

“No shit,” Sentinel said.

“But she got away with murder because they didn’t want to alienate her parents from donating a boatload of money.”

Sentinel’s lips twisted. “Yeah, they bought their way out of a lot of things.”

“I’m glad you guys had each other.”

“We’re ride-or-die. Always have been, always will be.”

“I never had anyone close.” Pain stabbed her straight in the heart. “Except for Brett.” How could she have left out Brett? Maybe because she didn’t have his picture on display at her place.

“Who’s Brett?” He looked at her while swallowing some beer.