“You okay?” Rex asked, voice still shaky and rough.
I nodded. “Yeah...he was...” I trailed off, forcing myself to stand straight. “Rex. Thank you. I—”
He cut me off with harsh, cold words. “You should go home before you get yourself into any more trouble.”
Then he turned around and stalked away.
I stood there, staring after him, wondering what in the hell had just happened. Finally, I shook myself out of it, feet prodding down the hall. At the end of it, I searched the crowded room until my gaze latched on to the back of the man as he wound through the throng toward the bar.
For a beat, I contemplated, wondering if it was even worth it. Putting myself out there when he seemed to shut me down at every turn.
It didn’t take long to come to the conclusion.
I followed the same path, angling through the bodies that seemed to grow thicker with each moment that passed.
I came to a stop behind him. He had gone straight for the bar, arms rested on top of it, gesturing with his chin to Ollie. Ollie only gestured back, as if they spoke some sort of secret language, a fresh beer gliding across the shiny dark mahogany and landing in Rex’s grip.
He brought it to his lips and took a deep pull, that strong throat bobbing again. But there was a new kind of agitation that radiated from the movement.
As if he were upset.
I swallowed down my reservations and sidled up to him, wondering what had possessed me. What made it impossible to turn away from this man I barely even knew.
That intrigue grew greater and greater with each glimpse that took me a little deeper.
He exhaled heavily when he realized I was there, taking another sip without looking my way.
“I said thank you,” I reiterated just loud enough to be heard over the din.
He sighed, rubbed his fingertips over those plush lips, and barely cut an eye my direction.
“You’re welcome.” It was gruff. Reluctant.
“Am I?” I challenged.
He coughed out a laugh with a quick shake of his head before he looked at me for a moment. Seriously. Genuinely. “Yeah, you are. Would have preferred to take the fucker out, honestly.”
“Then why are you so pissed at me?”
He sighed again, this time as he scrubbed a hand over his face as he looked straight ahead. “It’s just...let’s just say today’s not the best of days.”
“What happened?”
He flinched, and his trembling hand ran over his short beard. “Some things are better left unsaid, Rynna Dayne. Only thing dragging history out into the open does is remind you just how fucking bad it sucks that there’s not a damned thing in the world you can do to change it.”
I studied him, trying to make sense of what he said, realizing it was a locked door I had no chance of getting through. Instead, I hiked myself up onto the stool.
Ollie’s eyes went wide when he approached, his attention flicking between the two of us as if he were shocked Rex might actually be talking to me.
“What can I get you?” Ollie asked.
“A margarita would be nice.”
Rex and I sat in silence for a few moments, saying nothing while Ollie mixed my drink and placed it in front of me. “Thank you,” I said, taking a sip before I chanced a peek at Rex.
At his profile.
At his nose and his lips and his jaw.
