Night Fires Read Online Free Page A

“That’s what the brandy conversation was about. Carter’s a recovering alcoholic.”
    “Oh shit.” I now understood his reaction the previous night. “I didn’t know. I put brandy in his coffee!”
    “It’s okay. I gathered.” Bray squeezed my shoulder. “He’s had a rough ride the past couple of years. Lost track of who he was for a while. But he’s pulled it back.”
    I nodded, unsure of what to say. We’d all been there. Well, I had, anyway. I doubted the few people that filled Mousehole would be considerate of my reckless ways either, and once again I found myself sympathising with Carter.
    “Well, that killed the conversation.” Janie laughed. Then, banging on the bar, she called the barmaid over. “Same again, and three whisky chasers.”
    I stared wide-eyed at her. “What happened to not keeping me out late?”
    She winked. “Oh, come on. You need initiating.”
    I rolled my eyes but grinned. “Well, so long as there’s no blood.”
    “No blood.” Bray tapped his temple with two fingers and lifted his shot. “To getting two girls wrecked enough to take me home and play strip twister,” he toasted with a cheeky wink.
    Scoffing, Janie and I toasted back. “In your dreams.”
    Blowing out a disappointed sigh, Bray smirked. “Blown out again. Anyone would think I’d got herpes!”
    “We’ve all seen your medical records, Bray. Don’t try and laugh it off!” Janie smirked.
    “You cheeky mare!” Bray dug a finger into Janie’s side. It was hard not to see the crackle of chemistry between the pair and I smiled to myself, remembering the feeling so well.
    “Everything okay?” Janie asked when she looked at me curiously, my pain evidently exposed too clearly.
    Forcing a smile, I nodded. “Yep.” Shouting the barmaid over again, I ordered another three shots. “Let’s get drunk!”
    “Finally!” Bray exclaimed. “A girl after my own heart!”
    I nodded. However, I wasn’t after his heart. I didn’t ever want to own another one, but desperate to forget, I downed another whisky and joined my new friends on the road to much needed oblivion.

    Bray and Janie shouted out of the taxi window when I meandered up the steps then went down face first as the brambles wrapped themselves around my ankles again. “Shit, Alice! Are you okay?”
    I raised a hand in the air and stuck my thumb up, my drunken giggles stopping me from actually standing to answer them.
    “Yay!” Janie shouted. “See you tomorrow.” And with that the taxi pulled off and my new friends left me to sleep on the garden path.

    “For fuck’s sake.” His gruff voice beat through the drums in my head, the contents of my stomach fighting with the way my throat restricted its plea for freedom.
    “Mmm?”
    Opening my eyes when my body was lifted, I stared through the blurry haze into an angry pair of steel grey eyes. His gaze snapped forwards as he expertly avoided the weeds and brought me to my front door.
    “How did you find me underneath the bushes?”
    He quirked a brow but other than that he showed no facial reaction to my question. “You broke wind.”
    My eyes widened then I blew out a breath and nodded knowingly. “It’s Guinness. Always does that to me.”
    “Keys?” Carter barked, making me blink vacantly. “Keys, Alice. Where are your keys?”
    “Uhh, my bag?”
    He huffed and shifted me into one arm as he snatched my bag and rummaged inside with his free hand. I gawped at him, amazed he was able to lift me in one arm. I wasn’t overweight but my hips held a layer of flesh that really shouldn’t be there, and my stomach was far from flat.
    He swung the door open and kicked it shut behind him then carried me up the stairs and into my bedroom. “Carter,” I mumbled, astonished that I had the capacity to say his name correctly, never mind remember it. “Carter…”
    “What?”
    “I’m going to puke.”
    His eyes rolled at the same time as a furious growl rumbled in his chest. Turning around