Chapter 59 Drunk on Truth
Chapter 59 Drunk on Truth
“Wylie?” Hubert glanced at him.
“She used my ID to get in,” Wylie admitted belatedly, realizing something was off and rushing over out of
concern.
His gaze shifted to Azalea in Hubert’s arms. Azalea was curled up against him, her expression restless, her forehead beaded with sweat, checks flushed red, and even from a distance, he could smell the strong scent of alcohol.
Wylie’s heart twisted with discomfort. He had been too careless, assuming she could handle everything on her own. He knew she was just a girl going into a nightclub, yet he didn’t even question it much before letting her go in alone.
Guilt crept onto his face. “It was my
mistake.”
Hubert instinctively held her tighter. “I’ll take Lea home first. That teammate of yours is still inside. Deal with it yourself.”
He didn’t blame Wylie. After giving a few quick instructions, he strode off with Azalea in his arms.
Barely two minutes into the drive, Azalea who had been docile and quiet in his embrace suddenly let out a soft whimper. Her eyes fluttered open, clouded and hazy, the alcohol clearly messing with her senses. “Who are you?” she asked, blinking up at him with confusion.
Her body started squirming against him restlessly. “Let me go!”
Hubert’s head began to throb. For someone drunk, she was surprisingly strong. He nearly couldn’t hold her down. “Don’t move.”
He reflexively swatted at her to stop her struggle, only realizing a moment too late exactly where he’d hit.
The sensation that lingered on his palm made him freeze. Soft. Springy.
Realization dawned, and his ears flushed red. He gave a dry cough, awkward and guilty, and looked down, only to meet the accusing, mortified glare of the girl in his arms. “You perv!” She huffed, outraged. “You hit my butt!”
From the driver’s seat, Ace’s hand slipped on the wheel, swerving the car slightly and jolting the two in the back.
“A car suddenly cut in just now, Mr. Hubert,” Ace explained hurriedly, his voice filled with awkward tension. What the hell kind of wild conversation was that!?
“Partition,” Hubert ordered.
The privacy screen rose, shutting off the back seat from view and sound.
But Azalea’s heated, indignant/glare hadn’t cooled a bit, as if she wouldn’t rest until he gave her an explanation.
“I didn’t mean to,” Hubert, said, scratching his nose, trying to laugh it off.
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Chapter 59 Drunk on Truth
“Hell yeah. You did it on purpose.”
He choked. Why did she become so difficult after drinking?
She let out a little snort, clearly satisfied at rendering him speechless. “I’m not that easy to bully anymore! I’ll have you know, even if the entire Larks shows up now, I won’t back down.”
There was a childish pride in her voice, her flushed face animated with energy. She finally looked like a teenager–arrogant, reckless, a bit silly, and proud.
She leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper like she was sharing a secret, “If you like Sydney too, then I’m not talking to you anymore.”
Hubert looked at her, really looked at her. Her eyes were unusually bright, lit up with a drunken haze. She was smiling, but all he felt was a dull ache in his chest.
When she wasn’t drunk, she kept everything buried. Her hatred for the Larks, her disgust for Sydney–she never let any of it show. She’d grown up too fast, too desperate to become strong.
But now, tipsy and unguarded, she was finally spilling the bitterness in her heart, masked with drunken bravado and childish jokes.
Just how much had she suffered all these years?
He reached out and gently ruffled her hair. “Mm, I don’t like Sydney. I only like you.”
She froze at the familiar gesture. Then, processing his words, she giggled, silly and happy. Her little face tilted up. “You’re so good–looking. Can I kiss you?”
Before he could react, she suddenly popped up and planted a kiss on the corner of his lips.
“Stamp of ownership,” she mumbled, and then, bam. Her head lolled, and she passed out in his arms.
Caught off guard by the kiss, Hubert froze with Azalea in his arms, his whole body stiffening as he sat there in stunned silence.
The lingering warmth on his lips made it painfully clear what had just happened. His mind went blank, but his body had already reacted.
He felt like some clueless teenager, heart pounding out of control.
His throat went dry. He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Slowly, Hubert moved, slipping one arm free from around Azalea to gently touch her cheek as if afraid she’d disappear.
Her face was flushed and burning hot from the alcohol.
Hubert’s fingers trembled as he quickly pulled his hand back. His dark eyes were deep and unreadable, stormy with emotions he couldn’t name.
After a long moment, he leaned back with a sigh, shutting his eyes. When he opened them again, the clarity had returned. Lea’s just drunk. If she were sober, this never would’ve happened.
He’d pretend none of it ever happened.
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Chapter 59 Drunk on Truth
Meanwhile, across town at Fantasy Lounge, Wylie was driving Riley and Jonah home.
“Riley, next time something’s up, you can talk to us. We’re teammates and friends.
Under the flickering, aging streetlamp, Wylie watched the siblings through the car window, leaning of each other as they walked away.
Riley paused mid–step. “Got it,” she said quietly.
Compared to Jonah, who was covered in injuries, she’d gotten off relatively easy, just a dizzy head from too much alcohol.
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