Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45045 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45045 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
They weren’t supposed to finalize things until next week.
“Got them today,” he said, and I heard the triumph in his voice. That fucking bastard… It wasn’t enough for him to take the bar from me. Nope. Now, he wanted me to celebrate with him. This was about him winning. Again. “Already looked everything over. We’ll sign them tomorrow morning at the title company. Grab your drink, Peaches. It’s time for us to make a new start.”
Eli caught my eye, raising his glass in a toast.
I briefly considered throwing the shot in his face because I’d be damned if I would concede defeat. If the papers hadn’t been signed yet, I still had a chance to make my offer. Eli didn’t need to know that, though. So, I gave him a strained smile and forced myself to give his glass a token tap. Together, we downed the shots.
He reached for the bottle and started pouring again.
“Are you trying to get me drunk?” I asked, wondering if he had a deeper game. “Because I stole bottles of this shit all the time in high school. It’ll take more than two shots.”
“Not true,” he said. “You always went for the crappy vodka. Easier to water down. Cover the crime.”
He had me. I’d totally done that.
“You liked it mixed with Dr. Pepper,” he added, lifting his glass again and grinning at me over the top of it.
“How the hell do you remember that?” I asked, startled. Eli held my gaze, and for once, he wasn’t challenging me. He looked almost…friendly. Not luring-me-into-a-false-sense-of-security-so-he-could-destroy-me friendly, either.
Friendly for real.
It freaked me out.
“I’m not trying to get you drunk,” he said. “I’m just feeling good about things. It’s been frustrating, waiting to take over. I’m ready to have it settled. I know you’re not happy about how things turned out—”
“Understatement.”
“I get it,” he continued. “The situation wasn’t fair. But we have a chance to start things over again. Do it right. Both of us love this place. You’ve been working here for seven years. And starting tomorrow, you’ll be the manager. Do you really want to be at each other’s throats for the next ten years? Don’t you ever get tired of fighting?”
I didn’t know what I’d expected him to say, but that wasn’t it. I grabbed the shot, downing it quickly. The first one hadn’t done much, but this one set my head spinning.
Or maybe that was just the sound of Eli being reasonable.
“Let me ask you this,” I said carefully. “If I’d won, would you be willing to celebrate with me?”
Eli didn’t pretend not to understand.
“Yes, I would,” he said. “But this wasn’t about winning.”
I raised a brow.
“Peaches, do you really think I want to take your dream away from you?” he asked. “I didn’t plan for you to get hurt, but Gus promised me this bar a long time before he ever talked to you about it. I have dreams, too.”
“What you mostly have is money,” I said, feeling my frustration and anger rise. “Money you didn’t even earn, for the record. I’ve spent the last seven years busting ass, and we both know I’ve been managing it for a long time. And don’t tell me this was your dream. Nobody made you go to prison, Eli. We both know you didn’t kill that guy. I was your fucking alibi. And yet, for some reason, you chose prison over staying with us—”
Horrified, I snapped my mouth shut, wondering where the hell that’d come from. Eli studied me, one of the little muscles in his jaw tensing.
Then his gaze flicked toward something behind me before he caught my eyes again.
“Let’s talk in the office.”
Sliding off the stool, I turned and saw that Gus had just walked through the door. Gage was with him, along with more club members.
Eli rounded the bar, catching my arm.
“Office,” he repeated, tugging at me. I took a moment to consider. I’d come to see Gus, not Eli. But this many club brothers all together, right when the bar was closing…that struck me as odd.
“Are the Reapers having a meeting tonight?”
“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “We need to finish this conversation. Privately.”
Gus caught my eye and offered a casual wave before turning back to Gage. A couple of the prospects started sliding tables together.
“You’re done for the night,” Eli said, and I blinked, confused. I thought he wanted to talk some more.
“Don’t you need someone to serve the bikers?” Megan said. I hadn’t even noticed her walking up to us. I swayed a little, realizing that those shots were hitting me a little harder than they should have…
I hadn’t eaten dinner. Come to think of it, I hadn’t eaten lunch, either.
“I think Gus and I can handle drinks for the club,” Eli told her. “Peaches is here if we need help.”
“What makes you think I’m willing to help?” I said, tugging at my arm. His fingers tightened, and he pulled me toward the office.