Chapter 12: Lift

"I'd rather walk," I quickly say with my eyes still on my shoes.

"No," Jace replies immediately, his voice firm.

"Li, don’t be rude," Mason chimes in, throwing a water bottle onto the couch beside me. "Jace, please? I’ll come too. And drink that," he adds, pointing at the bottle.

"Why?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

Mason sighs and gestures to the bottle. "You haven’t eaten, you’re heading to a club, and you don’t want to drink water first?"

I smirk. "Isn’t that the way it’s done?"

He gives me a flat look.

"Remember when you downed about half a bottle of Jack at 10 in the morning?" I ask with a tilt of my head. I set my feet down on the ground and try to ignore the heavy presence next to me.

"Yeah, I remember. I was 19. I’m older and wiser now," Mason says with a serious tone, his arms around Esme. "I wouldn't say much," I say with a grin. "Didn't you down half a bottle of wine last weekend?" Esme suddenly announces, making Mason sigh deeply.

Ramon starts grinning behind us. I