He leans over, and I find myself pulling back a little as his smell grows stronger. I’m glad I’m already sitting because it would make me weak in the knees. He whispers, “Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean that it’s not going on.” Then his eyes slide over to Shanna, who stands behind the counter. She is staring right at Case, and the moment he looks at her, she looks away and pretends to be cleaning the counter.

“She …?”

He cuts me off. “… is no different than anyone else. Everyone has a drug of choice.” He shrugs casually as he leans back in his seat. His already tight black shirt pulls against his chest, and I can make out the hard muscles. I can see why she was staring. That tightness returns to my legs.

I lift my eyes to his dark blue ones. “I’ve never done a drug a day in my life,” I grind out between clenched teeth, angry with myself. You’re letting him get to you.

“Noted,” he says with amusement, a smile tugging at his lips. He reaches up and runs his hand slowly down the side of his face and chin, the sound of his facial hair scratching his hand has me grinding my teeth together. He is so sexy. And I am so stupid! “Anyway, that works in your favor,” he says, and I blink a few times to clear my mind. “My employees are tested. If you can’t pass a drug test, you can’t work for me.”

“I find that hard to believe.” Also ironic. He can sell drugs in his club, but no one can actually do them.

“Well, you don’t have an addiction, so it won’t be a problem for you anyway.” He smiles brightly, showing off his beautiful white teeth again. He looks like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The devil disguised as an angel. He may look beautiful, but he isn’t going to fool me. He has something up his sleeve. Maybe he wants to keep me close so he can keep an eye on me? Knowing I might be trouble for his business?

“Did my brother put you up to this?” He had spoken to Blane; maybe this was all his idea.

He tilts his head to the side in thought. “No.” His deep voice speaks the word roughly, and it makes my arms break out in goosebumps. I’ve never known a man to have so much authority in such a simple word.

I shake my head at myself. “Just last week, you threatened me. Then my house gets broken into and then you offer me a job.” I raise an eyebrow in question. “You expect me to believe none of this has to do with you?”

His eyes roam my face as if he’s trying to choose the right words. “Let me prove it to you,” he finally answers.

I wasn’t expecting that. “Prove what?” I ask skeptically.

“That I’m not the bad guy you think I am,” he says simply. And I hate how those words sound. It sounded innocent, but I know the truth. He is using my brother, and he wants to use me as well. He’s just afraid I’ll get in my brother’s way of doing his dirty work for him.

“Thanks.” I stand up, tossing the card onto the table. “But you already proved you were the bad guy when you threatened me.” I go to walk away, but he reaches over and grabs my hand, stopping me. It’s the second time he’s touched me. The first time was when I tried to leave his office. He had been rough and angry, and I had been terrified. But this time, he’s softer. Is it because we are in public?

My eyes lower as I look down at his hand grabbing my wrist. The bright blue ink ends at his wrists. I can see the top of a name but the black band of his watch covers the lower half of it. My eyes make their way up as I trace the blue tribal work and come to more writing on his forearm. Let go of today. Hold on to hope for tomorrow. It makes me feel sad for this guy. What kind of childhood did he have? Did his parents do drugs like my father did? Some people just can’t escape their past. Maybe this life was inevitable for him.

“Think about it,” he says bringing me out of my thoughts. With his free hand, he picks the card up from the table and places it in my hand. Then he lets go and walks out the front door with a smirk on his handsome face.

***

I place the car in park in my driveway and get out with a heavy sigh. I’m exhausted. I worked another double today, and my feet and back hurt. Throwing my purse over my shoulder, I walk into the house. My tired legs stumble to a stop when I see Blane and Savannah cuddling on the black leather couch.

“Hey, princess,” Savannah says smiling up at me. Her blond hair is down, and her face is free of makeup. “You okay?” she asks frowning when I don’t return it.

I nod. “Just tired.” I point at the couch. “Where did that come from?”

“Case brought it over today,” Blane answers, lifting a beer to his mouth. He doesn’t bother to look away from the TV that I’m also guessing Case brought over since ours was destroyed in the break-in.

“Case?” I ask skeptically.

Savannah nods. “Yeah, he brought a few things over today.” She points a finger behind her to the kitchen. “He brought some plates and glassware. He said he knew someone who had some extra stuff lying around and they weren’t using it.”

“I bet he did,” I mumble. The guy was just making his rounds today. He’s trying to butter everyone up so I’ll be the only one to hate him. I open my mouth to tell them about him coming by to see me today, but I decide against it. It’s none of their business. Blane knows how I feel about him, and if I tell them he came to offer me a job, it will just make him look better. “Is anyone else thinking guilty conscience?” I ask placing my hand on my hip.

Blane doesn’t even bother to answer that question or even look at me. And that’s fine; I don’t really care to talk to him either.

“He didn’t do it,” Savannah says rolling her eyes in a way that makes her look annoyed I could even think that. “But he said he is gonna ask around to see what he can find out. Apparently, he has connections in this town.” Her excitement for Case is annoying.

“And by connections, you mean if someone tries to sell our stolen shit, he will be notified? Since he is into illegal activity in this town,” I say with sarcasm.

“I’m going to bed,” Blane announces flatly as he stands from the couch, clearly still not happy with me. He looks down at Savannah with a cocked eyebrow in question if she’s gonna follow him or not.

“I’ll be right there,” she tells him with a soft smile.

He shrugs his shoulders and mumbles, “Suit yourself,” then he walks out of the living room and down the hall while downing the rest of his beer.

She sighs heavily as she watches him leave the living room. She then looks up at me. “It’s gonna get better.”

“Are you trying to convince yourself or me?” I question.

She runs a hand through her blond hair. “He’s just mad.”

I huff. “Well, so am I. He’s into something that he shouldn’t be in. And our house …” I look around at the black leather couch and matching loveseat. The TV and kitchen … “This guy has us right where he wants us,” I say frustrated.

“Maybe he’s just trying to be a nice guy,” she offers.

I laugh at that. “He takes what is important to us and then replaces it to make himself look better,” I argue. “It’s how he works to gain our trust.”

She stands from the couch and walks over to me. “I’ve never known you to judge someone so much,” she says with a frown.

“And I’ve never known you to bury your head in the sand,” I counter with bite.

She sighs heavily and her shoulders slump. “Taylor, I have been your friend for a very long time and you know that I love you, but I’m also in love with your brother. Please don’t make me pick sides,” she begs softly.

“Don’t worry.” I throw my hands up as I walk past her. I’m tired of this conversation and just tired in general. “I wouldn’t make you choose between the two of us like he is.” And with that, I walk into my bedroom and slam the door shut.

CHAPTER SIX