Free Until the End by London Miller

though she tried to deny it.
    “How is she?”
    “Angry, hurt. She thinks you despise her.”
    “Untrue, I just have something to say to her presently.”
    Meaning, he couldn’t see her without seeing the betrayal. If Alex were not his sister, he might have understood where Mikhail was coming from, but he wouldn’t allow Mikhail’s selfishness to affect Alex any more than it already had.
    “Give me the address.”
    He did. “Be careful what you wish for, Mishca. Happiness comes at a price.”
    Mishca left without another word, refusing to play his father’s mind games. It was just like him to try and take anything he cared about away from him. It was what he did best.
    “Where to?” Vlad asked as they got into the Mercedes.
    “Just drive for now.”
    There was nowhere Mishca wanted to be than next to Lauren and since he couldn’t have that—not yet—he just needed something to occupy his time.
    Mishca was staring out the window, watching the people go about their lives when he noticed a familiar curly headed girl walking out of a pastry shop. He narrowed his eyes, just to make sure he knew it was her before he had Vlad pull over.
    Amber was a fast walker and he had almost missed her until he yelled her name.
    She turned back, searching through the sea of faces until she landed on him. She went from calm to confused to utter outrage. She didn’t keep walking away, instead she turned on her heel and marched directly over to him.
    “What do you want?”
    “I need to talk to her,” he pleaded, not knowing what else to do. He was desperate at this point.
    “And why exactly would I help you?”
    “Because I made a mistake and I need to fix it.”
    He had no idea whether Lauren had told Amber about the reasons behind their breakup. If she had, Amber definitely wouldn’t be giving him any answers.
    “You get one freebie,” she said. “I don’t know what happened between you two, all I know is if you’re half as miserable as you look, then maybe you are sorry for whatever you did.” She held her finger up. “ One chance. We’ll be here for Lauren’s birthday. Come by.”
    “Thank you.”
    “I’m not doing it for you. Lauren looks worse than you do.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    It was a particularly muggy night, but Lauren could hardly focus on that as she sat in the back of the cab with Amber as she held up a dark blue scarf, signaling for Lauren to turn her back.
    “It’s a surprise,” she explained with a cheerful smile, practically bouncing in her seat as she gestured impatiently for Lauren to turn her head.
    “Step up—no don’t step up yet,” Amber cried, laughing when they both nearly fell to the ground.
    “You suck at this, you know,” Lauren said dryly, still letting Amber lead her.
    “No, you’re just not good with directions.”
    After tripping a few more times, they finally entered what smelled like a bakery, the scent of cupcakes making Lauren’s mouth water. Fiddling with the knot at the back of Lauren’s head, Amber finally removed the scarf.
    “Surprise!” she, Tristan, and Matt yelled. “Happy Birthday!”
    There was a banner hanging over them with her name in the center. A dozen or more cupcakes lined the table that Tristan and Matt were standing behind, twenty-one candles divided between them.
    “Guys, this is too much.”
    Besides her parents, she had never had anyone celebrate her birthday like this. She loved everything about it, and more importantly, she loved each of them for doing it.
    “You only turn twenty-one once,” Matt said pulling out her chair. “And what better way to celebrate it than—”
    “With a bottle of premium Tequila. Darling, I’m getting you drunk tonight,” Tristan chimed in with a victorious smile, holding up the giant bottle in one of his tattooed hands.
    Amber produced a custom shot glass, with her name and birthdate on it. Tristan poured the first one.
    “Am I just chugging this?” Lauren asked.
    “Unless