Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 142728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Her shoulders slump and she finally shuffles to her SUV.
She climbs in and stares at me through the windshield while she starts the vehicle. If she’s contemplating running me over, she better do a good job.
I plant my feet wide and hold her stare, practically daring her to try it.
Finally, she puts it in drive and rolls out of her parking spot toward the exit. I take my phone out again and snap a picture of her license plate.
After Inga’s gone, I check to see if Emily returned my text. I’d give anything to see her face after that nightmare from the past.
When the fuck did I turn into such a needy asshole?
Nothing from Emily.
Fuck it. I need to go inside and warn Malik to be on the lookout for a walking skeleton with blonde hair and an attitude of entitlement.
“Dex?”
Jesus Christ, what now?
I turn and like a prayer answered, Emily’s striding toward me. With the sun behind her, lighting up her reddish hair like a fiery halo, she looks like the firecracker that I like to call her.
My gaze drops to her pinched expression.
A firecracker about to explode.
Now what could I have done to put that fury in her eyes?
By now, she’s probably figured out Crystal Ball isn’t just a nightclub.
“Who was that woman?” Emily asks.
Great. She saw me talking to Inga. Depending on what she witnessed, the intensity of our conversation could’ve looked like a lover’s spat.
Of all the fucking days for Emily to find out where I work and pay me a visit. It had to be the day Inga returns to ambush me in the parking lot? I tip my head back, squinting at the sky.
I only do bad things to bad people, so why do you hate me so much, universe?
“Dex?” Emily prompts. “Who was that woman?” she asks in a softer voice. Hurt ripples underneath the question.
“Someone who used to work here.” I hold out my hands to the sides. “Is that really the question you want to ask?”
She steps closer. So close, a hint of her citrus and vanilla scent tempts me to pull her into my arms.
But I don’t.
Anger still crackles in the air around her. She might not be yelling, but she’s far from pleased with me. Can’t blame her, really.
Her mouth twists into a wry smile and she gestures toward the building. “Nightclub, huh?”
I shrug. “We’re open at night.”
“I don’t like liars.”
A smooth line about how technically it wasn’t a lie won’t work with Emily. And she’s too important to me to even try it. “It didn’t seem like good first date conversation. Then it didn’t come up again. And honestly, I don’t like to think about this place when I’m not here.” When I’m with you, I forget everything else.
“I…I don’t like it.”
“I figured you wouldn’t. The MC owns the place. My president used to run it, then our VP, and when he moved, I inherited the manager’s job.” I gesture to the empty space where Inga’s car had been parked. “And now I get to deal with bullshit like that.”
I’m not looking for sympathy, but I want her to understand it’s just a job.
Emily glances in the direction of the road where Inga’s car disappeared. “She seemed pretty pissed.”
“She was.” Don’t worry, she’s just a chick half my club fucked. Then sued us all for paternity. Guilt crawls up my throat. No way is that a story I want to tell Emily. Maybe one day. But not now.
Shit, I need to get inside and warn Malik and Blue that Inga’s in town.
“Can we talk about this later?” I ask. “I can be at your place around ten.”
Her jaw sets in a firm line, like she’s about to tell me to fuck off. Or maybe something more creative only Emily could come up with.
“Okay,” she finally says.
Her words don’t sound like a warm invitation, but I’ll take what I can get.
“We can talk.” She emphasizes the word talk in a way that sounds like a warning that there will be no fucking.
Understandable.
I step closer and take her hands in mine. “I’d rather talk this out with you now.” I tilt my head toward the building. “But I don’t have anyone to cover my shift.”
“I can’t even be mad.” She smiles but shakes her head. “I respect that about you.”
“Thank you.” That means more to me than she knows. “Let me walk you to your car.”
“You really want to make sure I leave, don’t you?” she says in a teasing way, but something uncertain lingers under the question.
“I don’t want you to leave at all.” I tilt my head, challenging her. “I’ll take you inside right now and introduce you around.”
Her lips part but she shakes her head and doesn’t say anything.
“Not ready for that?” I ask.
“No.”
“Next time.” I take her hand without another word, walk her toward the back row. “You really hid your car, huh?”