Chapter Five #2
Caine opened the door and stepped outside.
Keely was standing on the edge of the curb with her hands wrapped over her arms. She glanced over her shoulder and widened her eyes when she saw him.
The corner of her mouth hiked. Fuck! Caine aimed his gaze across the lot.
He wouldn’t be engaging in any small talk with her.
He would do his job and nothing more. Of course, she had other plans.
“Busy night?”
Caine ignored her question.
“It looked busy. A lot more people tonight than the last time I was here with Charley.”
Obviously, this woman wasn’t well-versed in the beauty of comfortable silence. He wasn’t sure if he heard her footsteps first or simply sensed her moving closer.
“So? Whose drink did you piss in to get babysitting duty?” Her soft giggle had him furrowing his brows. Was everything a joke to this woman? The answer was yes. He’d only been around her a handful of times, but it was enough to know serious wasn’t part of her makeup.
He jerked his gaze and scowled.
“I just mean you have to stay with me until the car comes, right? Nash make you do it?”
Caine watched her in silence. She snickered, shaking her head.
“Look, you don’t have to. I’ll be fine, and I won’t say anything if you want to leave.”
I don’t want to leave. His silent admission wasn’t something he’d verbalize. His conflicting feelings were shifting his thoughts. Caine had never been territorial over anyone, especially a woman.
He turned his head to the left when he heard a loud commotion.
A large group of people were making their way to their cars.
It wasn’t close to closing, and as others left, more people arrived.
It was rare he got a glimpse of the comings and goings of the patrons.
The X-Lounge was part of his job but a very miniscule one.
The most it served was the name on his paycheck. It kept everything legitimate…on paper.
“Oh shit!” Keely gasped and before he could completely turn around, she was ducking behind the wall.
What the fuck?
He stalked toward her, and when he was a foot away, she poked out her head from behind the wall, her eyes the size of saucers. She reached for his chest, grabbed the edge of his jacket, and pulled him closer. Well, she tried. Her strength was no match for his, and he barely moved.
“Caine, please.” The sheer panic on her face had him giving in to her plea, and he stepped closer.
“What the hell are you doing?”
She fisted his jacket and waved her other hand. “Shhh.”
Did she just fucking shush me?
“Jared is walking through the parking lot headed for the door. He can’t see me, Caine. He will lose his shit, and I’ll be fucked. And not like, a little screwed.” She drew in a breath. “Like majorly fucked.”
Yeah, there was definitely something happening between her and Jared. And I don’t fucking like it.
“Why?”
“Because” —she gulped, peeking past his arm, then ducking behind him— “He’s very overprotective.”
That was not the answer he wanted to hear. There were only a few reasons employees were protective of one another. Caine didn’t like where his mind was going.
“Why?” He growled.
Keely’s brows shot to her hairline. “You don’t talk to me anytime I see you, but now you’ve decided to play a game of twenty questions?” She groaned, stepping closer to his chest, and heat raced through his blood. She was close enough for her scent to envelop him. Fuck!
“Please, Caine. He can’t see me.” Her tone was desperate, and against his better judgement, he pried her hand off his jacket and turned. Blocking her.
Caine leaned against the wall, watching Jared approach. He seemed completely at ease, but Caine noticed his gaze drift past his shoulders.
“Caine.” Jared lowered his chin.
Caine stilled when she grabbed the back of his jacket. She was touching him again. He drew in a deep breath and steeled his features.
“They’re in Nash’s office.”
“Alright.” Jared nodded and walked inside. Caine waited a few seconds and straightened his back. He felt Keely loosen her grip, and he turned. She was only inches away. Too fucking close.
She smiled, relief washing over her face. She parted her lips, but her gaze shifted past his arm.
“My car is here.”
Caine should’ve just let her walk away, but he found himself following her to the car at the curb. She reached out to grab the handle, but he was quicker and opened the back door. The corners of her mouth curled, and she ducked under his arm.
“Thanks, Caine.” Keely slipped into the seat, and he closed the door without another word. He took note of the license plate on the vehicle. When the car left the lot, he pulled out his phone and headed inside.
The club’s private car service was used strictly for transporting guests. Since an incident a few months ago, they tracked all the patrons traveling on their dime. Ironically, Keely had been a part of that shitshow too.
Caine had been distracted with tracking her location, and hadn’t noticed Cyrus and Ridge in the hall with Jared.
He naturally assumed Jared would go up to the offices.
It seemed Cyrus and Ridge met him downstairs.
Caine had no plans on stopping. Jared was there to pick up the phones, and that had nothing to do with him.
“Hey man. She get off okay?” Cyrus asked.
Fuck, Cy! He’d just saved her ass, and now Cyrus was throwing her under the bus. In fairness, he hadn’t been around when Nash made the comment about Jared being upset if he ran into her.
Caine drew in a breath and gave a curt nod.
“Everything okay?” Jared asked, aiming his inquiry directly at Caine.
He tightened his scowl. “Just club business.”
That should’ve been the end of it, but Cyrus suffered from the same ailment as Keely. An incessant need to talk.
“Caine’s playing bodyguard for a guest and getting her a ride.”
Caine glanced up to see Jared’s jaw square. Had he seen Keely hiding behind him?
“You provide that type of prime service for all your customers?”
“Only the special ones.” Cyrus smirked, gesturing toward Caine. “Thinking Red has got it bad for my boy.”
Shut the fuck up, Cy!
“Red?” Jared asked.
Before Cyrus could say another word, Caine stepped forward, ignoring Jared.
“You get him the phones?”
Cyrus held up two in his hand. “Yeah, got them right here?”
The swift change in subject had Cyrus back on track, and Jared suspicious.
Fuck!