Pasting a fake smile on, I turned to the asshole. “I love her sweats. They make her ass look absolutely spankable.”
“Oh my,” Stephanie gasped.
Eric whipped her way, suddenly remembering she was there, with a condemning look.
“Well,” he stated as he snaked an arm around Stephanie’s waist, pulling her toward him in a controlling jerk. “We wereplanning to surprise you tomorrow, but since we ran into you tonight, we might as well tell you the exciting news.”
My stomach sank with dread; nothing good would come from whatever he said next.
Eric dropped his hold around Stephanie to harshly grip her left hand and thrust it across the table so hard the woman stumbled forward to stay on her feet.
“We’re getting married.”
I shifted to seal my side tighter to Juno’s. Scanning her features, I studied the unshed tears welling in her lower lids, the slight tremble in her chin as she fought them back. Ever so slowly, I lifted my gaze to the asswipe, ready to murder him in the middle of the busy bar for making my girl cry. Only Juno shoving back from the table, the chair legs screeching across the sticky floor, stopped me before I could lunge forward.
“That is exciting news.” Her smile wavered. “Congratulations. If you’ll excuse me, I need to use the restroom.”
“I need to go too,” Stephanie called out and started to follow Juno, but Eric gripped her bicep, stopping her cold.
“No, you’re fine. We need to get drinks to celebrate.” Reaching back, he pulled out a thin wallet and slapped a shiny black credit card onto the table. He paused, glancing at me and the card as if waiting for me to comment on it.
I snorted and leaned back in the chair,veryunimpressed with his flaunting.
Lips pressed in a tight line, he twisted back to Stephanie, inclining his head toward the packed bar. “Go grab us a decent bottle of whiskey—surely they’ll have something I’ll like—and three glasses.”
A low, dark chuckle vibrated in my chest. “Oh, make it four glasses. I’m staying for this so-called celebration, especially if he’s buying.” I tossed him a wink. “Thanks, Edgar.”
“Eric,” he snarled.
“Same thing,” I sang.
Out of the corner of my eye, I tracked Juno as she weaved through the packed tables, hurrying for the hall that led to the bathrooms. My muscles twitched with the need to push out of the chair and follow her. Unable to resist, I stood, only to pause, noticing a familiar hulking frame bulldozing through the crowd, gaze locked on the bathroom hall.
A relieved breath fanned across my lips with a slow exhale. Langston was here, clearly fine after whatever happened at Calista and Hudson’s place, and would take care of Juno if she needed someone.
Then I swallowed a groan. Fuck, that meant I had to entertain the asshole across the table.
“So… I didn’t catch your name.” I just stared at him until he grumbled something about me being an asshole. Clearing his throat, he fixed a pleasant smile on his face. “Okay, well, what do you do? You do work, right?”
I arched a single eyebrow at the condescension in his annoying tone. Of course that was his first question. Shrugging, I relaxed a fraction, no longer muscle-trembling tense with Juno out of his line of sight, his carefully cruel words unable to reach her.
“Murder for hire,” I deadpanned. “I normally only accept contracts for taking out cheating assholes.” I relished the way his face paled. “You have to get creative, you know; there are so many out there. If I’m not careful, I could get bored, but thank fuck for Google. What about you? What does an arrogant prick like you do for a living that makes you think you’re above everyone else?”
His thin lips pressed into a tight line, and crimson spread from the base of his neck up to his face.
“You’re fucking with me.” I shrugged and gestured for him to keep going. “Well, not trying to brag.”Riiight.“But I run the full account team for my dad’s company. It’s easy mostly, and everyone loves me. Our clients have stayed with us for years because of me and what I bring to the table. I’m just that good at my job.”
“Wow, and humble too.” I gave him a thumbs-up. “Great job.”
He smirked. “Why be humble when you know you’re right?”
Scanning the bar, I started counting the number of people I recognized to keep from having to hear the other aspects of his job that he was so exceptional at. I’d only been in the guy’s presence for ten minutes and was already about to murder him.
A slow, knowing grin grew, bunching my cheeks.
I was the patient one between me and Langston. I wondered how long he would last before he put his fist through the asshole’s chest.
Guess I’ll have to wait and see.
