That jerk.
“Aria! Wait.” Drakos bears down on me with determination in his steely gaze. I firmly stand my ground. I will not let this asshole intimidate me. He stops in front of me and perches his hands on his hips. He raises his chin belligerently.
“What? I haven’t demoralized you enough, and you’re coming back for more punishment?” Much to my surprise, he doesn’t flinch. Instead, he looks me up and down as if sizing up an opponent for the first time. I’m puzzled, but I maintain my hostility. It’s wise to never let my guard down around a guy who’d love nothing more than to destroy me and my career.
“You have a kid?” He sounds incredulous, and I’m rightfully insulted.
“So what if I do?” Everything inside me grows cold. I desperately search his face for a clue as to how much he knows, but all I see is disgust.
“God pity that poor boy having to live with someone like you.”
I barely hear him over the pounding of my heart. I gasp for a breath and try to formulate an attack plan. From the look on his face, it’s apparent he hasn’t made the connection. Reed is a somewhat common last name, and he met my sister in Vegas, a place I’ve never lived.
“Better than a child being subjected to living with an asshole like you,” I shoot back, and immediately regret my words. Any hint that he might be Noah’s father is reckless. He might’ve signed away his rights, but that doesn’t preclude him from making my life a living hell if he finds out the truth, which he never will. He doesn’t deserve to know his son.
“I’d be a far better father than a tight-ass, vindictive witch like you. At least I’d be fun.”
Fury rages inside me, and I do something I’ve never done before in my life. I slap him. Hard. He’s surprised but doesn’t move. In fact, he’s still like a statue, and I’m immediately worried. What if he does something to me in this deserted hallway? Almost everyone has left for the night, and I don’t know if anyone would hear my screams.
“Feel better now?” he asks with a tense smile.
“Way better.” My voice shakes, betraying how concerned I am. His anger fades, and his face clouds with unreadable emotions.
“I’ll give you that one because I’m a nice guy, but if you value your job, I wouldn’t do it again. The owners tend to ban people who assault their players.”
“I—shouldn’t have done that.”
“I’ll accept your apology.”
“That wasn’t an apology, more like a regret I lost my temper.”
“Good, I hope you felt a measure of gratification, since I doubt you’ve ever gotten that from a man.”
“If I haven’t, it’s the man’s fault.”
He throws back his head and laughs, shocking me to my core. “If I didn’t hate you so much, I might actually like you.”
“I’d prefer you didn’t.”
“You have nothing to worry about. My dislike is bone deep.”
“You have a perfectly crappy night.” I punch the button on the elevator and hope it arrives quickly. “If I’m lucky, your boa will strangle the life out of you.”
“Now that’s harsh.” He fakes being wounded, and I have to bite back a laugh. The last thing I’ll ever do around this guy is fall prey to his charm. And as much as I despise the very ground he walks on, I hate to admit that I’m a woman, and he is an attractive, alluring man.
Under different circumstances, I’d?—
I squelch that line of thinking. The elevator door slides open, and gratefully I enter. The doors close on him, but not before I catch one last look at his face. The anger has been replaced by curiosity, as if he’s wondering what makes me tick.
He shouldn’t waste his time. I’m not sure myself. Besides, I never should’ve resorted to physical violence. It’s not like me, and it’s highly unprofessional, no matter how much of an ass he is.
I exit the elevator and hurry across the empty parking garage. I glance around nervously. I hate being in dark spaces like this with no one else around. I might appear to be tough, but inside, I’m not.
I suck in a breath as a scruffy young man holding a paper bag hurries toward me. I fumble for my keys and drop them.
“You got any money?” he asks as he approaches and kicks my keys out of the way. They skid under a nearby car. I glance around desperately for a weapon but find none. I smell the alcohol on his breath and note his dilated eyes. Booze isn’t the only thing he’s been imbibing tonight.
“I don’t have any cash on me,” I answer truthfully. I rarely carry cash because I rarely have any extra left over after my basic needs are met until my sister’s estate is settled. She died without a will. Now that the shock has worn off, I’m trying to figure out what she left for Noah.
