Forbidden Voices

Chapter 10

Bright colourful lights shore before my gaze.

Booming distracting music vibrated through the speakers that hung in the wall. Massive pink high sofas sat around the area with red drapes with flowery patterns behind them. Along with it, little circular tables were cantered between the sofas, where empty glasses were situated unintendedly.

In the center of this shabby establishment, a circular stage stood where three skinny girls with little-to-nothing clothing gripped the poles and moved their bodies.

A voice called, "Sianna."

Looking away for a minute, I shifted my orbs to the man who waited with a bright smile. His warm arms circulated around my waist and kept me close for longer than a second.

I broke the hug and greeted, "Hi, Gage. Could you let me go?"

Awkwardly, he let me go rapidly and whispered, "Sorry."

Ignoring it, I went straight to Grant, who opened his arms and uttered, "Hi there." Next, I moved to the other side to hug Antonio and Killian.

When I embraced Liam on my arms, he gripped my waist tightly and whispered in my ear, "I heard what happened."

I pushed him away with a forced smile, while he clung to me. I silently challenged him and after losing an internal battle, he broke the hold. Avoiding his eyes, I looked at the remaining men around.

I looked over at Antonio and smiled joyfully, "Happy Birthday, old man!"

Antonio narrowed his eyes playfully, "Not that old, sweetheart."

Blessed to see one of my friends genuinely happy. Laughing freely, the others could not help to join in and be contagious to the fit.

Smirking wildly after a heartbeat, "Maybe not yet, but give it a few more hours."

Antonio's expression was one of shock as he uttered, "That is just mean."

Laughing again to soak on the joy for another moment.

I suggested to my crew, as Killian shifted beside me, "We should toast."

Everyone still enlaced with happiness got their glasses, whereas I announced, "I need a drink."

As in queue, Killian swiftly gave me a pink gin and tonic with an orange peel inside of it. I swirled the drink intensively and said, trying not to drown my voice within the music, "To Antonio Cortez for always being there when we most need him. For being the sane one out of all of us, few times taking aside."

A small chuckle was heard from everyone, even Antonio who was watching me intensively with his guard-down. Calming myself, I finished with a little emotion, "For not being afraid to taint himself for one of us."

I wanted to add more, but I refrained from uttering any emotional idiocy. However, with shorter words, I was able to convey what the underlining meaning was. The bond we all had is not linked by blood, but by respect and joy in our lives.

Killian raised his glass with brown liquid and cheered, "To Antonio. Hear, hear."

Glancing at the man beside me for a second, I raised my glass too with a smile and drank the pink content. The sweet and bitter taste of gin and tonic was felt, along with the hint of orange. Feeling a hand on my upper arm, I turned to see Liam's grim expression.

I noticed the men in the room being distracted with the forgotten joy. I returned my gaze to Liam once again and nodded once, which led me to a more discreet area where nobody could see us, and our voices would drown.