Twenty-two interminable minutes later, Kylie pulled into Joss’s driveway and sat there a long moment, mustering the courage to go in. If she didn’t get out soon, Chessy and Joss would both come out and drag her in by her hair.
She made herself get out of the car and walk to the door. She was almost there when the door flew open. Dash. Double ugh. Facing the girls was bad enough. Facing her boss too? Why hadn’t she made it clear to Joss that this was a girls-only event?
Dash’s stare was fixed on her and as she drew closer, he paled.
“He said he hurt you but I thought he meant emotionally,” Dash said through clenched teeth. “What the f**k did he do to you, Kylie? I’ll kill him for this.”
Her hand fluttered upward in an effort to hide the bruising on her throat. But it was too late. Dash had seen the marks on her pale skin.
Joss flew around Dash and plowed into Kylie just as she reached the top step. She wrapped her arms around Kylie and hugged her for dear life.
Kylie glanced up at Dash over Joss’s shoulder to see him smoldering with rage.
“It’s not what you think,” she said in a low voice.
“And just what is it then?” Dash asked in an icy tone.
“Leave her alone, Dash. She’ll tell me and Chessy and then if anyone needs their ass kicked we’ll sic you on it,” Joss said.
Kylie nearly wilted in relief. God she loved her friends. Why had she avoided them all week? She could have been here days ago, wrapped in the love and support of her best friends instead of being at home drunk off her ass, alone and miserable.
Joss took Kylie by the hand and dragged her past Dash and into the house. Dash didn’t look pleased, but he bit back any response and allowed Joss to have her way. Thank God.
“Stay out of our hair for a while, darling,” Joss called back to Dash. “This is girls’ night and the girls’ code is ‘what happens in the circle stays in the circle’ and ‘no men allowed.’”
Dash rolled his eyes. “I’ll be in the bedroom watching TV. But I expect a report later. I’m not letting it drop, Joss. If that son of a bitch put his hands on her, I’ll take him apart.”
“I love it when he gets all alpha,” Joss whispered to Kylie. “It makes me want to go jump his bones right now.”
Kylie groaned. “Seriously, Joss? I just got dumped and you’re taunting me with Dash’s alpha maleness. So not fair.”
Joss’s face wrinkled in sympathy. “He ended it?”
“Hey, no talking until y’all get in here so I can hear,” Chessy complained as the two women entered the living room.
Chessy rose from her perch on the couch and ran over, throwing her arms around Kylie.
“Don’t you ever scare us like that again,” Chessy said. “Joss and I were so worried, Kylie. What happened, sweetie? You look terrible!”
Then she backed away, her gaze drifting over Kylie’s face and neck. Joss and Chessy both gasped.
“Did he do that to you?” Chessy choked out.
Kylie sighed. “It’s a really long story, guys. Can we sit down and open a bottle—or three—of wine? I’m going to need it for this.”
“Coming right up,” Joss said.
“I need at least three glasses in me before the bloodletting starts,” Kylie muttered.
“Then drink up and make it fast because we want every single detail,” Chessy warned.
Joss returned a moment later, a bottle of wine in both hands. Glasses were already sitting on the coffee table. Joss poured, filling all the glasses, and then she handed one to Kylie.
She drank thirstily, draining the glass in seconds. Joss arched one eyebrow but quickly poured Kylie another.
“It’s times like these that I wonder if we shouldn’t have something a little stronger,” Kylie said.
“Well, if we’re going to get shitfaced, I suggest we raid Dash’s liquor cabinet,” Chessy said.
Joss frowned. “If we are getting shitfaced, then neither of you is leaving tonight. I’ll give your keys to Dash and you’ll have to go through him before you leave.”
Kylie and Chessy groaned, but gave up their keys. Joss left to give them to Dash and then returned to the living room.
“Okay, so what shall it be?” Joss asked dramatically as she opened the liquor cabinet.
“What’s the old saying?” Chessy mused. “Beer before liquor, never sicker? Liquor before beer, never fear? Does that apply to wine as well?”
Kylie frowned. She was already fuzzy from the two hastily downed glasses of wine she’d had. “Would wine be substituted for beer or liquor? And does that mean I’m going to puke my brains out because I drank liquor after wine?”
“Honey, we’ll all be puking our brains out later,” Chessy said dryly. “Come on, Joss. Just pick something so we can move on.”
Joss shrugged and then reached in, pulling out two bottles of liquor. She plunked them down on the coffee table and then retrieved shot glasses from the cabinet.
“I vote we pour them all now,” Chessy said. “If we’re pouring after imbibing a lot, we’re going to totally make a mess in Joss’s living room.”
“Good idea,” Kylie said. “Pour them up, Joss.”
Joss carefully lined up a dozen shot glasses and then began filling them all.
Chessy picked two up and handed one to Kylie. She handed the other to Joss and then retrieved another from the coffee table for herself. She held up her glass to Joss and Kylie.
“Here’s to men are ass**les,” Chessy said.
“I’ll drink to that,” Kylie said.
“I’ll drink as long as we exclude Dash from that statement,” Joss said.
Chessy rolled her eyes. “He’s been an ass**le before. And he’ll be one again before it’s all over with. Just drink with us, damn it.”
Joss laughed and then they clinked their glasses together.
Then they tossed the alcohol back.
Kylie’s eyes watered, her nose burned, and she nearly choked as fire ripped down her throat and into her belly.
“God, that’s horrible!” Kylie sputtered.
“You don’t drink it because it’s good,” Chessy said. “You drink it for what it does. Give her another, Joss. We have to loosen up her tongue.”
Joss thrust another glass into Kylie’s hand and then Joss and Chessy directed her to drink it.