“Two waters and a bourbon on the rocks please, Johnny.”
“Coming right up, Boss,” he replies, already knowing exactly what I drink.
I turn toward the ladies, Dani seeming to have lost all bravado and cradling her hand again. I can see her knuckles now that we are in the light, and I inwardly cringe. Bruising is already forming and I see a tiny split on one of her knuckles. That has to hurt, but damn she packs one hell of a punch.Little spitfire.
“Stay here,” I say to the ladies before making my way around the bar. Reaching down to one of the many shelves under the bar top, I grab a clean dishrag and walk over to the ice bin.
Satisfied that I grabbed enough ice, I make my way back to the ladies and hand the wrapped-up ice to Dani.
She looks up at me, her eyebrows raised before gingerly taking the ice and placing it over her knuckles. “Thanks…”
“No problem, Dani.”
“So tell me something, Kayden,” Melody says as she places her hands on her hips and starts tapping her foot. “How doyou twoknow each other?”
I pointedly look at Dani, hoping for her to say something. It’s clear that Melody doesn’t know the truth about how we rescued her in a home with other women that had been trafficked. If she had, she and Jaxon would have confronted me long ago.
“We met at the diner this past week,” she says smoothly, which isn’t a complete lie. “He was one of my customers. How doyouknow him?”
“That’s my brother-in-law, of course,” Melody replies, laughing before taking a sip of her water. “What a small world!”
“Yeah, what a small world.” I chuckle, my eyes locking on Dani over the rim of my glass as I down my bourbon in one swallow.
Her eyes widen as I hold her gaze, refusing to look away.
Now that she’s in my sights, I’m not letting her go.
Seven
Dani
After we finish our waters, Melody insists we’re ready for drinks again and orders us two martinis each. I’ve felt Kayden’s eyes on me all night, always catching him staring when I look over his way. I find myself holding his stare a little longer each time, the tension growing until finally I unclench my legs and shake myself inwardly, telling myself to get a grip. My body flushes with equal parts fear and attraction. I’ve been avoiding his gaze ever since.
Wanting to put as much distance between myself and Kayden, I let Melody take my hand and pull me to the dance floor. It’s approaching midnight and the club shows no sign of slowing down.
Melody and I dance for what feels like hours, and the entire time I continue to feel his stare. It never relents. But when I seek him out, I’m unable to find where he’s disappeared to.
“Come on, Dani! Let’s take a break, I’m beat!” she shouts over the music. I can tell she’s had one too many, but I can’t blame her for it. She confided in me when we were getting ready tonight that yet another cycle has passed and the negative line on her pregnancy tests persist. She’s been taking it hard. She and Jaxon have been trying for nearly two years now.She was diagnosed with endometriosis last year after consulting with numerous doctors and having a procedure to confirm the diagnosis and excise what they could of the disease. Jaxon spared no expense when it came to Melody and getting answers. Finally having a diagnosis was such a relief to them, and the procedure gave them hope of conceiving naturally. Despite the continued negative tests, neither of them are ready to try IVF yet. If they need to go that route, they will, but Melody is dead set on at least trying naturally for three years first. She’s stronger than I could ever be.
“OK. Think your connection can get us up to the VIP section?” I ask, a challenge lighting up in my eyes.
“Girl, Kayden owns Club LAX. We can go wherever we want.” She walks away with a sashay of her generous hips toward the stairs, only stopping to grab my hand to pull me along.
We climb the stairs, pushing our way through the crowd of people near the railing. Melody leads the way to an empty VIP booth, and I couldn’t be happier to get off my feet. I thought working long hours at the diner was bad for my feet—it has nothing on dancing in heels for hours at the club.
Once we’re settled in the booth, Melody waves a passing waiter over and orders us water.
“This has been such a fun night,” she says, tripping over a few of her words.
“It was good to get out. It’s been too long since we’ve gotten together,” I reply, turning toward her. “How’s Jaxon handling everything?”
She waves me off. “He’s OK. Knee deep in stock trades and keeping busy with a bunch of financial stuff that I don’t even understand.”
“Sounds like maybe he’s busying himself to keep his mind off of things,” I say as I graciously accept the waters the waiter has brought back to our booth.
“You’re probably right, as usual, Dani. I don’t know… it’s been hard. I keep feeling like I’m failing him. Like my body isn’t good enough.”
“Don’t say that, Melody. You’re the strongest person I know, and if anyone can get through this, it’s you. You are an amazing woman, who has fought the hardest battles and still manages to be the kindest person I’ve ever met. If anyone is deserving of motherhood, it’s you.”
