Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 83550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
My shift passes quickly with two more performances. After wiping off the heavy makeup, Lavender Smoke disappears, and Holland Tate is once again back in charge.
“See you this weekend,” Rocco says as I slip past him. “Don’t get into too much trouble.”
“I’ll try not to,” I say with a chuckle.
“Need an escort to your car?”
I shake my head. “Nah. It’s all good.”
As I push through the exit into the cool night air, another wave of unease washes over me, and I sweep my gaze over the dimly lit parking lot. Maybe I should have taken Rocco up on his offer. Another step and I sense his presence before I spot his familiar broad-shouldered frame half-hidden against the wall, lurking in the shadows.
I falter as my eyes widen.
He’s the last person I expected to find loitering outside the Envy Room.
“Bridger?” His name comes out on a gasp as he saunters closer. His gaze is sharp and intense. The smirk that tugs at his mouth is more dangerous than any offer I’ve received tonight. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Funny. I was just about to ask you the same question,” he says, glancing at the building. “Interesting choice of side job.”
I force my pulse to settle, and roll my eyes. “Don’t you dare judge me. Not when you’re lurking around here like some kind of creeper.”
“Oh, I’m not judging,” he says, stepping closer and lowering his voice. “Just wondering what else you might be hiding.”
“For fuck’s sake, are we back to that again? Do you really think I have the time or interest to waste on you?” I sneer. “Seriously. Get over yourself.”
“If you’re not the one behind it, why are you so defensive?” He closes the distance between us, and his scent surrounds me. Sandalwood and cedar, a combination so familiar it sends a pang straight through my chest.
“You’re unbelievable,” I shoot back.
“And you’re hiding something,” he snaps.
The heavy silence that stretches between us is thick with unspoken words. I can’t help but watch him warily as my heart pounds with an intensity I refuse to acknowledge.
He’s not just under my skin.
He’s tangled in every thought and feeling.
Impossible to shake loose or pretend he doesn’t exist.
Only now am I able to admit it to myself.
My breath hitches when he reaches out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. I freeze as his gaze drops to my mouth. That’s all it takes for memories of what happened at the library to surface.
Just when I think he might lean in and kiss me, I take a quick step in retreat. “Go to hell. I’m out of here.”
“Not so fast, Tate. We have more to discuss.”
“Wanna bet?”
He smiles, and his teeth flash in the darkness. “Actually, I do.”
I straighten to my full height and glare at him. I’m almost afraid to ask, but I just want to get it over with. “Okay then, spill.”
He swallows up the small bit of distance I managed to put between us. “You and I are going to be spending a lot more time together.”
I blink, thrown off by the response. “Excuse me?”
“I want you with me 24/7.”
A gurgle of panicked laughter spills from my lips as I cross my arms over my chest. “You’re actually crazy. Why would I agree to something so insane?”
“Because,” he says, voice dropping, “if you don’t, your little secret won’t be so secret anymore. My personal details won’t be the only ones flying across campus.”
My mouth falls open as I stare at him. Rage bubbles beneath my skin as his words sink in. I can’t resist calling his bluff. “You wouldn’t.”
He raises a brow. “Eager to test that theory?”
Fuck.
“You’re a real asshole, know that?” I growl.
“Actually, I do.”
It’s so damn tempting to flip him off and walk away, but he’s seen too much, and if he tells anyone…
I don’t even want to think about it.
How I choose to support myself is no one else’s business but my own.
I swallow hard and square my shoulders. “What, exactly, does ‘24/7’ mean?”
A slow grin curves his lips. “It means you’re with me, at my side and in my bed, so I can keep tabs on you. If you’re not the one behind the messages, it shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
“I already told you that I don’t have anything to do with them.”
He studies me, doubt flickering in his eyes before his expression hardens. “Then prove it.”
With a scowl, I toss my hands up. “How am I supposed to do that?”
“By helping me find the one who’s been making my life hell,” he says, his gaze steady and unyielding. “Work with me instead of against me. Think you can do that for a change?”
I release an unsteady breath and contemplate my options. What I really want to do is tell him to go fuck himself, but he’s got me cornered. And by the look in his eyes, the bastard knows it.