Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Things were going well with Razor. She hadn’t been sure at first, not after their disastrous first date.
A memory that still made her laugh, though it had taken weeks before she could see the humor in it.
But they’d come so far since then, navigating each other’s quirks and rhythms, building something she hadn’t quite dared to hope for.
The outfit in the garment bag was a surprise.
It was for their upcoming date over the weekend, and she’d spent more time than she cared to admit picking out just the right thing.
As she continued down the bustling street, her excitement grew.
Razor had planned something special, and though he’d been tight-lipped about the details, Lottie had learned to trust him in ways she hadn’t trusted anyone in a long time.
The anticipation felt like a spark dancing in her chest, bright and full of promise.
Distracted by her thoughts, Lottie didn’t see the blonde standing in front of her until she nearly collided with her. When she looked up, she recognized the woman immediately—Shannon, Razor’s sub from The Red Door.
Not wanting a scene, Lottie offered a polite smile and tried to step around her. That’s when she caught the offhanded comment.
Unsure she’d heard correctly, Lottie paused and looked over her shoulder. What did you say?”
“I saw you and Master Merritt at The Red Door,” she repeated, stepping closer to Lottie. “You can’t give him what he needs.”
Lottie recognized a jealous bitch when she saw one. She’d been dealing with thirsty bitches most of her life. This chick wasn’t anything new, and if she thought for one second her words would get a reaction from her, Shannon would be sadly mistaken.
Watching the woman huff off, Lottie waited a few minutes before heading for her car. On her way, she called Razor.
“Hey, beautiful,” Razor said as he answered the phone.
Lottie smiled. “Right back at you.”
“How’s your day going?” he asked, heading towards the back office.
“I just had an interesting confrontation.”
Razor didn’t like the way that sounded. “I can take a break if you wanna come by the clinic and tell me what happened.”
It took her nearly the full fifteen minutes to reach the clinic. She shouldn’t have been surprised to find Shannon sitting in the waiting room. Drawing in a steady breath, Lottie kept moving, heading toward the back where Razor was waiting for her.
Slipping into the office, she found Razor looking at a client’s chart. “Hey.”
Razor looked up, smiling when he saw Lottie. “You got here quick.”
“Not quick enough.”
He chuckled. “That desperate to see your man?”
“Yes, but no.”
The smile faded slightly when she caught the concern flicker across his face.
Razor set the file aside and got to his feet, meeting her halfway. “What’s going on, Lottie?”
“The sub from The Red Door approached me twenty minutes ago,” Lottie said, her tone steady. “She said she saw us there and implied I can’t give you what you need.”
Razor’s expression darkened as she spoke, his jaw tightening. Lottie caught the flicker of anger in his eyes, though he stayed silent, waiting for her to finish.
“I didn’t react,” she continued. “I didn’t give her the satisfaction she was clearly looking for. But I thought you should know. She seems intent on stirring trouble.”
Razor took a deep breath, his voice low and deliberate. “You did the right thing, not engaging. Shannon’s been a problem before. I’ll handle it.”
Lottie’s eyes narrowed slightly. “She’s sitting in the waiting room.”
“Right now?” he asked, his tone sharp.
“Yes.”
“I’ll handle it,” he repeated.
The words were calm, but Lottie still felt the edge beneath them. Razor wasn’t the type of man to let disrespect slide, especially not when it came to her.
“This is becoming problematic,” Razor mumbled, his gaze softening as he reached for her hand. “I’ll handle it,” he said again. “I don’t want you worrying about her. You mean too much to me to let her get between us.”
Lottie nodded, feeling a sense of security in his words. Watching him leave the office, she knew Razor would deal with Shannon, and she wasn’t about to let someone like that come between what they were building together.