Page 22 of Vegas Baby
SEBASTIAN
Seven months later…
“Cheer up, Sebastian, it’s Friday!” Ty slaps me on the back with an encouraging grin.
I level an unamused look back at him. “It’s Sunday, bro.”
He lifts a shoulder. “Yeah, but it’s our Friday. The start of three whole days off. Wanna hit up a strip club after this?”
I don’t even get a chance to respond before Owen returns with another round of beers. He slides the first to me. “Drink up. You look like you need it.”
I roll my eyes but take the beer and down it. He’s not wrong. It also lets me avoid answering Ty’s inane question. But like a dog with a bone, he doesn’t let it go.
“What do you say, Owen? Our friend here looks like he could use a lap dance, am I right?” Ty pushes, wiggling his eyebrows.
Owen snorts a laugh. “I’m pretty sure if Sebastian wanted to get some action, he would. And probably not at a fucking strip club.”
My mouth quirks up but I fight the smile. At least someone has my back. You’d think it’d be my partner and friend of a few years, but no, it’s his police officer cousin who just moved here three months ago. Go figure.
“You’re both about as fun as a wet blanket. Come on. We’re three single, good-looking guys in Vegas. There’s got to be some debauchery you’re willing to go in for,” Ty says.
Owen shakes his head. “Unlike you guys, I’ve got to work tomorrow. But I’d be down for some karaoke. I think it starts in like twenty minutes.”
Ty slumps back in the booth. “I mean sure, but we do karaoke every week.”
I smirk over at Owen. Because we don’t so much do it as Owen does after a few beers. Ty and I call him the Crooning Copper behind his back. But never to his face. The dude may be cool but he’s one tough bastard.
Owen shrugs. “You guys can do what you want. I like it here.”
Ty gestures around Enclave, the bar we hit up every week, sometimes a couple of times if it’s a rough one. “Yeah, I mean, this place is cool. But it’s the same old same old. And it’s too off-strip strip to draw in the bachelorette parties if you know what I mean.” He gives us a suggestive grin. “All I’m saying is, it might be nice to change it up for once.”
“You just listed all the things I love about this place,” I tell him. “But hey, if it’s that important to you, you and I can go get into some shit after this.” I continue drinking my beer. I’m going to need to build up a good buzz to put up with what Ty has in mind.
“Seriously? Fucking awesome!” Ty exclaims. “I’ve been meaning to check out The Palace. I hear it’s expensive, but worth it if you know what I mean.” He gives me a wink and an elbow nudge.
I shake my head. “Whatever, man.”
“Sweet. I’ll take that as ‘I’m finally ready to break my dry spell, Ty, master of the universe,’” Ty jokes.
Owen cocks an eyebrow. “You really think you can get a stripper to go home with you?” he asks his cousin with a disbelieving look.
Ty points between our uniforms that we didn’t bother changing out of due to our shift running over. “Wearing these? Um, yeah.”
“Are you even allowed to do that?” Owen asks with a frown.
“Oh please, like you don’t ever wear your uniform to impress women,” Ty scoffs.
A cocky grin spreads over Owen’s face. “I don’t need the uniform to impress women, douchebag.”
And that gets an actual laugh out of me. Ty’s attention turns back to me.
“Aww, he’s laughing. I think he’s finally coming out of it. ‘Bout damn time.”
I don’t respond, taking another drink instead. Am I coming out of the shitty mood I’ve been in for months? Maybe. More importantly, I realize that I’d like to. It’s been exhausting.
So, I decide that I’ll do my best to let loose with Ty tonight because it’s been too long. I’ve been pissed off for too long. And even though I’ve long since stopped talking about it with Ty, he clearly knows my head’s still not on right.
But how could I not be fucked up by what happened? That Kira just up and disappeared one day with no explanation or warning was just the beginning. Once I’d accepted that no amount of searching for her would help, my anger turned inward.