Rain clung to the pavement outside the Carter house, the streetlights reflecting off the wet asphalt like broken glass.
Inside, the kitchen lights were too bright for Blaise’s pounding head.
He stood shirtless by the counter, messy brown hair falling into his eyes, abs tight as he leaned forward with both hands on the marble. His skin still smelled like his usual cologne mixed with the stale bite of whiskey.
His jaw hurt like hell.
Mia watched him from the kitchen island. “You look like shit.”
Blaise rubbed his jaw. “That’s because my face feels like it got run over by a truck.”
The front door slammed.
Heavy boots hit the floor.
A second later Cole walked in.
Black hair messy, tattoos visible under the sleeves of his hoodie, cigarette already between his fingers. His eyes locked on Blaise immediately, dark and irritated like always.
Cole scoffed.
“Jesus Christ. You’re already drinking, fuckface?”
Blaise raised the whiskey bottle slightly. “Hydration.”
Cole rolled his eyes and leaned against the counter across from him.
Allie sat at the table scrolling on her phone. “You two are unbearable.”
Neither of them cared.
Blaise squinted at Cole. “Why does my face hurt?”
Cole lit his cigarette calmly.
“Because I punched you.”
Mia sighed like she’d been waiting for that.
Blaise blinked slowly.
“You what?”
“I punched you,” Cole repeated.
Blaise rubbed his jaw again, testing it.
“…why?”
Cole exhaled smoke and stared at him.
“You really don’t remember last night, fuckface?”
“No.”
“Not even the masks?”
Blaise frowned.
“What masks?”
Mia groaned quietly.
Cole let out a laugh under his breath. “That’s fucking perfect.”
Blaise straightened. “What happened?”
Cole shrugged. “Stupid party downtown. Some themed bullshit.”
Allie looked up. “The mask party.”
Cole nodded.
“Everyone had those black masks.”
Blaise tried to think. Flashes started creeping back.
Music. Lights. Crowds.
Whiskey.
Masks.
“Oh,” he muttered.
Cole continued, voice flat. “You were wasted.”
“Shocking.”
“You were talking shit all night. Saying no one could tell who was who.”
“That sounds accurate.”
Cole’s jaw tightened.
“Then you said you could make anyone fold.”
Mia muttered, “It was embarrassing.”
Allie added, “Everyone heard you.”
Blaise frowned. “Okay… and?”
Cole pushed himself off the counter.
“You grabbed someone.”
Blaise blinked.
“Okay?”
“You dragged them into the hallway.”
Something in Cole’s tone made Blaise uneasy.
“…who?”
Cole stared at him.
“The person you grabbed was me.”
Silence filled the kitchen.
Blaise stared back.
“You’re joking.”
Cole laughed coldly.
“You grabbed my jacket and shoved me against the wall like you were about to start something.”
Blaise ran both hands through his messy hair.
“That does not sound like something I’d do.”
“You were drunk and stupid.”
“What the hell did I say?”
Cole’s voice dropped slightly.
“You said you didn’t even need to see someone’s face to make them lose control.”
Blaise closed his eyes.
“Oh my fucking god.”
Mia covered her face.
Allie looked like she was trying not to laugh.
Blaise opened one eye. “So what happened after that?”
Cole looked at him flatly.
“I punched you.”
“Immediately?”
“Immediately.”
Blaise sighed in relief. “Good.”
Cole rolled his eyes. “You dropped fast too.”
Blaise rubbed his jaw again.
“That was a solid hit.”
Cole smirked faintly.
“You deserved worse, fuckface.”
Blaise leaned back against the counter and grabbed his phone.
A notification buzzed.
Unknown Number.
He opened it.
Text Messages
Unknown Number You really don’t remember last night?
Blaise frowned.
Blaise Who is this
Unknown Number Mask party
Blaise’s stomach twisted slightly.
Blaise Yeah I was there
Unknown Number You pulled someone into the hallway
Blaise glanced up at Cole suspiciously.
Cole was still leaning against the counter smoking.
Blaise typed slowly.
Blaise Yeah apparently I did
You didn’t see my face
Another message followed immediately.
Unknown Number But I saw yours
Across the kitchen, Cole’s phone buzzed, he smirked.