She might not trust me, but she sure as fuck loves me.
“Let go,” I seethe at Pam. “Let go of me before my girl drags you away by your shitty extensions.”
Koby swallows a snort, hiding his grin behind a half-full glass of whiskey. I forgot he was here.
Pam steps back, hands falling to her sides. She looks ready to add something, explain more, but for once she thinks better of it and retreats.
“Layla’s right, Boss,” Koby says, slapping his hand on my shoulder. “You didn’t think this through. Good job Hailey knows what she’s worth, or you’d be in trouble.”
He leaves us alone, following Pam back to our table, and I grab Hailey’s waist, dragging her closer. The lust burning herfrom inside out a moment ago is gone, replaced with a seething annoyance.
“Why did you bring me here?” she clips, her fighting spirit hissing away with every word. She’s desperately trying not to let her insecurities take center stage but they’re pulling her under fast. “You know what? Never mind.” She storms off, leaving me with a litany of curses pouring out of my lips.
Every day she takes tiny steps further and further away from the effects of Alex’s grooming. She’s growing more confident and realizes she’s worth so much more than he led her to believe. She’s still not out of the woods though, and it’s my fault those insecurities raised their ugly heads tonight.
Pam and the other women at the table—all staring right at me—didn’t even enter my mind when I decided to bring Hailey here. They’re so insignificant I don’t think about them at all.
This time, I should’ve.
I catch up with her as she slides into her seat, arm-in-arm with Broadway, glaring straight ahead.
Words won’t fix anything, so instead of dragging her out of here to apologize, I point my finger at Pam. “You.”
She cocks an eyebrow when I move around the table, singling out the other mistakes I made over the years.
“You, you, and you too. Get the fuck out.”
The collective gasp that fills the air brings a smile to Hailey’s face. She’s still pissed off, understandably, but she’s also pleased with how things are turning out... and that pettiness on her pretty face makes my hard-cock situation even worse.
My knee bounces as I sit, torn between leaving right now and letting Hailey cool off first. Before I finish my drink and make my mind up, Layla emerges from Dante’s office, cheeks flushed and eyes glossy from however many orgasms Dante wrung out of her back there.
Lucky fucker.
“Come on, Hailey,” she says, holding out a manicured hand to my girl. “Let’s have a drink at the bar.”
Looks like we’re staying a while longer.
29
CARTER
The ride back fromDeltapasses in silence.
Hailey stares out the tinted window, watching the convoy of cars escorting us back here, but doesn’t utter a single word.
She still doesn’t speak to me when we enter Dante’s guest house. It’s bigger than my loft, with a huge open plan living space downstairs and a master bedroom complete with en suite and walk-in wardrobe upstairs. I’d hoped she’d have stopped fuming by now, but she’s still going strong as she kicks her heels aside, stomping across the kitchen to open the fridge.
I set the alarm and close the blinds, jutting my chin at the men stationed outside. Koby, Broadway, and Ryder have gone to the main house with our hosts for a few drinks.
Hailey pulls out a bottle of water and leans against the cabinets, scanning the modern space. She’s purposefully avoiding my gaze, a stormy cloud hanging over her head. I’mtired of this. Mainly because I can’t fuck her to douse the fire burning her from the inside out.
Enough is enough.
I cross the room, grip her waist and haul her onto the island, my fists landing on both sides of her hips.
“Go on,” I encourage. “Give it to me. What did Pam say that pissed you off this much?”
She pinches her lips, catching herself before rolling her eyes. I can tell she wants to, though—she wants to punish me with a raging cock.
