She sticks her bottom lip out in a pout. “I was hoping we could hang out.”
“I have plans,” I state, reaching out and taking a drink of my water. It’s amazing that I haven’t had an alcoholic drink in over a week.
“With who?”
“Since when do you care who I spend my time with?” I ask. When April mentioned Jimmy ordering flowers for Lucy, I hoped that meant they were fucking, and she’d get off my back, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
She averts her eyes to the table. “Well, I was talking to Trey, and he said that you paid off a debt for a guy. And that you asked Tanner to leave his sister alone.”
I roll my eyes.Fucking Trey.He can’t keep a secret to save his life. That’s another reason I quit hanging out with him. “That doesn’t concern you,” I state.
Instead of getting mad, she reaches out to stroke my arm.
I pull away. “I need to get going.”
She digs into her shorts pocket and produces a pill bottle that I know contains ecstasy. The same one from the night in her penthouse after we gambled here. “I wanted to party with you tonight.”
I shake my head. “Can’t.” My cell vibrates again, and I pull it out.
It’s a picture from April. Opening it up, I see her standing in front of a full-length mirror wearing a little black dress and blackheels. She has the front of her hair up in a high ponytail, and the rest flows down in soft curls. Her makeup is just how I love it—heavy black liner framing her eyes, and her lips painted a dark, sultry shade.
“Do you love her?” Lucy asks.
I tear my eyes from the picture to meet Lucy’s gaze. She looks like she hasn’t been to bed yet. She probably hasn’t. Her dark eyes are cloudy, her makeup messy, and I know she’s high. Lucy never goes a day without a fix. Sometimes, it’s just weed, and others, it’s something more.
“I don’t know her,” I lie.I’ve never hidden things from Lucy because we both understand what we are—fuck buddies. Nothing more. So for her to be this concerned about where I’m going tonight and who I’m going with is a gigantic red flag. I won’t give her any reason to confront April. Because that’s exactly what she would do. April already questioned my involvement with Lucy in my office today. I don’t want Lucy going to her and saying something that could cause problems.
“Have you fucked her?”
“Jesus, Lucy.” I scoot my chair back from the table. “That is none of your business.”
She doesn’t look the least bit angry. Drugs will do that to you. Numb you to everything. I know. That’s why I did it. I stand and reach for the glass of water on the table and down what’s left of it, needing to get the fuck out of here.
“Hey, man,” Trey says, pocketing his cell as he comes back into the room, “the kid is fighting here tonight.”
I grind my teeth and glance at my watch. “What time?” I have an hour before I pick up April.
“Seven.”
I nod and sit back down. “I want him in here the moment he arrives,” I snap. I’m going to beat his ass before he even enters the ring. He will not take drugs from me. He will not be doingdrugs at all. I won’t allow him to do that to April. She has enough going on.
“So… you’re staying?” Lucy asks, her voice full of excitement.
“Not for you,” I growl, my previous good mood gone to shit.
APRIL
I pace myliving room, my eyes on the clock hanging on the wall. Two hours late. Not a single call. Not even a reply to the picture I sent him. One minute, Grave was talking to me, and the next, he just vanished. I’ve never been ghosted before, but I’m pretty sure this is what it’s like.
I haven’t called his cell once.
I’m furious. So fucking pissed that he stood me up.
And that I fell for it in the first place. Things were going well, right? Did I say or do something that made me look desperate? Or in love? What could have scared him off? He’s been just as clingy as I have and seemed genuinely interested. I’ve been blown off before, and he never once made me feel unwanted or gave off vibes that he needed space. I would have backed off and given it to him.
Did I say something last night while I was drunk? Honestly, the night is blurry. I remember his fight. Me being turned on. The drinks. Then I went home with him. Gave him head. After that, shit gets foggy. So I could have said something to him, but wouldn’t he have mentioned that to me this morning when he woke me up and kissed me goodbye? Why make plans if he wasn’t going to show?
That can’t be it. He seemed fine at lunch today. I brought up Lucy, though. So fucking stupid of me! I should have just let it go. But, again, he seemed fine. He fucked me right there on hisdesk. We had lunch and then he walked me down to my car. Kissed me goodbye with a promise to see me tonight for dinner.
