“You never know what you’ll need while out on a mission.” GG’s back arched as Langston stroked his wide hand along her spine, and a soft smile that rarely appeared curled at his lips. The man was the epitome of pussy whipped.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come down to that, because the last thing I need is to bail one of you out of jail.” I slid my hard gaze to Dax. “Again.”
“I told you, that tourist was asking for it. It wasn’t my fault that we started a bar brawl. And besides, I’m different now.” He hitched his chin in the air. “More mature.”
“That was just last year,” I deadpanned.
“Exactly. People change, West.”
I just rolled my eyes and stuffed everything back into the pack. Maybe Dax had grown up a little since then, but I wasn’t sure about that. The man loved to fight, and he sought any opportunity to do just that. Why, I wasn’t sure. He seemed happy-go-lucky, all jokes and carefree, especially when Finley was around, but when no one was watching and his mask dropped, you could see the simmering anger that sat just below the surface. It was almost as if Finley was the only cure for his rage.
“We need to get going.” Back against the wall, Dax eyed GG with a mix of fear and disdain as he shifted toward the door. “Bye, devil cat.”
He jumped a foot in the air when GG hissed at him and, I swear, fake-lunged in his direction just to freak him out. I was still laughing when the door slammed shut behind him.
“Good girl,” Langston cooed as he scratched behind GG’s soft ears.
I chewed on my lip, debating how to bring up my concerns without Langston getting defensive or blowing off the effects of us following her.
“Out with it,” he groaned. “I can hear your mind working on overdrive from here.”
I pushed the thick frames back up my nose and leaned a hip against the counter.
“I feel like I actually have a shot at something happening between her and me, and I’m afraid tonight is going to fuck it up.” My dark eyes collided with his green ones. “I like her, Lang. A lot. She’s beautiful, funny, brilliant, kind—everything I never knew I needed or wanted in a woman.”
“What’s your point?” He carefully picked up GG and set her in the spot he’d just vacated. Coming to the kitchen, he paused directly in front of me. “What are you worried about?”
“That I’m going to fuck it up before I even have her.” He scanned my face, searching for what, I wasn’t sure. I sighed. “I want her. All of her, and not just for tonight.”
He adjusted his backward hat, shifting it side to side before settling it back over his dark hair. “Is that all you want?”
“You know it’s not,” I whispered. “I want us too.”
With a clipped nod, he moved to grip the counter on either side of my hips and leaned in until our noses almost touched. My breath hitched at the dark sparkle in his gaze.
“Good, because I won’t lose you, or us. I won’t fuck this up for you tonight. I’ll even go as far as helping make sure it all works out. Whatever you need from me, I’m there for you. Always.”
“Understood,” I breathed.
“Good. Now go get your other sock on and let’s go. We have your woman to stalk.”
7
JUNO
Before the night was over, I had grand plans of strangling both Kale and Finley.
My glare bounced between the two across the table, both trying and failing to hide their amusement. Assholes. The candle’s flickering flames wavered with my heavy sigh, the silverware and dishes rattling when I set my elbow on the white tablecloth, resting my chin in my palm.
All I had wanted out of tonight was to get laid, but that was absolutely, 100 percent not happening with the man sitting beside me picking at his nails. The “friend” Kale set me up with was just a random guy he knew from work. Hell, Kale even admitted that he thought the guy was slightly strange.
Strange and in desperate need of a shower.
When we met them here, I instantly regretted putting in the effort to look nice. I’d even put on a real bra—the one that was currently poking the shit out of my right boob—and cute panties that were currently up my crack so deep the lace was on the verge of cutting me in two.
Releasing another bored sigh, I cut my eyes over at my date, Stew Walters. His long, greasy, dark hair, which he clearly didn’t wash for tonight’s date—or anytime in the last few days—was pulled back in a low bun, and his muddy eyes had only met mine once the whole evening. Which was fine with me. That split second we made eye contact sent a shiver slithering down my spine at what lurked in his blank stare.
It almost made me wonder if I was safe with him even in a room full of crowded people. If he abducted me and used me as a skin suit, I was so haunting Finley. She would never get laid again. I’d use my ghost mojo to give any guy she was with a limp dick.
