The Devil's Granddaughter

[4] Cariño

Cariño
   
        

  

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「A U B R E Y 」
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I was on my second Rum and Coke after throwing back my fifth White Tea shot of the night, and I was actively avoiding my mates stare boring into the side of my head.

"Hey, bartender," I hiccuped, "another Rum and Coke on this gentleman's tab here, please." I raised my empty plastic cup towards the bald-headed man. "Actually, you know what? Make it a Tito's Cran instead." I hiccuped again. "Actually, make it a—"

       "Actually—" Luca slid his credit card across the counter, "just go ahead and close my tab." Luca shot the bartender an apologetic smile.

I turned towards my mate with a glare. "You promised," I pouted.

       His eyes flickered down to my lips, and I watched with intrigue as his eyes darkened before he chuckled. "Yes, I promised you a drink, cariño. You've had multiple, and you've yet to tell me your name."

       "Well, it sure as hell ain't Carina," I snapped before another hiccup bruised my sternum.

Who the hell even is Carina? An old girlfriend or something? The thought made both Amazon and me growl internally.

       His laugh distracted me from plotting to track down every Carina in a 20 mile radius—I mean I did have the extra time on my hands now—and I watched him shake his head at my antics.

"How about we make another deal, yeah?" He shifted in his seat to lean closer to me. "I'll stop calling you 'Carina' if you finally tell me your name."

       I put on my best thinking face as I considered his offer. "I think I'll go ahead and raise you another double White Tea shot before I take you up on that offer," I smirked.

       "How 'bout a beer?"

       "Deal," I shot him a loopy grin. I'm a true swindler, he never stood a chance, "and make it a Miller Lite."

       I watched Luca reluctantly call over the bartender to order my beer—Goddess knows I needed it. All I wanted to do is drink my sorrows away, and maybe wake up in a ditch somewhere as usual. The only difference was instead of going home to my parents berating me I would just...wander around?

I stopped the thought right in it's tracks. If I could just get wasted tonight, I'd be able to deal with everything else in the morning. Unfortunately, there is just one hazel-eyed obstacle standing in the way...

       "One Miller Lite for..." Luca slid the beer to me as he awaited my answer.

       I took a big swig out of the beer before slamming it back down on the counter with a refreshed sigh. "Aubrey."

       "Aubrey," he hummed as if tasting an aged wine for the first time, testing how the flavors danced on his tongue. The sound sent a shiver down my spine. "That's a beautiful name, cariño."