“I’m sure.”
18
The whiskey burns a familiar path down my throat, numbing from the inside out. It’s been three days since I kicked Gabriel out of my apartment. Three days of silence where he hasn’t shown up at Foundation or popped up at the Blue Note, or anywhere in between.
Considering how many times I’ve told the man to leave me alone, I shouldn’t feel so conflicted over him now choosing to listen. If he’d shown up in front of me again, at least I’d have the satisfaction of punching his pretty face.
Anger would be better than this constant numbness.
My reflection stares up at me from the amberliquid in my glass, and I try to remember when the emptiness inside began to show.
Ghost stops by to refill my glass without a word before moving on to another customer. Even he has the sense not to linger. I’m such terrible company right now that not even Rowan wants to be near me.
“Didn’t expect to find you drowning your sorrows in public.”
My head snaps up as Jade slides onto the stool beside me, his black hair falling across his forehead. Blue eyes pierce through the curtain of hair, sharp with amusement and another emotion harder to name.
“How the fuck did you find me?” My grip tightens around my glass. “Did Gabriel tell the whole fucking family about the Blue Note?”
Jade snorts, tossing his hair back. “Calm down. Your precious lounge remains your secret as far as the Rockfords are concerned.”
“So how are you sitting here?”
“I have my ways of digging up information that doesn’t involve asking the family.” He signals to Ghost with two fingers. “Whiskey, neat.”
My teeth grind together. “What ways?”
Jade leans closer. “I followed you. Which, by the way, wasn’t hard. For someone with a quarter-million-dollar bounty on his head, you pay shit attention to your surroundings.”
“Fuck off.” I drain my glass, the burn barely registering anymore.
“Aww, did I hurt your feelings?” Jade grins, all teeth and no warmth. “And here I thought we were besties.”
Ghost places a glass in front of Jade. Jade acknowledges him with a brief murmur, his attention locked on me. Before I can respond, a new presence looms on Jade’s other side.
“Well, aren’t you a pretty thing.” Rowan’s gravelly voice cuts between us as he leans on the bar. “Don’t think I’ve seen you in our establishment before.”
Jade stiffens beside me, his hand disappearing beneath the bar. It’s a familiar motion, one that ends with a knife in his grip.
“Is this one of your friends?” Jade asks me without acknowledging Rowan.
I grunt an affirmative as Rowan assesses Jade with interest.
“Make him leave before I start stabbing,” Jade says, still calm despite the threat.
Rowan’s eyebrows shoot up, and he catches my eye over Jade’s head. “Feisty one, isn’t he? The bloodthirsty ones are always the best.”
I jerk my head toward the back of the bar. “Give us some space.”
A flicker of surprise crosses Rowan’s face before he shrugs and pushes off the bar. “Call if you need anything. And I meananything.” He directs this last comment at Jade, who flips him off without turning around.
When Rowan disappears into the crowd, I turn back to my unwanted companion. “Why are you really here?”
Jade takes a sip of his whiskey, grimacing at the burn. “Micah’s worried sick about you.”
My stomach clenches at the mention of my best friend. “I’m fine.”
“Are you? Because you’re dodging his calls, which is freaking him out, and now every other Omega in the house is agitated.” Jade swirls his drink. “Your pity party is destabilizing a delicate ecosystem, so figure your shit out.”
