Third Chances (Men Of Manhattan #2) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,15

slid closed. I sighed. That was a close call.

I looked both ways before exiting onto our floor, and hurried into our room. I had somehow escaped playing the game tonight, but I wasn't sure how long my luck would hold out. We were going to be here for a whole week. I plopped down on the bed and opened up the triple chocolate mousse cake. Tomorrow I'd have a heated conversation with Javier. Tonight, I'd just watch that movie I had wanted to earlier.

Chapter 6

Daphne

Someone pushing my shoulder woke me up. I groaned in my sleep, trying to ignore it. I was used to sleeping alone. Which meant I always spread out like a starfish in bed.

"Move over," Layla said and pushed me again, this time with both hands, forcing me to roll over.

"Ow!" I yelled as I fell off the bed. I landed with a thud on the wood floor. I reached down to grab my hip and noticed four gold bracelets on my wrist in addition to the one I always wore. What the heck? I stood up and looked over at my sleeping friends. Oh my God. Had they robbed a jewelry store last night? I didn't remember them coming back. They had plenty of time to become jewelry thieves. Crap! The evidence was all over me. Why did they put the evidence on me?

I tried to unclasp the bracelets but there didn't seem to be any visible latch. I can't go to Costa Rican prison! I tugged on the bracelets, trying to break them off. And then it hit me. These were the gold bracelets that were part of the bracelet game.

And there wasn't just one of the terrible bracelet on me, but four. Which meant I'd be expected to do four borderline inappropriate things throughout the day. No. I stared at the bracelets in horror. "What did you guys do?"

My question was greeted by someone snoring in their sleep. I tried to pull the bracelets off my wrist as I stood up, but they wouldn't budge. It was bad enough having one of these stupid bracelets to deal with. But four? No, no, no!

"Layla, I asked you not to let them draw a mustache on my face!" I pulled the covers off of her. "This is so much freaking worse!"

"What are you talking about?" she mumbled.

I shoved my wrist in her face. "You put your stupid bracelet on me. All of you did." I pulled the covers off of the bed that Kristen and Alina were sharing.

Kristen sat up. She looked at my wrist and started laughing.

"It's not funny." I felt like I was about to cry. I tried to get them off again, but to no avail. What the hell are these things made of?

"I'm sorry," Layla said. "But I really don't remember doing that. I don't actually remember much from last night." She rubbed her hand against her forehead.

I glared at Kristen.

"Don't look at me." She put her hands up, feigning innocence.

"I know it was you, Kristen. Now help me get them off."

"That's not how it works. Guys have to swipe their cards against them. It's part of the game."

"Which is exactly what I don't want to have happen."

Kristen shrugged. "It looks to me like you're going to have a fun day. I'm totally jealous."

"Then you should wear all of them instead. Help me get them off." I held my wrist out.

Alina giggled. She had pulled the covers back up over her head.

"Alina!" I pulled the covers off of her. "Did you do this to me?"

"Maybe?"

I pressed my lips together. It was her bachelorette party. I shouldn't be mad at her. But I was pissed. She knew that I thought the game was inappropriate.

"Don't look at me like that," she said. "You left me with these two crazies last night! And it seemed like appropriate payback for you not having to lose your bracelet last night."

"Payback would be two bracelets then, not four."

"Ok, Miss Math Teacher. I'm sorry! I was drunk."

"Drunk isn't an excuse for torturing someone."

"But it's my bachelorette party."

I sighed. "Can someone please just try to get them off?"

Kristen crawled to the end of the bed and grabbed my wrist. After looking at them for just a few seconds, she gave up. "I think the clasps are only activated by those cards. Sorry, babe."

"You guys are the worst." I pulled my wrist away.

Kristen smiled. "I think this will actually be good for you. Besides, we're all in relationships and you're not.