My Lost Hero (Angels of War Series #1) REWRITING 2024

Chapter Eighteen

We were partying in Lincoln for Hanna's hen party. I went out of my way to buy the most outrageous accessories from personalised face masks of the groom, pink whistles, TEAM BRIDE t-shirts and sashes, not to forget our trusty penis straws as well.

I set them all up in fancy reusable bags, along with a tin of Cosmopolitan cocktail and some sweets, loving the look on my sister's face when she realised we were all intent on wearing it all at once.

"It's freaking me out that there are so many Bruce's," Hanna said on a snort, referring to the face masks as we lined up on the riverbank for our photograph.

I laughed too. "I thought it would be your fantasy, sis."

Dashing towards me, she grabbed me around my shoulders to strike a pose as mum snapped about a million pictures of us. "One is just enough for me. You look so pretty. I love your glittery eyeliner."

I spent a few hours perfecting my make up this afternoon, wanting to look special for the bride. "Thanks! I just thought, why not be bold, you know?"

"I do," she replied, squeezing me extra hard into a hug. The stress she was feeling the other day forgotten. "Are you still okay to guard my drinks? The plan is to get everyone plastered so they don't realise that I'm not drinking."

Aunty Tabby was my new nickname.

I got the call yesterday morning while I stirred my porridge on the stove and scared Joshua half to death as I screamed the bloody house down.

Hanna being pregnant meant the absolute world to our family.

We wished, prayed, prayed and wished some more in the hopes of it bringing them their dream of a baby.

"They won't notice once they get a few drinks down them," I replied, reaching for the whistle dangling from my neck to blow into it a few times.

Our bridal party squealed at the noise, earning a few strange looks from the diners who were eating along the strip as we headed past there to our first cocktail bar. A place always buzzing with life because of its unusual drinks list and live entertainment.

I linked arms with Hanna when the chilly winds blew over the river and attacked us and our bare legs. "You feeling okay?"

She lowered her head close to mine. "I'm high on life, sitting on cloud nine, sis."

"What a place to be, huh?" I let her go into the bar first, as the quaint place was small enough to have to duck your head to get through the entranceway.

She turned when we passed a table full of rowdy lads who were already licking their lips at the sight of us all in our glitzy outfits. "The best place in the entire world."

Hanna grabbed my hand when we followed the other girls towards the end of the bar where it looked to be the place where most people were having fun. And just as we were a few steps from the dance floor, a hard hand slapped straight across my arse.

Shock set in first as I spun around to see who had touched me, noticing the greasy-looking guy propped up against the bar stool with an even slimier grin.

I stared hard at him with no emotion on my face. "What do you think you're doing?"

The teeth in his grin disappeared when he realised that I was going to stick up for myself. Pig. Yes, my skirt was short, but what gave him the right to violate me because of it?

"Everything okay?" said Hanna as she stepped closer to me.

I nodded my head because I wasn't about to bring my pregnant sister into it. I knew she wouldn't be able to stay quiet, and I promised Bruce that I would look after her tonight. I gave the guy another dirty look, though. And he squirmed around on his bar stool. Good, I thought.