Chapter 18
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
WRATH
Leaving her alone to get ready, I walk out to the bar, going in search of a couple of cups of coffee. Before Alex and Elodie leave today, I need to get the pictures off her phone and talk to them both about layouts and shit.
I don’t even make it to the kitchen before Alex is standing in front of me, arms crossed over his chest, eyes narrowed as he stares into mine. I’m sure I should feel intimidated, but I could squish him like a fucking bug.
Although it would do no good to have him pissed off at me when I know I’ll want another taste of Elodie, sooner rather than later. And having her cousin pissed off at me and talking shit about me to her isn’t going to help with my desires.
“You good?” I ask.
His eyes widen. They almost bug out of his head completely, but then they narrow on me, and I know without a doubt he’s going to try to say some fly shit. I don’t let him. Mainly because I don’t want to laugh in his face, and I definitely would.
“No, I am not good,” he snaps. “Where is Elodie?”
My lips twitch, but I hold back my laughter so I can answer him without pissing him off too much, although it seems as if he’s pissed enough, so there’s that. “She’s taking a shower,” I say, informing him of that simple fact,
What I don’t tell him is that I took out a new T-shirt and a pair of my sweats for her to wear, not just because she needs clothes, but because I want her in my clothes. Call it some kind of caveman macho shit, I don’t care. I want her in my clothes, and I want to see her in them.
He looks like he wants to ask something else, probably something along the lines of asking where she slept last night. That would not be advised, because I won’t lie, and I know that he’s definitely not going to like the truth.
“I’m going to take her some coffee, then I want to meet with both of you in the office before you leave this morning.”
Alex doesn’t respond, but the way he looks at me is so intense that I know he’s got things on his mind.
He’s just not going to fuck up a good thing and ruin this job relationship for him or Elodie, at least not until he’s talked to her.
I can get that. He needs the money just as badly as she does, and hopefully, after doing this for a while, they’ll be in the black.
“I don’t trust you at all,” Alex hisses, almost so low that I don’t hear him. I’m old, but I’m not that old. I hear his ass just fucking fine.
I take a few steps past him, then stop and look over my shoulder at him. My lips curve up into a grin before I speak.
“You shouldn’t.”
Without letting him say anything else, I walk away and head straight for the kitchen. For the coffee and maybe something to eat if we have anything. Usually, there’s something hanging around that someone picked up.
And today is my lucky day, because there’s a box of donuts. Opening the pink bakery box, I’m surprised to see there are four left. Pouring two cups of coffee, I know better than to leave donuts in this kitchen, so I take those with me first, leaving the coffee behind.
Alex is sitting at one of the tables in the bar, his neck bent and his focus on his phone. He’s probably texting Elodie to see what the fuck happened last night. I tap him on the shoulder, and he looks up as I reach into the box of donuts and hand one to him.
“It’s not a peace offering,” he states, reaching for the donut and taking it from my hands.
I snort, my eyes searching his. “I thought peace offerings were like jewelry and cars, expensive shit like that.”
His eyes widen as he chews on the soft dough. He coughs once, lifting his fist to his mouth before he shakes his head a couple of times. The whole scene makes me chuckle because he really is thinking about what I’m saying and obviously has something to add, so I wait.
“When you’re poor, it’s food,” he states.
“Honestly, never been in a relationship or anything like that, so I wouldn’t know, but I just assumed peace offerings had to be big and flashy.”
“I wouldn’t be opposed to you giving me a Tudor watch in order to buy my peace.”
I let out a snort. I don’t even know what that watch is, but it sounds expensive. “I may take you up on that one day.”
“I’ll text you the link,” he says, his face serious, but then he gives me a wink.
Rolling my eyes to the ceiling, I shoot him a smile, then make my way to the bedroom to check on Elodie.
On my Haze. The name fits her in more ways than one.
She not only has those soul-searching hazel eyes, but she leaves my fucking brain in a goddamn haze whenever I’m near her.
She’s absolute perfection, and I hate the fact that I’m probably going to ruin her.