by Lila Rose
“I think at Makala’s baby shower.” I could hear the smile in her voice. I didn’t see it because I was glaring at Kenzie. Was she cheating on Mr. Salvatore? She glanced my way. Her smile dropped as she took in my scowl, and then her expression changed and she was grinning again. She glanced back to Molly, and said, “Wow, it has been too long since you couldn’t make it to Makala first birthday a few months ago.”
Makala? Who was that?
“Clinton, great to see you also, and who’s this?” Grayson asked.
Molly gripped my wrist again and tugged my arm near out of its socket. I stumbled forward and moved my gaze from Kenzie to the man she was cheating with. “This is my friend Adalyn. Addy, this is Grayson, his wife, Kenzie, his brother Dylan, and Kenzie’s sister, Lori, and Kenzie’s and Lori’s Dad, Mr. High.”
Wait a second.
Hold the dang phone.
Kenzie was married to Grayson?
She wasn’t with Mr. Salvatore?
Then…
“Oh, and I forgot to mention Grayson is also my brother’s close friend.”
No.
My wide eyes flicked to Kenzie. She was laughing, and then she nodded at me.
No, no, no.
“Molly, what are you doing here?”
That voice had me frozen.
“Vice,” Molly yelled, turning and then throwing herself at my boss. I didn’t turn. In fact, sneaking under the table so I didn’t have to face him was the only option I could think of. Just as I’d started to crouch, Molly grabbed my arm, hurled me up and around.
“You,” Vice clipped.
“You,” I snapped back.
I could feel many eyes on us as we stood glaring at one another. My chances of hiding were shot, so I stood tall and crossed my arms over my chest. Mr. Salvatore’s eyes flicked down and then back up, his eyes lowering into a scowl even more.
“What’s going on? How do you two know each other?” Molly asked. “Addy, I’ve never had the chance to introduce you to my brother.”
Shifting my gaze to hers, I said, “Brother?” But they had different last names.
“Stepbrother, but all the same.” She smiled. “How do you two know each other?”
Looking back to Molly’s brother, my boss, my gaze turned glacial when I said, “He found my services lacking.”
Someone behind me choked on something, and then I heard, “Is she a prostitute?”
“Hang on—” Molly started.
“Well, they were,” Mr. Salvatore replied, crossing his own arms over his chest and ignoring everyone else.
“They. Were. Not,” I bit out each word slowly.
“Darling,” a woman called before she slipped up beside Mr. Salvatore and placed her hand on his bicep. Of course, she just had to be beautiful, if you liked a woman with a slim waist, huge boobs, and brown hair that went on forever flowing down her back.
So, Mr. Salva-freaking-tore did have a girlfriend.
Go figure he went for someone like her.
“Vice—” Molly started.
“Who do we have here?” the woman asked as she glanced around at everyone.
Mr. Salvatore sighed, and then shook off the woman’s hand, only so he could place his hand on her back. “Debra, this is my sister, Molly, her boyfriend, Clint, and that’s Grayson, his wife, Kenzie, her sister, Lori, and Grayson’s brother, Dylan. Also the ladies’ father, Trent.”
“Nice to meet you all, and who are you?” Debra asked as she looked me over while I still stood in front of her man glaring up at him.
“I’m not sure who she is. Molly?” Mr. Salvatore said. Totally wiping me off as no one important. I had an urge to pull back my leg and kick him in the shin.
I worked in one of his stores for goodness’ sake.
Heat hit my back, and a hand landed on my shoulder. Then Clint’s voice came from over my head. “She’s a friend of ours, Adalyn Wallis. Now, I want to know how you seem to know her and why you’re looking at her like you want to harm her.”
Aw, Clint’s gone into protective mode.
Mr. Salvatore’s eyes snapped to Clint’s hands on my shoulders before looking at Clint over my head. Dang it for being short.
“She works in one of my stores, and I’m unsure as yet if her employment will continue.”
Molly stepped up to her brother and glared. “What did you do to her?”
He scoffed. “I did nothing. She stumbled over her words and wouldn’t meet my gaze. My stores are meant to come across as professional, not some cheap, casual business.”
Shit.
Yes, the moment was swear-word worthy because I knew what was about to come out of Molly’s mouth when she turned to me with humor in her eyes and lips twitching. “Really? Him?” she asked.
“Molly,” I warned in a hissed tone.
She ignored me and faced her brother. “It’s fine, Vice. I know why she was acting like that and believe me, she would never usually behave that way in a place she worked unless—”
I placed my hand over her mouth. “No. Nothing. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“I’d like to know what she was gonna say.” I glanced over my shoulder to see it was Mr. High who had spoken, and he was smiling.
“So would I,” Mr. Salvatore clipped.
“Adalyn, relax and unhand Molly. Vice, her actions just meant— Oompf,” Clinton wheezed as I elbowed him in the stomach.
“Nothing!” I cried. “I was having a bad night. That’s all it meant.”
There was no way I’d let either of them inform Mr. Salvatore that my actions were because I had been (note to self, I had said, had been, I wasn’t any longer) attracted to him. Even if I had to take them to the ground so they didn’t spill the beans, I would. Fancy restaurant be damned.
“What I would like to know is why you said you didn’t know her when she works for you?” Debra asked, a slight frown on her Botox lips.
Good question, Debra. Let’s see him get out of that one.
Molly shoved my hand off her mouth and added, “I also want to know when my brother branched out into opening stores without telling me.”
Mr. Salvatore’s brows dipped. “I thought I had told you.”
“Nope.” Molly shook her head.
“I was sure I did.”
“About two years ago you mentioned you thought of branching out, not that you were serious about it.”
He rolled his eyes. “Does it really matter? Can we get back to why Miss Wallis acted the way she had in the store?”
“No,” I yelled, and then cringed when a lot more eyes came our way. “How about you all join us for dinner?” Grayson offered.
“Thanks, but… I, um. I think I forgot to turn the refrigerator back on. I’d been defrosting all afternoon.”
“Liar,” Molly helpfully—not—put in.
Sending her a glare, which she smiled at, I then said, “I have to feed my pussy.” I paled and then felt, actually felt the heat bursting forward onto my cheeks. “I meant my kitty. He’s new and hungry.”
“For men or meat?” Lori called out. I looked to her to see she and Kenzie dissolved into a fit of giggles.
Mr. High started to grumble about how ungrateful his little shits of daughters were.
Shaking my head in amusement at their inside joke, I glanced to Grayson and said, “Thank you, but I should go.” Looking to Molly, I added, “Have a brilliant birthday dinner, but I—”
“Fuck. It’s your birthday?” Mr. Salvatore barked, causing me to jump.
Molly shrugged and smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I know how busy you are.”
“Please, sit and have dinner with us.” He gestured to the table, which didn’t supply enough room for everyone.
“I’ll get someone to bring another table over,” Dylan said as he stood and walked off.
Mr. Salvatore cleared his throat at my side. “And you’ll stay for my sister since she obviously wanted to celebrate her birthday with you.”
&nb
sp; I ignored him, even when I knew he was talking to me. Instead, I kept my eyes on where Dylan had walked.
“Miss Wallis.”
I didn’t even bother to correct him on the Miss part. He didn’t need to know I was still a Mrs. Well, I wouldn’t be for too much longer. I was in the process of taking back my maiden name of Sage.
While Clinton and Molly talked—actually they were cooing at one another—I watched Dylan walk back with a smile on his face.
“Miss Wallis” was gritted out.
“Vice, can we sit already? Plus, I’m still waiting on an explanation to why you said you didn’t know her.” Debra had said her like I was some disease.
“Adalyn” was snapped low, and I finally graced him with my eyes. I was finding it fun riling Mr. Salvatore. Call me lacking, will he?
“Sorry, were you talking to me?” I asked innocently.
His nostrils flared. Grayson, who appeared from somewhere, slapped Vice on the shoulder and laughed, and then walked off to sit beside his wife.
Another table joined at the end, people shifted and made room for an extra three. Except I wasn’t sticking around. Mr. Salvatore took Debra aside and started speaking quietly to her. I saw it as my chance to sneak out without him hindering me even more about sticking around when he forgot his sister’s birthday in the first place.
I still couldn’t believe Molly was my boss’s sister.
She had spoken about her brother on occasions, only she never said his name. What she did tell me was that he was a local businessman and constantly busy. They kept in contact via e-mails and phone calls, but even those were sparse. Still, she loved him.
What she never mentioned, and I hadn’t noticed until then was his name or who exactly he was. She’d even been into the store, so why hadn’t she made the connection to her brother and the shop? Especially since the business was called Carnal Vice. Then again, maybe she thought her brother wouldn’t be that conceited to name adult stores after himself.
I stepped up to Molly and Clint’s side. “I’m going to head off. I’m sorry—”
“So…,” she drew out, interrupting me. “You think my brother’s hot?”
“Shh. I did, not since he called me lacking. In fact, now he just annoys me. He’ll never be hot in my eyes again.”
“Uh-huh.” She winked.
“Seriously.”
“Sure.” She gave me the thumbs-up.
Rolling my eyes, I said, “None of that matters anyway. We’re not talking about it any longer since I’m leaving.” I leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Enjoy your night and have a drink for me—”
“Hold up,” Clinton said, dragging our attention his way. I gasped and stepped back.
Oh. My. God.
Chapter
Four
Clinton Dilmun was down on one knee with a jewelry box in his hand. He held it up to his long-time girlfriend, Molly. Molly had her hand over her heart and tears glistening in her eyes. Warmth hit my back, and in my ear was whispered, with a gruff tone, “Now you’ll have to stay to celebrate.”
The man behind me seemed to like to think he could order me around. Well, I had news for him. “I’ll be staying, but not because you said to. Instead, it’s because I want to.”
It was then I heard his low chuckle, and it sent a shiver throughout my body. I quickly stepped away. I couldn’t afford to have any type of reaction to the man who was my boss, and my best friend’s brother. Also a man who was already taken. The last part was the most important one.
Cheers went up around me, and it was then I realized I’d missed the whole proposal, all because of the stupid man on my mind. I turned to glare at him. His eyes were on me and he winked.
The gall.
Raising my upper lip at him caused him to throw his head back and laugh.
I was soon wrapped in arms by a screaming Molly. “I’m engaged.”
A smile lit my face. Her excitement was contagious. We jumped around in a circle, gushing over the thrill and ring.
“Hey, waiter,” I heard Mr. High call. “Drinks around the table, all on my son-in-law. It’s time to celebrate.”
Clinton stepped up and tucked Molly under his arm as others congratulated them. I took a seat next to Mr. High, and then to my horror, Mr. Salvatore sat next to me, while Clinton and Molly took up the next couple of seats at his side. My brows dipped. Where had Debra gone?
It was Grayson, from across the table, who voiced my question. “Your date seems to have disappeared.”
Mr. Salvatore grunted, which Grayson smirked at. I turned my attention to the menu since it seemed my boss wasn’t going to actually reply with a proper answer about why his date left. My stomach growled as I eyed the list of food. In the end, I narrowed it down between steak with salad or the mushroom chicken and salad.
“Adalyn, wasn’t it?” Mr. High called beside me.
Glancing at him, I smiled.
“Yes.”
“So tell me. How did Vice find your services lacking?”
“Dad!” Lori scolded.
“Come on, Jellybean, we all want to know.”
“He’s right, babe,” Dylan said.
Grayson and Kenzie talked quietly, but their eyes were on me. My so-called friends were in their own world on the other side of Mr. Salvatore. Though, I couldn’t blame them.
Since I was on my own, I told Mr. High, “I work in one of his stores, and he came in pretending to be a customer. I answered every question he asked, but apparently, I didn’t do a good job of it.”
Mr. Salvatore scoffed at my side. “If you had met my gaze and didn’t mutter through everything, I wouldn’t have had a problem.”
Spinning to face him, I glared at his smirk and said, “I didn’t mutter.”
“You did.”
“Well, maybe if you hadn’t of been a big, scary ass, I—”
“Boss,” Mr. High coughed into his fist. “Damn, that seemed familiar.” He looked to Kenzie, who rolled her eyes.
Bugger, he was right. I couldn’t call my boss an ass even if he deserved it.
“Anyway. It won’t happen again.” I grabbed a roll out of the basket in front of me and broke it apart like I was breaking the arm which was heating my back on the top of my chair.
What was Mr. Salvatore’s game? To unnerve me? Well, he couldn’t.
Grinding my teeth, I slapped some butter on my roll, squished it together and bit into it with a grumble under my breath about how stupid jerks smelt divine. Then again, I was sure most men from hell would smell tempting.
There were a couple of chuckles around me. One from the man I was trying to ignore beside me. I glanced at him and with a mouthful, asked, “What? Do you find my eating lacking also?” He probably had a problem with how I ate or the fact I ate at all. Especially if Debra was the type he usually went for.
“Not at all,” he answered.
“I’m not lacking in any area,” I stated with a huff. I placed the rest of my roll down so I could turn toward him and cross my arms. Why I was arguing about it there in front of everyone I didn’t know. But the word lacking had hit hard.
“Really?” he queried. His lips trembled like he wanted to smile because he found me amusing.
I wasn’t being funny.
The man before me got on my nerves.
“Yes, really.”
“Then why wouldn’t you look at me in the store, until of course at the end, when you became angry with me.”
Rolling my eyes, I snorted and waved my hand aimlessly in the air. “No reason, nothing really.”
“Then I guess you lack at telling the truth.” He smirked like he’d won a round of boxing. I opened my mouth to tell him where he could shove the word lacking when Grayson cleared his throat.
“As entertaining as this argument is, I think it’s time to order,” Grayson announced.
I clapped, pointed to the man across from me, and said, “That’s a grand idea.”
Kenzie and Lori giggled. Dylan was smiling
while Mr. High chuckled, and my old friends down the end were looking at me and grinning like they were enjoying a show.
When the waiter finally arrived, and after we ordered, Molly stole Mr. Salvatore’s attention, which I was grateful for since he turned their way and dropped his arm from behind my chair. I used the time to get to know the rest at the table. They were amazing people, full of happy and laughable moments. Especially when I heard about Kenzie on cough medicine. Eventually we got on the subject of their children, Noah was two and Makala was one. I mentioned my divorce and then Drew. I didn’t realize, as I was telling them my life story, the people to my right had grown silent and were also listening.
“Why would your dick of an ex leave a lovely lady like yourself?” Mr. High asked.
“Dad, you can’t ask things like that.” Kenzie jumped in.
His head jerked back. “Why not?”
“It’s private. Don’t mind him. He didn’t take his not-to-be-nosy meds tonight.”
Mr. High groaned. Honestly, there was no shame in the answer to his question. It was plain and simple. My ex left me for a younger, skinnier woman.
John had been the first to find me lacking.
Lacking enough to leave me.
He’d been gone for two years, yet it still hurt to think I wasn’t enough for such a douchebag. He wasn’t perfect either, but did I tell him about his flaws? No, I hadn’t because I wasn’t such a mean person.
Then again, John hadn’t been mean throughout our relationship. We’d had happy times. Many of them. Except toward the end.
Honestly, instead of reliving the pain associated with the word lacking, I should think myself lucky. I had been married to a man who was so self-centered. A man who couldn’t love me for who I was, no matter the shape I was in.
Yes, I was better off without a man like that in my life.
Pasting a smile on my face, I shrugged and glanced down to my watch. “Maybe another time I’ll tell you, Mr. High, but for now, I really must be going.”
No doubt Drew would be waiting up for me since it was Friday, even though I’d warned him not to be tired for his first basketball game. As I stood, Mr. High’s hand landed on mine and gave it a squeeze. I sent him a warm smile and moved around my chair to push it into the table. Digging through my bag, I grabbed my purse and pulled it free.