Page 28 of Code Violation

He nods once. “Yep. Will had that girl, Ashley, in his lap, and I had a firecracker in mine. I lost my head that night and didn’t think shit through. Pretty sure Eloise now hates my guts.”

“Is she still in France?”

He shrugs and downs half his pint in one go. “Last I heard. Or should I say, her dial tone was international when I last tried reaching out, which was this morning.”

I wish I had a suggestion that could help him, but all my brain can focus on is Vesper and the reason why she isn’t here tonight.

“Should I call her?” The question leaves my mouth before I can stop it.

“Eloise?!” Mason replies, voice raised several octaves.

I roll my eyes at him. “Why would I call Eloise? No, that would be weird since I’ve only met her, like, three times.”

He holds out a hand, motioning like that’s his point exactly. “And isn’t that strange in itself? We’ve been married for years, and you only met my wife less than a handful of times.”

“I guess,” I drawl, not knowing what the norm for married couples is.

“You should call Vesper.” Mason gives me whiplash as he downs his beer and sets the empty back on the bar. “And I need another drink.”

I pull his glass toward me. “You know I’m not a heavy-handed captain, but I’m advising you to cool it with the alcohol, buddy. It isn’t going to do your mind or game any good.”

Mason’s eyes fall to the empty glass in my hand. “My mind and game are already fucked without my girl. And I only have myself to blame for losing her. I drink so I don’t think about which dude’s bed she’s probably warming each night.”

We both fall quiet, a mutual understanding for each other’s predicament passing between us until there’s a vibration in my pocket, and I practically rip my pants, yanking out my phone.

“Is that Vesper?” I hear Mason ask, but his words float over me because I’m no longer in the room.

I’m standing outside Vesper’s front door—or at least, that’s where I should be right now.

Knockout

Hey, so I know you just played a game, and you’re probably out celebrating, but I didn’t know who else to message. I could ask Drew to come over, but I don’t want to put her in a difficult situation. Kane has been trying to gain access to my apartment floor, and security just kicked him out of the building. I know he can’t get up here, but I’m scared, Si. They said that he’d been drinking again. I was supposed to start my shift two hours ago, and now I’ll probably get sacked because the owner is on-site tonight.

“Is everything okay?”

Mason must notice the blood drain from my face as I hurriedly type out a message to Vesper, telling her to make sure her dead bolt is on the door and not to move a single fucking muscle until I get there.

“Where’s the bar owner?” I ask Mason like he’ll have a fucking clue. None of us have ever met them.

To my surprise, he points to a man in a black suit as he pushes through a staff door.

I’m on his tail, pocketing my phone and instructing my teammate to have a good night and to stay off the booze.

When I stop outside Vesper’s front door, I’m pulling huge gulps of air into my lungs since I figured jogging from Riley’s to her apartment would be faster than an Uber.

I knock a couple of times and wait for an answer.

Nothing.

Knocking again, I’m ready to call her when the door swings inward, and I’m met with puffy red eyes that have me scooping Vesper into my arms immediately.

“What the fuck happened?” I whisper into her hair as she buries her face in my shirt.

This girl has always been well put together, but tonight, she’s clearly too exhausted, maybe even too scared, to hide away any longer.

“I’m so sorry for ruining your night,” she breathes into my chest.

I tip her chin up to look at me. “I’m going to ban you from apologizing to me. I never want to hear the words I’m sorry leave these lips again.” I probably shouldn’t do it, but I run my thumb across her bottom lip anyway.