My breath caught.
Mack laughed, and I hated him a little more. I felt sort of dumb because almost everyone else here had a specialty, or they were a bit famous, like Fallon Maher. He was a fighter who had been on TV and everything.
“Uh, I’m a lookout, usually. And I can do anything I’m asked to do,” I murmured. Legend leaned closer, probably so he could hear me, and I wanted to crawl under the table.
He crossed his arms and a stern expression settled onto his face. “Go out to the table on the balcony.” He pointed across the room toward a set of glass doors. “Now. You didn’t listen to me last night, and I mean to have a word with you about it.”
Cillian shot to his feet and glared at me like he was going to punt me so hard that I would fly across the ocean and land at home. “Mr. Sweeney, if one of me men did something they shouldn’t’ve without me knowing—”
“I’m not talking to you,” Legend said, and this time he did remind me of Mr. Killough. The room went deadly silent. “Keep pushing around ideas for nabbing those men.”
Mack kicked my shin, and I winced, shooting to my feet. I walked across the room and tried not to look like I was running but wasn’t sure I succeeded. I rushed out through the sliding glass door onto the balcony, and a strong breeze slammed hot, humid air directly into my face. I had trouble breathing for a second at the shift in temperature and my clothes began to stick to my skin with sweat. Jesus, how was this place hotter than Miami?
The table out here was nice, made of glass and steel, and the matching chairs were topped with cushions that appeared comfortable, but I was full of too much nervous energy to sit. I walked over to the railing and stared out at the glittering waves of the ocean. Maybe what I was looking at was a bay—I wasn’t exactly up on nautical terms—but it was beautiful. I guessed this was a good place to die. Groaning, I gave in and buried my face in my hands. What the hell had I been thinking last night?
Why couldn’t I let it all go? I wasn’t pretty anymore, didn’t look the way I wished I did, and if I hadn’t been so hell bent on tryingone more timeto be someone I no longer was, then none of this would’ve happened.
Fuck.
The sliding glass door opened, and a deep chuckle sent shivers racing across my skin. The sound of the door firmly closing made my heart race. We were alone out here. I glanced toward the glass doors, but the guys weren’t visible from this angle. I dropped my hands and stared out at the water again, squinting against the bright morning sunshine.
Footsteps stopped directly behind me, and I refused to allow my shoulders to curl forward because I wasn’t ashamed of who I was on the inside—even if it might get me killed.
“You ran off on me.” His warm breath gusted into my ear.
I shivered and grasped the railing. My fake confidence held up and I forced a shrug. “When I chose that club, I didn’t realize you owned it, sir.” Humiliation burned through me. “I get that when you started dancing with me, you were probably just trying to make sure the people in your place had a good time. I know you wouldn’t have decided to do it if you’d seen my face first. I won’t say anything about what happened. Please don’t tell them what you saw me wearing. I’m not ashamed,” I said, spinning around. I swallowed hard. “But it could cause problems with some of the guys. It’s none of their business.” I wanted to be brave, but I couldn’t look him in the eye. Instead, I forced myself to stare at his left ear. He was stubborn, though, and tilted his head until his gaze clashed with mine.
How far was it to the ground from here? Could I dive over the edge of the balcony and hope for the best? I could probably handle a six-foot drop.
He whistled a long, drawn-out note.
I had no idea what that meant. My hands squeezed into fists and I couldn’t uncurl them.
“You didn’t stay put when I told you to, and apparently you aren’t a very good lookout.” He smirked and drifted closer, bringing the scent of his cologne with him. The masculine aroma made my ab muscles clench. He smelled the same as last night, and the delicious cologne sent my mind screaming toward one thing—spreading my legs for him.
Fuck, he’d just insulted me. Anger made me clear my throat and stand at my full height, which wasn’t anything compared to his. Yeah, maybe my job wasn’t the most glamorous one, but it was important.
I glared. “I’m good at what I do.”
“Really?”
I nodded.
“Well,” he said, leaning down close to my face. “You didn’t seem to catch on that I wanted to tear that silk in two to get at the pretty man underneath.” He tugged on the top button of my shirt and my groin tightened. “I thought you were more observant than that, little Lolly, because you teased yourself so nicely against me, exactly how I wanted it.”
My cock tingled at the hot look he gave me, and I scowled. “Why are you calling me that?”
Stepping forward, he buried his face against my neck, and I gasped.
“Just what I thought. You still smell a bit like expensive sweets. That’s why.” He brushed his nose along my jaw, and I trembled because I didn’t know the rules of this game. Was I allowed to shove him away... or drag him closer?
“I showered. You can’t be smelling my perfume,” I whispered, horrified. What if the other guys had noticed anything like that on the drive over here?
He grinned. “You’re also in trouble.”
Rage powered through me all over again. “I’m here for a job. I wouldn’t have left until you said I could go if I’d known who you were, but you weren’t the boss of me last night.”
“But I was,” he said, amusement dancing in his eyes.
