He lets go of her hair and trails his finger down her neck. “I don’t know. I’ve heard pussy comes pretty cheap.”
“Not the good ones.”
“Hey, Derek?” a guy shouts from the end of the bar. “Where’s my beer?”
Derek ignores him as he focuses on Jasmine. It’s like they’re in a staring contest. Whoever looks away first will lose.
“Let’s just say our opinions differ on what’s good,” he finally says before pulling away from her and delivering the beer.
“What was that about?” Alexa asks Jasmine, wide-eyed.
I’m confused too after that exchange.
“I have to go,” Jasmine states, picking up her clutch. “We’ll do lunch next week.” Then she walks away without another word.
“Derek,” Alexa calls out to him.
“Busy,” he shouts back from the other end.
Alexa shifts her gaze to me and raises a brow. “Was it just me, or do they have something going on?”
I’m not sure what that was. I don’t think they have a thing, but Derek wouldn’t turn her down if he got the chance. “Don’t ask me. That entire conversation confused me.”
TEN
GRAVE
I’M SITTING AT my desk when my office phone rings. I pick it up. “Hello?”
“Sir,” Nigel speaks. “Someone named Natalie is down here asking to speak to you.”
“Send her up,” I order, then hang up the phone. I close out the emails on my computer and stand from my desk. I walk over to my door and open it just as she storms in with her head down, her hair covering her face. She’s dressed in a pair of shorts and an overly large t-shirt with tennis shoes.
“Hey.” I run a hand through my hair. “I don’t have much time.” I’ve got a meeting with the Kings and Luca in twenty minutes. I can’t miss it. I can’t even afford to be a second late.
“I understand.” She sniffs. “I can go.”
She turns to leave, but I grab her upper arm, pulling her to a stop. “I’ve got time. Just not a lot. What is it?”
She looks up at me and her hair falls away from her face, revealing a black eye.
I sigh, running a hand down my face. “Did Randy do this to you?”
She wraps her arms around her chest and nods once. “He came over last night to pick up Brent. I had a man over. Things got heated.”
“And he still managed to touch you with a man there?” The motherfucker didn’t try to stop him?
“Yeah, he told my company to get the fuck out and he ran.”
My jaw tightens. “Give me Randy’s address.”
Her eyes widen. “No, Grave. That’s not why I came here.”
“Then why?”
“I was wondering if you could contact that judge?” She licks her busted lip. “See if he could help?”
I place my hands on either side of her face. “I’ll take care of it.”
