Free One Last Chance by Shelby Gates

at that moment, that’s what they would’ve been doing.
    “Well, isn’t this sweet?” Emily appeared table-side, a vision in white. Dylan Mercado stood next to her, his arms folded over his chest.
    “Hi, Em.” Griffin greeted her. “You look nice.”
    She looked down at her dress, smoothing the almost-sheer fabric that clung to her hips. Griffin looked a little closer and was pretty certain the dress was the only thing she was wearing.
    “I do, don’t I?” she said, smiling.
    “Come on, Em.” Dylan tugged at her arm.
    She pulled away, scowling. “Give me a minute.” She turned her attention back to Griffin and Claire. “How did you do this?”
    Griffin sipped his drink. “Do what?”
    “Hello? The table.”
    He shrugged. “I asked.” He gave her the same response he’d given Claire but his tone was clipped, not playful.
    “Sweet,” she repeated, her eyes narrowed. She turned her attention to Claire. “I’m surprised you came down for this.”
    Claire shifted in her seat. “My ankle feels a lot better.”
    Emily laughed. “Oh, I didn’t mean your ankle. I seriously doubt you even hurt it, to be honest.”
    “Come on, Em.” Dylan scowled.
    Her eyes shot daggers at him. “In a minute!” She put her hands on the table and leaned close to Claire, her eyes level with hers. “I’m talking about being here. At a dinner. And a dance. With him.”
    Griffin felt Claire stiffen.
    Emily’s laugh was full of malice. “You must be a sucker for punishment, Claire. Wasn’t one time enough? One time for him to let you think he was taking you to the dance and then make a fool out of you by breaking up with you?”
    “That’s enough.” Griffin’s voice was calm but, inside, he wanted to throttle her.
    “Oh, sorry,” Emily said, her face a mask of innocence. “Did I ruin the surprise?”
    “There is no surprise,” Griffin snapped.
    “The only surprise,” Claire spoke slowly, her eyes dark with anger, “belongs to you, Em. Finding out that Griffin isn’t interested in you. Doesn’t want you.”
    Emily flushed scarlet.
    “Geez, what a bitch,” Dylan said, glaring at Claire.
    His words had a slight slur to them and Griffin noticed his blood shot eyes. Probably drinking since he woke up. But that didn’t give him an excuse to be an asshole.
    “Watch your mouth, Mercado,” Griffin said, angling his eyes at him.
    “I’m not watching anything,” Dylan said. “You wanna try and make me?”
    Griffin looked at Claire. She shook her head, rolled her eyes. Her way of telling him to let it go. He didn’t want to, but he would. For her. This was supposed to be her night and he wasn’t go to upset her.
    “You did always have that eye-roll thing down,” Emily said, smirking.
    “And you always had that vapid, airhead thing down,” Claire shot back.
    Griffin smiled. Emily was venturing into battle unarmed if she wanted to try and have a war of words with Claire. She’d end up mortally wounded.
    “Let’s go,” Dylan said, pulling on Emily’s arm. “She’s an idiot.”
    Griffin stood. “Feel like going for a swim, Mercado? Right over the side of the boat?”
    Dylan puffed out his chest and stepped into Griffin. “Good luck trying, Benson.”
    “Griffin,” Claire said. “Just let them go.”
    Griffin turned to say something to her, but Dylan’s fist smashed into his jaw instead.
    Griffin took a wobbly step backward, surprised, tasting blood in his mouth. He looked back at Dylan, just in time to duck the second sucker punch headed his way. He regained his balance, took two steps forward and tackled Dylan, taking him down to the ground. Dylan grunted beneath him, the air leaving his lungs as he landed on his back, Griffin’s weight pressing him to the floor. Griffin struggled to get his right arm free, then dropped his fist right into Dylan’s mouth. Blood immediately stained Dylan’s teeth and lips and his eyes glazed.
    Emily screamed and hands pulled at Griffin’s arms and back and he