“She had a date with him last night and she’s not back? Where?”
“I don’t know about last night. But she went out with him today. Said she’d be back by the lunch rush. But I don’t know where they went, I swear.”
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re doing here or why. But I will fucking find out, and when I do,” I lean in close, dropping my voice to a growl, “you better run.”
I throw him back on the counter and slam the kitchen door so hard it bounces against the wall behind me on my way out. The haughty stares of the staff follow me through the dining room and out the front door.
When I’m outside, I pull out my phone and stare at Siena’s name for longer than I need to. She’s going to enjoy this. She’s going to make me suffer for every second of it and I’m going to have to fucking take it.
I press call.
She picks up on the second ring. “I assume you’re calling to apologize.”
“Where is she?”
She pauses. “Where areyouis the question?”
“I’m at the Arsenal, and she’s not fucking here.”
“Hmmm. Interesting. I guess last night’s date went well.”
“What the FUCK, Siena?”
“Don’t you ‘what the fuck’ me! I should be ‘what the fuck’ingyou! I’m the one who convinced her to go out there and help your sorry ass, and I heard what you fucking did. Women don’t like to be fucking held captive, you fuck.”
“It’s not like I held her in a dungeon. Don’t be fucking dramatic.” The fact that I tried to keep her on the island is immaterial to this conversation.
“Vin, just let her be with someone who is not afucking assholefor five minutes.”
“Gavin? That Irish fuck isn’t the guy for her,” I huff. “He’s a user, Siena.”
“Like you?”
I stop pacing.
She lets the silence sit between us.
“I did a lot of fucked up things,” I say quietly. “But I never used Sophie.”
Other than her pussy, her mouth, and her ass.
“And for all that I did wrong, I want her…” I swallow hard. Saying this out loud especially to Siena is not easy. But I need to know where my girl is. “I want her forgiveness.”
I’m standing on the corner outside the Arsenal, one hand in my hair, when my gaze lands on the big front window of thesandwich shop across the street.
She’s right there, seated at the window table. Her hair is down, fuck. She almost never wears her hair down. But she wore it down for him.
She’s gesturing with both hands, telling a story, and across from her Gavin is paying close attention. She laughs at something and reaches up to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. She’s self-conscious with him. Shy. FUCK.
I hang up on Siena, and just stand there like an asshole in the middle of the sidewalk, staring at her.
She shakes her head at something he says, smiling, then turns her coffee cup in quarter circles.
Gavin leans in toward her, and I stop fucking breathing. If I have to watch this fuck kiss her—
I look down at the phone in my hand. Maybe Siena is right. Maybe I should leave her alone.
From behind me, a woman’s voice brings me back to the present.
