At the casino, I tipped the driver double for not speaking a word to me. The guy really could read the room. He deserved to treat himself to something nice for that alone.
I considered texting Henny to see if he’d tell me where he was outright. Then again, if he felt like avoiding me, a call would give him a head start.
Fuck that noise.
After avoiding him for days, it was time to face the truth. No more interrupted conversations. I needed to know where we stood.
Did Henny truly want me?
Or would I need to convince him I was worth taking a risk for?
Because yeah, I’d considered letting him keep up the “this can’t happen between us” bullshit. And then I remembered who the fuck I am. I didn’t let others make decisions for me unless they’re wiring me a bunch of money. I’d never let anyone else call the shots in relationships either—though relationship wasn’t the right word for the random people I’d slept with through the years.
Henny’s words from the warehouse made it seem like he was ready to take this further. I knew from experience though that he could be hot one minute and cold the next.
The lobby of the hotel was busy enough I had to actually pay attention to where I was going. Business dudes in suits filled the line to get to the check-in desk. A wedding party stood to one side taking a bunch of photos in front of one of the fountains.
As I sneered at the duck lips they were making, a path cleared past them to reveal Henny posted near the concierge desk with that damn tablet in hand.
There you are.
Except… he wasn’t by himself.
Some asshole stood beside him, his body turned in a way meant to close Henny into the space. It was an intimidation tactic I’d used myself in the past on my victims. This guy wasn’t looking to hurt anyone though. He was stupidly tall, wearing a business suit and sporting a haircut that looked more copy-paste finance bro than personal preference.
As I watched, he put his hand on Henny’s arm and leaned closer. Henny didn’t look away from the guy as he spoke. If anything, his expression went a bit soft.
No! Nope!
This wasn’t happening.
My need for blood and pain returned in an instant. This guy was going to be my next hit if he kept fucking touching what was MINE.
Instead of thinking it through or calming down, I took off in their direction. I’d figure out what to make of the impulsive decision later. Right then, this piece of shit needed to get his hands off my man.
“So happy I found you,” I said loudly as I slid between Henny and the intruder with enough momentum to make the other guystumble back. “I didn’t realize you’d finished up early. I came as soon as I could, babe.”
Henny's eyes went wide. "Pip?—"
I turned, giving the asshole my brightest, most unhinged smile. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt. I'm Pip. Henny's boyfriend."
"Boyfriend?" The man looked between us, confusion clear on his face.
"Yeah." I reached out and straightened Henny's collar, letting my fingers linger against his throat. "We've been together for a while now. Isn't that right, Henny?"
I could feel Henny's pulse jumping under my fingertips. I saw the way his pupils constricted. He was trying to figure out what game I was playing, but his body was already responding to my proximity.
"This is Woody," Henny said slowly, and I noticed he didn't correct the boyfriend title. "He's a colleague of sorts. We were just discussing our business connection."
"Ah, I see. Boring work stuff." I kept my hand on Henny's collar, thumb brushing the hollow of his throat. "Woody, was it? That's a great suit. Very sharp."
Woody's smile had gone tight. "Thank you. I should probably?—"
"Did Henny tell you we're living together?" I interrupted cheerfully. "It's been great. Though he does hog the covers." I leaned into Henny's space, close enough that anyone watching would think we were intimate. "Don't you, babe?"
"Pip." Henny's voice had a warning edge, but he still wasn't pushing me away.
"What? I'm just making conversation." I turned back to Woody, who was looking increasingly uncomfortable. "Were you two ever friends as well? Or maybe former lovers?"
