“Shh!” Esma’s eyes go comically wide, and she glances around frantically, looking scandalized. “Everyone knows, but it’s better left unspoken.”
I frown, not understanding that convoluted logic. If everyone knows, that means someone spoke about it, and that someone told someone else, and so on. Isn’t that how rumors usually spread?
Before I can point out this obvious flaw, an uninvited guestslides into our booth next to Esma, shoving her deeper into the seat with the force of his entry. My irritation flares instantly. Messy brown hair, dark eyes, slimy smirk.
Great. Just what this evening needed.
“Hi, beautiful.” He winks at me like he’s God’s gift to womankind.
Disgust curls my lip as I turn to Esma. “Hey, are you okay?”
“Yes–yes, I’m fine.” She pushes herself back into a proper sitting position from where she’d sprawled onto her elbow.
“Oh, sorry about that. Didn’t mean to push you quite so hard,” the unwelcome intruder says, though there’s zero apology in his tone.
Asshole.
“It’s fine,” Esma insists, waving it off.
“Perfect.” He redirects his full attention to me, sliding a glass of something amber across the table towards me. “Want to come back to my room with me?”
I push it back towards him, some of the liquid sloshing over the rim. “No, thank you.” There’s no universe where I’m accepting an open drink from a creep—who knows what he could have slipped into it?
His easy demeanor fades, replaced by an ugly scowl. “No?”
My brows pull together as I fight to swallow the sarcastic definition of ‘no’ building in my throat. “Yeah, sorry. I’m not into?—”
He scoffs. “Not into one-night stands? What, you want a relationship or something?”
Is this guy obtuse? “I don’t even know you, so no, I definitely don’t want a relationship. Can you just leave? You’re interrupting our conversation.”
He spares a glance at Esma, who’s trying to discreetly shake her head at me, then looks back. “You’re tellingmeto leave? Do you know who I am?”
My eyes roll towards the ceiling in pure exasperation. “Idon’t give a shit who you are. I just want to drink my wine in peace.”
A flash of movement catches my peripheral vision, and before I can think better of it, I turn towards it. Roan.
He’s pulled off the tie holding his hair up and is shaking his head in what looks like relief, sending glinting red curls bouncing down his neck in mesmerizing waves.
Oh God.
My lips part as I watch him absently run his fingers through those curls while continuing his conversation with the man across from him. His eyes find mine mid-sentence, but he keeps talking without missing a beat.
Fuck, why is that so hot? Why is he so fucking hot?
A derisive snort drags my attention back to my booth. “You have your sights set on Roan, is that it? Lofty ambitions for a bitch like you, but everyone knows he doesn’t fuck the help—which is what you are.”
This asshole’s still here?
My jaw clenches, patience officially depleted. “I’d rather be the help than a limp-dicked asshole who apparently can’t comprehend the meaning ofno.” I toss the rest of my wine back like a shot, done with this bar for tonight. I won’t be able to gather any useful information with Roan present anyway.
“You fucking?—”
I raise a hand to cut him off. “Yeah, yeah, I get it.” I turn to Esma. “I’m leaving.”
She waves me off. “I’m good here. I’ll be alright.”
I hesitate, but ultimately shrug. Not my business if she decides to linger with trash like this guy. I should’ve just slipped out of the estate tonight to chase leads on my sister instead of wasting my time here.
