Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 108988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
I blinked away a tear and pushed aside that nagging voice to remember why I ran from him in the beginning because he was there, still behind my heart, and my fight was fading more and more.
I just didn’t want to hear it.
Lassiter found me when I was working a shift at Octavia that night. He slid onto a barstool, saying, “You spent the day with him.”
“Not technically, but a part of it. Yeah.” I frowned at him, wondering why he was here and why he was bringing this up.
My coworker began to go to him. I waved him off. “I got him. I know the little shit.”
Lassiter grinned, but it fell away right away. He wasn’t a drinker, so I filled a glass of water and put it in front of him.
He didn’t reach for it. “He called you his woman the other week.”
His woman?
I shrugged, not wanting to focus on what he said. “Everyone knows I’m one of his.”
He leaned farther over the counter, crossing his arms. “Not his woman, not like that. That’s new. That changes things. Is that what’s going on?”
I frowned, unease skittering down my spine. “I came here to get away from him. You know that . . .” Movement caught my eye. Spence was heading our way, watching us. Or, correction, watching Lassiter.
Lassiter noticed him and sat back on his stool. “He’s here for me.”
I frowned. “He’s my boss.”
Lassiter shook his head. “He’s here for me.”
As Spence closed the distance, coming to the end of my counter with two security guards behind him, Lassiter spoke first, almost blandly. “I have no weapons on me. Your bouncers know this.”
“You’re distracting my employee.”
My skin grew hot because he was right. I should be working, not talking about Creighton. Moving aside, I began filling drink orders. We got hit by a rush, and by the time I got some semblance of a break, I glanced around, but Lassiter was gone.
I didn’t think anything of it. I’d talk to him later or more than likely, Lassiter would find me to follow up on whatever he was concerned about.
Later, I was leaving the locker room at the end of my shift and called out to the rest still inside, “Have a good night, everyone.”
“Bye, Blake!”
“See you.”
“Have a good one.” A few called back.
I enjoyed working here so far. The boss had remained away except for tonight. My coworkers were all friendly. For knowing the place had Mafia ties, it didn’t seem like it. The whole nightclub felt like any other nightclub. It was run deftly. A good place. I always felt safe, knowing their security was active and involved.
Yeah. I liked it here. I was glad I’d applied.
I pushed out the back door. Creighton’s watcher would be waiting for me in the front, where he’d trail me to the subway and take a seat a few back from me. It was our routine, so I went through the alley that would take me to the street.
Hearing voices that came from the alley, I didn’t think anything of it. They were low, almost hushed. No one was stressed or upset. There was no reason to set off an alarm with me, but I’d only gotten three steps before I saw who was speaking.
Two men were talking, tucked against the wall of the building across from Octavia. One had his back to the alley, but I could see him from the side. The other was facing the alley, his face in shadow. There was a door behind him.
Both were businessmen. Both wore custom tailored suits, reeking of money.
I didn’t think much of the exchange until one guy reached inside his suit jacket, lifting it to reveal a gun that was holstered against his hip.
I still didn’t think anything of it. Guns were common in my life, but then the guy pulled out a thick envelope and handed it to the man, who took it, tucking it away instantly. He turned to leave, saw me, and stopped short. “Fuck.”
I didn’t know this guy, but he was looking at me as if I were an inconvenience to him. Like a gnat.
I started to say something, probably a retort because it was late at night and I didn’t care one iota who this guy was, but the other one, the guy who’d handed him the envelope, stepped out from the shadows.
I stopped in my tracks, swallowing thickly. Him, I did know. Though I wished I didn’t.
It was Ashton Walden, and his gaze was pinned right smack on me. Yep. He fully knew who I was too.
The bottom of my gut fell to my feet. This was so very very not good.
Walden’s mouth flattened, and he took a step toward me. “Well, Miss Green. You are not supposed to be here. Of all the little girls to walk down this alley on this night, at this hour, it had to be you. You must have some bad luck.”