Chapter 18 #2
“All Night. It’s next to La Résistance in Brooklyn.”
“I know the place. I’ll go and give her the message.”
There’s a pause as Madi takes that in. “You will?”
“Of course, Luna,” I say smoothly, like I’m doing it for her, not for Aubrey.
“Good. Make sure she’s having a good time.
Give her a ride home or something if she needs it.
” Madi uses a bit of alpha command in her voice, which isn’t warranted in this situation.
But she’s a smart woman–sharper than most of us, and we’re all Ivy League.
I suspect she’s onto me. I’ve shown too much interest in her best friend than is warranted.
Now she’s making this an order to give me the pretense of having Aubrey all to myself tonight.
I don’t hate it.
“I’m leaving now,” I clip and end the call before Madi can glean any more information.
I give a short whistle, and Pepper’s little head whips around to look at me, ears pricked, eyes alert for my command. When I snap my fingers and point to my heel, he bounds over, tumbling a little when his body gets ahead of his legs.
“Let’s go, Pepper. Your mom needs us.”
Aubrey
She’s not coming. And no, I didn’t take her call when she tried the last ten times.
Because if the call was just to say she’s running a few minutes late, she would’ve texted.
The fact that she’s calling me means she wants to apologize, and honestly, I don’t want to hear it.
I will either say something I regret and permanently damage our friendship or burst into tears, and neither of those are appropriate when I’m at a live music event at my favorite venue.
In a fantastic turquoise leather jacket that looks amazing on me.
I squeeze a lime into my drink and stir it with the mini straw. I haven’t eaten anything, and the vodka tonic is going straight to my head. Of course, it’s my second one, so that probably explains it.
A group of rowdy white and Asian college guys next to me at the bar keep looking over, giving me smiles. They’re looking for encouragement to strike up a conversation, but I steadily ignore them and watch the band.
They’re playing my favorite Pat Benatar song, “Invincible,” and I would love to grab the mic and take over the vocals because their vocalist doesn’t have the range for it.
Not that I’m judging. I don’t think you have to have a great voice to make music.
Any voice will do. It’s the desire to sing, to express yourself, that matters.
The door swings open, and there’s a Wild West saloon moment when someone so very out of place walks in.
Billy Billions.
Still in his Wall Street suit. What is he doing here? And how did he find me?
He looks pissed as hell, like he’s here to make heads roll. Heh. It’s probably because I left Pepper there. I check his arm to see if he’s carrying my dog, but he’s empty-handed.
His gaze flicks to the guys standing near me then locks onto me.
For some reason, flutters start in my belly as he strides over. I’m not afraid of his anger. Hell, I want it. The flutters aren’t fear–they’re pure excitement. My pussy clenches at the thought of him trying to punish me again.
Will I let him?
That is the $10,000 question.
Billy doesn’t confront me when he arrives, though. He pushes his way between me and the group of guys, angling his back to them and his front to my side.
I wait for him to say something, but he’s signaling to the bartender for a drink. “Crown Royal. Neat.” He drops a hundred on the counter.
He leans his hip against the bar in what for him is probably his most casual stance and looks at me. “Nice jacket.”
“Thanks. It’s vintage.” I was hoping to show it off to Madi.
Now I doubt she’ll ever see it.
Billy keeps studying me. I could make a comment on his stuck up suit, but I don’t feel like it. I’ve really lost my mojo if I don’t have the energy to make fun of Billions.
Then he says, “Madi stood you up.”
Of all the things I expected him to say, that was not it.
Sympathy laces his words. Understanding.
I wouldn’t have even thought him capable of such a thing.
My eyes widen, and my throat closes, nose suddenly hot and tight.
He touches my arm, his touch light at first then closing into a reassuring squeeze.
“It’s like, the tenth time.” My voice clogs.
I sound like a teenager, but Billy’s standing there, regarding me with something resembling warmth, and it all comes out.
“I never see her anymore. I thought painting the mural in your building meant we’d at least get to hang out, but she’s always either with Brick or at work.
I’ve been trying to get together with her for weeks now.
” A tear escapes my eye, and I flick it away.
I feel like a fool.
“I know. Feels like you lost your best friend.”
I blink rapidly at him. He must feel the same way with Brick. “Yeah. I mean, I think I did.” That realization comes crashing over me.
It’s time to face it. People change. Not all friendships last. Maybe I’ve been clinging to something that I need to let go of.
Billy shakes his head. “Madi needs and loves you. It’s just an adjustment to a new situation.”
I stare at him. I don’t even want to talk about this anymore–it hurts too much. “Why are you here?”
“Madi called me when you wouldn’t answer your phone. You want to get dinner? You haven’t eaten, right?”
I narrow my eyes. Sparring with him is definitely better than talking about Madi. “Were you spying on me with a nanny cam or something?”
He scoffs. “Please. I don’t need a nanny cam to know what you’re up to, Silver.”
I cock my head and adopt a teasing quality to my voice. “What was I up to?”
His lips curl slightly at the edges. I am coming to love that look on him. “I saw you made coffee and used my shower. And left me your dog.” He raises his brows.
“Yeah, how’d you like that?”
“I’m going to punish you for it later.”
A hot tingle washes over me. Yum .
He downs his whiskey and tilts his head toward the door. “Come on. Let’s get dinner. You need a good meal.”
“Okay, but how do you know I haven’t eaten yet?” I press.
“I know you left not long before I got home, and I didn’t smell any food.”
“You have nanny cams set up to make sure I don’t steal anything, and now that they’re up, you no longer feel like you have to work from home while I’m there,” I accuse. “Did you watch me shower?”
Billy’s Porsche is parked a block away, and he stops in front of the passenger side without opening the door. “You think I’m afraid you’ll steal something?” He sounds offended. Whether it’s on my behalf or his, I can’t be sure.
I raise my brows.
He catches one of my wrists in one hand, then the other, and tugs them so my palms are facing out.
His thumbs press into my palms, and he starts massaging.
“I’m not afraid of anything, Silver. Least of all, you stealing from me.
If you wanted to rob me, I suspect you’d do it while I watched to flaunt it in my face rather than sneak something out after I left. ”
That wrings a smile out of me. His smoldering gaze and rumbling tone make it sound like he admires that trait in me. He enjoys our sparring as much as I do.
“And if anyone ever nanny cams you showering, I will rip his fucking eyeballs out and stuff them down his throat.”
A wash of heat rolls over my body. “That’s…
hot,” I manage to croak in surprise. I didn’t take him for a man of passionate crimes.
I look up at his face. What seemed haughty before now appears achingly handsome–the firm line of his stubbled jaw, the smoky blue gaze framed by impossibly thick dark lashes.
Yes, he’s cocky, but when all that self-confidence is aimed in my direction, I can see the appeal.
This new perspective makes it harder to maintain the barrier of resistance I’ve been holding up against him.
I reach up and pull his head down to mine for a kiss. His hand curls around the back of my head, and his tongue lunges into my mouth. He tastes of whiskey. His lips are soft except where the stubble on his upper lip scrapes my skin.
My ass bumps against the door of his car, and he presses me there, one hand sliding down my hip to grip my thigh and pull it up and open.
I hear a short yip from inside the car, and we pull apart. “You brought Pepper?”
“Of course I did.“ He glares through the window, and I twist to see my little dog outside his carrier in the front passenger seat. Pepper’s little paws scratch the inside of the door as he stands on hind legs to look through the window at me.
Billy pulls back, releasing me from where he pinned me against the door, and opens it for me.
I pick up Pepper, but Billy takes him from my hands and sets his little paws on the asphalt.
“Don’t put him down! What if he runs?” I exclaim. He’s not on a leash or anything. I can’t believe Billy drove with him out of the carrier. It’s so dangerous.
Billy ignores me. “Pee there and get back inside,” he commands, as if the little dog understands him. As if Pepper won’t run off and make us chase him or get lost or run over or any of the things that could happen to a little dog in the city.
Strangely, Pepper does exactly as he’s told, lifting one leg to pee, and then bounding back in the car.
“In the backseat,” Billy growls. “Your mom sits there.”
Once more, Pepper obeys. It’s downright weird.
I climb in the car. “I guess you speak dog. He doesn’t listen to me like that.”
“I do.” Billy shuts the door and walks around to his side. He pulls his phone out and opens up a restaurant delivery app then hands it to me and starts the car. “Order us some food to be delivered to your place.”
A half dozen retorts flit through my head about how he’s being presumptuous in inviting himself over to my place, but I realize I love it. I love his take-chargeness, and I love that he would even want to come into my place.
I wouldn’t have imagined him ever setting foot through my door. But then I wouldn’t have imagined him entering the door of All Night either.
Most of all, I don’t say anything because I want this. I’ve had a taste of Billy White in bed, and it definitely wasn’t enough.
I scroll through the restaurant options. “What do you want to eat?” I ask.
He glances at me as he pulls into the street, and his eyes seem to glow under the street lights. “You.”
I smirk. No objections here. He eats pussy like a champ.
“Get what you want because I’ll be feasting on you tonight, Aubrey.”