“I think you just need to spend some time together,” She shrugs. “I’m not saying give him your story,” Her tone softens, “But Dean isn’t a bad guy, Sloane.”
“I never said he was,” I place my attention back on her.
“Lily is three months old, they’re both struggling to settle into this new normal. Dean needs help. Lily needs the confidence.”
Working with babies and children has always been my dream; I love kids, always have. When my whole life went up in smoke, it was the one thing that was the hardest to let go of. I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to go back to it, and now that it’s being offered to me, I’m hesitant. And I know it’s because it’shim.
The club pumps around me, the music so loud I can barely hear myself think, and the floor beneath the heels I wore tonight sticks, making my steps jerky and awkward. I can’t remember the last time I went out, not since I found out I was being stalked. But I’m in a new city, no one other than Savannah knows who I am, andtheydon’t know I am here. I am safe.
Savannah grasps my hand, leading me toward the roped-off section for the VIP area, a large man guarding the entrance. He looks at Savannah once, nods his head, and then lifts the rope, letting us both through without a single word uttered. We take the steps up to the balcony, and I follow behind her until she comes to a stop at a table already occupied by faces I don’t recognize.
“This is Sloane,” Savannah announces, “She’s the friend I’ve been staying with.”
Almost immediately, the only two women at the table introduce themselves as Willow and Olivia. Their smiles warm and inviting, and then slowly the guys introduce themselves too. There’s Malakai, who exudes this quiet, dangerous authority, and Sebastian, a lightness to him I recognize is hiding something far more sinister. Then Killian, a dark, menacing presence, and last, Dean…
A smile touches his lips, his eyes, dark and unreadable in the club’s shadows, find and hold mine. Usually, I’d feel intimidated, threatened even, but with him, I don’t. I can’t help but hold his stare, matching his smile with one of my own until Savannah nudges my hip, ushering me into the booth. I drop my eyes, my heart speeding up inside my chest when I slide in first, coming up next to him.
When everything happened, when my life was literal hell for months, the specialist told me the person doing this to me would likely be someone unsuspecting, a friend, a family member or even an old boyfriend. It could have been literally anyone from my life who I spoke to every day, who looked at me and smiled and pretended, only to torture me from afar or in the dark.
You can’t trust anyone, especially not men with eyes that you could get lost in or smiles you want to taste.
“Dean,” He turns to me once I’ve slid into the booth, offering his hand, so much bigger than mine, with trimmed nails and prominent veins, rough calluses visible now that I’m closer.
I flick my eyes to his, meeting his stare head on before I look at his hand, stretched out and waiting for mine, and then I dismiss him. I turn my face away and give my attention to my best friend. Savannah doesn’t seem to notice my dismissal of her friend, but I can feel his stare on the back of my head. My stomach rolls, and inwardly, I cringe. I’ve never been a rude person, in fact, I’ve always been a bit of a people pleaser because I’ve never liked confrontation, even the menial kind, so ignoring someone who is clearly reaching out to connect with me has my skin crawling.
As soon as I sense his gaze leave me, I discreetly let my hair fall, creating a screen, but I can still watch him. His hand isstrangling a glass, a muscle ticking in his jaw. I’ve pissed him off.
That’s fine, I tell myself, that’s how I protect myself, by keeping people at bay, even if that means being someone who I am not.
I blink away the memory, wishing that were the only one we had, but there’s more. Like the time he bought me a drink, and I didn’t even acknowledge him or how his hand had brushed mine by accident, and I’d flinched, startled by the unexpected contact, and lashed out at him. I’m sure he thinks I’m some kind of stuck-up snob, even if I steal glances at him when he isn’t looking. There is something so interesting about Dean; in all his quiet, there’s something screaming beneath the surface. I see it every time his eyes go distant, his mind caught up in a dream, or perhaps it’s a nightmare. I’ll never know…
“I can’t,” I tell Savannah, “I just can’t.”
Her face falls. “Okay, I understand.” Gathering up her belongings, she starts for the door.
“Wait! You’re leaving?” My hands wring together, nerves sparking through me.
“Yeah, I’ve gotta try to figure this out for him, he really needs the help, so I guess I’ll put an ad in the paper or something?”
“Oh yeah, right,” I nod, agreeing even when lead is settling into the pit of my stomach.
What’s the worst that can happen?A voice at the back of my head whispers.You aren’t there anymore. They don’t know where you are, and you need a job…
I think about my dwindling savings. There’s only so much longer they’ll keep me afloat before I’m left at zero with no way ofpaying rent after the twelve months are up or bills. I have a pretty good deal with this place, the landlord, an older woman, was willing to take cash and put the bills in her name, providing I paid in full and on time every month. She gave me grace, but I doubt that’ll remain if I don’t pay her.
“How much?” I call before she has a chance to close the front door behind her.
She looks over her shoulder, a question in her eyes
“The pay, how much is it?”
“However much you ask for,” She shrugs, “He’s desperate.”
“Full time?”
Savannah nods, “Monday through Friday, and likely some weekend work.”
“Tell him I’ll do it for thirty dollars an hour, doubled for weekend work.”
