The first thing I note before I ever walk through the door is a particularly bright illumination that seems to be taking over the place. The second and far more important thing I note is the shining jewel that stole my heart.
“Of all the Luck!” A grin takes over my face as I head her way with a spring in my step.
Lucky bubbles with laughter and comes around the counter with her arms held wide, a mile-wide smile of her own on her face.
And just as I’m about to dive over to her with all of my affection, Jet comes out with a cameraman by his side, a sound man holding a boom stick, and two burly women carrying glorified lamps on a stick.
“He’ll have to sign a release,” someone murmurs from behind.
Jet growls over at me as Lucky slips my way, her tits bouncing side to side like a metronome. One more second and Lucky is going to stick her landing, and just like that, I take a careful step out of her way.
Shit.
“Hey, kiddo.” I slap her five and mock shoot her like a grade A asshole. “How’s my little buddy?” Little buddy?
Lucky opens her mouth and hacks out a partial laugh, but that look on her face lets me know she’s indignant.
Jet slaps me over the back. “You better not be shitting me. You’re not into my baby sister, are you?” He sounds playful enough, but there’s a growl layered just underneath that spells out a broken leg or two.
Lucky lifts her chin as if daring me to tell the truth. But my gut clenches and I can’t stand the fact that I’m about to tell her how I feel in this environment in front of strangers and her menace of a brother.
“Nope.” I look right at her as if I can’t break my spell. “Not the least. We’re just friends and hardly that. She’s got thorns and horns, and I’m not looking to get chewed up and spit out.”Look at me, Lucky. You know I don’t mean it. This is our thing. We throw barbs at each other for the hell of it.
Lucky’s brows rise. Her fists spike into her hips. Her expression is wild and erratic, and now I’m in for it. Lucky has gone through a lot in her life. She’s dealt with enough rejection for me to know that she doesn’t need another ounce of it—especially not coming from me. I should have bucked up. Taken that tackle hug—and the inevitable sucker punch from her brother like a man, but that camera, that demonic look on Jet’s face… Truth be told, the dude can’t handle it. I’ve got to figure out a way to break it to him gently. I am no longer the man for the job he’s paying me to do.
Jet slaps me five, hard and stinging, and pulls me in, pointing to my face while looking into the camera. “This right here is my boy.” My bitch. That’s the version I heard. “Come on in the back.” He glances over to Lucky. “Man the fort, would you? We’ve got business to conduct.”
Shit. Please, God, don’t let him open that pie trap and spill all of the rotten beans for Lucky to slip and break her heart on. Even if she’s not as into me as I am her, just hearing that I was paid to keep idiots away from her might set off the bomb that is Lucky Madden.
Jet speeds us to the back, to the exact room where this tatted up beast, who looks as if he’s weight trained in prison, once held my Johnson in the palm of his hand. I’m still sick when I think about it.
“Take a seat,” he orders and I comply, sitting on the edge of the very same table I was on a few weeks back. Swear to God, if he goes for my buckle, I’m going to start throwing punches.
“How are things going with...” He nods toward the door at what I’m assuming is Lucky.
“Great.” I give a nervous glance to the camera with its ominous red light, letting me know our every move is being recorded for posterity—for who and what I have no idea.
“Good.” He slaps me five, and I feel a wad of cash getting passed to me in a discreet manner, as discreet as one can get with a floodlight and four witnesses in your face. “Let’s keep up the good work.” He wraps a hand over my shoulder and turns to face the cameras. “This guy is my right-hand man. He takes care of the things I can’t. Making sure my greatest treasure stays protected.” He pulls me in and turns us seemingly out of range of the watchful eye of the camera. “She’s chirping out there. Something is up. That girl is never this happy. Hell, she’s not happy. It’s not her style. Get to the bottom of this. I want this idiot who’s plastered that smile on her face brought to his knees. Get him out of her face, would you?”
Nice. Jet Madden might just be the only brother on the planet who would rather his sister wallow in misery. He’s a real piece of work.
I glance back at the camera and smirk. Reality TV. Nothing real is happening here today. “You bet, boss.” I shake his hand, my dead stare needling into his. I’m pissed that he chose to do this in front of a questionable viewing public. It’s not fair to Lucky, and it’s not fair to me.
I head back out to the front, and I’m met with Daisy instead of Lucky.
“Where did she go?”
Daisy shakes her head just barely as if she’s not willing to say a word, especially around her beefed-up boyfriend.
“Lucky had a test to study for.” Her affect brightens once the camera shines its day-glow light in her face.
“Got it.” My heart sinks because I do have it. My little two-step away from Lucky hurt her, and all because I didn’t want to take Jet down on camera.
I head for the exit, and Jet calls my name.
“Next Saturday night!” he calls after me. “Be here for the taping of the finale. We’re throwing a party. Free food. It’s just friends and family.”
Lucky is Jet’s family.
