Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“No reason.” She shrugged.
“You sure? If there’s a problem with him, I need to know.”
“I haven’t known him long enough to have a problem with him. Just didn’t expect to spend my Christmas Eve here.”
“Arin texted you the roads are closed?” Shade asked sharply.
“No, Rory told me. I haven’t heard from Arin. I sent her a text this morning, and she hasn’t replied.”
Shade’s expression grew closed. “When they found the roads were closed, they holed up in Lexington. They’re okay. Hennessy and Arin are keeping their communication to a minimum until they get here safely.”
Jewell reached out to grab Shade’s arm. “Is Arin in danger?”
“Arin’s been in danger since the laboratory was discovered and she made the vaccine for PharmFYOU. We’ll talk about what’s going on tonight during the meeting.”
Jewell swallowed the fear for her friend down. Arin was with Hennessey, and where Hennessy went, so did Core.”
“You want to keep Arin safe? Help me with Rory.”
“Okay.”
Dread filled her as they left the dining room. Sighting Rory sitting at one of the stools at the bar, Jewell made her way there. Jade had already taken up residency on the stool next to him.
Laying her hand on the back of the stool that Jade was sitting on, Jewell squeezed in between her and Rory. “Scram.”
Jade immediately used the swivel seat of the stool to pivot and slide off on the other side of her.
Taking the vacated seat, Jewell faced Rory, who looked surprised at how easily Jade had given her seat away.
“I’m going to make this plain and simple for you. I’m head bitch here. Just sit here, keep your hands to yourself and your mouth closed, and we’ll get along fine until Shade calls us for the meeting. Can you do that?”
The fucker remained mute.
“Well, can you do that?”
“Am I allowed to talk when you ask me a question?”
“Yes.” Jewell didn’t respond to his attempted humor. “Moon!” she called out to the man standing at the end of bar, talking to Nickel. “You mind giving me a soda?”
Moon went to the drink cooler to get her one then set it down in front of her.
“You want one?” Moon asked Rory. “We can’t break out liquor until the kids all go home.”
“Sure. Anything you have is cool.”
Moon placed a soda down for him then went back to talking to Nickel.
“What do you want me to do with your presents, Jewell?”
Jewell wanted to tell Ginny what she could do with the presents, but knew it would be the last second she would ever be able to spend in the club.
“If you don’t mind, put them on the entry table, and I’ll take them upstairs when I go.”
“I can get Rider to carry them upstairs—”
“The entry table is fine.”
“All right.”
Jewell felt Ginny move away.
“May I make a suggestion?”
“No.” Jewell popped the can of her soda.
“She knows you hate her.”
At the quiet revelation, she turned her head in Rory’s direction. “I don’t hate Ginny,” she hissed, afraid Moon or Nickel would hear.
“You may be able to pretend with them, but it’s plain as day you do. She knows it, too. Just so you’re aware.”
“What makes you think that?”
“She didn’t offer for her husband to carry them upstairs; she offered for someone else to do it. If she weren’t aware of your ill-will toward her, she would have her husband carry them upstairs.”
He was right. She should have taken a couple of drinks before coming to the club to smooth out her emotions where Reaper was concerned. Normally, she didn’t drink while she was at work, but she should have made an exception today.
Jealousy was eating away at her, and no matter how hard she tried not to let it show, she was failing.
Jewell lifted the soda to take a drink, needing to swallow the jealousy back down.
“You could always use me.”
The sultry way Rory made the suggestion nearly had her choking.
Coughing up the soda, she glared at the man sitting next to her. “I’m in debt enough to you.” Jewell stared at him sarcastically. “Especially until I find out what you charge.”
“Depends.” Rory tapped her ring finger on the counter. “Any special man in your life?”
Mirth filled her at his question.
“Well, I can name several. There is Moon, Nickel, Puck, Jesus …” she revealed without embarrassment.
“Monogamy doesn’t appeal to you?” His casual demeanor hadn’t changed at her revelation.
“No.”
He didn’t look as if he believed her. “Sure it doesn’t depend on the man?” he quizzed. “Do you see yourself being monogamous with”—he dropped his voice several octaves—“Reaper?”
A stinging struck her in the region of her heart. She picked up her soda, refusing to answer.
“Ah… Perhaps a better question to ask is: if you were able to attain the unattainable, would you be able to stay monogamous?”
His lips curled sensuously.
“Nothing to say?”
“Plenty. I’m just restraining myself with children nearby.”