Taryn winced. “What? No. I’m fine.”
A total lie.
The deskhadbitten her. At least, memories from the old one had.
“Are you sure? I know you were upset last night.”
Taryn had appreciated Dani’s presence last night after Ash left, but she hadn’t told her friend much about what had happened. Mostly, she’d reassured Dani that Ash hadn’t physically harmed her.
If Taryn hadn’t done that, she was sure Dani would have sicced one of the guards on him. It wasn’t often that Dani saw Taryn that shell-shocked.
“I was,” Taryn admitted. “But I’m fine now. Really.” If she repeated it often enough, maybe she’d even believe it. This time it was only half a lie. She had been upset. Still was when she tried to untangle her feelings.
It wasn’t only bad memories that had kept her up. Her mind—and her body—remembered Ash’s every touch. And she was pissed as hell that the past had ruined such a promising encounter.
Taryn thought she’d gotten over her past. Apparently not.
Dani rolled her eyes, a sign she wasn’t buying Taryn’s bullshit.
That was the problem when employees became friends. Not that she regretted a moment of their friendship. Dani had kept her sane in those early days.
“I’ll be watching you.”
Dani’s ferocity made Taryn smile. “You do that.”
With a pointed look to let Taryn know that they weren’t done with that conversation, Dani thankfully changed the subject. “Are you sure you want to go through with this? You can still say no.” She pierced Taryn with a look.
Taryn choked back a laugh. She’d had no plans to say no last night. She cursed the old Jack again. When Dani looked at her funny, she said, “Sorry, just a random thought. Not enough sleep.”
Sobering, she ran her hands through her hair. Her fingers caught on the tangles. “I can’t say no. He’s already paid. Well, he’s paid half the fee.”
“How much?” Dani asked.
“He’s not paying credits,” Taryn said.
“A favor?”
“No. He’s?—”
“Sex?” Dani squawked. “He’s paying you in sex? Was that what last night was about? Did he hurt you? He said he didn’t hurt you.” She lunged out of her chair.
“Dani!” Taryn’s voice was sharp enough to break through the other woman’s muttering and stop her before she reached the door. “Sit back down if you want to continue this conversation.”
Dani sat but didn’t that didn’t stop her rant. “Do you want me to have Daryl, you know, take care of him?”
“Take care of him?” She stared at Dani. “Take care of Ash?”
She didn’t even squirm under Taryn’s gaze. The woman had balls of steel.
“Yeah. Make him disappear. Eliminate him.” She mimed taking a shot.
Taryn’s eyes widened. “I knew what you meant. I just...” She wasn’t sure what to say. “We don’t do that.”
In the five years she’d owned the bar, Taryn had never “disappeared” anyone the way her predecessor had, no matter how much she might have wanted to.
She’d been smart about getting rid of the competition and reinforcing her reputation without leaving a trail of bodies.
Taryn rubbed her eyes again, this time to stave off the headache that was building. “No, we are not going to get rid of Ash. No, he did not hurt me last night.” Dani opened her mouth and Taryn knew what she was going to ask. “No, he’s not paying me in sex. What happened between us was between two consenting adults and has nothing to do with rescuing his sister.”
