“No.”
“Then don’t call it shit unless you know whatit tastes like.”
He looks at the glass tentatively, thenshrugs and takes a gulp.
I watch as he downs half the glass. Thenumber tattooed on his neck catching my eye. “Not shit I guess,” heswirls the liquid causing the bubbles to fizz, “but I’d rather havesome Henny.”
“Henny?”
Sean laughs, “Hennessy. I’m surprised alittle rich girl like you hasn’t heard of it.”
“I have heard of it. I’ve just never heardsomeone call it that. And is money all you see when you look atme?” I ask annoyed.
“No, I see a girl who’s probably going tobreak my brother’s heart once she’s done with law school.”
“Why would you say a thing like that?” Isnap, offended. “I love Ryan.”
“I’m sure you do, today. But the pauper neverends up with the princess, he ends up on his ass.”
Sean is beginning to piss me off.
“Are you trying to start a fight?”
“I’m always trying to start a fight,” Seanfinishes the rest of his champagne arrogantly.
“I’m not going to walk into your trap,” Istalk away from him and lean onto the railing on the other side ofthe balcony. I look down into the crowd below and spot Ryan on apedestal, snake-charming a bunch of women. He’s shirtless andwearing a pair of faded blue jeans that are hanging off his hips;the waistband of his white Calvin Klein’s exposed. And for a hotminute, I wish it was my name stitched onto the elastic so every,single, woman, in this freakin’ club would know exactly whom hebelongs to.
M.E.
Ryan spins and twirls effortlessly around thepole like they’re old friends, the strobe lights beating off hisbody as he moves. I stare mesmerized, realizing he can hypnotize mejust as easily as those strangers on the floor. Watching him in hiselement is a duality for me; it kills my spirit just as much as itmakes it feel alive.
“Show pony, isn’t he?” Sean leans on therailing next to me, snapping me out of my daze.
“Jealous your brother gets all theattention?”
“I’m not jealous, I’m worried.”
“You don’t strike me as the worryingtype.”
“About him I do.”
“And what is it that you worry about?”
“That he’s going to end up just like me.”
“Only if he steals your identity.”
Sean cocks an eyebrow at me.
I stand up straight and get right in hisface, brother or not, I’m not going to let him get in my head, orRyan’s for that matter. “I’m going to be blunt with you. Ryan and Imay come from different socioeconomic backgrounds, you know whatthat is right? Tell me if the little rich girl uses too many bigwords.” I bite and Sean just nods mutely. “Ryan and I are morealike than you will ever know. So don’t come at me like you knowme. Because you don’t know jack shit. I don’t buy for one secondthat you’re concerned about him, because if you were, he wouldn’thave spent three years in jail for something you did.”
Sean clenches his jaw like I just slapped himacross the face; an inferno of emotion blazing in his blueeyes.
“It doesn’t bother you that Ryan goes FullMonty for a living?”
Of course it does, I hate it, but I lovehim.
“If it did, would I be standing here wastingmy time with you?”