Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Dean
After watching Sloan from afar for two weeks, I left her the dahlias.
That was almost three weeks ago. I thought she would have told her sister about the unexpected gifts after receiving the flowers.
But I know she hasn’t, because Detective Reid would have mentioned it when I saw her at TG’s Happy Hour last week.
Since I know that no one is the wiser, I’m finally ready to make myself known.
She has no clue that I’m the one who purchased her studio building since I used a shell corporation.
I may be an evil bastard for choosing today to let her know that I’m her secret admirer.
Since she’s closing up her studio and turning over the keys, she’s sure to be vulnerable.
I’m hoping that will make my offer easier for her to accept.
Who am I kidding? I probably need full body armor to survive our first encounter in five years.
I used another corporation to purchase a vacant building on the south side of town.
It’s directly across the street from Ink Runners and next door to Slade’s Automotive—right in the center of our investigation.
The construction crew finished the remodel last night to transform the space into a gentleman’s club and we’re ready for business to open tomorrow.
I do one final walk-through before locking the door and heading to my Challenger.
I look up at the sign above the door to my new club with a grin.
Dahlia’s Deception will soon be in full swing.
I sit in my car outside the realtor’s office and wait for Sloan to exit.
The sight of her wiping tears from her face almost makes me regret my scheming.
But it will all be in her best interest eventually.
It had to be done this way to make her consider what I’m offering.
I force myself to stay put until she slides into the passenger seat of her sister’s Jeep and they drive away.
Then, I make my way inside to collect the keys and deed to my recently purchased dance studio.
After leaving the real estate office, I stop at the flower shop for a multicolored bouquet of dahlias before driving to where Sloan lives with her parents.
When I don’t see Becky’s Jeep in the driveway, I pull my phone out to check the app Mac installed on my phone to track her location.
Her sister must have dropped her off and left, because her blue dot is showing right on top of the black one showing my own location.
I jump out of my car, grab the bouquet and arrange it to hide my face as I ring the doorbell.
My palms begin to sweat as the door opens and I hear the sound of her gasp.
Knowing she can’t possibly recognize me without being able to see my face—especially since my arms are now covered in tattoos that I didn’t have in college—I keep myself hidden until she speaks.
“You can tell whoever sent those flowers to go jump off a cliff and headbutt the rocks below,” she barks.
My dick gets hard at the sound of her snarky voice, even though she doesn’t know it’s me she’s talking to.
“Don’t be like that, Sly.” I lower the flowers until they rest against my chest. “Didn’t you miss me?”
I step forward to block the door with my foot so she can’t slam it in my face as I take her in.
She’s just as gorgeous as I remember. It hasn’t been that long since I’ve seen her, but this is the first time I’ve been close enough to see the green ring around her dark brown eyes.
I revel in the way those eyes widen with a mixture of shock, fury, and just a hint of barely concealed lust as she takes in my new ink and piercings.
“Dean? What are you doing…” Her voice trails off as her eyes drop to the flowers I’m holding before snapping back to mine. “It was you!”
“Yeah, it was me,” I admit with grin. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
“In what world would I ever invite you into my space?” she asks as her head shakes in disbelief.
“You would have the last time you saw me.” My voice is almost a whisper as I urge her to remember that night instead of all the times before.
Five Years Earlier
I ball my hands into fists to resist the urge to touch Sloan again as Mac and I follow her and Sheila back to their dorm.
I sacrificed the right to touch her when I decided to push her away instead of pulling her toward me like I wanted to four years ago.
I never wanted her to associate my touch with the torment I’ve put her through.
Tonight was different. I had to get her away from that thug.
I had to put myself between her and the danger she’d unknowingly danced into.
Mac bumps my shoulder before nodding toward the girls walking in front of us, still holding hands like they’re afraid to let each other go.
I shake my head, silently telling him not to make a move we can’t take back.
I know he went the opposite direction with Sheila than I did with Sloan.
He let her in and then friend-zoned her.
That’s almost worse than what I’ve done to my tiny dancer.
“Lock the door and stay put,” I tell Sloan as soon as she steps into her dorm room. “Those guys are known to prowl after a party.”
“We will,” Sheila says since Sloan is unusually quiet.
My eyes drift to Sloan’s, and I see the silent invitation in her gaze. My body physically aches with the need to accept it, but I know I can’t. So, I just nod before turning to walk away.
I spend the next week following Sloan around from the shadows. I stay hidden because I know I won’t be able to deny myself again if she looks at me with anything other than the hate I’ve carefully crafted.
The day she gets in her car to drive back to Thorngrove, I promise myself to find a way to make her mine eventually. Little do I know that it’ll take me five years to make good on that promise.