Putting the car in park, he climbs out before I can say anything else. When I follow suit behind him, all signs of worry and guilt are gone, replaced with a smile. "Get home safe, Brigit. I had fun chatting.”
Chapter 20
Adulation
CORMAC
"What did you say to Brigit?" I ask Skyler, noting that it's been several days since she was here and he's pointedly not said anything about it.
His brows furrow in confusion, but there's no denying the fucking smirk on his face, "What do you mean?"
"I've been very patiently waiting for you to tell me why I could see her standing outside the other night when you got back. But I think time is running out before I go pry the information out of her," I explain. "And I'm hoping mybest friendmight make it easy on me so I don't have to."
"You saw that?" he walks calmly towards the back of the club, leaving me to trail behind. "I just figured it was safer if she lays low with me for a second. Those animals were all over her."
I narrow my eyes, ready to call him out for the bullshit he's spewing, but he just keeps walking, taking on the business owner and manager role like I'm not standing here ready to throttle him.
"You and Julian did a good job setting up without me. The wholenight ran super smoothly thanks to you guys," he comments. "Easy enough?"
I nod, still not sure if I want to yell at him or not.
What would I even be mad at him for? It's not like he would have hurt her. I'm not worried for a second about him hitting on her, either.
But a niggling under my skin tells mesomethinghappened that I won't like. Whether it's because, for the split second I saw her face, Brigit seemed worried, or because he's been all too happy since then, I'm not sure.
"I like her," he tells me, checking inventory and weighing the bottles. "I think she might be allergic to being honest, but I like her."
"What did you do, Sky?" I ask again, exasperated that I even have to. "Why did she feel the need to lie to you?"
He finally looks up at me over the bar, setting down his clipboard, "Exactly as I said. I made sure they didn't get her, and then her and I just chatted while we waited it out for a minute."
"Chatted?"
He nods, setting out the clean glassware, "Yeah, it was really informative. I don't think it's really me she's lying to. She's still lying to herself, actually. But you knew that."
I get the feeling that everything Skyler does is about gathering intel and forming blackmail should he ever need to use it. There's not a single person's file in my hidden office back home that doesn't have something about them they hope never sees the light of day.
Of course I know that Brigit is lying to herself. But I was happy to let her do so until she doesn't feel like she has to.
"What kind of shit do you have on her?" I groan.
He shakes his head, "Nothing you really need to worry about. I’m sure it’s somewhere in your office at home if you get really curious though. Hey, I need you to get out of here. Unfortunately, it seems that for a while you're going to have to go back to thesilentpart of this agreement. Until they get tired of waiting around here for you. Wolfy and I can handle it until Stella gets back tomorrow."
"What am I supposed to do?" I don't know if I have any hobbies that don't include Brigit or murder.
"Go do some experimenting out at Balor," he suggests. "Take your girl. It's far enough out of town and quiet. They probably won't bother going out there, and if they do, you'll see their vans and shit before they see you."
A day out of the city in the place I built from the ground up, getting a little tipsy with Brigit, sounds like a dream come true. One I'm certainly not lucky enough to deserve.
But it's clear enough that I can't spend as much time at Mingle as I have been. There's too much shady shit happening here for me to be drawing this kind of attention.
I guess tonight is as good a night as any to do what I've been planning.
"Alright, I'm leaving," I mutter.
"ThankGod," Skyler laughs. "I never saw this much of you before you got your noggin busted in."
My middle finger juts into the air, a compulsion I wasn't even aware of rearing its head.
