by L A Cotton
“We need you out front,” Cassie said, and my ears perked up, certain I’d caught an edge to her voice.
“Me and Dennis were just getting acquainted, isn’t that right?” she purred, and I stepped sideways, leveling her with a hard expression.
“Well, when you’re done acquainting yourselves, could you get out here? I need to pee.”
The blonde mumbled something under her breath and brushed past me. I looked behind me just in time to catch her throw Cassie the evil eye. Cassie sighed and started toward me, but she didn’t stop. She just kept going until she disappeared into the women’s bathroom.
When Cassie reappeared a couple of minutes later, I was right there, waiting in the shadows. I stepped forward, and she jumped back startled. “Jesus, Dennis, creeper much?”
“Sorry,” I said, raking a brisk hand over my head. “How are you?”
“It’s three deep out there, and Mario is in one of his moods. And in case you hadn’t noticed, Dominique is a complete bitch.”
Silence crackled between us. A couple of girls came out of the bathroom, and we had to step aside to give them room to pass, pushing us farther into the shadows.
“I, hmm.” I clutched the back of my neck. “I’m not sure what to do with that.”
Cassie frowned at me and then burst into laughter. “I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry. It’s just so busy, and I’m a little rusty. I’m fine.” She met my eyes and forced her lips into an unconvincing smile. “I’m fine, I promise.”
I nodded because what else could I do? I was so far out of my league here.
“And you?” she said. “The new job is working out for you?” Something was in her words, some unspoken meaning I didn’t quite understand. But I clung to it all the same, trying to figure out what she could possibly mean while hoping she meant what I thought she did.
“It’s a work in progress.” I held her gaze.
We’d moved closer. I realized the second Cassie noticed. She lurched back, clearly unsettled by our proximity. My gaze dropped to her mouth, soft full lips—lips I could remember kissing as if it was only yesterday—and she swallowed hard. As I leaned down, inching closer, time seemed to stop. If I could only remind how good we’d been…
“I should go,” she whispered, her breath fanning my face, chocolate eyes transfixed on mine. “I should definitely leave now.”
“You’re probably right.” I gulped, my mouth dry.
“Cass—”
We both staggered back, whatever spell we’d been under undone at the sound of Amanda’s voice. “We need you out front, like yesterday.” Her eyes burned into the side of my head, and I didn’t need to see her expression to know she was sending me a warning.
We’d almost been caught.
Fuck.
I didn’t know what happened. One minute, the air was icy, thick with ghosts that haunted us, and then Cassie laughed, and everything thawed. Pulling us closer. Like magnets finding their way home.
“I’m coming,” Cassie said.
Her eyes flashed to mine, and then she was gone, but Amanda lingered behind, disappointment radiating from her. She let out an exasperated breath, gave me a slight shake of her head, and then left. And I got it, I did. If it hadn’t been her, everything would be playing out very differently right about now. It could have been Mario or Dominique or Cael. Or worse, Hernandez himself.
And then what?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Cassie
“Hi, I’m back,” I called into the dark house, kicking the door shut behind me. My feet burned, and every muscle in my body ached. I slipped off my pumps, letting my soles enjoy the soothing feel of the wood. “Maddy?”
“Hey, Miss Malson.” A head poked up over the top of the couch, and she yawned. “I must have fallen asleep. Sorry.”
“It’s okay, and call me Cassie, please.” I smiled, picking up the stray toys and putting them back in the toy box. “Was everything okay?”
Maddy, Mrs. Garth’s granddaughter, nodded. “Lilly was a breeze. Your aunt fed her before bed, and we put her down together. She hasn’t made a peep. Your aunt, on the other hand …” Her eyes dropped as if she didn’t want to tell me.
“Maddy, what happened?”
When her eyes flicked back to mine, a hint of a smile tugged the corner of her mouth. “She’s as stubborn as an old mule and wouldn’t let me help her to bed like you asked. I insisted, of course.”
“Thank you. Here, this is for you.” I handed her the twenty-five dollars I’d made in tips, but she just looked at it with a deep frown.
“I thought we agreed.”
“We did, but I appreciate your help, and you deserve it for putting up with my aunt. Just don’t tell her I said that.”
When Mrs. Garth had told me that her granddaughter was staying with her for the summer, it was almost too good of an opportunity to pass over. I knew from Mrs. Garth that Maddy wanted to study childcare in college, and when I asked, she was more than happy to help me with Lilly if I agreed to write a personal recommendation for her college applications. It wasn’t a permanent solution, but it gave my aunt more time to get back to full health, and it meant I had some money to help out with things. And I didn’t feel so guilty about leaving her.
“Here, take it, please.” It was the least I could do. “I hope you’ll come back tomorrow.” I let out a strained laugh, and Maddy smiled.
“You know it. I had fun, truly. And your aunt isn’t that bad. I can see why Gran likes her so much. Good night, Miss … I mean, Cassie.”
I walked her out, watching as she crossed the lawn to her gran’s house and disappeared inside. After locking up, I got a juice from the refrigerator and leaned against the counter, catching my breath. Restless energy hummed through me. And while I wanted to blame it on the fact it’d been a long night—my first shift back after three weeks away—I knew the source of my agitation.
Dennis’s eyes had followed me around the bar. Lingering. Longingly. And there’d been that moment in the hallway. I hadn’t expected to see Dominique hanging all over him even though it was no great surprise since she flirted with all the guys who came through the door. But it wasn’t that, not really. It was my reaction to seeing them so close that shocked me the most. Jealousy had swept through me like wildfire, and for a second, I’d wanted to tell her to get away from Dennis. As if I had some claim to him … as if he was mine.
I’d felt him, right at the moment with me. His emotions were a tangible thing, swirling around him, affecting the air in the room. He was pissed I’d shut him out again. But more than that, he was hurt. And I’d wanted to apologize, to explain why things had to be this way. Only when I tried to form the words, they died on my tongue, and I verbally attacked him.
But I was tired.
I was so tired.
My sessions with Lucy were intense. She was pushing me to face my past. To align the pieces of myself that had shattered in the wake of Lyndon Bennet. And she was right; I needed to do that. I needed to give myself time and space to come to terms with what I’d lived at his hands. Because since Lilly arrived, I’d locked it all away in a box marked never to be opened again.
And it was crippling me.
It was why I’d almost let him kiss me. I was exhausted and vulnerable, and Dennis was there. And he still cared. He’d proven that time and time again.
God, I was a horrible person.
Without thinking, I snatched my cell phone off the counter and started typing.
Cassie: It’s not you. I know you think it is, but it isn’t. I’m just not ready. I need to … well, I just need deal with stuff before I can move on. I hope you understand.
I waited … and waited. But no reply came. He was probably still at the bar. I never stayed after closing, unlike Mario, Amanda, and Dominique, who would all be there until the early hours of the morning cleaning tables and restocking the refrigerator. Defeated, I shut off all the lights and made my way upstairs. The soft snores coming from Aunt Ruby’s r
oom told me she was sleeping peacefully, but I always checked on Lilly. She was out cold, her chubby fingers curled tight around her favorite stuffed toy.
Inside my room, I stripped off and pulled on a t-shirt, and climbed into bed, clutching my cell phone. Just in case. But no alert ever came, and I drifted into a restless sleep.
“Morning, sweetheart.”
Aunt Ruby greeted me with a warm smile and a steaming mug of coffee, which I greedily accepted. “Rough night?”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle. It was just a shock to the system, I think.”
“I’ve told you, you don’t need to go back to that place. We can manage; I have some savings.”
“I know, Aunt Ruby, but I want to contribute.” My meager wage wasn’t much, but it gave me some money to spend on Lilly and help with the groceries. Aunt Ruby had already done so much for me; I didn’t want to take advantage of her.
I drained my coffee and stretched my arms out in front of me, working out the kinks. “Everything went okay with Maddy?”
“Yes, she’s a sweet girl. Followed me around like a lapdog, though. I don’t need a babysitter, Cassie.”
“She’s not babysitting you; she’s just here to help.”
My aunt rolled her eyes at me, and I smiled. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look tired.”
“Will you quit worrying?”
Leaving my chair, I moved around to her and dropped a kiss on her fuzzy hair. “I only worry because I care.”
“Hmm,” she murmured as I started on the dishes before Lilly woke. When I was done, I dried my hands and turned around, smiling at the sight of my aunt gazing out of the window.
“Mr. Clemence out early again?”
“I …” She choked on her words. “I do not watch Mr. Clemence, young lady.”
“Whatever you say.”
Her eyes narrowed, but I saw the playful creases around her mouth. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“Yep, got myself a date with a dirty diaper and a bottle of formula.”
“Enjoy it while it lasts because she’ll be giving you trouble soon enough.” The sadness in her voice caught me off guard, and I paused in the doorway.
“Aunt Ruby?”
She sniffled and wiped her eyes. Was she crying?
“What is it?” I pushed.
“Nothing, it’s nothing. Go, see to Lilly, and then bring her down here so I can get my cuddle fix.”
With a small nod, I left her, but I couldn’t shake the feeling she was keeping something from me.
“So are you going to tell me what happened?” Amanda whispered, keeping one eye on Mario as he stacked the clean glasses, getting ready for the rush.
I’d spent the day with Aunt Ruby and Lilly, but before I blinked, it was time for my shift at the bar again. Part of me had wanted to call in and get someone to cover for me, but Aunt Ruby insisted, and Maddy was there. My aunt was as stubborn as they came, but I knew she’d tell me if she felt unwell again.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I played dumb as I grabbed a cloth and walked out from behind the bar to wipe down the tables. She stayed hot on my heels, begging for any scraps of information.
“Manda,” I hissed, glancing back at her. “Stop. It’s annoying.”
“So give me something then. You know how I love some juicy gossip.”
“Me too,” Mario called over the bar. “I love juicy gossip, too.”
“Mario,” we both warned, but he flashed us an amused smirk.
Amanda gave him the finger before refocusing her attention on me. “Come on, I know something happened. It looked like you were about to—”
“Amanda!”
“What?” She lowered her voice. “No one can hear us.”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I snapped, moving to the next table. But I couldn’t hide the small smile forming on my lips as I remembered my moment in the hallway with Dennis. Something was changing between us. I didn’t know whether it was the fact he was giving me space or the fact my sessions with Lucy were working, but something was happening. When he’d finally texted me back this morning, I’d felt like a schoolgirl with her first crush. Butterflies swarmed my stomach, making me feel giddy. And I couldn’t deny I was looking forward to seeing him tonight. Even if only to watch him from across the bar.
“Oh, you should see your face right now.” Amanda poked my arm, and I narrowed my eyes on her, which only fueled her amusement. “You’ve got it so bad. You’re almost as bad as he is. Speaking of the devil.” Her eyes went to the door, and I watched as Dennis walked in, and my stomach went crazy. He looked so good in his tight-fitting jeans and black sweater.
“You might want to see to that,” my friend whispered. “You have a little drool right there.”
I batted her away as she tried to dab my mouth, her shoulders shaking with laughter. Even though I willed myself to keep focused on the task at hand, it was impossible not to track Dennis as he walked across the bar. And I found myself lost in the way his muscles rippled underneath the black material.
“I could watch him all day.” Dominique’s voice was like a bucket of ice water, and I tightened my fingers around the spray bottle.
“Excuse me?” I turned slowly to meet her smug expression.
“Dennis, the new guy.” She smirked. “Please don’t tell me you failed to realize how hot he is?”
“I hadn’t noticed.” I kept my voice even despite the irritation rippling through me.
She shrugged nonchalantly, as if my opinion was inconsequential. “Probably for the best. He wouldn’t look twice at—”
“Dominique,” Amanda hollered. “These glasses aren’t going to stack themselves.”
Groaning, she sauntered past me and joined Mario behind the bar. I flashed Amanda an appreciative look, and she nodded. But as I watched Dominique watch Dennis with lust painted on her face, the possessiveness I felt burning in my veins didn’t lessen. And I realized it wasn’t because it was her. I didn’t want anyone looking at him. Period.
Because he was mine.
On some level, Dennis Hayes was still mine.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Dennis
“It’s quiet tonight.” I threaded a beer mat through my fingers, watching the bar from my position by the fire escape.
“Yeah, just wait another hour, my man,” Cael said, “and then you’ll be regretting your words.”
“You’re probably right.” Although, so far, working security at Bellezas had been a piece of cake. The clientele was mostly regulars, and they knew not to mess with the girls or else they’d find themselves the ones getting messed up by Hernandez’s guys. It was the out-of-towners who proved to be the most trouble, but you didn’t get many people passing through a place like Redmont.
I watched Cassie as she busied herself stacking the clean glasses and wiping down the counter, no doubt in preparation for the rush. She seemed different. The pain in her eyes was still there, but it was lighter. A gentle simmer instead of a roaring inferno. Avoiding her was easier than I thought. Since opening up to me via text message, things had shifted between us even though we weren’t where I wanted us to be. Because, let’s face it, if I had my way, we’d have ridden off into the sunset, leaving Redmont and Stonecreek in the dust. But that was the dream. Our reality was a damn sight different, and if a few texts here and there were all she was willing to give me, I’d take it.
I’d take anything as long as I had something.
Just as Cael had predicted, the evening crowd started to trickle in, and my narrowed gaze surveyed the place. Later, when it got really packed, we’d walk the perimeter, but for now, we stayed in position.
“Dominique’s throwing some serious looks this way.”
I flashed Cael a “fuck you” glare, and he roared with laughter. He liked to yank my chain about her, warning me to keep my wits around her. Like that would be a problem. Ever since Cassie stumbled in on her trying to seduce me, I’d avoided her lik
e the plague. But I didn’t like the way she rode Cassie.
“Not interested.”
“She doesn’t take no for an answer. You know that, right?”
With a disinterested shrug, I stepped forward and focused on the task at hand as Cael’s amused laughter rolled off my back. My instinct kicked in, and a group of young guys caught my attention. They were at the bar, fooling around, trying to get someone’s attention. Please be Dominique, please be—
Cassie finished up with Dirk, a regular, and made her way over to them. I watched the exchange, my spine straight, my pulse jackhammering against my skull. One of the guys smoothed his hand over his head and smirked as he mouthed something to her. Her smile dropped, morphing into a tight frown. I was ready to storm over there and put an end to whatever they had planned, but sensing my change in mood, Cael stepped up beside me.
“I’d love an excuse to throw him out on his pretty ass.”
“You know him?”
“He’s local. Aaron Skelton. Comes around here like he owns the place. Always jacked up on coke or X. But his father does some business with Luis, so …”
“So we have to keep the peace.”
“You got it. But I’ve got my eye on him.”
“Good to know.”
For the next hour, we watched as the bar filled, but there were no signs of any trouble. If Cassie felt me watching her work, she didn’t let on, never once meeting my eyes. That was okay—as long as I could see her, I could do my job just fine. But when Amanda came out front and took her to one side, my senses went into overdrive. Aware of Cael beside me, I didn’t pay them too much attention as they disappeared through the door marked private.
Minutes ticked by and I grew restless, my stomach a tight ball of muscle. And when she finally reappeared, I watched unable to do anything as Cassie fled from the bar, tears glistening in her eyes.
“Shit, that didn’t look good. You think it’s her aunt again?” Cael said, and I managed an incoherent reply. I needed to get to her. I needed to make sure she was okay.